Michael Baugh CDBC
Can we control our dog’s behavior?
No. The actions our dogs perform, their behavior, is the product of their brains and nervous system.
However. We can greatly influence our dog’s behavior. That’s an important distinction. Behavior is driven by countless environmental factors, both external (for example, a new person) and internal (for instance, if the dog has a sore hip). We are a key part of our dogs’ environment. So, we play a significant role in their behavior responses and choices.
Here is what we can control and what we can’t.
The setup. I like to call this part setting our dog up for success. We have control over where our dog is, what he’s exposed to, when and what he eats, his exercise routine, and more. If our dog is afraid of new people in his home, we are in control of how that person enters and the location of our dog. This influences his response. If we are training our dog to lie down on cue, we get to choose where we teach this, affecting our dog’s ability to make the right choices.
There are many names for controlling the environment for our dog’s success. Behavior scientists call it antecedent arrangement or antecedent control. Trainers sometimes refer to it as managing the environment.
The behavior. What our dog actually does in any given situation is pretty much up to him. Our dogs choose their actions based on several factors. The most important of these is their perception of safety. Like us, when it comes to making calm, deliberate choices, they do best in a non-threatening environment. Chill scene — chill behavior.
Some behavior isn’t a choice at all; it’s a split-second response. The inner brain and the body react before reasoning kicks in. Trainers sometimes label this “reactive behavior.” It’s not a choice. But it’s still the dog’s doing.
The outcome. What results from our dog’s behavior choices or responses? If we pay attention, we can exercise a great deal of control here. Yes, other players in the environment are competing for sway in the outcome game (think: squirrels, other dogs, or that smelly dead whatever-it-is). But let’s not underestimate the real stake you have.
We can (and should) reinforce the behavior choices our dogs make that align with how we want them to behave. That’s easy to control. Use bits of food, appropriate touch, and warm, smiling verbal praise.
What about behavior responses, those quick, emotionally driven behaviors that bypass the reasoning part of the brain? Those are less influenced by food and praise. That so-called reactive behavior is our dog’s way of seeking safety by escaping or by driving an offending stimulus away. We can calmly move away with our dog so he can feel safe again. Teaching and reinforcing a new pattern of behavior is the long-game remedy for “reactivity.”
What we Control
✅ The setup: We have a lot of control here.
🚫 The behavior: Our dog decides or responds.
✅ The outcome: We get some control here, too.
Can we control our dog’s behavior? No, but also yes, kind of. We need to understand that our dog has his own agency, makes choices, and experiences sudden responses. Let’s respect our dogs as thinking, feeling beings.
And let’s also focus on what we can control. It’s a lot, actually. That should make us feel empowered. We aren’t helpless once we put our attention where it will have the greatest effect.
Texas Dog Trainer Michael Baugh CDBC specializes in aggressive dog training.