Strategies for Effective Behavior Management

There are three fundamentals to success in dog training: Reframe, Manage and Train. If you haven’t ready about Reframing, go ahead and catch up here!

The Second Fundamental of Success is: Manage

Why Management Matters

We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect. This holds true for both good and bad behaviors in dogs. When a dog is allowed to repeat a behavior, it becomes a habit – which is fantastic when it's a desirable action, but not so great when it's one that leaves us scratching our heads.

“Management means not allowing your dog to rehearse the unwanted behavior.”

Strategies for Effective Behavior Management

You can’t learn everything to train your dog all at once, so you’ll want to implement a few strategies to manage your dog’s behaviors so they don’t become habits while you learn to properly train for the good behaviors.

Anticipate Triggers: Identify situations or triggers that lead to the undesirable behavior. For instance, if your dog tends to jump on guests, anticipate their arrival and think about containing your dog in a room, crate, on a supervised tie-down or in another room, if they can be trusted.

Create Controlled Environments: Set up controlled environments where the opportunities for bad behavior are minimized. Use baby gates, leashes, or crates to limit their access to situations where they might practice the unwanted behavior.

Consistency is Key: Enlist the help of all family members or anyone who interacts with your dog to follow the same guidelines that you set for your dog. Consistency prevents confusion and ensures your dog doesn't receive mixed signals.

Reinforce the Good: When you catch your dog engaging in a WANTED behavior, reward them generously! Catch them being calm? Drop some treats next to them. Or say Good Dog and reinforce your marker word. You are helping them learn that good behavior leads to great rewards.

Every interaction with your dog is an opportunity for training and bonding.

By proactively managing their environment and guiding them towards positive behaviors, you're nurturing a healthier, happier, and well-behaved pup.