Last week I asked a couple questions in my post. One of those questions was, "When our dogs do something we don't like, what do we do right now?" We often want an "in the moment" solution to behavioral problems with dogs. But training takes time and patience. However, management is different than training and can be a huge help right then and there when your dog does something you don't like. In this article, I am going to talk about the first management tool you should build and have on hand, a plan. Planning ahead can be hard. So, in this article I am going to give you a brief walk through of some questions that can help you start building a behavior management plan.
Plan For the Worst, Expect the Best
When you first bring your puppy or dog home, you might not know what exactly you will need management wise. But I always encourage people to plan for the worst, but expect the best. This way, you can look at situations with a positive outlook, but if something comes up, you will at least of a plan for how to deal with the situation.
Start Broad and Get More Specific as You Plan
When making your plan, start with the broad questions and get more specific as you go. While there may be more categories than these, here are five broad categories of behaviors that you need to prepare for:
Natural dog behaviors that you dislike (e.g., barking, digging, chewing).
Human interaction behaviors (both at home and in public) (e.g., jumping, barking).
Animal interaction behaviors (both at home and in public) (e.g., chasing, barking).
Inconvenient timing of the dog's desires (e.g., dog wants to play while you are cooking).
Unexpected situations (e.g., your dog reacts to some something you didn't think would bother it).
While looking into these categories, know that some situations and behaviors can only be remedied with training. Training and management are very different. Both are extremely important. To understand more about training versus management, read last week's article "Behavior Management Tools and How to Use Them - Part 1: Things to Remember" and my behavior management article "Behavior Management: Making Life with Your Dog a Little Easier".
Asking the Right Questions
Now that you have these five categories to start with, you will want to get more specific. Think of some questions that are important to you as the human, and questions that are probably important to your dog. To start, ask yourself the following questions about each category:
What behaviors in this category do I think I would not like?
What behaviors in this category do I think I would like?
What behavior in this category do I know I do not like?
What behaviors in this category do I know I do like?
Write down the answers to these four questions for all the behaviors you can think of that fall under the categories above. Once you have done that, you want to make a plan for how to deal with these behaviors. To get you started, get even more specific and ask yourself the following questions:
What are my available management tools? (e.g., interactive toys, baby gate, etc.).
How do I use and apply these management tools? (Make sure you are familiar with all the tools you have on hand).
Where are these tools located?
In which situations can each tool be most easily applied? (For example, which situations does a toy work and which situations do you need something else?).
How will I reinforce the behaviors I do like?
How to Use This Tool
Make sure you write down all the answers to the above questions and any other questions you think would be applicable to you and your dog. Make sure this information is easily accessible and can be explained to anyone taking care of your dog. When you come across a tough situation with your dog or behavior that you do not like and do not have a trained cue for, refer to the answers to your questions (memorizing them can be helpful in situations that need a fast response), and find a tool that can help both you and your dog. Having at least thought through the information above can be a huge help to you and your dog as you both go through training and life together!
Want Help?
These questions are just a starting point for building a behavior management plan. To learn more about how to develop an effective behavior management plan, click here to visit my online services page where you can find my "Live Taught Online Sessions" and request to book a private behavior management planning session or click on the product link below!
Photo Credit: Photo 1 - Unsplash - Mathew Coulton
Photo Credit: Photo 2 - Unsplash - Camylla Battani
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