A postcard, ca 1950. The
intelligence of Poodles makes them a popular breed for
training to do tricks. |
TRAINING ISSUES VS MANAGEMENT ISSUES
– KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
Author: Melanie Schlaginhaufen
www.knowingdogs.com
Dog training programs can be incredibly
effective. They can be used to significantly strengthen our bond
with our Poodles, to teach our dogs to respond to basic obedience
commands (sit, down, stay, come, heel), and to obey more advanced
commands (off lead training). They can even be used to teach our
Poodles to perform tricks. With training we can also solve some
behavioral problems such as jumping up on people or pulling on the
leash. However, there are some problems that, while they get better,
are never really solved. Why? Is it because the training hasn’t
worked? No, it is because we are dealing with a problem that is not
a training issue – it is a management issue.
Veterinary behaviorists and dog trainers who specialize in solving
behavioral problems develop behavior modification programs for dogs
with management issues. Is this just an elaborate name for an
upscale dog training program? No. It is a comprehensive program that
may or may not involve dog training exercises, but definitely
involves teaching us skills to manage our dog’s behavior.
Recommendations might include changes in the dog’s environment,
exercise, routine, diet, or even the use of medication.
What does this mean – a management plan? Management plans are for
problems that require management in addition to training – for
things that will always be a part of our dog’s behavior. For
example, a dog that has issues with other dogs will always have some
issues with other dogs. A Poodle who is fearful will always have a
fearful component to their personality. Can we modify their behavior
to make it more beneficial to the dog and more acceptable to us?
Yes! Can we totally solve the problem? Not always. Often we must
learn to use management techniques which lessen the incidents of
problem behavior.
If the root of the problem lies in the genetic predisposition of the
dog, and, if the issue is exacerbated by the dog’s environment, we
can often “fix” things simply by changing the environment. However,
some things are managed only, never quite “fixed.” We cannot change
the fact that many dogs had “gaps” in their socialization process
early in life. Nor can we change the genetic makeup of the dog’s
brain or the way in which the dog was bred to be – and we usually
are not willing to make drastic changes in our lifestyle or the
dog’s environment. For example, if we live in an exclusive
neighborhood that does not allow barrier fencing, few of us would be
willing to sell our house and move into a neighborhood that would
allow us to build a six-foot privacy fence in order to prevent our
dog from exhibiting territorial barking when outside. However, we
would probably be willing to do something like walk the dog on
leash, to make him understand that we are the ones in charge of the
territory.
Management programs are very valuable, but when trainers fail to
communicate the difference between management and training, dog
owners become confused, disappointed, even frustrated when problems
aren’t solved. To help, let’s identify some of the more common
issues that require a management protocol, as opposed to training
efforts alone:
1. Territorial Aggression – excessive barking,
lunging, and even biting of people who come into the yard
Usually the dog exhibits very little discrimination; he may be
aggressive when anyone other than the owners come into the yard or
into the house. At times, however, the aggression may be
specifically directed toward, for example, deliverymen who arrive in
big trucks. This behavior is fairly common in both Standard Poodles
and Miniatures.
Territorial Aggression, then, is usually a factor of the environment
and the dog’s instincts, and the problem must be managed by
environmental changes – even it if means keeping the dog inside and
allowing him to be outside only when he is with his owner and on a
leash. We would also implement a leadership program with training
exercises that further help the dog understand that a human pack
leader controls his territory.
2. Resource guarding dogs – Poodles that are
very protective over food, toys, or their owner
We can modify a dog’s thresholds so that the behavior happens less
often, but these dogs typically have the instinct to guard resources
throughout their lifetime. Management of the problem would include
not putting these dogs in situations that could elicit aggression,
particularly around children. For example, they would rarely be
given a high value food treat (such as a pig ear) to chew on. We can
use training to convince them that adults may take items from them,
but it is highly unlikely that we can stop all of this behavior when
other dogs or children are present; hence, we must manage the
environment to prevent guarding of high value items among those the
dog perceives as “peers.”
3. Self control issues – relating to energy
levels – such as the Poodle who is hyperactive and cannot control
his excessive need for his owner’s attention or who cannot seem to
“settle” appropriately indoors
This type of behavior is very common in terrier breeds, in sporting
breeds, and in herding dogs, specifically those who come from
working lines bred for a substantial amount of “drive.” We must
realize that our Poodles were originally bred to be working
retrievers, so many of them are still at heart a sporting dog.
Management of this problem includes increased exercise and providing
“things to do” to keep the dog busy – or tired, as well as training
in appropriate replacement behaviors.
4. Interactions in a multiple dog household –
dogs who co-exist in limited space boundaries that growl or attack
housemates who enter their space
Dog-to-dog issues are sometimes the most serious of management
issues. For example, two female dogs that have fought to the point
of ripping and tearing can rarely ever be totally trusted to
interact appropriately again. If kept in the same household, these
dogs may always need to be separated. A more realistic option for
some owners may be to consider finding a new home for one of the
dogs.
5. True dominance behaviors – the dog who is
genetically programmed to be a leader, who shows dominance to people
in many different situation
Dominance is usually a behavior that occurs only in a small number
of situations; however, there are a very few dogs that are true
leaders and will attempt to be dominant in almost every situation.
We can teach dogs to be subordinate to adults in the household, but
it is impossible to convince these kinds of Poodles that they are
not higher in rank than the small children in the household.
Management includes placing these dogs in homes without small
children. It also requires the owner’s full understanding of the
dog’s temperament and a true commitment to protect visitors,
extended family, and friends from a potentially dangerous
interaction with the dog.
6. Breed Characteristics
Examples of breed behaviors include inappropriate herding by
Shelties who nip at heels, or Australian Shepherds who chase
children on bicycles, Siberian Huskies who run straight-line
directionally and do not come when called, American Pit Bull
Terriers who attack other dogs, Rottweilers who are overprotective
of their owners. All are breed characteristics that are rarely
positive in nature, but that can be managed. These traits directly
respond to the original purpose of a breed’s development and, as a
result, are “hard-wired” into most individuals that represent these
breeds. High prey drive is one of the breed characteristics not
uncommon in Standard Poodles. These dogs need a lot of exercise,
preferably in a controlled fashion, such as walking or jogging with
their owners, or even walking on a treadmill. In addition, we must
make sure they are always under our direct control, because a dog
with high prey drive often will chase and even unintentionally harm
other dogs, not just small animals that could be perceived as prey.
7. Extremely Fearful Dogs
These dogs usually respond extremely well to comprehensive behavior
modification programs that include increasing the dog’s confidence
level and lowering his fear level; however, this is a problem that
still needs to be managed throughout the lifetime of the dog. We
would never put this type of Poodle in a situation where he could
cross a threshold that he reasonably could not be expected to
tolerate. These dogs will always have a lower tolerance to stress,
and we would never put them in a situation which might cause their
fear to become so great that they might bite.
I want to reiterate that all of the above behaviors can be modified
through a behavior modification program which includes training
exercises, changes in environment, and medication (if necessary).
However, the major component in modifying the behavior of dogs with
these problems involves management, the owner’s willingness to make
the dog’s environment less conductive to practicing the negative
behavior, and the owner’s commitment to preventing the dog from
being in situations that may endanger the dog, other dogs and
animals, and, more importantly, other humans.
This article was originally published in
2002 on the author’s website www.knowingdogs.com and has been used
with permission. Copyrighted by Melanie Schlaginhaufen, all rights
reserve, no part of this article may be reproduced without
permission of the author.
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