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WoofCraft offers a variety of training options for different types of working dogs, and we realize that the terminology can be confusing for some! We put together this chart to help compare some of the commonly confused types of assistance dogs (service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support dogs). 
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 You send your kid to school. They learn 2 + 2 = 4. They come home, show you their math homework, and you ask them what 2 + 2 is. Even though the person asking them changed and even though the environment changed, your child is still able to say 2 + 2 = 4. This is called generalization, and it’s something we humans take for granted.
Dogs are not born with this brain function. Dogs are not born with the capability of generalization. If you change the context of a concept even just slightly, their brain tells them it is a completely different concept. To give an example of this, you teach your dog to “sit” inside the house. You go to the park and your dog is paying no mind to you at all, giving a completely blank expression when asked to sit. How is this possible? He does it perfectly at home in your living room. Your dog is so stubborn isn’t he? Wrong. Your dog is confused because, at least to him, sitting in your house is a completely different concept than sitting at the park. This doesn’t mean all hope is lost, however. Just because a dog isn’t born with the ability to generalize concepts doesn’t mean they can’t learn how to. If they couldn’t, we wouldn’t have life saving service dogs, guide dogs, and police K9s who must perform their jobs under a wide variety of new distractions and environments every day. Learning generalization just takes time and patience, but all dogs can do it. So how do I teach my dog to generalize? As with everything, it’s done in baby steps. The first thing you’ll want to do is set up a basis for good communication through loading your dog’s marker word in as many different environments as possible. A marker is just a short word or sound that lets your dog know they’ve done a good job and they’re to expect a reward (“good!” or the click of a clicker are two examples). To load the marker, stand totally neutral, say the marker, then move to deliver food to the dog’s face. Try to avoid showing food to your dog before saying their marker word, because chances are, your dog is going to be more focused on the treat than what you are saying. In the beginning stages, it is not necessary for your dog to be paying attention to you when you say the marker (it’s actually more beneficial for the dog to NOT be paying attention); nor is it necessary for your dog to even look back at you when they hear their marker (if this is the case, just reach around and pop the food in their mouth anyway). The goal of this exercise is to build the association that their marker = reward, over, and over, and over again. Make a point of loading the marker in every room of your house, in your yard, in your driveway, down the street, at the park, in the car, etc. Everywhere you take your dog, teach them that marker = reward. And remember, at this point they don’t need to be doing ANYTHING to get this reward… so long as they aren’t doing anything wildly inappropriate, that is. From here, start loading the dog’s name the same way you loaded their marker. Name = treat, over, and over, and over again in as many different environments as possible. Just like with your marker, in the beginning stages, your dog doesn’t even need to respond to you in order to get the reward. This is just basic word association and teaching the basic concept of generalization. You know your dog is starting to get it when you can say your dog’s marker or name inside your house and they whip around to look at you, their ears might perk up, their tail might start wagging, and it’s clear to them that they are expecting a reward. Take them out of the house to different environments and try this. Do you get the same response? If so, congratulations! Your dog is learning to generalize. If not, keep working at it. Some dogs take longer than others. Once your dog is fully responsive to their marker and their name in a wide variety of situations, you can begin introducing cue words. Teach a cue (such as sit) inside your house, and work on generalizing that cue to as many different environments as possible. To do this, you’ll need to reteach the behavior from start to finish everywhere you go. When working with service dog puppies, we took these puppies out to 5 new environments every week for the purposes of training and socialization. We warmed up by loading their marker, loading their name, and re-teaching the cues we practiced at the training center (from start to finish) in those new environments. I still do this with every new puppy or dog that I bring into my home. It is a process, but it is well worth it. How do you tell if your dog has learned to generalize? Once you can teach a behavior inside your house, take them to an environment they’ve never been to before, request they perform that behavior, and they do so without any looks of confusion. If you haven’t reached this point with your dogs yet, I urge you to have patience and keep going. There’s truly nothing better than having that dog you can take anywhere and ask them to do anything and they will eagerly perform because they understand exactly what is expected of them.  Any responsible parent would not leave their toddler unattended in a room with alcohol, cigarettes, knives, cleaning chemicals, and the like. Why? Because we know better. We know toddlers get into things, so parents often choose to utilize cribs, baby gates, and active supervision to ensure their child’s safety and best behavior.
However, at least once a day I walk into a client’s house where their young dog is allowed to wander about the house with no supervision or management. Then we sit down and these owners explain to me how horrible of a dog they have: he gets into the trash, he chews things, he is up on furniture, he is harassing the kids, harassing the older dog, digging at the carpet…. the list goes on and on. I have to bite my tongue with each visit to refrain myself from saying “well, what were you expecting?” An 8 week old puppy is about the equivalent of a 2-4 year old child. All of the safety, management, and learning protocols you’d have in place for a toddler need to be put in place for a puppy. This starts with giving your puppy a safe place to call his own, very similar to a baby’s crib. A crate (or ex-pen) should never be seen as a form of punishment, but rather a safe resting place for the dog to go when owners need some time to themselves. Crates should be appropriately sized so the dog has enough room to lay comfortably, but not enough room to designate a separate “sleep area” and “potty area.” While crates are a fabulous management tool, be careful they are not overused because doing so can build negative associations and increase hyperactivity. When a puppy or new dog is not in a crate, active supervision must be used. This means you must be WATCHING the puppy the whole time. All too often I hear “my puppy chewed up my shoe and I was right next to him.” My response? “Well, what were you doing when your puppy was chewing on your shoe?” Their response is typically along the lines of “I was watching TV, facetiming my girlfriend, reading a book, etc.” Just because you are in the same room as your puppy does not mean you were supervising them. My favorite tool to aid in supervision is tether training. While having a puppy tied to you at all times may be annoying, it greatly aids in bonding, reinforcing calm behavior, and teaching the puppy not to wander off and start doing inappropriate things. Okay, but where does the actual training come in? Well, everything starts with management. If you want your dog to stop doing a particular behavior (i.e. jumping on guests), you must first MANAGE the situation by limiting access to whatever causes your dog to exhibit that particular behavior. Going along with the jumping example, this means limiting your dog’s access to people coming into the home. This can be done by placing an ex-pen or baby gate in your entryway so the dog can’t reach guests when they first walk in, or keeping your dog on a leash for that same reason. Then we must think about WHY the dog was exhibiting this behavior in the first place. What is motivating them to do this “bad” thing, even though they’ve probably been disciplined for it countless times. In the case of jumping, they want attention. So, how can they get what they want (attention) while we get what we want (no jumping)? Think of a very simple action your dog can do to replace the bad behavior. Four paws on the floor is an easy one. If your dog has four paws on the floor, they are allowed to interact with the guest. The moment they no longer have four paws on the floor, the guest either retreats behind the baby gate in place, or if the dog is already leashed, then they are walked away from the guest. Once the dog is calm, they can get a second chance. It all starts with management. If the dog is always getting the opportunity to jump on guests at the door, even if they are punished afterwards, the behavior will continue because 1) the dog is getting away with it, even if only for a second and 2) we’ve never communicated to the dog what the correct thing to do is. With no motivation to complete an alternate behavior for the same reward, your dog will continue with the existing behavior which they already have motivation for. Manage your dogs. Set them up for success. Think about what they are trying to do when exhibiting “bad” behavior, and redirect that motivation into a more appropriate behavior instead. The more we manage our young dogs like the little toddlers they are, the more we’ll start to see drastic improvements in their behavior.  Some of you may have been wondering why the two-month hiatus. That’s because I’ve been extremely busy raising a litter of growlybiteyjumpy things, er-- Hokkaido Ken puppies. Since two of them will be staying for at least another month until they can fly to their new homes, I thought I’d go ahead and share my tried and true methods for potty training.
Note: I’ll be using the term “puppy” in this post. However, this post applies to adult dogs just as easily! The first thing you’ll need is a means of containment for your puppy. For now, start with a crate. All puppies coming from a responsible breeder or experienced foster home should have already been desensitized to being in a crate. If your puppy is coming from a shelter, pet store, or backyard breeder, I highly recommend starting with Susan Garret’s Crate Games DVD as quickly as possible. Crates should be just big enough for your puppy to curl up and lay down in. If the crate is too big, this will make potty training much harder because they will begin to designate a specific side of their crate for pottying in vs sleeping in. PUPPIES DO NOT LIKE TO POTTY WHERE THEY SLEEP! We’re going to work with this. Many crates these days come with wire dividers so you can gradually adjust the size of the crate to fit your growing puppy. If your crate does not come with such divider, using a cardboard box to divide the crate and gradually reducing the size of the box works as well! (Though you may have issues with your puppy chewing the box.) Your puppy will need to be let out every hour during the day, and every time he starts to cry at night. Just because your puppy can “hold it” while he’s sleeping at night does not mean he can do the same during the day. When you let him out, leash him and take him directly to his potty place (typically outside, but I realize running down three flights of stairs if you live in an apartment isn’t always feasible; sod potty patches or piddle pads are also acceptable). Leashing him does two important things:
This teaches him two things:
It’s extremely important to be consistent about your praise and your cues. If you start slacking off, the inconsistency will show. When your puppy starts getting the hang of this, introduce an x-pen to give him more freedom. Place his crate inside the x-pen, along with the potty patch or piddle pad if you are going that route. If your puppy is successfully using the potty patch, gradually give him more freedom and start moving the potty patch closer to the door until your puppy will go to the door when he needs to potty. Keep in mind that a puppy doesn’t have full bladder control until 16-20 weeks of age, sometimes later! Forgive mistakes, and never correct for “happy pee” (puppies eliminating themselves when excited). Remember that potty training is a long process, and while many puppies will progress very quickly using the methods above, there may still be accidents if you aren’t careful about supervising. If your puppy does have an accident and you didn't catch them in the act, promptly clean it up with an enzymatic cleaner and avoid punishing your puppy for it. All punishment does is confuse a puppy and it can cause issues further down the road. Still having potty training issues? Stay tuned for next month’s blog post on potty training troubleshooting!  It is estimated that up to 50% (or around 80 million) dogs exhibit mild to severe forms of separation anxiety. I won’t waste your time explaining exactly what separation anxiety is, as the name pretty much gives it away: severe distress and resulting behavior problems when a dog is separated from its handler or its canine pack. What we’re going to focus on instead is how to recognize it, and more importantly, how to treat it.
Separation anxiety symptoms include vocalization (often a repetitive, monotone bark), pacing, hypersalivation (drooling), elimination (often soft stools and not in a consistent location), and destructive behavior. These symptoms must only be present when a dog is alone--or perceives he is alone-- and should not be the result of any other medical or behavioral diagnosis. As comorbidity is common in dogs with separation anxiety, all exhibited symptoms must be evaluated separately for an accurate diagnosis. So, what do you do if your dog is exhibiting symptoms? The first step is a trip to the vet for a thorough physical examination. Because many of these symptoms (especially hypersalivation, improper elimination, and pacing) correspond with a large number of acute medical problems, a complete blood count (CBC), chemistry profile, thyroid panel, urinalysis, and fecal exam must be performed. Only after all medical disorders are ruled out can we safely begin treatment for psychological disorders. If your dog is given a clean bill of health, it’s time to start assessing their behaviors. Remember in grade school when you learned the 5-W’s for writing a successful essay? Well, it’s time to bring those back out to help not only you, but your behaviorist as well if you choose to go that route (which I recommend).
Once you have these questions answered and written down to the best of your ability, a training plan can be formulated. Note: if your dog is experiencing severe symptoms of separation anxiety which put himself in danger (crate shredding, destructive behaviors, severe panic attacks), utilize professional help immediately! Contact a local behaviorist for assistance. Behavioral therapy can start at any age, and the longer the problems persist, the harder they are going to be to correct. You might be thinking-- Lex, we covered who, what, when, and where… but isn’t there a fifth W? Yup, we’re missing the most important one: WHY. Separation anxiety is a two-fold problem:
I wasn’t sure exactly where to include this, but it’s so important that I figured I will dedicate an entire paragraph to it. Renowned veterinarian and behaviorist, Dr. John J. Ciribassi DVM, DACVB, says: “People don’t cause separation anxiety, but they can add to it.” This couldn’t be more accurate. On the same note, however, people can subtract from it as well. In most of my cases, the key to treating separation anxiety involves changing your OWN behaviors before we even address the dog’s. Altering Your Dog’s Dependency Your dog comes up to you seeking attention. You’d do what any loving dog parent would do, right? Pet your dog. What you may not realize is this interaction is creating a dependency on human contact for the relief of stress. Your dog thinks “hmm, I’m lonely… let me get some love from my human.” What happens when this human leaves, though? The dog has no means of dealing with the stress on their own; so they panic instead. “Obviously, the most logical solution, in that case, is to eat the couch,” says my little Miniature American Shepherd. (We’re working on changing her mind.) Now, I’m not saying you may never pet your dog. I’m just saying don’t let your dog initiate it. If they come up to you and start whining, pawing, or barking for interaction, simply ignore it. Once they settle down, YOU come up to THEM for love and affection. Altering Departure & Arrival Routine If your dog has separation anxiety, you might notice they get increasingly antsy when they think you are about to leave. A very natural reaction might be petting him and assuring him that everything is going to be okay, saying you won’t be gone long, and telling him to be a good boy. When you arrive home and your dog is overwhelmed with joy, who wouldn’t squat down and shower him with affection? Doing so only emphasizes your absence, though. Instead, completely ignore your dog at least 30 minutes before your departure, and 30 minutes after your arrival back home. It’s also important to habitualize your dog to your departure routine by uncoupling the cues they have picked up on (shoes on, grabbing keys, grabbing wallet, putting makeup on, etc). You do this by going through your whole departure routine, then not leaving. Sit down on the couch and turn on Netflix instead. Do this at random points during the day until you notice your dog is no longer showing signs of stress during your departure routine. This can take several weeks. Distracting Your Dog During Departure This is one that you’ve probably heard of before, so I’m going to be quick. When you leave, offer your dog a KONG with frozen food in it (or some other form of tasty chewy). When you return, immediately take the object away and put it up where your dog cannot access it. If your dog’s symptoms are severe, there’s a very good chance he won’t even touch the chewy. This is okay though. Still offer it to him. It will act as a gauge of how well your dog is progressing. The more comfortable he gets with you leaving, the more interested he will be in the food. Don’t give up. Graduated Departure & Rewarding Relaxation Graduated departure is exactly as it sounds. When your dog is in a relaxed state (I like to start this when they are sleeping on a dog bed or in their open crate), slowly start walking away. Do NOT tell them to stay or otherwise give them a command. We are rewarding and shaping relaxation here. On your first try, you may get a few feet, you may get out of the room, you may get out of the house. Every dog is different. However, the key here is to never go so far that your dog feels the need to get up and follow you. A video camera is helpful here. Gradually increase both the distance and the duration until your dog is comfortable with you leaving the house for brief periods of time. If you have access to a remote feeder and video camera, this will come in handy to reward relaxed behavior. Because graduated departure really has the ability to make or break your dog, I highly recommend pet owners do not attempt without a behaviorist’s assistance, and never, ever start before all of the techniques above are applied and have shown a degree of success. Medication Last but not least, there is the option of medication. This should never be the first option considered, though in some severe cases it may be 100% necessary to the dog’s physical and emotional wellbeing. Medications must be prescribed by a licensed veterinarian, and should be used in conjunction with behavioral therapy with a canine behaviorist. Common medications are clomipramine, fluoxetine, and trazodone; as well as various benzodiazepines in more extreme cases.  Today I looked down at my heart dog, and for the first time, I saw she’s growing old. Little white hairs decorate her merled face, her eyes no longer look as bright as they used to, her once sharp, white teeth are growing dull and yellow despite regular brushing, her joints have begun to ache, and she’s getting snappy when she wants to be left alone. This all seems normal for an aging dog… however, this particular dog is only six.
Faith is a bottom of the barrel, backyard bred dog I picked up off the back of a truck in a walmart parking lot. I bought her for the whopping $550 I saved up petsitting when I was thirteen years old because I now realize I wanted the instant gratification of getting a cheap puppy then instead of surviving a wait list for a more expensive puppy who would have come a year later. While I knew of mill breeders and how horrible it was to buy a puppy from one, I didn’t fully realize there was a difference between responsible breeders and backyard breeders. So, when I found an ad for mini aussie puppies, I jumped at the opportunity. A week later, I brought home Faith. The breeder told me both parents were healthy, free from hip or elbow dysplasia, they come from great bloodlines, and although Faith’s AKC papers weren’t ready yet, she’d mail them to me in a few weeks. I signed a short contract saying I’d take care of my new puppy, and we drove off into the sunset (quite literally-- the sun was in my eyes the whole trip). For the first few weeks I had Faith, everything seemed fine. She was incredibly smart, willing to please, and she learned new cues almost instantly. There were no problems with her socialization; everyone was ner new best friend. When she turned about four months old though, I noticed something funny. Whenever she stood up and took that first step, I’d hear a slight popping sound. When I placed my hand on her hips, I could feel them popping in and out of place. Concerned, I reached out to her breeder. I got no response. Upon further investigation by a vet, I was told that Faith had very lax hips; however, if I “keep her lean and well muscled, it shouldn’t be a problem,” she said. It didn’t take long for me to see there was a future for Faith in competitive dog sports. While I had yet to see the AKC papers I was promised, we were active participants in 4-H and I purchased her a tracking number for ASCA agility (a way to track points and earn titles for unregistered/unpedigreed dogs). Together, we competed in obedience, rally obedience, agility, and junior showmanship. She also earned titles for tricks, canine good citizen, and therapy work. There wasn’t anything this dog wasn’t up for trying at least once. I’m thankful she and I accomplished so much when she was still young. When she turned just four years old, she was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia. Hips are supposed to be a ball in socket joint-- well, Faith’s hips don’t have a socket. I flew her to see an expert in canine hip dysplasia; I was open to trying anything that would make her as comfortable as possible. We settled on a pain management plan with instructions on how to build and maintain muscle in her rear. If her muscles were strong enough, they would hold her hips in place and act as a functional joint. Unfortunately, attempting any surgery could have made her issues worse. After the visit, the first thing I did was reach out to her breeder (yet again). I don’t know why I was so hopeful that she’d care, but instead, she blocked means of communication with me and refused to accept responsibility for the problem. Upon further digging, I discovered this breeder has a reputation for producing dysplastic dogs. Faith’s sire and dam weren’t even tested for hip dysplasia as she said before I bought my puppy. I felt betrayed and taken advantage of. Powered by pain meds, 5000 mg Glucosamine Hydrochloride, 1200 mg Chondroitin Sulfate, 1000 mg MSM, 100 mg Vitamin C, 100 mg Omega-6, 50 mg Turmeric powder, and her usual multivitamin supplement, 40 lb Faith was back in business. She resumed her usual active dog lifestyle as recommended by her vets to keep her body lean and her muscles strong. Though she’d never go back to high impact sports like agility, she enjoyed lower impact sports and leisurely hikes. However, a year and a half later, and things got bad again. Despite all the meds and supplements, she started slowing down once again. Another trip to the vet, and it was determined she has severe elbow dysplasia. Furthermore, her shoulders and back were deteriorating as well. “On the bright side,” the vet told me, trying to lighten the mood, “these knees feel fantastic!” I forced a brief chuckle while trying to fight back tears. At a little over five years old, my dog was quite literally falling apart. We left with stronger pain medication and instructions to keep her lean and active for as long as possible-- because the moment those necessary muscles begin to waste away, she’ll have nothing left to keep her body up. As she continued to deteriorate, my previously friendly and outgoing dog began to change. She grew grumpy, developed a low reactivity threshold, and now loses her patience quickly. She has become growly (and sometimes snappy) with people and other dogs in her space. I try not to get upset with her because I know she’s only acting out because she’s in pain. However, I can’t help but miss the patient, loving, and doting dog she once was. When Faith turned six, I was contacted by the owner of her littermate brother. Turns out Buddy is not only having issues with his joints, but debilitating issues with his heart as well. I need to schedule another vet visit to have Faith’s heart checked; though at this point, I don’t think I can handle any more bad news while still continuing as a functional human being. Currently, Faith lies next to me on a memory foam mattress as I type. She sleeps contently, though occasionally she moves and emits a soft whine. When she wakes, she’ll rise slowly. Her joints will grind and pop loud enough for me to hear them several feet away. She’ll lean down to stretch and her back will crack. Finally, she’ll turn around, sit, and look at me with anticipating eyes. No matter how much pain she’s in, she always loves the opportunity to do something fun. I look at her and can’t help but think-- what if she came from a breeder who bred responsibly? What if her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were all fully health tested (hips, elbows, heart, eyes, etc) before breeding, and those with abnormalities were removed from the breeding population? What if her breeder cared enough about the lives she was bringing into the world to stop breeding the same two dogs after she learned they were producing unhealthy puppies? Is that too much to ask? For Faith’s breeder, apparently it is. (She’s still breeding, but unlike her, I will remain professional and not disclose her identity on this post.) However, I can only hope Faith’s story might educate other breeders and prospective puppy buyers. How do you avoid backyard breeders?
 As promised in my “But You Didn’t Fix Him!” post, I am back to elaborate more on resource guarding. Alongside separation anxiety, resource guarding is one of the most common problems reported by dog owners. Why is this? Because it is a 100% NATURAL behavior observed in all living species. Furthermore, warning signs are often ignored, and healthy communication is typically misinterpreted and punished by dog owners who don’t know any better. The result? A very stressed, very confused dog who has been conditioned to exhibit uninhibited aggression.
First, let’s start out by defining resource guarding as well as clearing up some myths. Resource guarding (often referred to as possessive aggression, which is an acceptable term), is the act of aggressively guarding a valued object in order to maintain control of said object. Not all resources are created equal. A dog may value his bed more than his toys, and therefore be more likely to guard that. However, according to veterinary behaviorist Lana Reisner, DVM, PhD, “food guarding is the most common stimulus for aggression.” This aggressive behavior can increase the more a dog learns that it works, and it also can increase as a consequence of fear, defensive behavior, and/or previous conflict. Myth #1: Resource Guarding is a Dog Wanting to be the Alpha Contrary to popular belief, a dog’s displays of aggression over resources are not about hierarchy (wanting to be the alpha dog), but rather about their “need” to maintain possession of a valued resource (situational dominance, which is fluid). That resource in itself provides an opportunity for confrontation if it is both limited and in demand among a population of dogs. The less likely another dog is to defer from the resource, the more likely the dog in question is to display acts of aggression. Because resource guarding can increase as a consequence of previous conflict, it only takes a handful of incidences where one dog doesn’t defer for a dog to feel the need to aggressively guard resources from all dogs. Because resource guarding can also increase as a dog learns what’s “acceptable,” if humans do not interpret and respond to signals correctly, aggressive responses can increase in severity very quickly (we’ll touch on this). Myth #2: Resource Guarding can be Cured If you are reading this in hopes of totally curing your dog of their belief that they need to guard valued objects, then unfortunately, I’m only here to disappoint. While training and management can most certainly improve things (quite drastically, I might add), an owner of a dog with resource guarding issues which have a history of escalating to aggression must accept a certain degree of risk throughout the dog’s entire life. Think How Your Dog Thinks To understand resource guarding, we must first understand what is running through your dog’s head. Think about it this way: you’re sitting down eating dinner when I come up and start poking around your food. Your first reaction is probably hesitation. Why am I doing this? You ask me to stop, but I don’t. Eventually, I come up and just start eating off your plate, all the while pushing you out of the way. Maybe you are an extremely patient individual (and I applaud you for that), though if you’re anything like me, you’d snap and tell me to feck off. Now. Imagine using your words is unacceptable for some reason. Every time you ask me to stop, you are punished in some manner. You’re hungry, I am getting increasingly annoying, and you just want to enjoy your food in peace. No matter how patient of a person you are, eventually you are going to try to physically remove me by force. It’s nature. And you know what? It works. I walk away. This whole story seems quite ridiculous, doesn’t it? That was your food. I had no business taking it. Why aren’t you allowed to talk? I’m glad you’re picking up on that. Your dog feels the same way. Let’s turn this situation over. You give your dog a tasty chewie (or a new toy, a bowl of food, or anything else they value) and another dog comes up wanting a piece of it. Dogs often show fear based body postures at first such as tense muscles, hunched back, and hard stares. Remember, the worst thing you can do to a fearful dog is to confront them, as it simply escalates the problem at hand. So, if that other dog continues to approach, your dog’s first method of defense will be a growl. No judgment, but how many of you reading this have corrected your dog for doing so? After all, that was aggression, right? Nope. That was your dog politely asking the other dog to stop, just like you would. By punishing him, it only increases the likelihood of escalation. Now, some dogs respect growls and will walk away then and there, and your problem is solved. Others do not and will continue to pester. If you push a dog’s patience far enough, they have no choice but to push back eventually... no matter how tolerant or patient they may be. This is exactly how bites happen. If you are unsuccessful in simply using body language and punished for using words as a means of defending your food, and the only way you’ve succeeded to remove them is by behaving aggressively, then the next time they come up and try to take your food, how are you most likely to react? You’d probably skip the tense body language, skip using your words, and jump straight to confidently punching them in the face. As this persists, you might even start behaving defensively when they start walking towards your food. Your dog does the same thing. This is called the reduction of critical distance, and it’s exactly is how severe resource guarding is born. A very natural emotion and corresponding behavior (wanting to eat your food in peace so you ask them to go away) has been unintentionally shaped into an aggressive response (wanting to eat your food in peace so you punch them when they try to come up to you while you’re eating). Resource Guarding Do’s If your dog has any high value, limited resource, let them be! I’ve always recommended valued resources are delivered to the dog in a crate or similar “safe space” away from all other dogs or people. This helps minimize conflict before it even has the chance to start. It also helps reinforce the crate as a positive space. It’s a win-win situation! Offer a trade when necessary. If a dog has an object that you absolutely need to remove from them, baiting them with an even higher value object and offering a trade is a safe option. Drop it and leave it cues (when properly trained with Force Free methods) aids in management as well. However, there should always be a reward for your dog deflecting from a valued resource. When preparing food, request dogs either hold a down stay or keep them in separate rooms. Most fights I’ve witnessed have occurred shortly before mealtimes. I’ve had great success teaching dogs to “go to mat” while they wait for their food to be prepared. This gives their brain something to focus on, and it also keeps them away from the food and away from each other. Counter conditioning. When done properly, counter conditioning is the best way to go about the treatment of resource guarding. This process involves pairing pavlovian conditioning with operant conditioning to not only change the behavioral response to a stimulus, but the overarching emotional response as well in order to shape an appropriate voluntary reaction. Because there is a huge risk working with any form of aggression in dogs, this should ALWAYS be done under the careful instruction and oversight of a qualified behaviorist. The dog should be kept under controlled exposure with a strong avoidance regimen so as not to instill unhealthy reactions outside of regular training session. When training, having eyes on subtle body posture changes is necessary to prevent the dog from going over threshold and setting himself back in training. Resource Guarding Don’t’s Playing with your puppy/dog’s food bowl. Many people believe that if they play with their puppy’s food dish when they are young, that it will somehow prevent resource guarding. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! All it will do is create hypervigilance. Dr. John J. Ciribassi DVM, DACVB, explains in one of his seminars that if you give a dog a reason to be hypervigilant about food, they will be. Therefore, dogs who had their food played with by their owners as puppies actually have an INCREASED chance of developing resource guarding issues in the future. On the flip side, if a dog learns that it can eat without being bothered, he will be less likely to be on guard and will not feel as if he needs to defend his resources. Allow limited, high-value resources to be left out in a multi-dog household. Avoiding known triggers always is a necessity. If your dog has a history of aggressively guarding food, don’t leave food out. Sounds simple, but it’s a concept that most owners don’t understand for some reason. Meals should be fed in isolation (a safe space), and they should be small enough that the dog can comfortably finish all of the food in one sitting. There should be nothing he could come back to later, which would result in his “need” to guard it. Likewise, chewies should never be left just scattered on the floor. Any leftover traces of chewies should be removed before dogs are allowed to interact in that space again. Confronting a dog with a valued resource. With a dog with a known history of aggressive responses, you should avoid confrontation as much as possible. Always let dogs have chewies and other valued resources until they are done with them, and then go in and remove them. Never let another dog confront your own dog over valued resources. Punish healthy communication. If your dog has a valued resource outside of a safe space and another dog comes up and tries to take it from them, instead of punishing any sort of tense body posture or growl, redirect the other dog and reward them for leaving your dog alone. Finally, reassure your dog they did nothing wrong, and enthusiastically move them to their safe space if they aren’t there already. When to Call a Behaviorist I’ve mentioned before that resource guarding is a natural, normal behavior, right? With that said though, it’s still not something many dog owners enjoy. You’re probably wondering when exactly things go from “This is fine. Everything is fine!” to “Houston, we have a problem here.” In a household where proper management is in place, I have very little tolerance for Dog-Human aggression. However, minor resource guarding among dogs is something I don’t take too harshly. Here’s my personal checklist for when Dog-Dog resource guarding becomes a problem. If you notice any of the following, then I recommend finding professional help immediately.
 When talking about pit bulls, there are two very distinct groups: the “pit bulls are sweet angels that can do no harm” group, and the “pit bulls are vicious man-eaters” group. Just as the vastly divergent two-party government system isn’t doing US citizens any good, the two-party pit bull fanatics system isn’t doing the breed any good either. So my friends, sit back, grab some popcorn, and let’s watch the myths and drama about America’s most misunderstood breed unfold. Pit Bull History Contrary to popular belief, pit bulls are not a “type” of dog. While it is true that pit bulls are a combination of multiple bull-type and terrier-type breeds (many of which are now extinct), this does not mean the pit bull is not a legitimate pure breed in itself. Saying the pit bull is a mutt just because they came about by crossing multiple breeds hundreds of years ago is like calling the Doberman, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd Dog, or any other breed a mutt simply because they too originated by crossing breeds. The term “pit bull” is a shortened version of the American Pit Bull Terrier, just as “lab” is short for Labrador Retriever. You might also see the term “APBT” used in place of American Pit Bull Terrier, just as you might see “GSD” in place of German Shepherd Dog. They all reference the same breed of dog. That dog was bred for a distinct purpose, just as any other breed. Pit bulls were not bred to be nanny dogs. I repeat… pit bulls were not bred to be nanny dogs. Already I have one side chanting “hallelujah” and the other ready to throw that bowl of popcorn at me. As much as it may break your heart, pit bulls were selectively bred to be the best fighting dog this country has to offer. This happened as a result of a sport called bull baiting (and to an extent, bear baiting, but that was far less common). Bull baiting is a blood sport which consists of placing a bull dog in a ring with a tethered bull, and cheering the dog on as he harasses and attacks said bull. Dogs were scored, placements were made, and individuals would win money depending on which dog they betted on. Starting in Ireland and England, this led to the development of the English Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The sport moved to America in the 19th century, and with it came proven bull dogs. Eventually, bull baiting was outlawed, and fanciers turned to a harsher blood sport: dog baiting, or what’s now known as dogfighting. Dogfighting actually predates bull baiting (records can date it back as far as the Roman empire), though it didn’t become nearly as widespread as it is today until after the mid 19th century. Dogfighting is a blood sport which involves placing two dogs against one another in a pit. Originally, proven bull dogs were used. However, a dog’s fighting style and a bull’s fighting style are wildly different, and both the temperament and the physique of the dogs had to change. These bull dogs were crossed with various terrier breeds (commonly used in the sport of rat baiting) to improve tenacity, speed, agility, and create what’s known today as “gameness,” or a dog’s inability to give up despite immense physical pain and acute trauma. These new bull terrier dogs were incredibly skilled fighters. Seeing as they were fought in a 4-walled pit, it’s easy to see how the “pit bull terrier” was born both in the US and in Europe. The American Pit Bull Terrier was recognized as a purebred dog in the US by the United Kennel Club in 1898. Gradually animal welfare organizations got involved, and over time, dogfighting was outlawed across all 50 states in the US. When pit bull fanciers tried to apply for AKC breed recognition, AKC wanted nothing to do with the breed or the people involved. Thus, in 1936, the American Staffordshire Terrier was born. It was, essentially, a pit bull recognized under a different name. Most AKC registered Am Staffs were also dual registered as UKC pit bulls. Over time though, the two breeds began to slowly diverge as UKC focused largely on preserving the pit bull as an accomplished athlete, while AKC focused heavily on conformation shows which created a more flashy and physically sound dog. However, UKC still accepts AKC registered Am Staffs to be dual registered as pit bulls despite the differences in physical appearances. Thus, the “two breeds” (there’s heavy debate over this) are often interbred even today.
From that stock also came the American Bully (which is recognized by the UKC and can be interbred with both pit bulls and Am Staffs), but that’s a whole different pot that can be stirred at a later time. Trust me, we don’t want to get into that today.
Pit Bulls and Dog Aggression Just as dogs can be selectively bred to herd, point, catch, and retrieve, they can also be selectively bred for increased aggressiveness towards other dogs. According to canine behaviorist, Jean Donaldson, this is done by breeding for a low dog-dog aggression threshold, increased gameness, overall pugnacity or belligerence, and a failure to properly “read” and communicate with other dogs (particularly the inability to recognize necessary cut off switches for aggression). Pit bulls also score much lower on Acquired Bite Inhibition (ABI) tests than many dog breeds due to the way they have been bred to fight. It is a myth that pit bulls have “locking jaws.” However, they sure do know how to bite and HOLD. There's a lot that can be done with training and management, but I've witnessed too many times that for better or for worse... you just can't change genetics. However, the waters surrounding pit bulls has become extremely muddy. Most pit bulls are no longer bred for fighting. They are bred for things like conformation, muscle mass, performance sport ability (agility, obedience, barn hunt, weight pull, etc), impressively large heads, etc. You throw in interbreeding between pit bulls, Am Staff, American Bullies, etc and it just becomes a mess. Sometimes gameness and aggression predisposition is readily apparent in young puppies by the time they are 4-5 weeks old, just as it would be 100 years ago. However, due to lack of selection for fighting traits in recent years, typically this is masked and does not present itself until much later, if at all. In most pit bulls, heavy dog aggression does not begin to present itself until they reach 2-3 years old. So, if you are considering a pit bull or you already have one, this is something to always keep in the back of your mind. Early socialization, training, and teaching them how to properly communicate with other dogs is necessary and may help prevent issues from starting. However, many pit bull owners will have to resort to a management routine one way or another. Pit Bulls and Human Aggression With that said though, there is a way to select for uninhibited aggression towards dogs and totally avoid selecting for aggression towards people. Humans and dogs are vastly different species, so to argue that dog aggression directly corresponds with human aggression is an ignorant statement and shows a lack of fundamental understanding of both genetics and canine behavior. While a low threshold for dog-dog aggression was instilled in the pit bull, an extremely high (arguably the highest of all dog breeds) threshold for dog-human aggression was instilled as well. This was absolutely necessary to prevent accidentally injuring dogmen during fights. If ever a fight was called off and the two dogs needed to be separated, redirection bites were prohibited. It was common for dogs who exhibited redirection behaviors to be culled. Harsh, but it worked. This type of selection also made pit bulls ideal companions for families with children-- assuming there were no other dogs present. Remember how I said the waters surrounding pit bulls have grown muddy though? Most pit bulls are no longer bred for fighting. They no longer NEED to be able to tolerate a man reaching in and grabbing them while they are in the midst of a brutal fight and experiencing incredible pain and immense surges of adrenaline. As a result, their tolerance for dog-human aggression has begun to decrease. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, they aren’t any more aggressive towards humans than any other breed-- however, they are no longer that “bomb proof” breed people claim them to be… and they certainly aren’t “nanny dogs.” Breed Specific Legislation Due to the enormous amount of people who purchase pit bulls thinking they WILL be the perfect “nanny dog,” and thus completely forgoing necessary socialization and management, pit bull bites are on the rise like never before. In fact, 66% of fatal dog attacks are from pit bulls, according to the CDC. Furthermore, a five-year research project which reviewed all incoming dog-bite injuries to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that 50.9% of the attacks were from pit bulls. These are statistics you simply cannot make up. Counter-arguments say breeds like dachshunds and chihuahuas score highest on reactivity scales and actually are responsible for more bites than most other breeds combined. This is true. However-- the difference here is that as of right now, pit bulls put more people in the hospital with serious injuries each year than any other breed. That needs to change. Thus, It’s no surprise that several countries have imposed a ban on pit bulls (New Zealand, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Belgium, Canada, France, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, and the U. S. territory of Puerto Rico). There are also places in the US, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Brazil, and Australia that impose mandatory sterilization and/or strict ownership requirements of pit bulls to try to manage the population. Is this all necessary though? Absolutely not. A more simple, lower cost, and ultimately more effective alternative is public education, responsible ownership measures, and dog bite prevention programs. The majority of “pit bull advocates” seem to want to erase or re-write history as a means of making the pit bull seem like something it isn’t. “Getting a dog without having a true understanding of the breed, it’s history, and all of its traits (both good AND bad!) is like buying a house without an inspection-- something will go wrong.” Anonymous quote, but still one of my favorites. Maybe things will be okay for a few weeks, a few months, or even a year. However, it’s not going to last forever. Potential pit bull owners need to understand what they are getting themselves into beforehand so proper training and management steps are already in place. Shape them to be responsible dog owners instead of people who think they just adopted a fault-free angel, and I’m sure you’ll see those bite numbers go down. Lastly, proper dog bite prevention programs such as Doggone Safe and the Safe Kids/Safe Dogs Project will help teach children and adults how to read dog body language, how to behave around dogs, and how to recognize warning signs before it’s too late. Just because a dog has a lower reactivity threshold does not mean they won’t display the same warning signs as a dog with a very high threshold. Recognize these warning signs, and you can keep both you, your dog, and your kids safe. The Takeaway It is true that pit bulls are only dangerous in the wrong hands. However, the right hands are those who are well educated and understanding of their energy level, their genetic predisposition for dog aggression, their low reactivity threshold, their high prey drive, and how quickly the breed becomes overstimulated. If you want to love pit bulls, you have to love more than their squishy faces and their sweet disposition with people. You have to love everything that comes with them. You have to understand that no amount of love can make that go away.  It’s no secret that the large majority of behavior problems in dogs (and arguably, in people too) stem from anxiety, over-stimulation, or just general stress. To better understand these problems and how we as dog owners can help, let’s start by breaking it down. There are two widely accepted definitions for anxiety: “A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome” and a “desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease.” I don’t know about you, but the moment I read that I had light bulbs going off in my brain. Imminent Events and Uncertain Outcomes Let’s start with the first definition. “Imminent events” with “uncertain outcome[s]” are extremely common in a dog’s life. You know what time friends are planning to show up at your house and what time they plan on leaving, you can read your phone to check what time a big thunderstorm is supposed to start, if you light a candle or mop the floors with bleach you know the odor in the room is about to change. Your dog is unaware of all of this. People show up at their house randomly, and they have no control over who it is, their arrival time/manner, or their departure. Although much research has been done on animals and weather predictability, dogs don’t wake up and check the weather forecast every morning. They don’t have a say on new objects, furniture, or scented items being brought into the house (or existing items being rearranged). They are just expected to go with the flow and accept everything that comes their way. Take a step back for a minute and think about how stressful that might be. Take into account that anxiety disorders are almost just as common in dogs as they are in people (roughly 40%), and you might feel the need to go give your dog a hug right now... that is, if your dog enjoys hugs, of course. Science hasn’t found a way to conversate with dogs yet (I’m still waiting for the day that it does). However, there are ways to help reduce these imminent events and therefore reduce general anxiety level. It starts by giving your dog a more structured and predictable life. The first thing I do with my clients, whether they came to me for simple obedience lessons or more complex behavior modification training, is sit down and go over the dog’s schedule. At first, I was surprised at how few dogs had a strict schedule. The more clients I met with, the more I began to realize this is the norm in most households. I believe all dogs should have a routine schedule to the best of their owners’ abilities. I realize this is difficult sometimes, and if your dog does well with how he’s living currently, there’s no need to change and risk stressing yourself out which can then be projected onto your dog. However, any dog with existing anxiety, frustration, over-stimulation, or general stress deserves the most structured life possible. This means waking up at as close to a consistent time as possible, immediately going outside, coming back in and being fed a regular meal, going on a walk around the same time each day, followed by training, dinner, and eventually going to bed at a structured time. The more predictable life is for your dog, the less your dog has to worry about events that he has no control over. Desire to Do Moving on to the second definition. “Desire to do something” is a phrase that typically only working-bred dog owners have prepared for. We’ve all heard “if you get a border collie, you need to give them a job to do or they’ll make their own.” However, ALL dogs, from the fragile little Chihuahua to the boisterous German Shepherd, seek both physical and mental stimulation every day. Exercise is the easiest way to start. Almost every one of the anxious dogs I’ve worked with has seen dramatic improvement simply by increasing their exercise regimen. Why? Exercise releases pent up energy. This energy can lead to boredom, which if left untreated, leads to frustration, and if that too goes untreated, don’t be surprised if you end up with a very anxious dog who’s exhibiting a long list of unwanted behaviors. Second, exercise increases the release of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is widely accepted as one of the “feel good” neurotransmitters, as it evokes feelings of happiness and well-being. Letting your dog sniff and noodle around on these walks can also engage different parts of their brain and provide necessary mental stimulation. While exercise is a fantastic start, the mental stimulation provided is relatively minimal compared to things like brain games, puzzle toys, and positive reinforcement training. Every time a dog is rewarded for completing a task (this could be finding their favorite toy at the end of a scent trail, uncovering all the food in a puzzle toy, or simply getting a treat after rolling over) their brain gives off a small burst of dopamine. Much like serotonin, dopamine evokes feelings of euphoria. However, it also increases motivation and concentration. Altogether, it’s the easiest way to say goodbye feelings of anxiety and hello rational thought. The Takeaway I’m not saying this will totally cure your dog’s anxiety or their behavior issues. However, it is a good place to start. I’ve never met a dog who I didn’t see dramatic improvement after instituting the above; though, for some, further behavior modification therapy and even medication in some instances were necessary. If behavior problems resulting from anxiety, frustration, or stress persists, getting the advice of both a behaviorist and a veterinarian is recommended.  Every time I wrap things up with a behavior modification client, give the dog one last ear scratchie, and give the owners a hug while congratulating them for all their hard work, I drive away wondering how long it will be until I receive that call or email asking for me to come back because something went wrong. Most times I get lucky. The owners diligently follow the management plan set in place, and they and their dog live a happy, incident-free life. However, sometimes I don’t get so lucky, and I receive a message a few months later very similar to the title of this article. “You didn’t fix him.” Dogs with a history of severe behavior problems, especially those left untreated for long periods of time, will always have those problems to some degree. Thus, continued management is necessary for the dog (and their owners, by proxy) to live a happy and stress-free life. You might be reading this and your heart just sank a little. Trust me, I know what it’s like to live with a dog who exhibits very severe problems, and experiencing that wave of emotions as a behaviorist tells you that the issue will never be completely fixed. However, just remember that almost always the issue can be so dramatically reduced that it’s practically as if the problem doesn’t exist anymore. That is, if you are diligent about ongoing behavior management after behavior modification therapy ceases. Want proof? Let me tell you the story of Blue. Blue was purchased at 10 weeks old. He was a fantastic puppy: smart, eager to please, driven, and absolutely the sweetest thing you’d ever meet. However, when he reached adolescence, some red flags went up in regards to his behavior. He and his littermate sister were outside while their owners were eating on the patio. He was given a rib bone and immediately charged and attacked his sister for coming near him. Remember this: resource guarding is a NORMAL and NATURAL dog behavior. Dogs deserve the right to 1) have items which are theirs and 2) to express to other dogs that they don’t want to share. However, there are healthy ways to communicate this and unhealthy ways. Uninhibited aggression is most certainly unhealthy and goes against every evolutionary process regarding resolution behaviors in canine society (more on this in a later article). In a perfect world, Blue’s owners would have called a behaviorist right away. However, his problems were left to escalate for almost a year. His resource guarding became so extreme that he’d need to be put away when his owners were cooking, or he’d attack the other dogs for walking into the kitchen, near the pantry, by the table, etc. On Thanksgiving day, something which anyone could see coming (but his owners didn’t want to believe) finally happened-- a horrible fight broke out. Blue killed one dog and destroyed the eye of another dog, permanently blinding her. It was heartbreaking for everyone involved, but believe it or not this story has a happy ending, and there’s a reason why I’m sharing it with you. Blue’s owners finally reached out to a behaviorist. Through extensive counter conditioning and systematic desensitization over a period of many months, Blue made almost a full recovery. Years later, he is doing very well living in a multi-dog household-- but only because of ongoing management. Blue eats in his crate away from other dogs, food and chewies are not left out on the floor, he has been taught to retreat on his own to his “safe space” when he feels overstimulated, and the other dogs in the house have been taught to give him space when he expresses warning signs. Furthermore, healthy communication between everyone in the house is praised heavily, and dogs are removed from unhealthy situations before they feel the need to react. If you see Blue today, you’d never guess he had it in him to injure another dog to the extent that he did. In fact, I frequently use him as a neutral dog when working with reactivity clients. He’s one of my greatest success stories. I’ve worked with other dogs who were not so lucky. After many weeks of hard work, the behaviorist leaves and owners slack off. Scheduled routine vanishes, exercise is reduced, the dog is given more slack, and one thing after another leads to a dog who’s right back to where they started. Naturally, owners get frustrated, thinking the trainer must have done something wrong. Often I get a frantic call asking me to come back, and sometimes I don’t (“obviously” if I didn’t fix them the first time around, it’s a waste of money to have me come again). My heart goes out to these dogs. I hope Blue’s story encourages anyone living with a “nightmare dog” to not only seek professional help, but also to understand how vital continued management is to the treatment of behavioral problems. |
DisclaimerThis blog is designed for educational purposes only. The services of a competent professional trainer or behaviorist should be sought regarding its applicability with respect to your own dog. The training of dogs (particularly those with existing behavior concerns) is not without risk. The author of this blog shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this blog.
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