Dog Behavior Problems?

Sharing your home with a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences when things are going well and one of the most challenging and difficult experiences when things are not. When things go badly, many dogs find themselves relinquished to shelters or passed along with their problems to another family where the cycle often repeats itself. Fortunately, there are other options.

Trained and experienced, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) is both academically and experientially equipped to help.

What are the qualifications of a CAAB?

Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists have advanced graduate degrees in the science of animal behavior and have met the requirements of the Animal Behavior Society (ABS) by demonstrating a completion of six to ten years of formal academic experience leading to a Master's or Doctoral degree, hands-on experience, and adherence to ethical standards. While anybody can call themselves a "behaviorist" or "behavior consultant", individuals certified by the ABS have demonstrated the necessary formal academic preparation and experience that signifies them as area experts.

Methods and techniques?

My approach to training lies in the theories and principles of environment-behavior relations as they apply to both dogs and humans. Fundamentally, dogs do what they do because of what happens to them when they do it. Humans do too. However, humans rely heavily on language and thinking as they interact with the world, and this reliance can often get in the way of the relationship they want with their dogs.

For example, humans have many expectations about dogs. However, it is critical to understand and appreciate dogs for what they are, not for what we might want them to be or think they should be. Dogs are not people and are not motivated nor repulsed by the same things that motivate and repulse humans. Differences due to such things as breed, age, physical condition/ability, early experiences, and current living conditions all must be considered in any plan designed to modify a dog's current behavior. Likewise, understanding the influence of our own beliefs, stories, expectations and overt behavior on our relationship with dogs must also be considered in any plan to live successfully with them.

Techniques for training dogs have changed throughout the years. With the volume of knowledge and research findings available today, it is no longer necessary to rely on the use of painful or damaging experiences to modify a dog's behavior. Instead, behavior can be changed by specifically managing how the dog gets what he wants. While the application of aversive events may be necessary in some cases, the use of them is not the first nor the preferred method of effecting behavior change. When aversives are used it is important to understand that their improper use can create many negative side effects including aggression and avoidance. Perhaps most troubling, the application of aversives often becomes the only tool an owner ever tries. These owners miss out on the power of reinforcement and teamwork! It's much more enjoyable to interact with your dog as a partner, and watch to see when he's right, than to watch and wait for him to be wrong!

What should I expect in my first visit with a CAAB?

The first step in helping to modify the problem is to assess the problem. It is absolutely critical to understand the history of your dog's behavior and what you have been doing about it. Therefore, a behaviorist will ask you many questions about your dog, your family and your living situation. Your management plan, skills, understanding of ethology, and your relationship with your dog all play crucial roles in the development of an effective and humane behavior plan to modify behavior.

Next, it is important to determine the family's skills, abilities, expectations and goals as they relate to the behavior modification plan. A behavior plan that can't or won’t be implemented by the family isn't worth very much, so a behaviorist will work with the whole family to determine where they want to go, how to get there given the current level of skills and abilities, and help identify obstacles that might be getting in the way. Behavior change can be challenging and learning to stay the course even when it’s hard is the goal! Families learn and change along with their dog(s) as they become more psychologically flexible and, thereby, more effective behavior managers!

Then, the elements of the behavior plan will be demonstrated and family members will be carefully monitored as they implement the same elements. A written description of the plan will be provided to each client and progress will be monitored closely via follow-up visits or, at times, phone calls (depending on the nature of the problem).

Finally, because behaviorists work closely with veterinarians to insure that behavioral problems are not due to underlying medical problems, a copy of the behavior assessment and program will be forwarded to your veterinarian as necessary.

MY STORY

With an emphasis on humane and effective techniques, I have been training dogs and offering individualized behavior consultations and training to owners experiencing problems with their canine companions since 1989. My first love was, and still is, training dogs. Any venue that involves dogs interests me, and some in which I’ve participated include AKC Obedience, Protection Sports, Pet Facilitated Therapy, Shelter work, and Herding. Because I also value education, I earned my B.S. and M.S. at Northern Michigan University and my Ph.D. from West Virginia University in 2005 where my research focused on problem behavior in companion dogs.

As a Board-Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist with the Animal Behavior Society, I share the company of fewer than 75 in the nation. I have worked closely with shelters and veterinary clinics in Michigan, West Virginia, Iowa and Wisconsin, and after teaching for 13 years as an assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Northern Michigan University, I am now fully dedicated to dogs and their owners and see clients year round at my Behavior & Training Center in Rumely, Michigan.

Contact me for further information or to arrange an appointment.