Dogs do what Works
Closely related to the prior post, worth reading if you haven’t. Dogs repeat behaviors that they think work for them. This can lead into doom loops of unwanted behaviors when those behaviors are accidentally reinforced.
Let’s give some examples and then talk about how to reverse this doom loop into a positive feedback loop.
Examples -
The dog pulls on leash to greet another dog or person, gets to greet that dog or person.
Now the dog thinks pulling gets them to greet. They find pulling reinforcing.
Dogs jump up (puppies) to get attention. Dogs gets touched, even pushed off, sometimes even talked to. Dog thinks jumping gets me attention. I will do it again.
Dog paws at the door or pushes past the person and blasts out the door. This is now how the dog thinks it gets out the door, crate or otherwise.
Dogs repeat behaviors they like the results of, humans have a tendency to give in to dogs unwanted behaviors when they know what the dogs want. This creates a reinforcement loop that feeds the behaviors we don’t like and in extreme cases, feeds an overexcited brain and can be driving a dog to be much more excited/exciteable than is necessarily their genetic default.
Now we can take control of this feedback loop, it will take patience and practice and won’t happen overnight. Practicing when you have the time and mindset, to be able to wait out the dog’s confusion and frustration can lead to a very lovely feedback loop where the dog begins to default faster and more often to calmer, more easily managed behaviors and over time, they themselves can calm down. Setting aside the dogs that are genetically or medically anxious, or maladaptive for some reason or another.
Starting with asking for attention - and rewarding for it, a crucial first step that is nearly always missed. You can not cue your dog's butt or an inattentive dog to do anything. Attention might be one of the most under recognized and underpaid behaviors. Once attention is easily established, ask for the next step, sit usually. But it could also be walk without pulling or anything that you like. Now repeat this 3 times! Start placing these breaks, and attention to handler, calmer behaviors before things that your dog likes to. All over the place, throughout their days, from getting out the door, to eating, to achieving scents or greeting the neighbor or dog down the street.
Let’s go back through the examples for clarity -
Examples -
The dog pulls on leash to greet another dog or person, gets to greet that dog or person.
INSTEAD - You get dogs attention as soon as they notice the other person or dog, you get their attention and reward for it. And then if this is able to repeat several times you move slowly towards the person/dog. Imagine a dog now achieves this goal with a loose leash. And is able to give attention to their handler. NOW we are getting places, and beginning to move to a positive feedback loop.
2) Dogs jump up (puppies) to get attention. Dogs gets touched, even pushed off, sometimes even talked to. Dog thinks jumping gets me attention. I will do it again.
INSTEAD Dog is asked to sit before jumping, is pet while sitting and not pet or touched while jumping. Not yelled at or shoved or interacted with while jumping. Now repeat this. So the dog will eventually jump and then sit… and you ignore the jump and reward the sit. You’re on the precipice of the dog just sitting and not jumping! Keep going!
3) Dog paws at the door or pushes past the person and blasts out the door. This is now how the dog thinks it gets out the door, crate or otherwise.
NSTEAD - Dog looks at person in the house (gets rewarded) sits before the door is open and door get opened. Now the dog thinks sitting is how the door gets opened. They will be more likely to sit at the door instead of escalating the pawing behavior.