While there are so many great tools that can help you manage your dog's behavior, we can only cover one more topic before winter break. But don't worry, I will be posting more on this topic in the future as it is one of my favorites to discuss! But for today I am going to focus on one of my other favorite behavior management tools, gates. Now you might be wondering why gates are one of my favorite behavior management tools. The reason is because of how versatile they are and how helpful they can be for setting boundaries, which can be helpful for both the human and the dog. Let's take a look at what gates can do for you and your dog.
What Are Gates?
Now, we all know what a gate is, but do we know what it is in reference to behavior management? Surprisingly, it is not something you simply put up and trust that it will keep your dog at bay. Many people end up with dogs who knock the gates over, wiggle underneath them, jump over them, or even perform the occasional ricochet off the wall and over the top move. So, if a gate won't guarantee that the dog will stay on its side, what is it for? Gates are there as a boundary marker that offers more incentive to stay on one side. It takes more energy for a dog to cross a gate than it does for a dog to cross a rope on the floor, thus we have a little leg up in helping the dog understand where it is supposed to stay. However, there is no guarantee that your dog won't figure out that it can jump or otherwise get past the gate. As a result, there are a few things you need to know about how to use a gate.
How Do I Use Gates?
The way to use gates is dependent on the dog and the needs of the people and other animals in the home. To use a gate effectively, ask yourself the following questions:
Will the gate stress out my dog? If the gate will stress out your dog, I don't recommend using one as a behavior management tool without considerable training.
Will my dog jump the gate first thing? If the answer to this question is "yes", then you will need to train your dog to stay on one side of the gate, before you even start using one in daily life. If your answer is "no", then you can put the gate up right away and simply condition your dog that staying in one side of the gate is a good thing by giving it lots of treats and maybe even feeding it there.
Can other animals get over and under the gate? If you have a cat that needs to be able to escape your dog, make sure that it can get over or go through the gate without the dog following. However, if you have a large dog and a small dog, the large dog may get over and the small dog may not, which could trigger barking from the small dog.
Where does the gate need to be? Gates can be used most easily in doorways. Commonly useful places for gates are at the door to the kitchen, near the front door, at the doorway of a bedroom that cats live in, etc. Please make sure that your gates are easily removed by humans for emergencies and do not block emergency exits.
Will I leave the gate up all the time, or will the gate be moved between multiple locations? When you decide where the gate will need to be, decide whether the gate will remain there all the time, if you will only have it up occasionally, or if you have one or two gates that you move around. If you move the gate(s) around, know that your dog may respond to it differently in different locations. For example, if your dog has a history of counter surfing in the kitchen, your dog may work harder to get over or through the gate that blocks it from the kitchen. But the gate that blocks off the living room might not even get a glance from your dog. If you are going to keep the gate in one location, know that your dog may get used to not crossing the boundary and may need some help knowing that it is okay to go through the gate when invited by humans.
When Do I Use Gates?
Now that you know some things about what gates are for and how to use them, let's get into when you should use them. Remember when I asked if you thought your dog would simply jump the gate first thing? This is an important question because sometimes a gate is not a great solution if you are looking for something that does not require much training. The other thing you need to know is that gates are most helpful when your dog is trained with positive reinforcement. Many times, dogs who are trained with negative reinforcement or punishment will simply wait until the humans are gone, then jump the fence and have a field day in your kitchen. So, with those two situations in mind, here is a list of some situations that gates can come in handy:
If your dog is big and takes up space in the kitchen while you are trying to cook.
If your dog needs to be kept separate from other dogs or cats in the house.
If you have a room that you don't want your dog to enter.
If you have a room that you want your dog to stay in.
If you don't want your dog jumping on guests when they come in the front door.
If you are introducing a new animal to the home, such as a cat, and you need a barrier.
If you have multiple dogs in the house and need them to move one at a time from one location to the next.
If your dog feels nervous about having people come in the house (a gate with a blanket over it can help the dog feel secure).
If you need to guide a dog from one location to the next without it getting into things (this can be helpful for puppies and blind dogs).
If you are having guests with children over and your dog does not like children, the gate can keep the children out of the dog's space and the dog out of the children space. (Please make sure to keep an eye on the children and dog in this situation and do not let children into your home if your dog has ever shown any aggression to a human of any age.)
Gates can be a great tool for managing behavior. But remember that some dogs will need to be taught how to use them and all dogs will need to at least be shown that staying on one side of the gate gets them good things. So, when you get a gate, take some time to toss your dog some treats and give it some yummy and fun toys and chews to entertain itself with while it is on the other side of the gate.
Closing Thoughts
I chose this management tool and last week's management tools because these are two things that can be really helpful during the holidays. Take advantage of the snuffle mat and gates this holiday to help people and dogs stay safe and calm. Keep in mind that some dogs are not comfortable with people in their home, especially children. This is also true for dogs who do not "lash out" at people. Your dog may simply be tolerating interaction and stress may be subtle, so please be aware of your dog's emotional state. If your dog is not comfortable with people over for the holidays, grab a gate, set it up so your dog can have its own room (put up a sign to tell people to leave the dog alone), and give your dog some interactive toys or a blanket with treats hidden in it.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year! Have fun with your dogs this holiday season and stay safe!
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