Do I have a bad dog?

This is a question that can plague owner’s if you are seeing concerning behaviour from your dog and don’t know where to look or how to begin working on more complex behavioural issues. If this is something you have wondered about, read on to learn about the process of demystifying and working through “bad dog” behaviour.

I’m worried about my dog’s behaviour, do I have a bad dog?

Dogs are wonderful companions that are a blessing to have in our lives, however, for some owners who face behavioural struggles, this can be hard to see at times. Many behavioural issues are far more common than we imagine, if your dog struggles with reactive behaviour, fear, separation anxiety, or even aggressive behaviour, you are not alone. It can be difficult to manage these behaviours when researching them is so daunting and seeking help can often bring fears of judgement, shame, or being told you have a “bad dog”. Beyond that there is the fear that you will find out there’s nothing to be done. Here at Advance Behavioural Training, however, we believe that no dog is beyond help.

My dog really struggles with training though, can they really be helped?

When seeking help for these issues, an obedience approach is often employed, and if the dog struggles with this it can leave the owner and dog feeling disheartened and frustrated. Dogs with behavioural issues are more likely to struggle with obedience because they are usually in a heightened state of stress, whether it is because of a new situation, other dogs, or just a general lack of confidence. In all cases, when dogs are in this stressed mindset, their appetite becomes suppressed and the learning centers of their brain have much more trouble engaging. It is no surprise that doing obedience work in these situations is difficult. In addition, their usual response to their feelings has been working for them. Often the environment or even us as owners can accidentally reinforce our dogs for their scared, reactive, or aggressive behaviour by giving them what they want (attention, space, freedom, etc), and this is often more rewarding than what we can offer them for different behaviour.

What else is there besides obedience?

Instead of looking at obedience alone, taking a step back to focus on the emotions of the dog can help tackle these issues at their core. Dogs by nature do not want to appear vulnerable, so admitting to feeling scared or unsure can be difficult. This can lead to layers of behaviour that need to be investigated before finally understanding what is going on and helping the dog work through it. For example, a dog that is fearful may try to appear aggressive and scary to make others go away, or a dog that is in pain or lacks confidence may be avoidant and reserved so that other dogs don’t notice and bully them. This can be why you find your dog is happy and cuddly in some situations, but seems like a completely different dog when the circumstances change.

How do I begin training for emotions?

Working through these emotions can be challenging but very rewarding. Finding the core issues requires working with your dog in different situations to see how they respond, paying close attention to even the most subtle body language signs, and giving them time to see if they can adjust to new routines and challenges. Eventually the core issue is discovered and then the real work begins. You begin to look at the feelings and start to understand what it is your dog wants and how their behaviour has been achieving that for them so far. Now that you know, you can begin to change that feedback, for example instead of going to comfort your dog with separation anxiety when they are away from you and stressed, you wait until they can settle themselves down a bit before giving them attention. This kind of work can take time, careful management (that will need to be adjusted as you go), and be emotionally taxing for both dog and owner. For this reason a lot of owners choose to seek professional help with these issues.

How can ABT help?

At ABT we are passionate about working with dogs facing these issues and are eager to guide owners through this difficult and often confusing process. Our Socialisation Therapy service is great for owners looking to get started on this journey. With this service your dog will be in the care of one of our experienced and knowledgeable trainers. After dropping your dog off in the morning, the trainer will work 1 on 1 with your dog for an hour. They will work on training and conditioning catered specifically to help with your dog’s issues, before setting them up in the afternoon to do passive exercises. You will receive a full training plan for their first session, as well as a detailed report of how they went at the end of each day, complete with homework for you to work on to continue their progress at home. This service is especially helpful for owners who feel they may have difficulty working through some of the discomfort that their dog may face in the early stages of this training.

I would prefer to do the training with my dog

If you want or need to work with your dog, we also offer casual classes called Behavioural Therapy. These classes are small, 1 hour classes where our trainers will talk to you about your goals and challenges and give you some exercises to work on for the duration. With guidance throughout the whole lesson, these classes are great for people looking to learn how to work with their dog or support their ongoing training journey as needed. These classes are run fortnightly on Thursday nights and weekly on Saturday mornings, and being casual you can come as often or as little as you need.

So what are you waiting for?

By choosing ABT to help you with these challenges, you are choosing a team that will be with you every step of the way, will give your dog the best chance, and will be as invested in their journey as you are. If you want helpful, in depth training with no judgment or shame, book in or contact us to discuss training options for your dog.