Canine Behavior: Part 2

tl;dr I approach canine behavioral cases with a scientific and analytical mindset. The outcome of a scientific approach provides future insight. Results from following the scientific method are not always the last word. Below is an outline that I used to work through cases.

The ABC’s of Canine Behavior

Within my experience and education, I have learned over 50+ verbal cues and techniques. I dislike wasting time on methods that may not work. Therefore, I gather as much information as I can to form an accurate understanding of the antecedents, behavior and consequences that are attributing to your dog’s behavior.

Pivoting techniques…

While formulating a hypothesis, I will test different practices I think would be effortless and stress-free to incorporate into your daily schedule. When stress is eased, forming new habits is easier. Through our trial of these tactics, I gauge the outcomes on a 1-10 scale, and contrast the cumulative results.

Since behavior is complicated, behavioral plans may need to pivot and shift. I feel it is important to check in with my clients to fully understand the success rate of the solution we decided on. I feel like we make training more difficult than it needs to be. If we do not find success in techniques we decide on, then we will pivot the plan to make it easier to get.

Scientific Method (noun)

: principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses.

Optimizing results with limited resources

Every household has a unique set of safety concerns and stressors effecting your dog’s behavior. Because of a multitude of factors, every individual experiences a different umwelt. In order to achieve realistic results, it is crucial for us to consider time limits and environmental factors. By reviewing stressful events in your routine, I can dial in on the antecedents’ affecting behavior. For long-term success, collecting all the relevant information is necessary to address the behavioral concern.

Steps towards solutions

  1. Observe/Question
    • What is the concern?
  2. Research/Gather information
    • Gather information to find distant antecedents attributing to the behavior.
  3. Hypothesis
    • Identify workable solutions and deduct attributing antecedents to behavior.
  4. Test/Experiment
    • To be most efficient, I deduct which solution works best for this family and individual dog.
    • Create a customized solution that would be easiest to implement.
    • Instruct human and dog to implement viable solution.
  5. Analyze
    • On a scale of 1-10, how easy is this for the humans and dog to implement into their daily life?
    • What is the success rate of the viable solution?
  6. Conclusion
    • On a scale of 1-10, where is the household stress level after a couple of weeks?
    • Would this team find it beneficial to continue with a new method or technique?

If clients feel they would like to increase the skill level, then we would meet again and redefine our behavior plan.