Can We Control Our Dog’s Behavior?

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.

Sedona Dog Trainer Michael Baugh CDBC specializes in aggressive dog training.

What is Functional Aggressive Dog Training?

Michael Baugh CDBC

If your dog is doing something you don’t like, or, worse, something dangerous, a smart trainer or dog behavior consultant will ask the question: What’s the function of the behavior? It’s called a functional analysis. It’s also kind of a dog training joke.

What’s the function? WTF? Get it?

Our dog’s behavior has a function. They do what works.

Here’s an example. Our new puppy pees on the rug in the dining room. We don’t like it. WTF? Great question! The function of that behavior is to relieve the discomfort of a full bladder on an absorbent surface. If we’ve reprimanded our puppy in the past, peeing in the dining room might also serve the additional function of avoiding our scolding.

Here’s another example: Our dog comes to us when we call her. The function? Get a treat. Enjoy some additional play. Gain access inside. Anything we have in store that works for the dog.

Functional analysis asks what the existing behavior accomplishes.

Functional dog training asks what we can teach instead.

It can look a lot like basic training, with one notable difference. We might teach rudimentary cues like come or lie down, but we are teaching them with a specific function in mind.

It’s not magic. It takes a lot of practice.

Coming when called, to use that example again, can teach a dog to avoid a triggering situation on cue. (Yes, the pool guy is here. Come! Get a treat. Now, let’s go do something else.)

Similarly, lying down on a mat, in a bed, in a crate, or simply going to another room can become a functional alternative to barking or lunging. Aggressive triggers can become cues for calmer behavior.

What’s the function of this training for us? It can make our lives with our dogs easier and more enjoyable.

What’s the function for our dog? Pretty much the same. These newly learned behaviors create distance, predictability, and access to reinforcement. Those experiences can actually reduce the intensity of our dog’s big feelings. That makes their life easier and more enjoyable, too.

This is all pretty straightforward, but if your intuition tells you it’s hard work, you’re right. We are teaching our dogs alternative functional behaviors; that’s not terribly hard. Dogs are quick learners. We are also attempting to influence how our dogs feel in situations that have previously frightened or angered them. That’s the harder part.

Be patient.

Be kind.

We teach our dog these new functional behaviors in low-stress sessions. Use food. Model calm behavior. Train; don’t test. This is what trainers mean when they say, “Set your dog up to succeed.”

Add distractions gradually. Create winning experiences our dog can handle, ones in which our dog can succeed with their new functional behavior.

Back to that coming-when-called example: practice calling the dog away from the windows when no one is outside, then maybe when a family member is outside, then eventually when the pool guy is outside but we aren’t right up next to the window.

Oh, and what about that puppy? Take him out every two hours. Wait for the pee. Praise. Treat. Play. Wait a minute. There might be more, maybe even “big boy potty.” Treat that too. Make outside the place with the best payoff. Relief plus good times.

Back inside with your puppy, have some fun, cuddle. Supervise. Safely confine when you can’t. Lots of structure, routines, and awareness win the day. No need to punish accidents because we aren’t letting accidents happen. Well done, clever human.

Now we’re putting the fun back in FUNction.

Michael Baugh teaches aggressive dog training online and in Sedona, Arizona.

Resolving Dog Reactivity by Teaching “This Way”

Michael Baugh CDBC

What are we trying to teach dogs who bark and lunge at other dogs, people, bikes, or cars on walks?

We call them “reactive dogs.” But what are we trying to replace that reactivity with?

Not simply the absence of barking. We want a dog who calmly follows our lead.

This Way

Let’s teach our dog to follow us when we cue, “This way.”

Say, “this way.” Turn 90 degrees off the path without pulling on the leash. Encourage your dog to follow. Praise warmly, then scatter three to five treats on the ground.

Practice “this way” several times during every walk, even when you don’t see other dogs or anything else that typically causes your dog to react.

We are teaching our dog that when something concerning appears, following us is safe and rewarding. Rather than barking and lunging, your dog learns to stay calm, follow you, and create distance.

I recommend turning at a right angle, either left or right, and moving off the path as far as you need. Sometimes that means walking up a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk for a few moments. That’s okay. Your goal is to create enough distance for your dog to remain calm.

This way → increase distance → praise → scatter treats.

Under Threshold

When we actually encounter a trigger on a walk, such as another dog, our goal is to move before the barking and lunging begin. We call this working under threshold.

If I notice a trigger, I watch to see whether my dog has noticed it too. There is usually a brief moment after your dog sees the trigger but before emotion spills over into barking and lunging. That’s your opportunity.

Your dog sees the other dog. → “This way” → Move off the path, praise, and scatter treats.

Having practiced “this way” many times during ordinary walks, your dog will be much more likely to respond when it really matters.

Beyond Avoidance

Some people worry this is avoidance. It isn’t.

Your dog has seen the trigger. He knows it’s there. Instead of barking and lunging, he’s learning another response. He sees the trigger, follows you, earns reinforcement, and remains under threshold.

Over time, as your dog has many successful repetitions, he will naturally become comfortable at shorter distances from the things that once caused him to react. Walks become calmer, easier, and more enjoyable for both of you.

We’re not just trying to stop barking and lunging. We are teaching our dogs what to do instead.

Michael Baugh CDBC teaches dog training in Sedona, Arizona, Houston, Texas, and online everywhere. He specializes in aggressive dog training.