Behavior Management

Management is a very important part of training and behavior modification. We aren’t trying to ignore the behavior, or hide from the trigger causing the behavior. The goal is to prevent your dog from practicing the behavior. For example, instead of yelling at your dog to stop barking, work on lessening the amount of barking. Manage the environment so they don’t have the opportunity to bark at things. The more they get to practice a behavior we want to change the harder it will be to change it.

Take a look at the Thanks for Barking protocol by Kiki Yablon for more details.

Other ways to manage are closing the shades or moving the couch so your dog can’t look out the window to bark at things. Instruct guests to text you before they arrive and not to use the doorbell if that sets your dog off. Use gates to block your dogs access to exciting spots in the home, like doors and the kitchen.

If your dog is a counter surfer block access to the kitchen and work on keeping your counters clear of food and other interesting items 100% of the time.

Managing behavior is not limited to the home. Before you take your dog somewhere ask yourself: do they actually need to come with me? Am I going someplace they’ll enjoy? Will there be other dogs there? Does your dog get along with other dogs?