First published in 2006 by

Learning About Dogs LimitedPO Box 13, Chipping Campden, Glos, GL55 6WX.UK

Revised Edition published in April, 2008 by

DeesDogsPO BOX 19, East Andover, New Hampshire, USA03231

Copyright 2006 Dee Ganley

ISBN Number 978-0-9802228-0-7

All rights reserved worldwide. No part of thispublication may be reproduced, stored in a retrievalsystem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording orotherwise, without prior permission of the publisherand copyright holder.

Dee Ganley has asserted the moral right to beidentified as the author of this work.

Cover photo: by Kevin Ganley.

Dee working with Tucker, Abby (Mini Poodle waitingher turn), Rufus (learning to wait for his turn) andDazzle (lying down patiently).

CONTENTS

1 COMMUNICATION

2 LEARNING

3 ASSESSMENT

4 TRAINING RESOURCES

5 STRATEGIES ANDTECHNIQUES

6 SPECIFIC CASES

7 THE JOURNEY

APPENDIX AExercises

APPENDIX BReferences andResources

APPENDIX CForms

DEDICATIONTo each and every one of the two and four-footedfriends who have crossed my path and taught me somuch, I dedicate this book. I know I am a betterperson - more just, more open minded, kinder, andcertainly happier - because of the friendships Ivehad with all of you.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

SPECIAL THANKSTo my husband, Kevin, and daughter, Kim, for yourcontinuing support and encouragement over theyears and for allowing me the freedom to spend somuch time helping others and their wonderful dogs.Thank you both.

To my good friend, Nancy Lyon, for all your helpproofreading my written thoughts and for yourcontinued support and guidance. The endless talksweve had about who dogs are and how we can helpothers develop their relationships with their dogs aretreasures today and always.

Thanks to Shirley and Skye, whom I pictured in mymind while writing this book. You two were myinspiration from afar. Continue your journey togetheralways.

Thank you, Tomie, for the kind words; it has been mypleasure to work with you and Bront. Continuedsuccess on your journey together.

Christina, thank you for your thoughts and yourtireless efforts editing the first edition of this book. Ibelieve we are two kindred spirits who love dogsfrom deep within.

Debra what can I say the revision never wouldhave happened if you hadnt taken the time and hugeeffort. The book looks fantastic with all the newpictures and editing. You are the best Thank You

Thank You" seems so trivial compared to what somany have contributed in helping me bringChanging People Changing Dogs" to others.

Foreward by Carolyn ClarkIhadheardofDeeGanleyforyearsbeforeIactuallymetherataworkshopandhadtheprivilegeofworkingwithherwonderfulminiaturepoodle.Readingherarticles,seeingherclasssetup,visitingthetrainingcenterinNewHampshire,observingheratseminars,IknowDeeunderstandsandreads"dogs.Sheunderstandsandreads"peopletoo.WhenIheardshewaswritingabookIwasdelighted.Thismanualhasbeenworththewait!

Deescompassion,careandrespectforbothdogsandpeopleareclearthroughout.Herknowledgeandexperienceshinethrough.

Inthecourse

ofhercareerasateacherofdogclasses,trainingdirectoratananimalshelterandconsultantforownersofrehomeddogs,Deehasrefinedgentle,simple,effectivetechniquesandmethods.Helpingownerschangetheirperspectivesandbehavioristhefirststepinhelpingdogschangebehavior.Thisbookisanexcellentguide.

Technically,ChangingPeopleChangingDogs"iswelllaidout,wellillustratedandclearlywritten.Itiseasytoread.Dogbehavior,LearningTheory,ToolsandTechniquesaredescribedclearly.Thechapterofcasestudiesexplainsthepreviousinformationinapracticalway.

Agoodthirdofthebookis

anappendixgivingstepbystepdetailedandclearlyexplainedinstructionsfornumerousexercises.Twooftheself-controlexercisesthatIusewithclientsalmostdailyaretheSettle:RelaxedDownonLead,andtheFindItGame.

ThankyouDee!

Owners,Trainers,ClassInstructorsandPetBehaviorCounselorswillallfindsomethingusefulinthisexcellentmanual.

CarolynClark,M.A.

DirectorCentreforAppliedCanineBehaviorCarolark:TeachingFamiliesandPets

MEET DEE GANLEYI am one of those people who find joy and solacebeing with dogs. I am happiest in their company andproud to have their trust. I have experienced thedeeply civilized conversations" that flow betweenwell trained dogs and their handlers. I know that I ama happier and better person because of therelationhips I have shared with my dogs.

The training and behavioral work I do with the publicand shelter community is about how to achieve twogoals: Getting behavior we want and getting rid ofbehavior we don't want, humanely and while havingfun! I teach using positive reinforcement and I placea very strong emphasis on managing a dog'senvironment for safety.

Loving" our dogs does not create trustworthycompanions. Commitment by a dog to his people isthe result of humane training and diligentmanagement. It happens when we wholly accept theresponsibility to lead, but not to dominate. Humaneleadership allows the dog's capacity to think and feelto be used for learning rather than defense andavoidance.

Over the years, the dogs and people I have helpedhave returned the favor one hundred fold.

They have taught me that learning and teaching isabout calm attentiveness". Fixing problems startswith paying attention - quietly, openly and alwayspositively. Learning this, I have become much morerelaxed, calm and decisive in my interactions withdogs. I have learned that you get attention when yougive attention. Working effectively with dogs meanscommunication starts with calm, attentiveobservation. Wonderfully, this way of listening withyour eyes and your heart as well as your earsbecomes a way of life and spills over into everything.

For 25 years I taught training classes and advisedindividuals on how to create positive partnershipswith their dogs. In the mid-1990's I began sharingpositive reinforcement training with the deeplycommitted people working in the shelter world. From1998-2004 I was the Training and BehaviorManager for the Upper Valley Humane Society inEnfield, New Hampshire. My single most importantgoal was to create a shelter and training programthat taught the dogs self-control skills. I worked withthe staff, volunteers and the public, helping them usepositive reinforcement to change rude and unrulydogs into agreeable family members. Shelter dogshave shown me that self-control skills are at the heartof a succesful adoption. For these dogs, self-controlliterally meant the difference between life and death.

Today, I am back in private practice, which nowincludes traveling to many wonderful places helpingshelters, rescues, or folks who want to learn mypractical, humane techniques to help our dogs andourselves become friends and partners for life.

Certainly much of what I share with you in this bookcomes from many fine authors I have read andtrainers I have known. I am deeply grateful for theirinsights. Most of all, it is the dogs who who helpedme write this book. They have shown me theirastonishing capacity to change when we are wiseenough to reinforce them for trying.

Dee Ganley CPDT, CABC, CDBC

AUDIENCE AND PURPOSEChanging aggressive, fearful, destructive and rudebehavior means changing the dog's emotional viewof the world around him. This is the challenge we willexplore in this book.

This book is for those of you who want to makechanges in the lives of your dogs, or help yourclients' dogs by finding ways to live in peace andharmony - together.

In the recent history of animal training, the science ofoperant conditioning has been applied to dogtraining by some visionary people - Karen Pryor,Gary Wilkes, Bob and Marian Bailey, Donna Duford,Pia Silvani, Kay Laurence and of course manyothers. These people have shown us we can fosterthe best in dogs and the handler by using positivereinforcement, good management and timeouts,rather than punishment. Science supports our feelingthat training need not include compulsion or physicalpunishment to be successful and fun.

You have already figured out that there is no gooddog" switch, or you wouldn't be reading this bookright now. But positive reinforcement and goodmanagement are the next best tools! They reallywork. Training positively is a lot of fun and it fostersthe kind of humane relationship we all want with ourdogs. Changing behavior may also mean changingthe dog's emotional view of the world he lives in. So,in addition to positive reinforcement training, we'lladd classical conditioning and desensitizationtechniques. And you'll always have your eye on howto manage the dog's environment for success. You'llwork hard to be sure you don't put your dog in aplace where he can make a mistake.

Positive reinforcement training gives us amazingtraining opportunities once you start thinkingcreatively. Training this way gets you to notice yourdog's behavior, which gets you thinking of all sorts ofthings you can teach your dog. One busy trainertaught the family dog (a high-energy type whodesperately needed a job to do) to run around thehouse picking up dirty clothing and deposit it in thelaundry room hamper. This elegant solution solvedthe problem of a dog who was going crazy withboredom, in a house where keeping up with the kids'tendency to drop things all over was driving theirmother crazy with frustration.

In Changing People Changing Dogs youll learnpractical ways to effectively combine positivereinforcement training with classical conditioningand desensitisation. Through good managementand proper reinforcement, you will increase thebehaviors you want and extinguish behaviors you donot want. You will learn to lead but not to dominate.

Specifically, this book will help dog handlers andtrainers to:

Learn to identify the triggers of reactivebehavior, which vary for different dogs.

Learn counterconditioning, to desensitizedogs to scary stimulus.

Learn positive reinforcement strategies toteach new, acceptable behaviors that willreplace unacceptable behaviors.

The exercises (see Appendix A) in this book aredesigned to help the dog learn self-control. A dogwith self-control can watch the world without reacting.Self-control is the only path to good choices. Theseexercises use positive reinforcement, a trainingapproach based on the science of classical andoperant conditioning. (Classical and operantconditioning are a set of scientific principles thatexplain what motivates an animal to change hisbehavior.)

Training dogs to live successfully with people alwaysincludes behavior modification. The more fearful oraggressive a dog is, the more likely you will have tomake a serious investment of time, effort andcommitment. Extraordinary progress is oftenpossible as people and dogs change, learn andgrow together. Certainly your efforts can improveyour dog's chance for a calmer, happier life. Whatwill astonish you is how this process can change youprofoundly as well.

This program includes the following components:

OWNER/HANDLER EDUCATION Observation skills

Canine communication

MANAGEMENT Managing the dog's environment and

lifestyle

Planning for success

REWARD-BASED LEARNING A relationship of reinforcement from the

handler to increase desirable behavior anddecrease undesirable behavior

CHANGING THE DOG'S RESPONSE TOSCARY STIMULUS

Self-control

Relaxation through touch, massage andspecific exercises

Counterconditioning

If you are reading this book as the owner of a dogwho needs help learning how to live a calmer, lessfearful life, then let me assure you that theseexercises have all been used successfully by folksjust like you. If possible, find a positive reinforcementtrainer to help you because an additional objectiveand experienced guide and cheerleader on yourside is always useful.

If you are a dog trainer/behavior consultant hired tohelp an owner work with their difficult dog, you must

have qualifications and expertise in evaluating,managing and modifying a wide range ofchallenging canine behaviors. There is no substitutefor the experience that comes with handlinghundreds of dogs - like the pilot who must have aminimum of flight hours". Consider finding a localshelter and start working with the shelter dogs.Become an attentive observer and they will teachyou much!

For the trainer/behavior consultant, during the initialconsultation process you will take a detailed historyof the dog's behavior problems. You will alsoobserve the dog's behavior and the interaction of thedog with family members. You will work with thefamily to set goals and then implement a plan tomodify the dog's behavior.

To help build and strengthen relationships betweenthe human and canine members of a household, youmust emphasize prevention of behavior problems.You will need to create an atmosphere where allmembers of the household can learn and practicepositive reinforcement techniques.

You will then follow up when needed by telephone ore-mail to monitor the dog's progress.

Depending on the family's needs, you may offerongoing support for training and behaviormodification.

Throughout this book the person initiating thetraining,

management and rehabilitation will be referred toas

the handler" who may or may not alsobe the owner of the dog.

Listening is the better part of communication.Listening to a dog means calm attentive observationof that dogs body - both the parts and the whole.You will need to learn how to observe themicrosecond to microsecond changes in your dog'sbody postures and learn to use these observationsto interpret what your dog is feeling and what heintends to do about these feelings.

This chapter describes how to observe and learn tointerpret canine body postures. To know how tochange behavior you have to be PROACTIVE notreactive. That means you will have to understandwhat your dog is feeling and saying to you in the onlyway he can - with his body.

CANINE COMMUNICATIONAs we know, dogs are social animals. Although mostdogs enjoy social contact with their own species,they often have most of their social interaction withpeople. Dogs learn to comprehend and understandhuman body language but come hardwired with acomplex dog-to-dog body language. This should beno surprise, yet we are often slow to learn what theyare saying.

To enable them to live in social groups, dogs havedeveloped complex communication skills. Theseskills allow dogs to interact safely and workcooperatively. Dogs use body postures to assertthemselves or to defuse difficult or conflictingsituations thereby avoiding the risk of injury tothemselves and others. Unfortunately dogs raisedwith little or no exposure to other dogs often lack thebasic dog-to-dog communication skills that helpthem avoid overt aggression with other dogs.Canine communication skills are learned throughappropriate interaction with other dogs skilled in playand other activities particularly during critical puppydevelopment periods. This is known as socialization.Where socialization is inadequate or inappropriate,a puppy can grow up without the ability to recognizeand respond appropriately using caninecommunication signals.

Science has only recently become aware of caninecommunication signals. Marc Bekoff, an ethologistat the University of Colorado, was able to show aftera decade of painstaking observation and analysisthat canine play is actually a complex socialinteraction in which the participants constantly signaltheir intentions and check to make sure theirbehavior is being correctly interpreted. Dogs thatexhibit inappropriate behavior, for example, bysignaling play then delivering a harsh bite tend to beostracized. For a social animal, being ostracized ishighly aversive, therefore socially inappropriatebehavior is unlikely to be repeated.

Communication comes through all five senses. Theimportance of each of the five senses varies indifferent species.

People prefer to communicate with verbal language(what we say and hear). Communication throughlanguage consists of content, volume, tone andemphasis. People can also communicate visuallythrough body language, such as gestures of face,hands, shoulders and posture, to varying degrees.People can even communicate through scent; weare often only aware of the obvious smells but someof the more subtle odors affect our responses at aprimal level.

Dogs communicate primarily through body languageand also through other senses such as scent, touchand vocal communication. Dogs use scent inassociation with and in the absence of visualcontact. They often use the tongue to communicatethrough touch. Although the importance of vocalcommunication for dogs is minimal, they do usevocalization to express loneliness (howl), to alert thegroup (bark) or to express fear or pain (yelp).

RECOGNIZING SIGNALSWhen working with dogs, understanding caninecommunication is essential. Misunderstanding oftenarises between people and dogs when a socialsignal is misinterpreted. To people, a smile(showing the teeth, contraction of specific facialmuscles that cause the corners of the mouth to turnupward and the eyes to crinkle) is interpreted ashappiness. Humans can distinguish a smile from agrimace or angry expression. To dogs, a smile" orshowing of the teeth is an appeasement gesturewhen made in conjunction with lowered posture andwriggling. When in conjunction with other bodylanguage, such as raised posture and stiffness,showing the teeth can be a warning.

To live together, interact safely and workcooperatively, both humans and dogs need to learnto communicate with each other. Dogs learn toobserve and understand that a human smile means

observe and understand that a human smile meanssomething different than a canine smile. Peopleneed to observe and learn that a canine smile canmean either a warning or appeasement but that it isnot particularly an expression of happiness as it iswith our fellow humans.

Canine communication can be learned by watchingdogs interact with a range of different dogs in manydifferent situations as well as by watching lone dogsreact to a range of different stimuli such as otheranimals or new environments. We can only interpretwhat canine communication signals mean byobserving and analyzing subsequent behavior.

For example, if a dog stands in a particular waywhen hearing a sound, we can interpret the way" hestands by observing the subsequent behavior. If thedog runs away from the sound, we can interpret hisposition when he showed his alertness to the soundas fearfulness. If he runs towards the sound, wecould interpret the alertness to the sound asconfidence or security. The way" a dog stands, sitsor moves is a complex collection of small postures ofdifferent body parts. A single body part does notprovide enough information to interpret the dog'semotion. Each body part - ears, eyes, mouth, tail, topline (outline of the back) and balance - can indicatedifferent emotions depending on the position ofother body parts. This collection provides the wholepicture.

A waving tail can indicate a dog responding withcontentment or an unsure dog. However, the wavingtail must be viewed in context with the whole dog: Isthe dog tense? Is the dog leaning backward orforward? Are the ears pinned back or relaxed? Is thedog up on his toes?

Learning canine communication can be a lifelongprocess. If you want to really understand dogs, everyopportunity to practice must be taken - dog watchingcan be fascinating!

Dogs use appeasement behavior, also known ascalming signals to defuse stressful situations.

Calming signals reduce the arousal level of otherdogs. Calming signals out of context can be a clue tobehavioral problems. To build your understanding ofcalming signals and how they are used, observe thedog's behaviors and make note of the results ofthose behaviors on other dogs.

Calming signals include:

Turning the head away or averting the eyes.

Turning completely away.

Sniffing at the ground.

Quick (often lizard-like) licking of the lips.

Freezing in place.

Moving excruciatingly slowly.

Sitting or laying down.

Play-bow position.

Yawning.

People can learn to employ human versions ofcalming signals (such a shame we don't have tails!).Practice with a range of dogs in safe situations anddiscover if you can change a dog's behavior byusing calming signals when the dog is stressed.

OBSERVATIONDogs generally bite only as a last resort to protectthemselves and their resources. Frequently they bitebecause we failed to observe earlier warning signsor because we punished them for growling. Growlingis a dogs attempt to tell us how they feel about whatwe are doing. Dogs punished for growling may learnto suppress a very important means ofcommunication.

Aggression is a dog's natural weapon against whathe perceives as a threat. Helping a dog overcomefears (of other dogs, people, thunder, etc.) requiresthe ability to read the early signs of distress anddefuse the situation. Through attentive observation,you can learn to read" your dog and be ready toreinforce acceptable reactions and circumventunacceptable reactions. So, if your dog growls,instead of punishing him, step back and think abouthow you can change how he feels about what ishappening around him. If you punish a dog forgrowling instead of finding a way to redirect hisattention and understand his feelings, he might justbite you! In this case, you forced the dog to actaggressively because you took away his ability togrowl and communicate his distress.

Most dogs respond to canine communicationsignals. It is our responsibility to learn their languageand help them become accustomed to the bodylanguage of humans. There are a number of caninerules of etiquette that cause gravemisunderstandings between humans and dogs.

Often when we are trying to say one thing, our dogsmay interpret it as something else entirely. Somethings that are polite behavior for humans are rudeand threatening to dogs. When working with troubleddogs, it is often wise to avoid giving physical signalsthat a dog might misinterpret.

EYE CONTACTFor humans, it is considered polite to make directeye contact when speaking to each other. For dogs,direct eye contact is confrontational. A fearful dogmay feel threatened if you look him in the eye. If adog feels threatened, he may feel compelled torespond to the threat. For a shy dog, eye contactmay cause retreat. For a dog that believesaggression is his only option, eye contact mightcause a confrontation. If you remove the eye contact,you remove the threat and the dog may not feelcompelled to take action.

PERSONAL SPACEAnother misunderstood signal is patting dogs on thehead or even worse, invading the dog's space byhugging him or pounding on his ribcage. Acceptingpetting and hugging is unnatural for the caninespecies. Dogs need to learn gradually about pettingand hugging through positive associations.

Depending on the dog's history, petting and huggingmay cause the dog either to move away or move intothe contact. Dogs display obvious responses tophysical contact unless they have been so correctedthat they stifle their responses. Dogs with stifledresponses can present a higher risk because theresult can be an explosive response with noperceptible warning.

Children love to hug dogs like a stuffed toy. This canbe dangerous for children, so parents must remindchildren that dogs find this to be rude and dogowners should protect their dog againstinappropriate actions of children. Ask the child tothink about how he feels when Uncle Harry comes tovisit, squeezes his cheeks and hugs him for too long.He doesn't like it and most dogs dont either.

A dog can perceive reaching out your hand tointroduce yourself as invasive and aggressive.Instead, stand upright, eyes averted and let the dogcome to you. Keep your hand to your side. Standingsideways to the dog is a calming signal that allowsthe dog to approach you when he feels comfortabledoing so.

When one dog wants to dominate another dog, heputs his head and neck over the neck or back of theother dog. When we bend over to greet a dog, thedog's natural response is to back away. Whenapproaching a dog, stand upright and relaxed. If youhave to get lower to pat a dog, bend at the kneeskeeping your body straight.

Do not lean over a dog when you have called him toyou. Doing so will push the dog away from you,rather than encouraging him to come close to sit.Some dogs find being leaned over to be aversiveand may percieve it as punishment for coming whencalled.

STRESSStress is dynamic. It changes from moment tomoment and with each new situation. Levels ofstress can vary dramatically from dog to dog andsituation to situation. Not all stress iscounterproductive however. Small amounts of stresscan enhance awareness and performance.

Dogs that require behavior modification generallydisplay stress to some degree. Identifying signs ofstress will provide a means to measure progress.Identify what is triggering the stress and solutions toalleviate it.

The context is an important clue to whether thebehavior is stress related or due to another stimulus.Stress signals can be indicative of other concernssuch as a medical problem. Stress signals can alsobe learned behavior or a breed-specific trait.Familiarize yourself with the normal body carriage ofthe breed with which you are working, as well as thelearning history of the particular dog.

The dog's body will tell you what he is feeling. Whena dog is stressed, he will go through a series ofeasily observable behaviors. The first signs of stresscan be as subtle as increased respiration or tensionaround the eyes. As stress progresses, the dog maytry to avoid the situation (by looking away, or turninghis back). If that doesn't work, then he may try toescape (by running or dodging). If he can't escape,he might just freeze. If you are paying attention, youcan relieve the pressure by moving away so that hewon't have to growl, bark or bite.

Dogs that react aggressively may have learned that

subtle signals don't work, so they react with overtaggression. Such dogs are often calledunpredictable. If the dog had been carefullyobserved, subtle changes in behavior would haverevealed that he was under pressure and feelingstressed.

MILD STRESS - Body postures showing mildstress typically include:

Lip licking.

Shaking. You may see a full body shakewhen the dog is not wet.

Yawning. Full body stretch with or without ayawn. Yawning is one of the most commonsigns of stress. Stress-related yawns will bemore intense than sleepy" yawns andaccompanied with a squeak. The dog may be inan excited, as opposed to relaxed, state.

Drooling. Drooling in the absence of amouth injury or in anticipation of food usuallyindicates stress.

Stretching. Stretching is a way to relax themuscles that tense from stress. This type ofstretching is not related to sleeping or fromstaying in one position for a long period of time.

Sweaty paws. Dogs can get sweaty pawswhen stressed in the same manner that peopleget sweaty palms. This reaction is often visibleon hardwood floors or on metal examination orgrooming tables.

Mouthiness. This may range from gentlemouthing to snapping or biting.

MODERATE STRESS - Body posturesshowing moderate stress typically include:

Wrinkled brows.

Enlarged facial blood vessels.

Dilated pupils.

Rapid shallow or deep forceful panting.Panting with deep respirations and a relaxedtongue is normal for dogs that have beenexercising or are hot. If panting is out of context(not due to exercise or heat) the dog may bestressed. When a stressed dog pants, the lipswill be pulled back in a wide grimmace, causingfurrows in the skin under the eyes and on theforehead. The tongue may be tense.

Whining. Whining can be a result of anxietyor excitability.

EXTREME STRESS Body postures showingextreme stress typically include:

"Whale eye" (when the white of the eye isvisible).

Tail tucked.

Ears plastered back.

Body trembling or shivering. Many dogs willshiver when under stress. If the dog is not cold,consider stress as a cause. Shivering can alsoindicate high levels of anticipation (goodstress). For example, the dog may shiver withexcitement before going for a walk.

Crouching or low body carriage. Dogs thatmove low to the ground are often exhibitingstress.

Arching the back.

Stiffness. Tension can create stiff gait andtail movement.

Shrinking away from being touched.

Excessive panting and drooling.

RESULTS OF STRESSStress can lead to a myriad of physical andbehavioral issues, including:

Excessive grooming. A dog that constantlylicks himself may be showing signs of stress.Common sites for excessively licking are paws,legs, flanks and genital areas.

Excessive sleeping. Every dog has adifferent energy level, so excessive sleepingmay be difficult to recognize. This can be a signof serotonin depletion and other chemicalimbalances due to chronic stress.

Excessive thirst. Increased drinking withouta medical or exercise-related cause. This couldbe a sign of redirected frustration or anobsessive disorder.

Increased frequency of urination ordefecation. A stressed body will try to forcefluids out of the system. Some house training"issues are stress related. Inappropriatespontaneous voiding is an indicator of extreme

spontaneous voiding is an indicator of extremestress. For example, dogs in a training classmay need to go pee" more often than isnormal. This could be an indicator of acontinuous low level of stress throughout theclass.

Lack of focus or attention. If the dog fails torespond to established cues, he may bedistracted by a stimulus (such as a squirrel) orhe may be stressed. When stressed, the dog isnot ignoring the cue; he simply cannot respond.He may hear perfectly well, but his mind isunable to process the information.

Confusion. Strange, abnormal or confusedbehavior can be the result of stress. Exercisecaution when interpreting this behavior. It canalso indicate a medical problem like a seizureor diabetic emergency.

Hyperactivity. Stress may trigger a defensemechanism that can look frantic. Often this isinterpreted as the dog defying the owner orfooling around". The dog will eventually shutdown when his system is depleted of adrenalineand other stress-related chemicals.

Immune System Disorder. Stress lowers theimmune system response to diseases andallergies.

Self-mutilation. Tail chewing, paw lickingand chewing or sucking on the flank to the pointof causing open sores or wounds may be signsof stress. These behaviors may also havemedical origins, such as allergic reactions.

Vomiting and/or diarrhea. The digestivesystem is often the first system to react tostress. Dogs that normally take food, mayrefuse food when stressed. Their stomach hasshut down" and they simply cannot digest food.

RESPONSE TO STRESSWhen under stress, a dog may respond by one ormore of the following:

Freeze - The dog may stand still, either notmoving or moving in a slow and deliberatemanner. A freeze can be a precursor to anattack, so heed this signal.

Escape or Avoidance - The dog may turnaway, shut down or run and dodge from thehandler. If the dog is restrained, he may lunge tothe end of the lead in an attempt to escape.

Fight - The dog may growl or show his teethand then air snap. This may escalate to a grabat the clothing or to an inhibited bite. If that didn'twork, there may be a hard bite or multiple bites.Some dogs, in some instances, may skip theprecursors and go straight to a hard bite.

If one action fails to relieve the stressful situation, thedog may try a different action.

UNDERSTANDING AGGRESSIONAggression is a normal survival mechanism for allanimals.

Aggression can be defined as threats, postures orharmful actions directed toward dogs, people orother animals. Often, aggression is used to warnanother animal or person to move away.

Early signs of aggression include:

Dog appears conflicted about something orsomeones approach.

Hackles in piloerection. (Raised hair alongthe back.)

Head dropping. Is this the normal stance forthis breed? What is this dog communicating toyou?

Increased respiration.

Tense body posture.

Clacking of the mouth or teeth.

These early signs may be very subtle. Aggressivedisplays using these subtle signals are a normal partof dog-to-dog communication.

More advanced signs of aggression include:

Hard eye contact.

Stiff body posture.

Showing the teeth.

Stiff stance.

Threat barking.

Crouched threat stance.

Growling.

Jumping up and muzzle-bumping. (Jumpingup at you and nipping at your chin, face, arms,

stomach, as though saying I'm aroused. I mayblow. I'm warning you that where I'm 'bumping'you is where I'll probably bite you, if I bite.")

Lunging, snapping, biting.

Any dog can bite, it just depends on thecircumstances. Make a list of arousal triggers as anexercise in observation. The list of triggers mayinclude:

Aggressive display bypeople Babies crying

Charged by dog or humans Confronted in smallspaceBones and toys around onthe floor Being grabbed at

Chasing bicycles Being restrainedGarden tools Lawn equipmentChildren running andscreaming

Flapping coats orhats

People shouting, running,jogging The list goes on

UNDERSTANDING PREDATORYBEHAVIORPredation is a survival mechanism. Canines evolvedusing predatory behavior to survive. As a result,dogs are hardwired to chase things that move.Humans need to understand what triggers predatorybehavior and how to avoid the problems it can causein modern society.

The predatory sequence is eye - stalk - chase -grab/bite - shake - dissect/consume. In somebreeds, specific behaviors in the predatorysequence have been strengthened, while othershave been weakened. For example, Border Collieshave a strong eye - stalk - chase response tomovement selectively bred for herding sheep. JackRussell terriers have strong chase - grab/bite -shake behaviors, selectively bred for rodentcatching.

Stopping the predatory sequence early disrupts thechain. For example, distracting a border collie sothat it loses eye contact with the moving object willdisrupt the subsequent stalk - chase responses. Thefarther into the chain, the more difficult it is to stopthe sequence.

Watch the dog. Is he seeing, scenting or hearingsomething to chase? Is he beginning to stalk? Is hisbody alert, anticipatory? What happens when hehears joggers or skateboarders?

If you know a particular dog's communicationsignals, you can deduce what the dog will do next,and you can intervene. Distract the dog before hepractices unwanted behavior. Give him a highvaluetreat or a great game of retrieve or tug. Chasing isreally fun for the dog, so your reward for his attentionshould be especially wonderful. Get between himand the distraction and make the food or game youhave to offer a better distraction.

Control the dog's environment so you give him anopportunity to learn the behavior you want him topractice. If you aren't better than the distraction (thejogger, biker, or dog across the street) then don't putyour dog in a situation where those distractionshappen. Be prepared.

RISK ANALYSISIs this dog going to bite? To answer this, analyze thesituation and the dog using the ABC's of aggression:

ANTECEDENT (the emotional response thatprecedes the behavior): Determine whatoccurred before the behavior. If the dog hasbitten, what provoked or triggered it?

BEHAVIOR (the behavior in question): Dogsgenerally give clear signals to avoidaggression. Did the dog attempt to defuse thesituation? For example, did the dog take a stepaway from the person or lower its head but thehuman kept approaching?

CONSEQUENCE (the reinforcement thatdrives the behavior): The consequence iseverything that happens following the event.Research what the owner or handler did. Whatdid they say or do to the dog after the behavioroccurred?

Dogs in neutral territory are less likely to showaggression so it is difficult to assess the risk ofaggression by observing the dog in a neutralsituation. When working with aggressive dogs,neutral territory can improve safety.

When assessing the risks, use the dog's behaviorprofile and your investigative abilities. It is not theparticular breed of dog, it is the individual dog.

particular breed of dog, it is the individual dog.Observe the dog and the dog's environment,including the dog's family. Identifying the dog'striggers will be your mission during history takingand observations. Make sure the client understandsthe degree of risk to the dog's family or the generalpublic.

While breed is one factor that contributes to a dog'stemperament, breed alone cannot be used to predictwhether a dog may pose a danger to the community.A study conducted by a group of veterinarians,medical doctors, and psychology and public healthexperts, published in the Journal of the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association (VetMed Today:Special Report, September 2000), detailed dog biterelated fatalities in the United States from 1979through 1998. The report reveals that at least twenty-five different breeds or crossbreeds of dogs causedhuman fatalities during the study period. Breedscited ranged from the oft-maligned pit bulls andRottweilers to the legendary forever loyal" St.Bernard. When assessing risk it is the individualdog, not the breed of dog that should be considered.

A dog's tendency to bite at any given time is aproduct of several factors, including but not limitedto:

Early socialization of the dog to people,other animals and the environment. Lack ofearly socialization can predispose a dog tofearful aggression.

Strength of foundation skills prior to trainingother behaviors. For example, training anunstable dog (under-socialized, lacking basicobedience, fearful or overly assertive) fightingbehaviors, such as schutzhund or ring sport, canincrease the dog's tendency to bite when understress.

Quality of care, socialization andsupervision by the dog's human family. Dogsneed constant practice of social skills. A dogkept chained outside may not maintain thesocial skills necessary to reduce the risk ofbiting.

Genetic makeup, including breed andstrains or lines within a breed.

Whether the dog is trained. Statistics showthat a basic obedience class decreases the riskof dog aggression.

Behavior of other animals and people in thedog's environment. Behaviors such as fast orsudden movement, high-pitched noises orstaring can trigger a dog's aggressive orpredatory responses.

Whether the dog is spayed or neutered.

Sound obedience training based in positivereinforcement can provide the dog with acceptabledefault behaviors to perform when under stress.

If it is normal for dogs to communicate usingaggressive signals, how do you identify aninappropriate response? What is appropriate fordogs among dogs can often be consideredinappropriate in human society. For example,through habituation and counter conditioning, dogscan be taught that a human bending over and pattingthem on the head is not a situation to be feared.

Ideally, dogs can be taught to accept the human-oriented world of modern society. If not, it is theowner's responsibility to manage and protect thedog from situations the dog finds stressful.

Alertwithinterestandcalm.

Earsareerect

andalert.Softlongdistanceeye,backisrelaxedandbalanced.

Anxiousposture.

Weightisheldlowwithintheframe.Earsfoldedback.Anxiouseyewithwhiteshowingandlowtailcarriage.Hacklesraised.

Appeasement.

BorderCollieholdsbodylowandsoftandlicksattheotherdogsface.

Asubmissiverollandawarningposture.Thewarningdogisstifflegged,erecttail,piloerectionovertheshoulders,earspinnedbackbutupright,lipsdrawnbackrevealingteethandtongue,hardeye.Rolleddoghassoftjointsandexposesvulnerability.

Guardingabone.Hardeyewithwhitesshowing,fullteethdisplayed,butlipsnotdrawnback.Earsheldbackwards.Tenseandreadyformovement.

Invitationtoplayfromthedogontheright.

Dogontheleftisnottoosurethatshewantstoplay.

Acautiousgreeting.

Dogonleftissniffingnoseswiththecatpolitelyingreeting.Dogonrightisnotsureaboutwhatthecatmightbeordo.Noteextendedneckontheterrier.Catisveryconfidentandsocial.

Here are some examples of what responses areappropriate and inappropriate in modern society:

Situation:

Situation:

In order to change a dog's behavior you must firstunderstand how the dog learns. This chapter definesthe basic terminology used in modern dog trainingpractice including the concepts used in learningtheory.

Dogs do what works. If aggressing gets a dog whathe wants (such as your attention or space betweenhim and a scary thing) he will do more of it.Reinforce behaviors you want and you will get moreof those behaviors over time. If you inadvertentlyreinforce behaviors you don't want, or if thosebehaviors are self-reinforced or reinforced by theenvironment, their occurrence will increase.

Note: When working with a fearful or reactive dog,be aware of the dog's stress levels and any stimulithat may trigger the dog's anxiety or fear. Don't hidethe dog away from life in a pen, down in thebasement, or tied in the back yard. Take an activerole in teaching the dog how to cope with lifethrough careful management and positivereinforcement of desirable behaviors.

THE BASICS OF LEARNINGBehavior is changed when it is reinforced. If youreinforce positively, the behavior will strengthen. Ifyou reinforce negatively, the behavior may belessened but you also risk avoidance, fear andunpredictable learning.

LEARNING IN A NUTSHELL1. Train new behaviors in a zero distractionenvironment. Using a reward marker, (such as aclicker or a special happy word) pairreinforcement with the desirable behavior.Reinforcement is something that has value tothe dog. It might be food, play, toys or activities.

2. If successful, gradually increase theduration of the desired behavior.

3. Begin to introduce distance (graduallydistancing yourself from the dog) if appropriatefor the exercise.

4. In a familiar environment, begin to introducemild distractions, at a level where the dog iscomfortable but aware. When introducingdistractions, reduce duration and distance atfirst and then gradually work the dog back tolonger times and distances.

5. Set the dog up to successfully perform thebehavior and to be reinforced. Let the dog'scomfort level dictate the progress. Be preparedto step back a level at any time to ensure thedog's success.

6. When the behavior is reliable, add the cue.

REINFORCE DESIRABLE BEHAVIORDogs learn through practice or rehearsal. A behaviorthat is rewarded is more likely to occur again. Bepatient. Start with the dog where he is" and rewardany tiny hint of the behaviors you want. Gradually, asthe dog begins to repeat the rewarded behaviors,you will be able to fine tune fun tricks or usefulbehaviors as you increase the criteria. What arerewardable behaviors for a reactive dog? Watch thedog! Look for moments when he shows relaxedbody language and a calm demeanor. Mark and

treat any calm and non-reactive behaviors. Reinforcebehaviors as small as calming signals like shakingoff, yawning, lip licking or sniffing the ground.Enthusiastically reinforce eye contact such as theWatch Me" game. Anticipate situations that triggerproblem behaviors and get in front of the event byreinforcing an alternate behavior before the reactivebehavior can begin. Alternate behaviors could belooking at you or calming signals such as turningaway. Convince the dog that the cookie jar openswhenever scary things appear and that good thingsare offered for calm behavior.

MARK THE BEHAVIORA reward marker, such as a clicker or the word yes"can be used to mark the exact moment the desirablebehavior occurred. A marker is used to improve ourcommunication with the dog. When using a marker,it is first paired (associated) with a reward such as afood treat. When the handler marks the behavior, thedog immediately gets a food treat. The dog beginsto learn that the click means a food treat. The rewardmarker can then be used at the precise moment thedog performs the desired or target behavior. Thedog learns which behavior has earned the food. Thebenefit of using a marker is timing; out of 10 differentbehaviors that may have occurred at any given time,the dog knows precisely which behavior earned thereward when a reward marker is used.

A marker is particularly useful when working withreactive dogs. Over-reactive dogs are often low inself confidence and do not understand how tobehave appropriately. Set the dog up so he iscertain to respond with the appropriate behavior,then mark the behavior to communicate success:Good decision!" Very quickly the dog begins tounderstand what to do, and the pressure is released,giving him more opportunity for success in astressful situation. The most common markers usedin dog training are clickers, a word such as yes" ora mouth-cluck sound. The clicker is usually firstchoice since it is the most consistent. If a dog isnoise sensitive, you can use a soft voice or a muffledclicker. To muffle the clicker, hold it in your pocketwhile clicking or layer tape on the metal clicker-tongue.

A clicker can be used by different people andremain a consistent marker. But a clicker can beinconvenient, because at times the handler may nothave it in hand. Associate or pair a marker for thosetimes when you dont have your clicker with food(use a word or cluck sound) and be as consistent aspossible when you use it. The marker will mark themoment the dog achieves the goal you have set andpromises the dog a great reward. You can, ofcourse, use a clicker but you may be doing a lot ofopportunistic training and it is helpful to have a wordor sound like Yes!" or Good!" handy. The markermeans your dog has earned a reward. It is not, inand of itself, the reward. You should always follow themarker with a reward, such as treats, praise or play.

Charge" your marker by saying it or clicking andimmediately giving the dog a treat. Make sure themarker comes first and the treat comes second.Repeat this 10 times over three separate sessions(minimum) so your dog begins to associate themarker with treats. Whichever marker you use, aclicker, word or other sound, it is always followedwith a treat, praise or play.

I never use the clicker or yes" marker when thedog is aggressing, upset or fearful. It is mypersonal opinion and practice to avoid use of theclicker or reward marker if the dog is in any of theseemotional states out of concern that the dog mightattach their emotions to the CLICK or rewardmarker. This is not technical, but in my experienceworking with thousands of dogs, I have found thatfearful or aggressive dogs learn and improve fasterusing classical conditioning, counter conditioningor good desensitization techniques. Most of my petdog owner clients are not highly skilled with aclicker so I also worry about timing or that clickingat the wrong moment might reinforce anundesireable response.

ADD THE CUEA cue, or conditioned stimulus, is a predictor that aspecific behavior (if offered immediately after thatcue) will be reinforced. Due to first order learning"(meaning, that an association that is learned first fora novel stimulus, is remembered best), cues have astrong association when they are attached tofinished behaviors. Add the cue only when:

1. The dog offers the behavior regularly, on avariable reinforcement schedule (when the dogis reinforced for the behavior only some of thetime).

2. The behavior is perfected, just as thehandler wants it.

3. The behavior occurs 95% of the time within5 seconds of the dog finishing the reward for theprevious occurrence or performance of thebehavior.

To add a cue:1. As the dog is in the process of performingthe behavior, say the cue. Mark and reinforcethe behavior. Repeat 10 times.

2. Just before the behavior occurs, say thecue once and wait for the behavior. If thebehavior occurs within 5 seconds, mark andreinforce it, then repeat 30 to 50 times overseveral training sessions. It takes 30-50repetitions of the cue before the dog learns toassociate the cue with the behavior.

If the behavior does not occur within 5 seconds,reposition yourself and the dog to reset the trial, andsay the cue again. Click or mark and treat for anypart of the right behavior. If the behavior does notoccur within 5 seconds of the cue, it is too early toadd the cue. Go back to shaping or practicing thebehavior by reinforcing it when it occurs. (See:Shaping)To build a reliable response:

1. Strengthen the behavior through repetitionof cue-behavior-reinforcement until it is sostrong, no warm-up (such as luring or rewardingof a less-than-perfect version of the behavior) isrequired.

2. Put the behavior on a variablereinforcement schedule, gradually thinning outthe reinforcements (1 behavior for a treat, then2, then 1, then 3, then 5, then 1, then 3, then 7,etc.).

3. Ask for different cued behaviors and onlyreward the right behavior for the right cue, sothe dog learns to differentiate among cues.Don't reinforce the behavior unless it has beencued.

4. Gradually add distractions. When addingdistractions, reinforce any attempt to performthe behavior until the dogs skill level returns.

If a behavior reliably occurs in response to a specificcue, and not to other cues, in a variety of situations,the behavior is under stimulus control. Discriminationand generalization, taken together, result in stimuluscontrol. If the dog can discriminate between the rollover" and sit" cues by performing the behaviorlearned for each, the dog is able to discriminate thecue. If the dog is able to perform the behavior on cuein different locations, when the cue is presented bypeople with different reinforcements, the dog hasgeneralized the cued behavior.

STRENGTHEN BEHAVIORS USING THEFOUR D'SAlmost any task or behavior can be divided intoseveral different criteria or dimensions: distance,duration, distraction and difficulty. Failure to train abehavior, or failure of a behavior under pressure,often finds its roots in having raised multiple criteriasimultaneously. Each dimension should be givenspecial training time. Taking the time to focus oneach one ensures a strong foundation.

Distance. Gradually increase distance. Forexample, start by standing next to the dog whenteaching sit-stay. Over time, gradually increase thedistance, but keep it variable. Stand 2 feet away,then 5 feet, then 3 feet, then 7 feet, then 5 feet, etc.

Duration. When you first begin to teach a behavior,ask for very little duration. Gradually increaseduration of the behavior over many training sessions.For example, start with 10 second sit-stays.Gradually increase the duration, but keep it variable.Practice 20 second sit-stays, then 40 second, then30 second, then 40 second, then 30 second, then 60second, marker ("goood") helps increase duration.

Distractions. Start with distractions that are low inintensity. For example, once the dog is fluent in abehavior in the house, begin practicing the behaviorin the yard. If the behavior is loose leash walking,walk in the backyard around a lawn chair or astationary lawnmower to start with. Once the dog isworking well with these minor distractions, turn thelawnmower on and work the dog around it. After aweek or so of practice, heel around the lawnmowerwhile it is moving or while another person is in theyard.

Gradually, over time, begin to add neighborhoodchildren playing, yelling, screaming and just beingkids. Next, take the dog a little farther away, such astwo houses down the block. Make it more difficult interms of distraction but never so difficult the dogcannot succeed. Each time you move to a newlocation, lower the criteria a bit. For example, reward

a shorter sit-stay. This will help the dog succeed andthe dog will begin to generalize the behavior.

Difficulty. Difficulty is adding two D's at the sametime. For example, increasing the distance and theduration of a sit-stay, simultaneously.

Stephen Rafe developed the Four Ds [tm] conceptin 1985 and began teaching it in Starfiresbehaviortraining courses at that time. The conceptfirst appeared for mass distribution in 1987 when itwas published in Stephens book, Training YourDog for Birdwork

TRAINING TECHNIQUE

USING THE PREMACK PRINCIPLEBoth people and dogs can learn self-controlbehaviors by linking a less desired activity with amore desired activity. This rule is called thePremack Principle and here are some examples:

Clean up your room and then I will take youshopping.

As soon as you finish your homework, youmay go play outside.

Eat your vegetables and then you canhave dessert.

Wait politely at the door and then you cango out to sniff and play.

Keep four paws on the floor and I will benddown and pat you.

To use the Premack Principle, link fun activities toself-control behaviors:

Watch your dog and notice what he likes todo.

Use this activity as a reward for what youwant him to do.

For example, if your dog loves to chase the ballwhen you throw it, show the dog a ball and ask for asit. The moment he begins to sit for an instant, throwthe ball. The ball toss becomes the reward for the sit.Once the dog consistently sits for a ball-throw, beginto use the reward ballfetch to teach sit and stay" bymoving from an instant of sitting before throwing theball to minutes before throwing the ball.

The Premack Principle works particularly well foractive dogs. If your dog is a free spirit and wants torun like crazy, use Premack to your advantage. Askthe dog to heel for a few minutes, then say free!"and release your dog to run free. This will build avery strong reward association for your dog; if youalways make running free" contingent upon heelingbehavior (walking calmly at your side), your dog willlook forward to heelwork because he will begin toanticipate running free" as a good reason to heel.

FADING THE LUREFading a food lure can be difficult. The fadingprocess is usually not emphasized in training and thedog's response to cues, once the lure is faded, canbe less than expected.

If you lure, stick to the rule of three:

Have a plan of how you will fade the lure.

Lure with food three times, thenimmediately begin to fade the lure.

If a food lure is used to teach a dog to sit, then stepsfor how the food will be faded from the picture mustbe included in the plan. Lure only three times, thenbegin fading the lure. For example, hold an invisiblecookie in your luring hand and, when the dog sits,reward with a treat from your other hand. This wayyou help your dog learn that treats are magic and hecannot predict where they might come from next.

If your dog only offers the behavior when you areholding food, the presence of the food has becomepart of the cue for the behavior. To avoid this, don'tteach new behaviors while visibly holding food inyour hand. Use small pieces of moist food that areeasily hidden in the palm of your hand. Quickly getthe food away from your body to various hidingplaces around your house and other training areas.

SHAPING BY SUCCESSIVEAPPROXIMATIONSShaping by successive approximations, or shaping"can be used to teach a dog any new behavior,simple or complex, from tricks to obedience skills.With shaping, skills are broken down into tiny,progressive steps, called target behaviors". Thedog perfects each target behavior before movingonto a slightly more difficult target behavior (knownas raising the criteria"). This way, each targetbehavior is a strong foundation for the next, more

difficult, target behavior.

Shaping is a hands-off process with minimalinterference from the handler. The dog offers variousbehaviors voluntarily, without any prompting from thehandler. No force or coercion is ever used becausethe dog is motivated to earn a reward.

When the dog offers the target behavior, the handlermarks that behavior with a click and reinforces with atreat. The dog learns to offer behaviors until he isclicked and to repeat the reinforced behavior tocontinue earning rewards. Gradually, the simplebehavior is honed into a more complex behavior, byraising the criteria gradually, over many trainingsessions. When criteria is raised, the click iswithheld while the handler waits for the dog toperform the slightly more difficult target behavior. Bybreaking behavior down into simple steps andtraining each step to perfection, complex behaviorscan be trained. As an added benefit, a dog trainedthrough shaping learns to learn and becomesmotivated to try to figure out what earns a reward.The dog becomes a thinking partner.

For more information on shaping, read Don'tShoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor, Sunshine Books.

TARGETINGTouching a dog while he is learning a new behaviorcan distract and mislead him. Teaching a dog totarget different body parts (nose, front paw, backpaw, shoulder, hip) gives the handler a hands-offmeans of directing the dog's movements. The morethe dog is allowed to participate as an activepartner, the more actively the dog's brain will work toresolve the problem of how do I earn that treat?".

For a step-by-step process to teach the dogtargeting of various body parts, see Kay Laurence'sbook Dances with Dogs", available throughwww.learningaboutdogs.com.For uses of targeting to teach heelwork, agility, andother skills, view Gary Wilkes' video On Target",available through Dogwise.com

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION ANDCOUNTER CONDITIONINGTo change how the reactive dog feels about certainevents in the world, combine the principles ofsystematic desensitization and counter conditioningwith positive reinforcement. Both shy dogs andaggressive dogs are over stimulated by certainevents in their environment. We call them reactive"dogs. The shy dog withdraws and avoids any actionthat might trigger bad/scary/dangerous" things.While the pushy/growling/aggressive dog also thinksthe stimulus is bad/scary/dangerous" but tries tosolve the threat by making it go away. Training skillsto replace reactive behavior is a powerful way tochange how a dog feels about what he currentlyfears. When working with a reactive dog, be mindfulof the dog's stress levels and of any stimulus whichmay trigger the dog's anxieties or fearfulness.Always begin with the dog where he is" and rewardany good behaviors.

Systematic desensitization is controlled, gradualexposure to a stimulus over time to producehabituation. If the stimulus has no consequence, thedog ceases to respond to it. For example, if a dogfears traffic noise, and is exposed to a period of low-level traffic noise, the dog may begin to ignore thetraffic noise (at that level). If the noise level isgradually increased, and the dog is allowed tobecome desensitized to that level before it isincreased to the next level, the dog can be taught toignore very loud traffic noise.

Counter conditioning is the use of classicalconditioning to change a stimulus that provokes aparticular emotion into a stimulus that provokes anopposing emotion. For example, something thatevokes fear or aggression can be counterconditioned to evoke an expectation of pleasure.The dog fears traffic noise, and is exposed to trafficat a distance. The handler gives the dog yummytreats each time a car passes. The dog may beginto associate traffic noise with the yummy treat andtherefore begin to look forward to traffic noise. Thedistance from the traffic noise is graduallydecreased and the dog is allowed to becomecounter conditioned to each distance before it isdecreased further. Over time, the dog can be taughtthat very loud traffic noise leads to something nice.Changing the emotional association changes thebehavioral response.

Desensitization and counter conditioning takepatience, planning and repetition. A conditioningagainst fear or aggression can take months or evenyears. Each time fearful or aggressive behavior ispracticed, it reverses hours of systematicdesensitization or counter conditioning. Therefore,management during and between training sessions

is critical. Management requires setting up the dog'senvironment to ensure fear or aggression is nottriggered in day-to-day life. Remember the pointsystem (See Measuring Success). Because it canchange an emotional response, systematicdesensitization and counter conditioning arepowerful tools. To keep the conditioning strong, briefrefresher sessions should be practiced throughoutthe dog's life.

THINK POSITIVE!Shy or over-reactive dogs lack confidence. It isparticularly important to continuously reinforce goodbehavior with these dogs. Positive reinforcement ofdesirable behaviors should become the dog'slifestyle. Lots of quick easy default" behaviors suchas sit, down, give a paw, roll over, etc., mean lots ofproof to the reactive dog that they are safe and cansucceed.

AVOID FLOODINGFlooding is prolonged exposure to a stimulus at highlevel in order to cause extinction of response to thatstimulus. For example, if a dog is mildly anxious oftraffic noise, exposure to a high level of traffic noisecan at first increase, and then reduce, the fearresponse.

Counter conditioning and systematic desensitizationtake time, patience and planning, so flooding issometimes attempted as a quick fix" instead.Unfortunately, the net result of flooding can beincreased sensitization leading to increasedreactivity (or even generalized fear to similar stimuli)rather than extinction of response. Flooding mayalso result in learned helplessness.

AVOID PUNISHMENTPunishment in the form of positive punishment (SeeTerminology) works to decrease behavior bycausing avoidance. Punishment can thereforeexacerbate fear and aggression.

Punishment should be avoided in training programs,particularly with reactive, fearful or aggressive dogs.Positive reinforcement, and occasional negativepunishment (such as a timeout), are the mostappropriate means of teaching and learning.Positive reinforcement builds confidence and trust.Timeouts, applied appropriately, maintainboundaries by teaching the dog what behaviors arenot rewarding.

USE TIMEOUT PROPERLYDogs do what works. Inappropriate behavior can beextinguished by making sure it doesn't workbyavoiding any and all reinforcement for that behavior.

Timeout can be used to cause the dog to lose whathe attempted to gain by performing inappropriatebehavior. For example, he may be jumping up forattention. A timeout would remove attention, therebyavoiding reinforcement of jumping up.

The following method should be used for timeout:

1. Mark the incorrect behavior (for example,with the word timeout") at the moment it occurs.

2. Immediately but gently escort the dog to thetimeout area (a crate or quiet room), and leavethe dog there for 1 to 3 minutes (never longer).

3. When the dog is let out, practice andreinforce alternate behaviors to replace theinappropriate behavior.

For timeouts when you are out and about:

1. Use the cue ("timeout") to mark theincorrect behavior.

2. Immediately turn your back.

3. Don't allow the dog to interact with anythingfor several seconds. (If the environment isdistracting, put the dog on lead.)

4. On the third offense during an outing, putthe dog in the crate or car, or leave the site toavoid practicing the inappropriate behavior.Better yet, set the dog up so he cannot makethat mistake again.

Because timeout does not teach the dogappropriate behavior, it should be used sparingly.Ideally, the handler should set the dog up so hecannot practice inappropriate behavior.

TERMINOLOGYAn understanding of learning theory is essential forthe dog training professional. Learning theoryprovides access to the range of science-basedtechniques and strategies that can be applied tosolve practical problems. Following is an overview oflearning theory terminology.

Any single action an animal or

Behavior: organism can perform. This canbe a frown, bark, paw wave orgrowl.

Behavior Chain:

A collection of behaviors thatwhen performed in successioncreates a multi-facetedbehavior. The retrieve is abehavior chain of the followingcomponents: trot out to article,pick up article, turn towardhandler, trot to front of handler,sit, place article in handler'shand.

Cue or Stimulus:

A signal that reliably results inthe dog performing a particularbehavior. For example, the wordsit" or a hand signal are cues tosit, here" or a whistle the cuesto come". Cues can also beenvironmental so theappearance of another dog canbe a cue to watch me".

UnconditionedStimulus:

An unconditioned stimulusalways produces anunconditioned response.Example: the smell of food(unconditioned stimulus)produces salivating(unconditioned response).

ConditionedStimulus:

Anything that has becomeassociated with anunconditioned stimulus and nowproduces the response.Examples: the bell in Pavlov'sexperiment was rung beforefood was presented andbecame associated with food.The bell became a conditionedstimulus for salivating. Mostdogs wear a collar with tags thatjingle as the dog moves around.This sound can become aconditioned stimulus toresponses associated withanother dog.

UnconditionedResponse:

The natural reflex reaction to anevent. For example, drooling isan unconditioned response tothe presence of food. Tension orsubmission is the unconditionedresponse to growling fromanother dog.

ConditionedResponse:

A response to a conditionedstimulus. Also ConditionedEmotional Response (CER).For example, if the dog haslearned to associate the collarjingle with an approaching dog,the collar jingle can cause thedog to go on alert". Becomingalert is a conditioned response.The process in this is classicalconditioning.

Reward:

Anything that the dog perceivesas rewarding at that time. Whatis rewarding for one dog maynot be rewarding for another.What is rewarding in the dog'shome may not be rewarding outon the street. Examples: yummytreats, roast beef, turkey,cheese, toys and balls forplaying, freedom to check outthe environment, freedom toplay with another dog.

Reinforcement(R):

Anything that makes the learnermore likely to repeat a behavior,i.e., the behavior becomesstronger. Examples: food, toysor going for a walk. A reinforcermust be something the animalactually wants, not somethingwe think he or she wants.

Punishment (P):

Anything that makes the learnerless likely to repeat a behavior,i.e., the behavior becomesweaker. Example: a physicalpunishment or the withdrawal ofattention. If a dog barks and youspray water in his face and thedog stops barking, you haveapplied punishment.

PositiveReinforcement(R+):

Something good (such as food,play, praise) happens after thebehavior. Example: presenting atreat to the dog after the dogsits, reinforces the sit. The dogwill sit more eagerly next time,expecting the treat. This is alsoreferred to as PositiveTeaching.

NegativeReinforcement(R-):

Something bad (such as pain orpressure) ends or is takenaway. For example, pressing onthe dog's lower back to elicit asit. When the dog sits, thepressure is released and thedog experiences relief. Thefeeling of relief reinforces the sit.

PositivePunishment(P+):

Something bad starts or ispresented (threatened).Example: the dog jumps up andgets a knee in the chest or theperson begins to raise a kneeas a threat.

NegativePunishment (P-):

Something good ends or istaken away. Example: the toygoes back into the pocket whenthe dog grabs at it roughly.

ClassicalConditioning:

Associating an unconditionedstimulus with a conditionedstimulus. For example, in clickertraining the clicker has aclassically conditionedassociation with a food reward.Classical conditioning is apowerful tool because itoperates on involuntary, oftenemotionbased, responses.Because it is so powerful,classical conditioning can beused to help the dog overcomefear and aggression, such asthrough counter conditioning.(See counter conditioningbelow).

OperantConditioning:

An analytical response to causeand effect. Operant conditioninginvolves thinking and reasoningto associate a behavior to itsconsequences. Theconsequence of a behavior canbe positive or negativereinforcement, or positive ornegative punishment. An animalwith free choice, who haslearned which behavior resultsin which consequence, is mostlikely to choose to performbehaviors with the mostreinforcing and the leastpunishing consequences. Forexample, if a handler hasreinforced the dog with foodeach time the dog sits, but hasalways ignored the dog forjumping up, the dog may bemore likely to sit than to jump up.Classical conditioning andoperant conditioning worktogether because classicalassociations are made duringoperant conditioning. Becauseclassical conditioning is sostrongly linked to emotiveresponses, it can overrideoperant conditioned responses.For example, noises associatedwith fearful events can evokefear that causes the dog totemporarily refuse to performoperant conditioned responses,such as sit.

PrimaryReinforcer:

A consequence of behavior thatis rewarding in itself. Examples:eating food that has beenoffered or stolen, the adrenalinerush of chasing cats, or thepleasure of being stroked andpetted.

SecondaryReinforcer (orbridgingstimulus):

A marker, such as a uniquesound, that is associated with areward but is not inherentlyrewarding in itself. For example,a word or the clicker isassociated with a primaryreinforcer through classical

conditioning.

Habituation:

The weakening of a responsedue to a repeated stimulus.Habituation occurs at a primallevel within the nervous system.Habituation is different fromfatigue. For example, you buy anew alarm clock that makes achirping bird sound. The firsttime the alarm goes off, the dogstartles awake from a soundsleep, his ears go up and hecocks his head at the birdsound. After a week or so, thealarm clock is successfullywaking you up but your dogsnores peacefully on.

Flooding:

Prolonged exposure to astimulus at high level to quicklyhabituate the dog to thatstimulus without graduallyincreasing the stimulus. Forexample, if a dog is mildlyanxious about traffic noise,exposure to a high level of trafficnoise from a safe environment(such as the owner's arms,sitting in a car, at the roadside)can at first increase, and thenreduce, the fear response.However, the net result offlooding can be increasedsensitization rather thandesensitization, particularly withshy or over-reactive dogs.Learned helplessness mayresult. Flooding is also called'response blocking' because theanimal wants to run away andthe trainer is blocking thatresponse." (Lore Haug DVM,letter to author, July 2, 2007).Flooding involves prolongedexposure at a level thatprovokes the response so thatthe animal eventually gives up.This is exactly the opposite ofthe approach taken indesensitization. It is far morestressful than any of the othertherapy strategies and, usedinappropriately, could damagethe animal. The most commonside effect is enhanced fear.This technique should be usedonly by those with extensiveexperience and as a last resort"(Merck). (S e e LearnedHelplessness).

Desensitization(or SystematicDesensitization):

Controlled, gradual exposure toa stimulus over time, to producehabituation. The stimulus has noconsequence, therefore the dogceases to respond to it. Forexample, if a dog fears trafficnoise and is exposed to aperiod of low-level traffic noise,the dog may begin to ignore thetraffic noise (at that level). If thenoise level is graduallyincreased and the dog isallowed to become desensitizedto that level before it isincreased to the next level, thedog can be taught to ignore veryloud traffic noise.

CounterConditioning:

Changing a stimulus that evokesan emotion into a stimulus thatevokes an opposing emotion.For example, changingsomething that evokes fear(such as an unfamiliar personapproaching) into somethingthat evokes expectation ofpleasure (such as receiving ayummy treat). Counterconditioning aims to change thedog's emotions, which will in turnchange the dog's reactions to aspecific stimulus. (SeeClassical Conditioning.)

The weakening of the escaperesponse due to continuousexposure to an unavoidableaversive stimulus. Example: adog shocked repeatedly with anelectric collar may lie down,

LearnedHelplessness:

shaking and not move. Learnedhelplessness is often the resultof flooding. Learnedhelplessness can also occurwhen a dog is never permittedto try new behaviors withoutmodeling or luring or verbaldirection occurring first - the dogdoes not learn to problem-solveon his own. The dog learns thatif he waits - the trainer will solvethe problem by telling orshowing him what to do next.

Shaping:

Rewarding behaviors thatclosely approximate the desiredresponse. Over time, behaviorsmust be closer and closer to thedesired behavior to berewarded until eventually onlythe desired behavior isrewarded.

Extinction:

The weakening of a response toa stimulus due to absence of areinforcer. Example: a dog hasbeen rewarded with talk andpetting when jumping up onpeople. To extinguish thebehavior, the dog is ignoredwhen it jumps up. Reinforcing analternative behavior such assitting will accelerate theprocess of extinction. Extinctionwill not work for behaviors thatare self-reinforcing.

SpontaneousRecovery:

The return of a previouslyextinguished response after alengthy period of time haspassed between the lastexposure to the stimulus and theone that re-elicits the response.For example, your neighbor'sdog is afraid of Halloweenmasks and has a terrible timeeach year around October 31st(he gets fearful and snaps atpeople). By showing up at theneighborshouse twice a daywearing a mask for threeweeks, the dog becomes usedto masks and no longerresponds fearfully. Yourneighbor thanks you! The nextHalloween you show up at yourneighbor's house wearing aYoda mask and his dogexperiences spontaneousrecovery and bites you on thebutt.

Extinction Burst:

While extinction results in theeventual decrease of abehavior, in the short term a dogmight experience what is calledan Extinction Burst. If ananimal has a history ofreinforcement for a particularbehavior and that particularbehavior is no longer beingrewarded, a dog might persist intrying to get the behavior toproduce a reward. In anextinction burst, dogs mayperform the behavior repeatedlyand in a frantic manner. As longas the behavior does notproduce a reward, it willdiminish, but sometimes itappears that an unwantedbehavior is getting worse beforeit diminishes. Example: a doghas been rewarded for beggingat the dinner table by anoccasional tidbit of people food.The begging at the table hasbeen reinforced. If, to extinguishthe behavior everybody stopsfeeding the dog from the table inan effort to extinguish thebegging, the dog may beg withmore energy and intensitybefore the begging behaviorextinguishes.

The PremackPrinciple:

Behavioral psychologist DavidPremacks discovery that youcan increase the frequency ofany low probability behavior bymaking it contingent upon a highprobability behavior. (See

TRAINING TECHNIQUE.)

To deny an animals emotions isto

distance yourself from him asa feeling being.

Suzanne Clothier ~ Author of

Bones Would Rain From The Sky

This chapter describes the process of assessing thedog, client, lifestyle, and relationship. If you areseeking a behavior consultation for your dog, thischapter can help you know what to expect.

WHY EVALUATE?Your job as a behavior consultant is to take a history,observe the dog's behavior, and then apply yourknowledge to behavioral analysis.

Unfortunately, what handlers report to the behaviorconsultant is often skewed. For example, the handlermay not want to admit all the dog's odd habits,especially if they feel they may have played a part inthe dog's problems. In many cases, the handleranthropomorphizes the dogs behavior, mistakenlybelieving that the dog has the ability to understandthe nuances of human language or that the dog canreason in the same way a human does. Therefore,behavior consultants cannot simply rely on thehandler's account of the dog's behavior. A behaviorconsultant must develop good investigative skills togather relevant information and solve the issuespresented. Your job is to evaluate the existence andcause of unwanted behavior to the best of yourability.

COMMON BEHAVIORAL SCENARIOSAggression can be created. In training classes, wesee many people and dogs. Handlers rarely haveissues with young puppies. As time goes on many ofthese people call for advice and help because nowtheir nice puppy is causing problems in socialsettings. Following are some examples:

EXAMPLE CASE 1Dog's Specifics: Black Labrador, 3 years ofage, female, spayed

Problem: Charging over the invisible fence andfighting with other dogs.

History: As a puppy in class, the dog was moreon the serious side and just wanted to chaseher ball. She did not really want to play withother puppies. The handler was advised thatputting her behind an invisible fence systemcould cause problems but did so anyway. Everytime another dog passed by and she moved tothe fence, she was corrected" with the electricshock collar. The dog-fighting behavior began 2years ago and increased over time. Now she ischarging through the fence and is classified bythe town as a Dangerous Dog" in thecommunity.

EXAMPLE CASE 2Dog's Specifics: Golden Retriever, 18 monthsold, male

Problem: Bit a child.

History: As a young pup, Chance was dressedup and dragged around the home andneighborhood by the family children. Theparents felt that this would be a goodexperience for the dog and the children. Chance

began growling and biting at the kids wheneverthey reached for him, so the father began tograb the dog to make it submit. While resting onhis dog bed, Chance bit a child who walkedpast his sleeping spot.

THE PROCESS OF BEHAVIORMODIFICATIONThese steps should be followed when working with aclient who has a reactive dog:

1. Assess the dog.

2. Assess the handler.

3. Teach the handler new skills to help thehandler become pro-active in the relationshipand to teach the dog new skills so the dog isless reactive.

Some dogs and handlers will be able to jump aheadquickly to the skill training, while others will need tobuild a reinforcing relationship before behavioralmodification training can begin.

When serious emotional behavior issues arepresented, it is my opinion that the use of a clickerfor skills training is less effective than the use of averbal reward marker. Clickers can increasearousal and stress for some dogs. In myexperience the use of a verbal reward marker is asafer choice.

1. ASSESS THE DOG

PRELIMINARY WORKHave the client complete a Behavior Profile (seeAppendix C Forms) before your scheduled meeting.Send it by email or mail it to them. Ask them to sendit back to you before the consultation. If appropriate,suggest management changes that the handler canimplement immediately to improve safety for thedog, the family and the general public.

Before beginning behavioral training, have the clientconsult a veterinarian to rule out any medicalproblems that may be contributing to or causing theaggressive behavior.

BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTThe first face-to-face meeting usually takes about 90minutes. It is best for this meeting to take place in aneutral location, not the client's home. In a familiarenvironment, like his own home the dog might beinclined to guard his resources from you, thestranger, or he may be allowed to rehearseundesirable behaviors.

I use a large room (5' x 18' or 2m x 3m) with vinylflooring and windows. Bring special food treats thatare smelly, moist and chopped into tiny pieces.Cheese or cooked meat is ideal. Have balls andtoys available. No other dogs or people (other thanthe client, his family, and possibly a student you maybe mentoring in behavioral assessment) should bein the room.

The dog should be on lead. If the dog is not stiff orreactive and it is safe to do so, ask the handler todrop the lead to allow the dog freedom to walkaround. Watch the dog while talking with the handler:assess how both dog and person are feeling. Becalm and non-threatening. Keep extra specialyummy treats in your hand and have a stash closeby, out of the dog's reach.

If you are sitting, sit with a relaxed posture. Move in aslow and relaxed manner, never suddenly or quickly.Toss treats to the ground to help the dog relax andmove around the new environment. The dog maynotice you have something and come over toinvestigate. If he is calm, quietly ask him to sit. Keepinteractions with the dog to a minimum at this pointin the assessment. Allow the dog to settle enough toshow you who he is. Look for the answers to thefollowing questions:

What is the dog's arousal level?

Is he over reactive?

How worried is he about being in a newarea?

Will he take food? Dogs that refuse foodcan be over their stress threshold.

How is he feeling about you?

Watch the dog's body language. Look for calmingsignals. Assess the following:

Does the dog startle easily?

Can he handle the new room?

Can you move around without scaring him?

Is he feeling comfortable with you now thathe knows you have treats or a ball or a toy?

Finding something that the dog will work for is criticalto changing how he feels about the stimulus that nowmakes him reactive. If the dog takes a long time tosettle in the environment, or if he lacks interest in thereinforcers you have to offer, he will be a greaterchallenge to recondition. For some dogs, toy play,including retrieve, chase or tug, can be a valuablereinforcer. Find out what the dog values by watchingand interacting with him.

As you observe the dog, verbalize for the client yourinterpretation of how the dog is feeling by what thedog is doing based on your observations of his bodylanguage. Point out how he is reacting to differentthings in his environment, such as the sounds, sights,and smells in the room. Encourage the handler towatch and interpret the dog's body language withyou opening up lines of communication.

2. ASSESS THE HANDLERThe handler's body language plays a significant rolein the dog's reaction to his environment. Watch thehandler's response to the environment. Is the handlerrelaxed or nervous? How long does it take thehandler to relax? Frequently, the handler feels aneed to talk about what has been happening. Takethe time and use your listening skills. Reaffirm whatthe handler is saying, to show you understand. Thehandler needs to feel comfortable before you beginmaking suggestions for behavior modification.

Once the dog is relaxed, ask the handler to show youwhat the dog knows. The handler may use food orother reinforcers. If your movement scares orprovokes the dog, stay still and relaxed while thehandler works with the dog.

Watch for the following:

Does the dog orient to, and give attentionto, the handler? Or is the dog disinterested inwhat the handler is doing?

How does the dog and handler act towardeach other? Are they comfortable with eachother? Or does either show uncomfortable bodylanguage in response to the other? How patientare they with each other?

Does the dog need food to respond to thehandler? Will the handler use food?

Remember how they entered the training area. Wasthe dog leading or was he following?

This is an assessment of the human/dog bond andtheir relationship. If the handler is receptive andinterested in learning, talk to him/her about:

How a person can build a bond with theirdog and how easily it can be broken. Inparticular, how punishment or misuse ofdominance theory damages a dog's trust andconfidence in his relationship with his handler.

How to observe the dog and let the dog'sbody language be a guide to how the dog isfeeling.

How dogs learn and how reinforcementaffects learning.

How to focus on even the smallest good" orcorrect behaviors and develop these behaviorsin small, successful increments, so the dogbegins to choose to offer good behaviors.

Redirecting an undesirable behavior to adesirable behavior.

Emphasize that the handler should not put unrealisticdemands on the dog. Learning will be slow andincremental. The handler must train new behaviorsthe way they would like to learn: with support, respectand reward for achievement. Reflect this approachas you teach the handler new skills by letting thehandler know when he/she has tried hard, got it right,or done a really good job.

Educate the handler on these 4 points:

1. That their dog can be away from them (lefthome alone) and still be a confident and happydog. For example, crate the dog for shortperiods of time when they are home to makecrating a normal part of daily life rather than acue that the dog will be left alone.

2. Have quiet times with the dog. Touch,massage and be close to the dog.

3. Train and guide the dog throughout his life.Positive reinforcement training is a form of playfor dogs. When owners see how much the dogenjoys learning using positive reinforcementthey will enjoy it too.

4. Don't be angry when the dog is just being adog. Learn from these amazing animals and

realize the dog IS a different species. Observethe dog's canine uniqueness and allow yourselfto be enthralled, riveted and amazed by it.

Be prepared to spend about 45 minutes watching,reinforcing and talking before the real work" begins.If the dog and handler respond to increasingreinforcement for good behavior, they are ready forsome behavioral modification exercises. Send themhome with some desensitizing and self-controlhomework. (See Exercises, Appendix A, SHAPINGBY SUCCESSIVE APPROXIMATIONS & WHERETO TRAIN.)

PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONIf the handler works to change the dog's behavior,medication can often be avoided. However, if thedog does not respond significantly, or if predictabletriggers cannot be identified (idiopathic behaviors),behavior modification techniques should bedeveloped to work in concert with pharmaceuticalintervention.

3. CHANGING PEOPLEChanging people will require teaching them newideas and skills so they can change their behavior,thereby changing the dog's behavior. A large part ofa behaviorist's job is teaching.

EDITH" is a methodology used in teaching. EDITHhelps the learner organize his thoughts so he canlearn effectively. EDITH consists of a series of steps.The model of EDITH, outlined below, is an effectiveteaching guideline. EDITH encompasses listening,watching and doing to maximize your studentslearning

EXPLAIN Tell the students what you are about to show

them, without the distraction of having them doit.

Explain what to do.

Explain how to do it.

Explain the real-life relevance of it.

DEMONSTRATE Show the students exactly what you told

them.

Demonstrate more than once.

Demonstrate with a different orientation(angle) to give them a better view.

Explain as you demonstrate; repeatyourself.

INSTRUCT Give detailed step by step instructions as

the students do the exercise.

Tell them what to do.

Tell them when to do it.

Tell them when to stop.

TRAIN Allow the student to work on the exercises

independently.

"Going solo" motivates a student andincreases the liklihood of practice.

HELP Use your observation skills to help those

experiencing difficulty.