My Dog Is Driving Me Crazy

If I collected ten cents every time someone asked me how they can stop their dog from…fill in the blank, I would be rich! As a very reactive culture we are very focused on instant gratification and not so good at prevention. From obesity and diabetes to the pills and procedures healthcare providers recommend to treat them, we have discarded the effective and sustainable strategies for fixing many of life’s problems. Our relationship with our dogs has fallen prey to this same flawed thinking. We want Fido to stop jumping on guests so we yell “No” instead of teaching him to sit. For our own sanity and the well being of our dogs it is time we changed our approach from reactive to proactive.

Of course this is easier said then done but I promise it will be well worth the effort. Also, I’ll let you in on a little secret called management. If you want a more peaceful and fulfilling relationship with your canine companion then repeat this question over and over: “What do I want my dog to do?” When you have decided on a suitable behavior for Fido to do in place of the one that drives you crazy, set aside some small chunks of time to teach him what you want. The teaching should be all about well-timed fun rewards (often times food…think ‘stinky-meaty-tiny’) that get you closer to the desired behavior. As a clicker trainer, I recommend using a reward marker, a distinct sound or word that marks the precise moment your dogs behavior earned reinforcement, to speed up the training process. For more about clicker training see the resources page.

While teaching a new behavior is fun and effective a management strategy should be implemented as well. Management focuses on preventing your dog from making poor choices. By creatively using baby gates, stuffed kongs, and crates you can implement a successful plan that sets your dog up for success. Your plan should focus on the most frequent and troublesome behaviors your dog was previously practicing. For example if Fido is jumping on guests at the door then put him in another room with a baby gate to prevent him from bombing the doorway. Stuff some of his daily kibble in a kong and put a bit of peanut butter on top. For best results, freeze overnight and give your furry friend this delectable treat the moment guests arrive. You now have a management plan that is more likely to teach Fido what you want while building his positive association with guests coming and going. Yay for peanut butter!

However, what do you do when management fails and Fido comes leaping over the baby gate and crashing into guests like a possessed maniac. First, you take a deep breath, then you calmly wade in to the fray and remove your hairy whirling dervish. After everyone has calmed down it is time to re-evaluate the plan. What can you change that will prove more successful next time? Do you need a higher value reward or would a taller gate do the trick? What about Fido’s mental and physical needs? Would more mental and physical exercise help him get his ya-yas out and in turn create a calmer dog? The answers to all these questions will provide you with a solid starting point to create Plan-B.

Plan-B is all about progress not perfection. So remember to cut yourself some slack and Fido too for that matter. Remember why you love your furry fella and just so you do not forget, write down three things that give you the warm fuzzies about him or her. Once you are satisfied with your heartfelt list, I suggest placing it at eye level on the fridge. Your warm fuzzies list will come in handy on the days that Fido pushes you to the brink of your sanity.

Just remember, when you arrive home and are greeted by a wagging tail and happy smiling face, all your hard work has been rewarded by your dog’s unconditional love.