People call me with a dog that does something they want stopped, and the first thing I sort out is whether that is a training job or a behavior modification job. They are not the same work.
Obedience
Obedience is a process in which the dog learns to give a specific behavioral response to a given set of commands. So in obedience the dog is learning the correct response to each command, while we build the willingness, the want to, to respond to the given command.
Behavior modification
On the other hand, behavior modification takes place when there is already a significant behavior problem in place. We then work to diminish, extinguish or alter that problem behavior. Generally, however, at the same time we are building in new behaviors, which are called Replacement Behaviors.
In training we are building behaviors in response to commands. In behavior modification we are tearing down the problem behaviors.
Which one is your dog?
Jumping, mouthing, chewing, pulling, a bad recall: that is training. Aggression, fear, reactivity, separation anxiety, an older dog that will not housebreak: that is behavior modification. If you only need one or two things fixed, that is Specific Behavior Training, by the hour. If you are not sure, call or text me and describe what the dog is doing. It takes a few minutes to tell.
The program for this: Basic Obedience, ten lessons in your home →
Have a dog that does this? Describe it in a call or text.
Read next
- Building Better Behavior: Why Obedience Training Matters →
- From Challenges to Champions: Advanced Dog Obedience and Behavior Modification in Columbia, Missouri →
- Obedience Training and Leash Skills: Why They Belong Together in Everyday Life →
Or read what Howie wrote himself: Shaping Early Canine Behavior and Establishing Positive Leadership.