Weekly Tidbits - June 30, 2021
On my mind this week and random things from around the web on dogs, behaviour and training.
Triage and Icebergs
Talking with friends in the Dog Training business, I am sometimes struck by the parallels between the work these trainers do and that of paramedics. They are often called in at the last minute to urgently deal with a problem. They have a limited time in which they need to see results. And when the immediate problem seems resolved (at least to the owner’s satisfaction), they are off to deal with yet another dog behaviour problem elsewhere. It is a kind of triage to deal with immediate issues quickly. It’s a model that works well enough but can leave the underlying causes of behaviour problems unaddressed.
Let me give you an example. I coach clients in Dog Agility, a popular dog sport. Some of my clients struggle with dogs that bark at them insistently instead of running over the obstacles. There are online courses, magazines, books, and even free videos on YouTube that will offer to help these handlers “fix” the problem of their dog’s barking. Most of them will suggest setting up a training drill or a particular training technique to get the dog to stop barking. But, as I suggested in my recent post on Impulse Control, addressing the behaviour without looking at the cause doesn’t really solve the issue. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In working through this problem with my clients, I find that many times the dog’s barking behaviour is related to trying to get the food reward. Looking at the problem more closely, there can be several reasons for this. It could be that in everyday life, the handler uses food as a distraction when the dog barks around the house (it’s hard to bark if you are chewing!). It could be that the dog thinks they did what was asked because there is no clear communication and are barking for their reward or more information. It could even be that the dog has is not regularly asked to do more than one thing at a time before being rewarded.
The point is, the barking is a symptom of other, more complex issues to be resolved. The tip of a behavioural iceberg. And this is where we get back to that “triage” dog training. In many ways it’s a customer service issue. Clients do not have unlimited time or money to deal with a behaviour issue. The challenge for trainers is trying to satisfy the client’s immediate need while still providing enough information to help resolve any underlying issues. It’s a difficult balancing act.
It seems that the more a client knows about dogs and behaviour, the more interested they are in detailed solutions offered by trainers. Unfortunately, it is often the least dog-savvy client who just wants the quick-fix and sends the trainer on their way when the problem looks resolved. Too often those quick-fixes lead to the problem resurfacing down the road or other different problems cropping up because the underlying issues haven’t been addressed.
I don’t have a good answer for this. Trainers do the best they can and the best trainers find ways to teach their clients beyond “fixing” the dog. As dog owners, we need to understand that behaviour can be complex and may come about for a variety of reasons. Like an iceberg, the problem behaviour may just be the part we can see and there is much more to consider below the surface. We should take the time and effort to explore these things as deeply as we need and make the best use of the resources we have. Believe me, the dog trainers will be very happy that you want to do more!
That Dominance Bullshit…
Back in 2010 I wrote an essay about dominance and using force to stop a dog’s behaviour. Since then there has been a lot of discussion about “dominance”, “balanced training”, and “pack leadership” in dog training. I can understand how, when we didn’t know a lot about dogs, we believed them to be “wild animals” who “needed to be controlled.” Never mind that this ignores the fact that our pet dogs have been selectively bred for centuries to produce the most tame and agreeable companions.
But the idea of some epic struggle between dogs and humans persists. People still tune in to programs like The Dog Whisperer to watch the heroic Cesar Millan take on another 35 pound threat to humanity. In suburbs everywhere, someone is “teaching their dog a lesson” and making sure they “know who is boss.” So much wasted energy. So much unnecessary anxiety and suffering for the dogs.
The time is long passed for moving beyond these notions of “Dominance” and “Showing the dog their place.” This week I happened upon this wonderful video excerpt from the film “Dogs, Cats And Scapegoats” that clearly lays out the case for leaving our notions of dominance over our dogs behind. It’s only 10 minutes but it’s well worth sharing with the people in your social circle who might not know these things.
You can read my 2010 essay “Selling Snake Oil: Stopping Behaviour Doesn’t Make a “Good Dog” HERE or you can listen to an audio version from the Canine Nation Podcast HERE.
Give us a shout!
As much as I enjoy talking about dogs and publishing here at Canine Nation Continues, it can get a bit lonely. Sure I can see the numbers and lots of people are reading what I’m putting out there but nothing beats hearing from readers directly. It’s always interesting to hear what these posts get people thinking about.
Someone asked me last week, “Why do you write this stuff anyway?” My life has changed so much because of what I’ve learned about dogs and behaviour. Life with my dogs is so much better in so many ways. I write about that in the hope that I can pass some of that on. If someone out there gets a spark of an idea from my writing that improves their life with their dogs, that’s what it’s about for me.
I’d love to hear your stories. Tell me about you and your dogs and how you have grown together. Fortunately, the world is changing for the better for our dogs and it would be amazing to hear how that is working for you. You can leave your comments here or, if you prefer a less public forum, you can contact me at eric@caninenation.ca
Have a great week and have fun with your dogs!
Hi Eric, thanks for your interesting and informative articles. I have been following you with interest, and often find myself sharing info from your essays or podcasts with members of our local club, where I am a volunteer instructor.
Happily almost all of our members embrace our positive training ethos, whether they are experienced or total newbies. So the message is getting out. Even the occasional old school handler can be informed about different gear to use, different techniques, and the importance of engaging with the dog, rather than engaging in "the battle".
Thanks again for your writings
My first real training experience started with herding! Yikes! I couldn’t have picked a harder venue! So many times I wanted to just throw in the towel. It was with my second dog that I learned to trust my dog and keep my big mouth shut!