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How Does A Dog Really think?

12/21/2016

1 Comment

 
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​Welcome to the first of many blogs in the All Dogs Blog series. If you're a client at All Dogs Toronto, welcome back. If you're new here, we hope that you find the website informative and helpful. We believe that the more education we can provide dog and pet parents, the better off we all are.


You may think that your dog spends most her time plotting how to get into your refrigerator, or how to extend your walk time by just an extra ten minutes at the end of each long day. You may have a dog that growls at you when you sit too close to her on the couch, or snaps at you when you try to take something away from her that she wants. And you may be forgiven for thinking that she is trying to be the boss. However, the truth is, she actually isn't. This is a case of mistaken motivation.


Many dogs suffer from poor behaviour. Behavioural problems stem directly from one, or both, of two sources:
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1. A lack of clear, consistently reinforced rules to live by.
2, His or her bad behavior, in the past, has been rewarded.



Let's look an example.


Your dog is on the couch. You ask him to get down, and suddenly, your dog's body language changes: he begins growing at you and being defensive, maybe even snapping at the air. As a result, you back off. No one wants to get bitten, and the reaction to move away is a natural and correct one. What's happened here is that the dog's poor behavior (growling) has been rewarded because she got what she wanted (to stay on the couch).


To be perfectly clear, never challenge or punish a dog that's growling or aggressive. That's a different discussion and we will address what to do in those situations in a future blog post.


To summarize, if, by behaving in a certain way, the dog gets what she wants, then of course she's going to behave that way because it gets her the result she wants. If there is a lack of ground rules and the dog is capable of getting away with bad behavior then, just like a naughty child, she will do so.  

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​Keep in mind as well that all dogs are unique. They have their own personalities, and different stimuli will make them tick (or not tick, as the case may be). Don't be afraid to try different things with your dog. Provided you come to a single method that you use consistently to reinforce good behavior with your dog, take the time to figure out what works.


If bad behavior persists despite consistent rules and the reinforcement of good, as opposed to bad behavior, a trainer is a good option. A skilled dog trainer will assess your dog as an individual, figure out what excites them and use that knowledge to build the dog's confidence, motivating her for reward-based training done right.


It helps to keep in mind, during these often frustrating moments with your dog, that a dog's emotional brain power is very similar to that of a two-to-three year old child. Anger, fear, disgust, and love are all in their repertoire, as are optimism, envy, and grief.


If you want to communicate with your dog, speak to her in a way she can understand so that she has a chance to obey you. Don't make the task too complicated. Break it down into small parts, or baby steps, so that your dog can learn.   
1 Comment

    Author

    Camille Salter is the founder of All Dogs Toronto and a certified, knowledge-assessed dog trainer (CPDT-KA). She is the author of two books on dog behavior: Pandemic Puppy, Decoding the Dog Park, and the Big Book of Dog Training. 

    Camille studies neuroscience, applied animal behavior, canine  physiology and nutrition, ethical behavior analysis, evolutionary behavior psychology, neural networks, stress-free animal handling, behavior economics, coaching and consulting. 

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Books On Dogs and Dog Behavior by Camille Salter, CPDT-KA

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Urban dog parks are fraught with risk. These environments host to an ever-changing assemblage of dogs with different backgrounds, life experiences, tolerances, and drives. Learn how to navigate them with confidence, safety, and skill with this navigation guide designed for the active dog parent in mind.​
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"Pandemic Puppy" is a mini-book designed for the undersocialized puppy, and outlines best practices for puppy rearing, socialization during a pandemic, obedience, attention, calming behaviors, and compliance. All delivered in a force-free, scientific manner. Read this book. Once you have these lessons under your wing, you and your puppy will soar with excellence and never look back.



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What Our Clients Are Saying

I adopted Frank not even a month ago. I’ve been training him myself, and got him to do ’sit,’ ‘down,’ ‘come,’ and ‘wait,’ at home. But when we went outside, it was a different story: he got a bit too excited, and that led to pulling on the leash, which wasn’t a pleasant experience for either of us. He never made eye contact with me, and calling his name and offering treats of all sorts didn’t do much, either. Working with Camille turned this around after just one session — she was so patient and calm with both me and Frank, and taught me how I could get Frank to connect the dots between paying attention to me and getting food. Since then, he comes and sits upon command even in the most distracting situations like being surrounded by other dogs in a park with firetruck siren blaring in the background. It’s been so rewarding to start developing this bond with Frank that will last a lifetime. Thank you Camille!” - Maythe Han

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"Camille is a brilliant, caring and amazing trainer. She explains a range of outcomes and effort levels and helps navigate the emotional trials of puppyhood.

We are grateful for her knowledge and weekly check-ins to ensure we are on the right path with Hermes (our dog).

We truly support her positive reinforcement approach to dog training and are very satisfied with the results." - Graham Knowles

"I cannot say enough positive things about Camille Salter, the owner of All Dogs. From the moment my rescue dog and I met Camille, I knew she would work wonders. Her demeanor, grace and confidence made my dog fall in love her instantly. She is so incredibly knowledgeable that I try to soak up as much information as I can from her.

I highly highly recommend Camille Salter and All Dogs. Whether you are looking for a professional trainer or walking, she will provide you with all of the tools needed to ensure your dog is set up for success.

Camille is truly a pillar in the community of canine training within Toronto.

Thank you Camille!!" - Tessa Vaskas


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