When it comes to changing behavior, training alone is often not the solution. If your goal is long-term behavior change, your pet will need behavior modification instead. Training focuses on specific behaviors like coming when called, sitting politely at the door, touching a target with your nose, and walking on a leash without pulling. Behavior modification involves changing behavioral and emotional responses and specifically the way your pet feels and acts.
The five stages of behavior modification
The first step: Avoid all things that cause this behavior. This might mean stopping all walks, placing your dog in a “safe shelter” before guests arrive, or letting toenails get a little long. Although it seems counterproductive, the brain needs to get away from anything scary to prevent the behavior from getting worse. During this break, medications may be needed and new behaviors learned before the behavior modification process can even begin.
First step: shelter
First step: shelter
Courtesy of Christine D. Calder, DMV, DACVB
Second step : Open the lines of communication between you and your pet. Learn body language so you can understand what your dog or cat is feeling. Reduce anxiety by stopping all corrections or punishments, because these methods probably don’t work anyway. Instead of saying no or yelling at your pet, reinforce the behaviors you would prefer to see.
Step two: body language
Step two: body language
Courtesy of Christine D. Calder, DMV, DACVB
Third step: Build a toolbox of known behaviors such as voluntary eye contact, touch, or one chin strap. These behaviors encourage your pet to “check in” more frequently and may redirect them to another activity. Replace the unwanted behavior with an alternative, such as sitting instead of jumping.
Step Three: Voluntary Eye Contact Step Three: Voluntary Eye Contact |
Step Three: Touch Step Three: Touch |
Step four: Many animals with behavioral problems have difficulty settling down and concentrating. Teaching your pet how to relax is often the key to long-term behavior change. Before exposing your pet to the environment or things that trigger his behavior, he must learn to stay calm and control his anxiety.
Step Four: Relax
Step Four: Relax
Courtesy of Christine D. Calder, DMV, DACVB
Fifth step: Systematic desensitization and counterconditioning (DS/CC) is used to modify behavior in the long term. This is when triggers, including sounds, people, other animals, objects, and environments, are gradually reintroduced to your pet while controlling distractions and distance. Pair these triggers with good things, like eating and playing, to change the way they feel and react.
Step Five: DS/CC
Step Five: DS/CC
Courtesy of Christine D. Calder, DMV, DACVB
As you follow the steps above, remember that changing behavior will be a slow process with no quick fix. If you have any questions about your dog’s behavior, always contact your veterinarian.