[yorkietalkjilly]

Here's some thoughts on retraining poor or bad behavior out of a dog. The owner/handler must be totally eager to show their dog how to live another way and motivated enough to stay 3 steps ahead of them in every situation, prethinking and outmaneuvering every response during behavior modification retraining. It is no small task to truly change a fear-aggressive dog but you almost always can.

Mostly, the expert obedience or behavior-modification handlers train the owner how to handle and understand their own dog, how to see life from his POV, think how he thinks and and how to gear themselves up to motivate the dog to WANT to learn how to behave differently because he sees change as a win. If the dog sees any behavior as a win, he'll readily go along, wanting more and more benefits for changing of happy praise, treats, positive rewards, oodles of smiles from you, etc. But I think if an owner is not strongly motivated to be an excellent dog handler, he'll always have problems with his dogs, no matter how much obedience/behavior retraining takes place by expensive experts. Just takes the intense interest, the determination of the dog owner to WANT to remake his dog. Most people just don't have that level of interest and never have completely controllable dogs, which can be fine. Not everyone has that level of determination or dog handling skills or want-to. Our pets don't have to be perfect.

Obedience training or behavior modification are 2 very different things and many dogs do well on the positive-reinforcement they get from working together to learn simple obedience skills and prosper greatly with that method. Behavior modification teaches the dog a new, better, more rewarding way to react to former problem situations and the owner being skillful and determined enough to stay 3 steps ahead of his dog until he has managed to gain control the old, unwanted behavior in EVERY case. The dog changes his behavior in a specific situation because he's been properly motivated to want to change - for a reason. The best way is he expects a very positive reward for his new behavior. If he gets it wrong, we give him a negative frown, an "uh oh" to mark his miss and redirect him to the positive reaction we want and expect, with much gleeful praise and treats for getting it right during his retraining. It's up to his handler to know how to instill that motivation in his dog and can drive all positive behavior change.

If a dog is not motivated to change his behavior, he won't or he won't for long. It's constant work until your dog LEARNS to respond to your directions by rote, automatically, unthinkingly. He never gives not responding correctly a thought; in fact he eventually, slowly LEARNS your way benefits him most. Once you attain that level of interaction, he begins to try to stay 3 steps ahead of YOU and automatically does what he's pretty sure you'll want from him, based on all your training and previous interactions, which he's studied like mad over the time he's spent with you; and boy, is that a state of nirvana when you eventually get there!

I train dogs to love reacting positively to my requests immediately and w/out thinking about it and they all begin to outthink ME eventually, automatically behaving as I want just for the pleasure it gives them to make me proud. It is a learned skill and one that dog soon does from muscle memory. Automatically reacts as he thinks you'll like to every situation simply because his reward for doing so makes HIM happy. Takes about 3 years to get a problem dog there but it's doable and so worth it if one is so motivated. But it requires you being hyper alert to pre-think everything your dog might do in EVERY situation and physically step in front of him, block him with a frown on your face, an "uh oh" verbal feedback and reward his turning around, backing down every time he thinks of lunging or growling, biting at another dog or you. The turn around/back down warrants smiles, happy partying and treats right there in the middle of the living room, store or the street. Happy times! He's earned it! Soon, you'll see him catch himself as he knows the reward he's about to get will be far more rewarding than any charge he'll get from lunging at another dog. No, he'll be busy trying to prethink YOU. Usually dogs lunge or growl/bite out of fear, having decided the best defense is a good offense but they can unlearn that, be re-directed with enough positive determination by the handler, always thinking way ahead of how their dog might react and he begins to think you know everything about him, that it's just best to work to please you than cross you. His learned trust, fostered during the training/bonding process, in you sustains and grows with every win he gets and soon, he's obeying you before you give a request, an action you always reward with big praise and fun times during retraining. After he's learned it, the praise is more restrained as he doesn't need the big party anymore, his big reward is internal, in his own brain chemistry, the oxytocin his brain releases, a great feeling, by knowing he's pleased his team leader and works as one with you.

Funny how that happens but it does, they just signal they don't need all the big party rewards, just your fond look or smile, a gentle nudge or touch. Even poorly obedience trained dogs can learn a new way and eventually change but as I always say, the trainer has to be more determined than the dog they are retraining. Few people are but if you are one of them, it's very rewarding to see that problem dog change over the years into a model citizen who trusts you beyond measure and wants nothing more than your pride in him, so much so that he prides himself in always behaving as he knows you'll approve of.

But if our dogs are not perfection, it's okay as long as they don't scare, hurt or destroy things. None of us is perfect. Just know, if you are not more determined than your dog and willing and motivated to help him in EVERY instance, to prethink and outmaneuver him well ahead of his thinking of how he'll react, he'll likely not change much. Good luck if you wish to embark on this level of retraining. It's a lot of work, constant vigilance of your dog during the retraining and greatly rewarding to you both. Your dog may get addicted to all the pleasures of this type of retraining and push you for more!