RELATIONSHIP FIRST

When it comes to behavioural issues, very rarely does a dog have just one issue.

For example, dogs who don’t come when called often also do things like pull on the lead when out walking, jump up on guests, refuse to go outside or get off the couch (usually turning it into a game or a competition), or may even be reactive when on lead.

When a client says, “I just want him to listen to me”, it usually means there is a reasonably long sub list of behaviours they don’t like.

Most unwanted behaviours are just symptoms of an underlying issue or issues and treating the cause rather than individual symptoms is what is required. So, the first thing we look at, after ruling out any health issues that may be causing a behaviour or a sudden change in behaviour, is the owner’s relationship with the dog and how this relationship plays out within the home.

Why doesn’t he listen? (and by extension why doesn’t he come when called, get down when I ask him to, stop doing something when I tell him to? etc etc).

One of the most common things we hear is: “he’s fine at home, but as soon as we go outside, he doesn’t listen.”

But when you really think about it, does your dog ever HAVE to listen to you at home?

If your dog can do whatever he likes at home and then you take him out into the big wide world and expect him to walk nicely, listen to you, and to recall off a flock of birds, a group of dogs or someone’s yummy picnic spread, things may not go so well.

The dog who doesn’t come when called at the park or beach where there are so many competing distractions, probably doesn’t ever have to come when called at home where there is little or no competition. The dog who jumps on guests hasn’t been taught how to be calm when new distractions enter the environment.

How many times do we let things go when our dog doesn’t comply at home? We’ll work on it later, right?

We tend to find that in a lot of the homes we visit, there can be minimal direction and structure. The dogs have just learnt to navigate the home situation and owners put up with behaviours at home that they don’t want their dog to display in a public environment. Often times not much is happening at home anyway, so dogs may appear to be more chill.

Things seem ok. Until they aren’t.

Behaviour starts at home, with building a relationship.