Tag: agggressive behavior in dogs

Stress Crisis: Dogs and Humans Under Pressure

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

The biggest challenge in dog training these days is us.

We humans are stressed out. Life is coming at us (coming for us) from all directions. Work pressure is endemic. Social media is a constant mirror to our perceived inadequacies. It’s an election year.

This summer the U.S. Surgeon General actually issued a mental health advisory. Let’s not take that lightly. The Surgeon General reserves health advisories for big stuff, like warnings about smoking or AIDS. This advisory sounded the alarm about the mental health of parents. Forty-eight percent of parents say their stress is “completely overwhelming.” They’re worried about money, safety, their children’s future. And they’re worried about time. They’ve maxed out their schedules. They simply don’t have enough time in a day to do everything they need to do.

One of the more popular theories is that our brain’s evolution hasn’t been able to keep up with all of our technological advancements. We’ve made the world too complicated and fast-paced for our own good. That might be true.

We humans crave joy. I think more than that even; we crave peace. We just want some relief from the cacophony of daily life. So, we get a dog to help.

The trouble is (this is my opinion), our dog’s brain evolution hasn’t been able to keep up with all the changes either. Dogs evolved with us. Nature tied their lives inextricably to ours. The joke online these days is “I got a dog for my anxiety and ended up with a dog with anxiety.” It’s not funny, probably because the truth of the matter is so stark. We are under pressure and, inadvertently or otherwise, we put our dogs under a great deal of pressure, too. Dogs who traditionally hunted, guarded, or herded are now our surrogate children (or, worse, our mental health caretakers). Most do well. They walk tethered to us, wait patiently under tables at our favorite ice house, pass the hours with the mob at daycare.

Some, the ones I meet, succumb to the pressure. They growl, snarl, snap, and bite. We balk. Dogs are supposed to be good. We should know better, though. Dogs are doing the best they can, just like we are.

I can’t address the pressure we humans are under. At a minimum, we all need a good friend to talk to. We’d all probably do well with some therapy, or at least a nice group hug. But your dog’s stress, that I can help with.

Here are some ideas you can start today that take very little extra time out of your schedule. I think you’ll enjoy some of them, too.

Notice your dog. Observe. Watch what your dog does when they don’t know you’re looking. It’s fun. I think it’s fascinating and relaxing at the same time. It can also be downright entertaining.

Spend some quiet time with your dog together every day in physical contact, petting, or cuddling. It’s good for you. It’s good for your dog.

Play. This is how social animals bond. It’s how we can bond with our dog. Every human-dog pairing is different. My last dog played fetch. My current dog loves to play tug. Find the interactive game that works best for you and your dog.

Train. Don’t think of dog training as a chore. Think of it as a way of starting a dialogue with your dog. Communication helps us feel less isolated, more connected. I suspect it feels that way to our dogs as well.

There is good news. Again, this is my opinion. It might be true that our legacy brains (and those of our dogs) are struggling to keep up with the world we’ve created. It sure feels like that most days. But here’s what else is true: we humans are amazing learners. We adapt. Humans can tap into ancient wisdom for comfort and insight. We are rich in philosophy and faith. And, there’s more good news. Our dogs are amazing learners alongside us. We’ve co-evolved navigating change and learning together.

There’s hope for us, I think.

If the pressure feels like too much some days (every day?), that’s okay. I feel it. I think we’re normal. Reach out for help. Reach out to a friend, trusted clergy, a therapist. We are social creatures. Human existence was never meant to be a solo endeavor.

If you see your dog is having a hard time, well, that happens too. There’s help for both of y’all. I’m here for you. At the very least, I can connect you to help for your dog.

The romantic in me wants to shout out: “we can get through this together.” The truth is we are already, day by day. Evolution be damned. You, me, our dogs – we’ve got this.

 

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He specializes in aggressive dog training.

Treat your Chihuahua Like a Mastiff

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

Dogs are unique as a species in that they come in such varying sizes. It’s easy to forget, but important to remember that they are all dogs. They are far more similar to each other than they are different. Your Chihuahua is as much a dog as your Mastiff. Same with your Fox Terrier, your Bichon Frisé, and your little designer Schnapingfroodle.

Trouble is, we treat our little dogs differently in ways that understandably lead to aggressive behavior. More than half of the small dog aggression cases I see are related to how the dog is handled. Most of those are owner-directed aggression cases. The way we are touching, holding, swooping in and picking up, poking, prodding and otherwise fussing with our little dogs is causing the problem. We are startling them, scaring them, and pissing them off multiple times per day. We do it when they are playing, when they’re eating, resting, even when they’re sleeping. Our little 8 pound friend is minding her own business. Here we come out of nowhere (20 times her size), yammering away on our iPhone, bag on our shoulder. Then our big primate mit-of-a-hand shovels under her and lifts her airborne without so much as a “good morning, sweetie.”

Think for a minute what that must feel like for her. Seriously. Take a moment and give it some thought.

I’ve literally seen someone flip a small dog off their lap with their knee. Can’t do that with a Mastiff. Wouldn’t dare with a Malinois. But, the Maltese and the Miniature this-or-that is fair game? No. Just because we can do something with our dogs does not mean we should.

It shocks people when their dog bites them. They tell me it was unprovoked. Thing is we are provoking our little dogs every day. It’s not shocking at all. Animals who feel out-of-control and threatened will do what they need to protect themselves. We can relate to that.

Treat your Chihuahua like a Mastiff.

  • If you need your dog to move, direct her visually or verbally (hand targeting is good for this).
  • If you want your dog to get into a car or onto furniture, teach her to use steps or a ramp.
  • Wake your dog up by calling her name.
  • Touch gently.
  • If you must lift your dog, give her fair warning. Pause. Pet. Talk to her. Then lift. (If it’s a Mastiff you’ll need some help).
  • If your little dog has already bitten, you will need to call in help from a qualified dog behavior consultant or veterinary behaviorist. We have some relationship healing to do. The good news is these cases often resolve well. We just need to learn how to behave better so that our dog can too.

Then, gently, pick her up. Give her some lovin’. Put her in that cute handbag. You two are a fabulous couple.

Michael Baugh teaches dog training and behavior. His next dog will be a size small. He and his spouse, Tim, already have the sling carrier picked out.

Online Dog Training – Your First and Best Choice

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA CSAT

It wasn’t that long ago that folks thought of online dog training (live video coaching) as a second choice. We considered it a good-enough option when in-person training wasn’t available. There are some reasons for that. Dog trainers weren’t as good at remote training as we are today. Fair enough. The other reason, though, is that we just didn’t know what we didn’t know. The pandemic, quite frankly, forced us to immerse ourselves in online learning experiences. Little-by-little it became a welcome part of our comfort zones. We got good at it and we learned how good it could be for us.

Dog training and behavior coaching has some key elements in every case:

  • Setting goals
  • Charting a training plan
  • The trainer modeling specific skills and exercises
  • The client practicing those skills hands-on and getting feedback
  • Review and Follow up

The truth is, not only are all of those things able to be accomplished live on a video connection, some of them are actually better accomplished that way. I take notes for my clients and can often send clients a written training plan the very same day if we are working online. I also record demonstrations and practice sessions and can send a link for those to the client within minutes after our consultation.

And, believe it or not, there are real disadvantages to seeing a client and their dog in-person. For dogs with aggression issues, having a stranger in the home can be very stressful. Half of a training session or more can be wasted just getting the dog to calm down. We don’t have that problem with live video coaching. The client can work with their dog in a calm stress-free environment, skill-building and preparing the dog for real-life encounters later in the process. Dog separation anxiety training is done entirely online. The idea is to help the dog learn how to be calm when left alone. You don’t invite someone over and then leave the dog alone, right? It’s essential that the trainer not be there so that he can monitor your dog’s behavior when left on his own.

It’s normal to have some hesitation around online training. I get it. Many of our clients did at first too. Then the reviews started coming in:

Michael is Very professional and helpful. We were worried about the training being performed virtually at first but found that the training was just as helpful as in person training if not better. – Mary C

I was worried how training might translate over Zoom since we began at the height of COVID, but everything went so smoothly and I think the distance helped Finn to be a bit more natural at home during training sessions. – Corrine B

Even through remote training due to covid, Michael’s professional assessment and training skills shone through and worked wonders. He gave us a customized plan to help her build trust and positive engagement with my husband. – Mabry Family

We met with Michael through Zoom meetings and he helped us immensely with positive training techniques that helped our pup become a loving part of our family. – Pat V

We’ve learned there are other real advantages to live video dog training sessions online, as well.

  • Expert help when you need it. There are still too few dog behaviorists and dog behavior consultants who handle difficult behavior cases. With online coaching you can access experts more easily with less wait time for an appointment.
  • Convenience of scheduling. With no worries about service area or travel time, we can make more evening and weekend time slots available.
  • Expert care and instruction no matter where you are. Online dog behavior coaching is not bound by geography or service area boundaries.
  • Safety. Online coaching is stress-free for dogs with aggression issues.
  • Less stressful for the humans, too. There’s no fuss or worry about having a stranger in your home.
  • Online training costs less.

I’m a watcher of trends. It’s one of my passions. One of the things we are noticing from the pandemic is that we will probably continue to do more work with each other remotely from our own homes. Certainly we crave social interaction in-person. At the same time we are realizing we don’t need that (or want it) for all interactions. If we can get expert help that’s better, quicker, and less expensive, that really should be our first option. Experience has shown me so far it’s likely to be our best option, too.

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He’s also able to help people around the world with live video coaching online.