Behavior modification Archives • Page 3 of 3 • Three Dogs Training

Stressed or Anxious dogs?

Stress is a biological response to external stimuli. Stress is the body answering the question – should I fight, flee, freeze, or fawn when in the presence of a real or perceived threat?

Puppy Porthos’ first day in his new home – very scared.
He didn’t know how much he was going to be loved 🥰

Things that stress our dogs can include:

Separation/being alone.
Sounds – like thunder, fireworks, or one of my dogs was terrified of the sound fire alarms make when the batter is low.
Strangers – in the home, approaching the home, or out on walks.
Other dogs – your dog can be afraid of other dogs idiopathically or because of some incident(s) involving other dogs.
Anything new or things moved to a different location.
Cars – this could be idiopathic or because of an incident. This could also be about the sound and/or the movement of the vehicles.
Unusual surfaces – those of you who live in a city know how often our dogs scurry around sidewalk grates to avoid walking on them. I’ve had clients whose dogs would not walk on tile or linoleum.
Being kenneled for the family’s vacation or in a shelter environment, or rehoming
There are many more.

It’s important to remember each dog has their own idiosyncratic stressors. You will want to learn your dog’s stressors so you can help them when afraid or anxious.

A dog’s response to stress can be any or many of the following:

Whining
Heavy panting
drooling
Inability to follow simple directions.
Sudden dander (usually only visible on dark short-coated dogs)
Hiding or freezing in place
Running away or towards (remember flight or fight)
Growling, barking, baring teeth
- Stress facial signals like tight commissures, whale eye, tension below the eyes, and more
- Flat or overly perked ears
Tail wrapped low or the opposite, straight up high.
Stomach upset including diarrhea.
More…

This list is not complete. And you can see from this list that many of these signals can mean a number of things besides stress. How do you know which is which?

You need to know your dog by observing and registering their typical behaviors when happy, worried, or downright scared and note the differences.

What can you do?

Hire a certified behavior specialist. The AKC has an article outlining the different type of behavior specialists.
- I am a CDBC (Certified Dog Behavior Consultant) IAABC.org
This behavior specialist will help you begin desensitizing/counterconditioning (Ds/Cc) your dog, implement management strategies to help your dog avoid triggers before they are ready to face them, and work on other training skills that will help your dog overcome their fears.
Supplements – sometimes our dogs need help to simply be around their triggers. A dog who is riddle with fear cannot learn so sometimes we need to help them internally. There are some helpful supplements that are proven effective and easy to find.
- L-theanine and L-tryptophan are both amino acids that are very safe.
- I advise my clients to use these two links above, so they are giving their dog nothing other than the amino acids indicated. Compounded anti-anxiety products will have a number of other components many of which can cause issues, and with compounded products we won’t know which element is doing what.Here is a great Overview of Behaviour Supplements for Dogs and Cats. Remember to check with your vet before starting any supplements.
- If Ds/Cc is stalling or not working and the supplements are not helping your dog work through their stress and fears, it is time to consult a veterinary behavior specialist.

There is a lot you can do to help your dog process stress in their environment to give them a happier and safer life.

Pax’e in her happiest place –
four flights up on her balcony watching the firetrucks go by.
To each their own…

What To Expect During Dog Behavior Consultations?

I offer both Remote or In-person behavior consultations.

For either remote or in-person sessions:

You will fill out a behavioral questionnaire prior to any scheduled appointment.

In our dog behavior consultation we work together to change your dog’s behavior for the better. We employ data driven force-free behavior modification protocols. And our processes will scaffold exercises that support the long-term welfare of your dog and the dog-human relationship.

You can find more details on current research and protocols for behavior modification on the following websites.

Both Remote and In-person Sessions offer great instruction and sometimes one is more effective than the other.

There are times when a remote session is a necessary alternative to an in-person meeting. If your dog has stranger phobias/aggression, resource guarding, or other issues that could make an initial in-person session very stressful for them, we would begin remotely. This jump starts training by allowing me to get more details, view videos, and set up protocols without stressing your dog. We then have a strategy before we continue in-person.

I will also need some video which usually shows me what I might not be able to see in person because your dog is in their natural setting without a stranger looming.

If a situation is dangerous, I don’t need unsafe video. I just need to see your dog in action vis-a-vis family, other dogs, and etc. – safely.

Here is a video that demonstrates how sometimes when we observe in real time, we miss a lot of signals that can help us help our dogs.

In-person sessions allow me to physically interact and demonstrate with your dog and if necessary work with you and your dog in an environment specific to your dog’s issues.

Regardless of remote or in-person sessions, I send notes to help you follow the stratagies we go over in our session. And our ultimate goal is to make your life with your dog happier and safer.

Dog eating toilet paper roll — Toilet paper hooligan

Dog with wine bottle — Toilet paper hooligan

While we might not be able to turn your dog from a holligan to a librarian, we can make everyone happier and more at ease.

To set up a private session or get more information, email me.

“I Don’t Want to Give My Dog Treats All the Time!”

“I don’t want to give my dog treats all the time,” is a phrase I hear a lot. So, perhaps there are misconceptions of what we’re doing with these “treats.”

Treats are often called bribery.

Bribery assumes you are trying to influence an authority in an illegal or unethical way. It would be odd if your dog had enough authority over you that you needed to influence their behavior though illegal means.

Principal Skinner demonstrating asking for a bribe

Bribery (according to Cornell Law School) refers to the offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of an individual holding a public or legal duty .

I have been told that treats are not good for dogs and make dogs sick.

Training rewards, often generalized as “treats” are neither good nor bad for a dog. They are calories that your dog likes. And if they like them a lot, it’s even better. This means that training rewards can be kibble, boiled chicken, Pupperoni, or cheese. Or if you like, freeze dried organic free-range duck shipped in from a farm in the south of France. All that matters is that your dog likes what you’re giving them, will work for it, and it agrees with their system.

If there is food that is making your dog sick, there should be a discussion with your dog’s veterinarian.

However, when we are doing new training or behavior modification, there is a level of stress or excitement involved. That could be what is upsetting your dog’s stomach.

Every parent who has taken their child to an amusement park has had the same thought on the way home when the child pukes in the car, “Was it the corndog or the excitement?”

So, certain foods might not agree with your dog and perhaps a stressful situation might upset your dog’s stomach. The training rewards you use for you dog should be chosen based on your dog’s desire and their gut health.

Variety is good for all of us. Here are some my my dog’s and clients’ favorite food rewards/treats.

I’ve heard people say, “your dog shouldn’t think they’re getting a treat each time they do something.”

We do want our dogs to think they are getting a food reward each time they do something we’ve asked them to do, at least in the early learning stages. That’s how we get them hooked on the behavior.

Then, we begin to randomize the rewards. Sometimes they get a reward and sometimes they don’t. When we keep rewards randomized, the dog will work harder. They will hope each time will be the time they get rewarded because they have been conditioned to get a reward every time. If we don’t condition them to know/believe they will get a treat each time, they would give up when we tried to fade out the treats.

The variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement is the most resistant to extinction. This is because the reinforcement is given after an unpredictable number of responses, making it more difficult for the behavior to cease. Examples include gambling or lottery games, where a win is unpredictable but can occur anytime. – Simply Psychology

This is where things get dark…

By giving them rewards every time in the learning stages, you won’t have to give them a treat every time they do what you’ve asked for the rest of their lifetime.

Lastly – you are going to feed them every day, aren’t you?

Call it what you like, rewards, treats, reinforcers, reinforcement, or payment. Ultimately you will feed your dogs daily so why not use these calories to strengthen their desire to do the things you’ve asked them to do? Instead of 100% of their daily calories coming in a “free” bowl, you can give them their calories for hanging out with you for a settle while you drink your coffee in the morning. You can give them goodies along the walk when they want to roll in something stinky and you’d rather they walk with you instead. You can give them their food in puzzle toys, like some of these for enrichment.