03/11/2024
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I often get the question of what type of training I would recommend for a dog. And the answer is a large majority of cases is: None.
We often also find ourselves wondering why our dog is jumpy, anxious, perhaps whining. A lot of dogs nip, or pull on their walks. Perhaps understanding where dogs came from or what their natural habitat is may shed some light on these behaviors.
Very simply explained, dogs evolved scavenging (being productive, as we would call it) only 1 hour of the day, sleeping 14-16, and the rest is spent exploring the couple of miles of land that they claim as 'home'. They look for interesting smells, they do light exercise by walking or trotting, they observe the world and contemplate.
Dogs in the wild do not have their paws in concrete or wood all day. Their paws need the information the terrain provides and the gut bacteria for a healthy gut. Dogs also do not play fetch in the wild, nor obey anyone. They must make good decisions to survive. They become clever observers instead of simply underestimated followers.
They go through phases like we do. Teenage years are rough. Senior years have specific needs and changes. These phases will influence behavior too.
Dogs in the wild are not confined or physically restricted. They enjoy full freedom of movement, which gives them confidence and the ability to make choices for survival. They have lived this way for millions of years.
They also do not spend a lot of time alone. They are social creatures and they live surrounded by family members and friends. They rarely leave their two mile radius and their family, they feel comfortable scavenging with others. Half of dogs in the wild never actually move away from their family.
Although these are still the needs of dogs, (yes fancy poodles and fluffy bichons too) our society has evolved in a way in which they cannot access what they need. It is nobody's fault, but rather a mismatch between what their species needs are and the world we live in now. One could say, we humans have also lost some things, gained others... but we have a choice. Dogs have very little choice.
If they roam in the wild, they may be shot or taken to the pound just for existing. If they live in a home, they have the comfort and safety of modern life, with restrictions. They are now pets.
So what is a modern dog? A pet suddenly confined by all kinds of collars, and barriers, alone most of the day or in a cage, without species appropriate social contact, unable to gather their gut bacteria from scavenging, eating from an expensive yet questionable bag, evacuating on a schedule, playing fetch 10 minutes as the only means of movement (less time than a prisoner would in jail) and going on concrete walks on a tiny leash. On a schedule.
Do we see a problem here?
Where did the wild scavenging, self-sustaining canid go? It is right next to you, sitting on the couch watching tv.
Could it be that perhaps all of the terrible behaviors we are seeing may be the result of unmet needs, and inescapable stress?
We do know that dogs (like humans) cannot learn under stress. Their ability to learn is shut down by chemistry...without going into major detail, this is like asking someone to sing an opera under water. It is quite impossible. It just. Does. Not. Work.
So we must first help our dog by removing the stressors in life and looking into ways to enhance their time on earth best we can.
After all, we all want our dogs to be happy.
There are very small and powerful things we can all do to accomplish that, if we only know what is needed to improve the situation. Take for example: neighborhood walks. They need their paws on natural soil.
They may not be able to roam all day in wild terrains... but we can take a trail walk instead. Or we can try to stay off concrete and stepping on grass only. Such a simple change, but an enormous gain for your dog.
So if you are considering training for your 'problem' dog, think twice. He may or may not be ready to learn based on a variety of factors, and forcing training may not be useful.
Consider that there may be other more effective ways to help your dog, understanding their species-specific needs as well as their overall wellness. We need to step out of the behavioral training ONLY mindset and understand that 4 quadrants of conditioning will not suffice when a dog is under or overstimulated, or both.
We have other tools to help your dog with and BEYOND training.
Www.kaiserpetcare.com
