Dog Calendars, Dog Breed Information, Training Aids & Everything Else |
 Profile Logout
|
 |
|
 Forum Pics Shop Ask a Trainer Find a Trainer Adopt a Dog Dog Websites |
|
|
Pupforum presents your training questions answered by professional dog trainers.
Elaine has been training dogs professionally for 14 years. She is a CPDT as well as an endorsed member of NADOI. She is also certified in narcotics detection and is one half of a (twice) certified explosives detection team - the other half being her Dutch Shepherd Spawn, who is also titled in several protection sports. Elaine is the owner of Canine's Best Behavior, a Los Angeles based training company, offering Basic Manners, CGC, K9 Games (soon!) as well as behavior modification for aggression fears phobias etc.
Click here to join Elaine's mailing list and receive an email each time a new
column is published.
printer friendly
email this column
comment on this column
[Edit]
11/11/2005
Territorial aggression (TA) is a primarily innate behavior in many breeds of dogs. It can be a learned behavior as well. Modifying this very natural trait can be extremely challenging. To some dogs, it would be like telling an orange to be an apple!
Determining the root cause is critical in its treatment. In some cases, it can only be managed. The problem with that is that sooner or later management always fails and that is what you train for.
TA travels a fairly predictable timeline:
- 3-5 months- They start barking or huffing at noises outside. Adding to the problem would be getting rewarded for it. Shushing and petting can condone the act without meaning to.
- 6-8 months- A perceived or real success at chasing someone (mailman) away. Adding to this would be a big visual like a chain link fence on a front yard or lots of back yard time to rehearse behavior while you are at work all day.
- 9-12 months- If they have been going to the dog park everyday, this is when they start to get in fights and you start getting pariahed. There is also escalating aggression at doorways primarily directed at strange men (mailman). Here too, we can intercede and unintentionally cause problems. Harsh corrections will cause conflict in the impressionable adolescent dog. His instincts are telling him something, you praised him for beginning this behavior months ago-all of a sudden they are in trouble or pain? Well, they must not be doing a good enough job! Harsh methodology will actually increase the reaction time in a sentry oriented dog.
- 14-15 months- Victory! He nails someone! A surprise visit from the utility company-opportunity knocks-and Fido answers the door.
- 15-18 months- (TA) is now a contact sport or full time avocation. Not only is he thinking like a soldier patrolling the DMZ, he's into it! That chemical bath in his brain feels good! He knows what time the mailman comes, the kids walk home after school and when that German Shepherd out for his evening stroll goes by. It's just a matter of time before someone leaves the gate open....LAWYERS!!!
Treatment can only be redefined, not "corrected" or "broken" out of him. Sadly, when a dog has been treated harshly around this, it can make things worse away from their turf.
*If* the only time you were shocked with an electric collar was when you were racing towards a guy in a uniform and you are walking past an ROTC group, you may think you’re getting ganged up on and race (just like you’ve done for the better part of your time in this home) right f
or them, even if it’s nowhere near your turf.
What to do:
- Lowering the crude protein in their diet to 18-22%. Interestingly, this is the only type of aggression that works on. (Tufts study 2002) Another protein fun fact: dogs on a raw diet tend to do better getting under control territorially. Simple protein (not processed) doesn't seem to add to the problem.
- Limit their patrol opportunities. Keeping them inside with limited access to the main door or windows (mailman) will lessen their abilities, much like our muscles get wiggly when we haven't exercised regularly.
- Teach calmness around triggers: Assign them a different "job" at the door. Instead of going for the door, teach them to go find their ball. The beautiful thing about this approach is that 1. You are working them in high arousal, teaching them to listen when they are in over drive. 2. Even if there is no ball, they will be thinking about that (a happy thing) instead of an aggressive thing. Other things that work well are teaching to go to a place when the doorbell or other stimuli occur. Even teaching them to run into the back yard can work well. Nice in that they are actually encouraged to do the exact opposite! You know your dog-try different things-with no real distraction level at first and gradually adding until you get to the Big Kahuna of stimuli….the doorbell. In some extreme cases, we have replaced the doorbell with a completely different sound and started from scratch.
- Expand their horizons: Dogs with big territory issues are most likely spending way too much time in it. It makes a lot of sense that the less territory a dog has, the more it means to him. Add in a little frustration like a chain and some cruel, thoughtless children and its just disaster waiting to happen. On the up side, the double whammy benefit of increased exercise and mental stimulation can make checking every little noise less important. Be careful not to walk the same route everyday or you may get a dog who thinks he’s gotten an expansion on his turf.
- Obedience: Teaching strong recall from chasing objects will always come in handy. Teaching it from a sit and call out will backfire when you need it most.
Remember, most of the time your dog is only trying to do what his instincts and possibly some inadvertent mixed messages are telling him. By showing him what you would like him to do instead, calmness and the pizza delivery guy will return to your home!
Elaine Allison CPDT NADOI
Canine Behavior Consultant
Canine's Best Behavior
1.866.K9s.Best
www.caninesbestbehavior.com
|
Are you a trainer? Interested in being involved in the Ask a Trainer column? Click here!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
