R. I. Dog Guy, LLC

• Normal canine behavior that is unacceptable to the family. An example is puppies chewing on inappropriate objects.  Puppies chew! The trick is getting them not to chew on our valuable stuff. Another is jumping up to greet people. That’s a normal way in which dogs greet each other; it just doesn’t work for us. In these cases, the dog is doing what comes naturally and that is inherently rewarding.
• Behavior that the family has unintentionally reinforced.  For example, sometimes people tell their barking dogs to be quiet in a way that the dog interprets as an invitation to keep barking. Or we pet a pushy dog and reinforce its tendency to seek attention. Often this is completely unintentional on our part, but from the dog’s perspective it’s getting a great reward!
• Behavior based on fear or anxiety. Most guarding behavior, and signals such as growling that people interpret as aggression, come from fear or anxiety. These responses are the dog’s method for trying to get the scary thing to go away. So the dog’s purpose is to relieve the anxiety. If the behavior is punished, it can get much worse. These can be difficult problems for both the dogs and the people.
• Behavior that results from medical problems.  Dogs with housetraining problems may have a urinary tract infection or an intestinal parasite. Aggressive behavior can be related to a thyroid imbalance. Snapping when the flanks are touched can indicate joint problems. In these cases, the dog is trying to maintain or achieve physical comfort and will behave reflexively if disturbed. If we suspect a medical origin for any of the dog’s problems we recommend a thorough vet workup.

The treatment approach depends on the type of problem behavior. Our major goal is to alter the dog’s perception of what is rewarding or to change the uncomfortable connections that it has made.

• For normal behavior gone awry, we recommend strict management to prevent the problem and teaching the dog an acceptable, alternative behavior.
• For behavior that has been inadvertently reinforced, we also teach alternative behavior and, most importantly, coach families on how to stop rewarding the inappropriate actions.  Remember, anything you pay attention to is automatically rewarded!
• For behavior that stems from fear or anxiety, we combine management (diet, exercise, and scheduling; household organization) with training (basic obedience and exercises directly related to the behavior problem such as “leave it”) and behavior change exercises. These include relaxation exercises to reduce the dog’s general anxiety as well as specific programs to help the dog tolerate the scary stuff. For severe problems we often work in coordination with the family’s vet.
• When there are medical aspects to the problem, we collaborate with the family and the vet to develop an approach that includes appropriate medical treatment combined with management, training and behavior change programs.

We have had good success with this approach in treating problems ranging from housetraining to aggression. Please contact us for a consultation if your dog’s behavior is causing problems for your family.