BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IN FEARFUL DOGS

           I thought this would be a rewarding and "easy" career path when I set out to become a professional dog trainer. I was surprised that only half of that statement was true. It is gratifying. However, it is convoluted, requires immense patience and critical thinking, and is politicly charged. As a former military man and someone with a master's degree in project management and operations management, I tend to like things in order. I also like factual pathways to success, such as proven theories in a road map. Well, there is no such thing as proven theories in a road map to follow in dog training. My least favorite phrase and most often answer to my well-thought-out analytical questions is "Well, it depends." I loathe that answer regardless of if it is true or not, which is often 100 percent accurate. Every dog is different, just like you and me. Each dog will need a training plan to tackle this "aggression." So yes, the "It depends" answer is as vague as it is correct.

The Political Charge of Positive Only

            The canine training industry is unregulated and unlicensed, which would seem wrong or almost illegal to most. Well, it does not need to be. Innovation and growth are often snuffed out by oversight and regulations. Our industry today has a push for purely positive training methods, eliminating many tools needed to train dogs per the operant conditioning methods of B.F. Skinner. Tools such as prong collars, e-collars, kennels, and others are banned worldwide as I am writing this article. So why is this important in the world of behavior modification? You can not adequately treat Dominance Aggression, Fear Aggression, Learned Aggression, Prey Aggression, And Maternal Aggression with petting, treats, and lovely words like good boy or girl. In most of the world, dogs seen with aggression are euthanized because trainers cannot fix the problem using these methods. The only aggression shown by canines that is incorrect to some degree is idiopathic aggression caused by an unknown medical issue. Owners' Behavior significantly influences dog behavior, particularly when owners resort to punitive methods. 

            Owners who utilize positive punishment-based training techniques in an attempt to change aggressive Behavior are likely to place themselves at increased risk of injury (Blackwell et al., 2008; Herron,  (Shofer & Reisner, 2009) and risk harming their relationship with their pet (Todd, 2018).Despite considerable evidence to suggest that the use of punishment-based dog training techniques has adverse effects on animal welfare (Blackwell et al., 2012; Deldalle & Garnet, (2014). Hiby, Rooney & Bradshaw, 2004; Schilder & van der Borg, 2004; Todd, 2018; Ziv, 2017), as many as 72% of dog owners have previously reported using some form of positive punishment to modify their pet's Behavior (Blackwell et al., 2008). Everything else can be modified with the proper tools, patience, and time. Reports like those listed above are examples of skewed reports used to push a narrative that is based on science; however, it is not conclusive in the presumption that, in some cases, tools could be performed in a manner that is humane and not adverse in a way that is detrimental to the dog. As in my previous profession of project management, data is just data. It can show a positive or negative function without changing the numbers. So, do not fall into the trap of looking at the letters behind the expert's name.

            Credentials or education come in many forms. Usually, this is obtained through classroom research and theoretical development, which is commendable. Experience, however, comes from being on the opposite end of the leash for hours, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes. I know several dog training professionals with over 30 years of experience whom I consider experts, and no one knows their names. I would only trust one with a bad case where one side will say euthanize the dog, and the other side will say give me some time to work the problem. Which one is that?

Aggression Types: Getting the diagnoses right the first time.

            If you are a dog owner or train dogs, you have heard the phrase, "My dog is aggressive," more than once. This statement is often heard by dog trainers, behavior consultants, veterinarians, and veterinary behaviorists, but did you know that dogs have many forms of aggression? The term "aggressive" is very vague in itself concerning canine Behavior. Depending on the source, this can mean various things. For some, the term "aggressive" might mean a dog that shows its teeth when possessing a bone. For others, it could mean lunging at other dogs when on a leash. For others, it might still mean a dog that delivers harmful bites. To understand canine aggression, you must study the complete list of aggressions and contextually look at the dog and their root causes for acting in this manner. Once you understand these aggressive root causes, you can use the information to rule out what your dog does not have through a process of elimination.      

            The proper definition of canine aggression is Canine aggression refers to a range of threatening or harmful behaviors exhibited by dogs, often as a response to perceived threats or to protect resources. It can manifest in various forms, including growling, barking, lunging, and biting, and is typically influenced by fear, territorial instincts, or protective instincts(ASPCA.ORG). In short, aggression is used by canines to increase or decrease distance. All of the following types of aggression will fall into these two categories. Distance increasing or distance decreasing.

 Fear Aggression

            About 72 percent of the dogs exhibited problematic behaviors such as aggression or fearfulness (Daily, 2020). So, as a professional dog trainer, I will have a client with some version of an aggressive dog due to fear. Operant conditioning is how a dog learns the consequences of their Behavior. In operant conditioning, an antecedent precedes a behavior followed by a result. The learning outcome depends on the consequence described in four different quadrants, as shown in (Figure 3). A behavior can increase in frequency by reinforcement (R) and decrease by punishment (P), and this is accomplished by adding (positive) or removing (negative) a stimulus (Skinner, 1938). Increase Behavior (reinforce) Decrease Behavior (punish) Remove Stimulus.

             Training methods using aversive such as negative reinforcement (R-), negative punishment (P-), and positive punishment (P+), especially P+, impacts dogs' welfare negatively, with dogs displaying stress behaviors to varying degrees (De Castro et al., 2020). Other studies also show that training methods using punishment jeopardize the dog's welfare (Arhant et al., 2010; Schalke et al., 2007) and increase the risk of developing behavior problems (Blackwell et al., 2008). More frequently than their larger counterparts, small dogs respond to punishment-based training with fear and aggression. (Arhant et al. 2010). Research shows that positive reinforcement is more efficient and ethically superior with fewer adverse effects (Hiby et al., 2004; Ziv, 2017) and is the recommended operant condition training method. Data demonstrates that aversive training methods are ineffective for interventions for canine behavior problems. The risk for aggressive behaviors is increased when aversive methods are employed (Herron et al., 2009).

             Dog personalities are well-established, constant, distinct, and displayed by individual differences in Behavior (Fratkin et al., 2013). Personality traits such as fearfulness versus boldness expand into varied canine behaviors. A sociable and curious dog frequently exhibits less fearfulness (Svartberg & Forkman, 2002). Boldness and fearfulness vary substantially between dog groups. Boldness is higher in Terriers than in Hounds and Herding dogs (Turcsán et al., 2011), while Starling et al. (2013) found that the companion dog group was most fearful/shy, and guardian dogs were the boldest.

So How Do You Fix It Already?  Well, it Depends.

              When dealing with a fearful dog, you can not just rush in and slap a prong collar on it and yank it out of fear; you must first gain its trust. This may take time, and sometimes safety procedures like not going into the kennel with it. Slow, intentional movement with some tasty treats will work overtime. However, there are things to consider, such as the dogs' thresholds, tolerances, and history. If the dog has a fear of me with beards, do not send that guy in on the first day to build a bond. The biggest thing is to have a plan or, as we like to say in the business, "successful approximations." A small step taken with progress is the goal. You must evaluate and adjust the plan as soon as you start regressing. A fearful dog is aggressive in creating distance. They tell you, "I don't like this or you, and you need to back up from my bubble." They can appear to want to eat you for lunch, and they very much will if you push their threshold to the point where they feel they have no choice but to fight. One of my best training tools is going to the local humane society or shelter and videoing the dogs with bite histories, were abused in some way, or were strays. If a dog is in the front of the kennel barking his head off and wagging his tail, chances are he's not fearful. However, in contrast, if they are in the back of the kennel acting the same way, they might fear aggression. You must look at the whole picture and gather evidence to rule out what is happening with this dog; you can develop a rehab plan and successful approximations to achieve those outcomes.

Tools And Their Uses.

                  Prong Collars and E-Collars are safe and humane tools as long as you are trained to use them. The most damaging and destructive tool used on dogs is the human hand. Every video you see on television for the SCPA showing dogs out starving in the yard is on flat collars. Humans do more harm to dogs than is properly advertised. We are cruel, and there is no other way to put it. Education and proper training are critical to solving these problems. Understanding that our emotions run down the lease, the dog can feel anger, frustration, and anxiety, which are huge pieces of the puzzle in the dog training world when you start. Prong collars are considered a personal tool. As a mother nips her pup, the pup knows who is correcting them. That what the prong collars emulate is the mother's nip. Therefore, the dog will know that you are correcting them. In the case of a fearful dog, you do not want to use a prong collar due to its nature. Your goal is to reduce fear and create trust, which will be counterproductive. Once the dog is on the road to rehabilitation and you progress in training to obedience, you may consider using a prong collar.

                  E-collars are an option. Properly used, the e-collar is set at the lowest level and moved up until the dog reacts slightly to the stim. This could be an eye blink, head tilt, or suggestive Behavior like sitting. This will typically be a very low number on the remote, the dog's baseline for training and correction. This is not personal like the prong collar. No leash is attached to you; therefore, the dog feels the stim without personal attachment. This device will eventually allow you to communicate reliably and safely with the dog off-leash. It also allows the dog to move about and be a dog with safety constraints increasing, reliable recalls, and preventing interactions with unwanted pets or dangerous situations like roads.

                  In closing, fear and aggression are challenging to assess and correct if not conducted properly. A professional should handle it after a veterinarian has checked the dog out for medical issues. Always approach slowly and take deliberate, planned actions when working with fearful dogs. You can make them worse. Always ask for help and never go about this alone for safety reasons and feedback on the sessions. Keep the sessions short and end them on a positive note. Be patient and work on the problem.

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