Correction of aggressive behavior in an adult dog. We teach the dog to control aggression. Drugs to correct dog behavior

As a rule, by the words “behavior correction” a person means correction aggressive behavior dog showing dog to the side strangers or other dogs or towards their owners.

And in other words, this is the correction of mistakes that a person once made while raising his dog or not raising a dog at all.

Each owner is responsible for the behavior of his pet - it was the person who put the dog in conditions in which it began to show aggression.

In my classes, from the first lessons, I try to convey to a person that one should not reason like this: The dog doesn’t do what I ordered it, or it did it before, but now it doesn’t want to, from here many people come to the conclusion “how stupid am I teaching it?” , but she doesn’t understand anything or refuses to do it.”

Thus, a person justifies his lack of ability and understanding, and sometimes even his lack of desire to communicate, educate and train his dog.

A dog always behaves the way its owner allows it to behave. And a person’s perception of the situation in case of undesirable behavior of his pet should be as follows: I couldn’t convey it to my dog. ... I couldn't teach my dog ... etc.

A dog's aggressive behavior may be due to different situations, for example: you have a leader puppy in your house, and you don’t notice that, as you pass by a dog gnawing a bone, the puppy growls at you, and you even find it funny, but the puppy noted to himself that “I growled, and they didn’t take the bone away from me.” “although no one tried to do this, the puppy will remember this situation and will definitely take advantage of it next time in other situations. For example: when washing paws, etc. Subsequently, the growl turns into a grin, and then into bites, and by this time the dog, as a rule, has grown up and gained strength and life experience that the owner is lower level in her conditional pack.

And it all started, at first glance, innocently with a small growl towards the owner, which seemed funny.

Also, situations that arose due to the dog’s insecurity, for example: on the street she feels vulnerable due to her short stature and fear big dogs, but she still wants to prove herself somewhere and she finds a way out by focusing on her close family members, and sometimes even on the youngest ones, on children, in order to increase her self-esteem.

It happens that a dog barks at passers-by out of his uncertainty and fear of them, and then he sees that people begin to avoid him and are afraid of him. she begins to like it and she begins to look for a reason to bark and then bite passers-by. In general, different cases arise, but the reason, as a rule, is always the same - this is the lack of training of the dog or ineffective training of it.

And if your dog shows aggression, and you are determined to correct its behavior, then you should know that no matter what the specialist is, he cannot do without your help, because if the dog begins to behave well in the hands of the instructor after several lessons, then this does not mean that she will behave the same way with her owner.

Hence the conclusion, the instructor can set up your dog, show you how to behave and how to act in certain situations, how to build a relationship between you and your pet, but the relationship itself is built only by the owner.

There is a certain opinion and it is voiced even by some veterinarians - this is that if you do not want to have an aggressive male dog, then you need to castrate him.

To be fair, I don’t know much about veterinary medicine, but I can definitely relate to my experience. And it follows from it that if a male dog was aggressive towards people or dogs, then after castration he will definitely not become white and fluffy and will not bring you flowers in bed in the morning and will not spread love to his former enemies. And for greater understanding, try to draw a parallel to a man with bad behavior and a terrible character.

Let's draw a line under the above... If you do not want to face the problems that were outlined in this article, then I advise you to deal with your dog as early as possible. Be very responsible when choosing a dog; learn as much as possible about the breed you are planning to get. And of course, you need to calculate your moral and physical strength. And then your pet will only make you happy!

In addition, a relationship has been shown between aggressiveness and the content of the neurotransmitter serotonin in brain tissue and with the level of its metabolic precursor, tryptophan, in food. It is also possible that aggression has a hereditary basis and it is possible to select for its high or low level, but the growing conditions of a particular individual very significantly change the genetically determined level of aggression. It is difficult to formulate a precise definition of aggression. But if you do not delve into the jungle of theoretical reasoning, then aggression is usually understood as a certain complex of demonstrative threatening behavior and direct physical actions directed at other organisms or objects.

Particular attention is paid to aggressive behavior in dogs, because... such behavior often carries significant danger. The social significance of this behavior is evidenced by the following figures: in the United States, more than half a million people annually report being bitten by dogs; 50% of bites result in scars and 30% result in lost work and school time. According to our canine center, the problem of aggressive behavior of animals accounts for 42% of all cases of treatment.

There are different classifications of aggressive behavior in dogs. The most common classification is based on characteristic stimuli or situation. In this case, the following forms of aggression are distinguished: maternal (protection of bedding, toys, puppies from people and other dogs); gaming (inappropriate gaming behavior); aggression due to fear or pain; territorial (protection of a certain territory); protective (protection of owners from people or dogs); intraspecific (aimed at individuals of its own species); redirected (if there is an obstacle to achieving what you want); food-related aggression (food guarding); proprietary (protection of toys and other items); aggression associated with dominance; hunting behavior and idiopathic aggression. Most of these forms are undesirable, but some types of aggression are used in the training of working dogs and are desirable in certain conditions. So, in particular, territorial aggression is used to train guard dogs, protective aggression and hunting behavior are used to train sports and police dogs. Therefore, in practical dog breeding, the task is often to develop the desired form of behavior, but at the same time not to allow unwanted forms of aggression to manifest themselves and to correct them in a timely manner.

One form of preventing unwanted behavior in dogs is early training and socialization. Unfortunately, in relation to Moscow, the data are disappointing. So, of all the dogs whose owners contacted our center, 64% had complaints about the already formed uncontrollable behavior of their pets, and only 18% turned for preventive purposes, moreover, the average age in the first group was 1-2 years, and in the second - 5 months. A repeated visit to correct unwanted forms of behavior after completing a training course at other sites was required for 9%, including 3% of patients with neurological symptoms. This once again confirms the need to prevent unwanted forms of behavior and aggression, particularly at an early age.

Often, uncontrollable behavior is combined with various forms of aggression, including a possible combination of its various types, up to extreme manifestations, when the owners themselves, strangers, and other animals become objects of aggression. The fate of such a dog is deplorable, because... Aggression is one of the main reasons for dog euthanasia. The main reasons for the development of this behavior are late contact with specialists, often inattention to the first signs of aggression and the health of the animal in general.

To correct unwanted behavior, our canine center used methods of behavior modification and pharmacocorrection. Thus, 33% of those who applied needed behavioral therapy; a standard obedience course was sufficient to correct the behavior of the rest.
24% were satisfied with the results of behavioral therapy, 6% refused therapy, citing employment, 3% were referred to a veterinarian-neurologist for consultation, in particular regarding status epileptoid.

As pharmacocorrection, we used ready-made medicinal herbal preparations, such as “Kot Bayun” and “Fitex”, as well as “D.A.P” pheromones in combination with behavior modification, in one case - prescribed homeopathic treatment and in another - as sedative- suprastin. In all cases, an improvement in behavior to a level acceptable for the owners was observed.

Thus, the main prevention of unwanted behavior in general and aggression in particular is taking an obedience course, during which the owner is trained in how to handle the dog and its early socialization. At the same time, some animals need a special course taking into account their state of health and mental disorders. The use of behavioral medicine techniques under the supervision of a veterinarian, in particular pharmacocorrection, in a standard obedience course is justified and leads to improved quality of training and a more comfortable existence of the owner and his dog in society.

Summary
Lysenko N.J. The Problem to correct the aggressive behavior of the dogs. KS "Sovremennai Shkola Dressirovki".
Thereby, the main preventive maintenance of the undesirable behavior iand aggressions is a passing of the course of the obedience, in the process of which passes education with dog and early socialization. Some animals need for special course with provision for conditions of their health and psychic deflections. Using acceptance behavioral medicine (pharmacological correction) in the standard course of the obedience justified and leads to increasing quality education and more suitable existence of the dog in society.

Fears that appear on walks in puppies and young dogs.

A dog (puppy) can experience strong emotional discomfort even from anticipation of the very situation of a walk, starting with the owner’s preparations, leaving the apartment, the entrance. At the same time, fear increases sharply when certain situations arise while walking. For example, this could be the owner’s attempts to get the dog into the elevator, going down or even up the stairs in the entrance, loud noises, being in the entrance and meeting people and dogs, strollers, children, buses, street cleaners’ carts and other irritants typical of Moscow and other cities.

How You look at the manifestations of fear.
The dog resists the owner’s attempts to lead it on a leash, while facial expressions, posture and movements show signs of emotional depression and fear (frightened, anxious look, ears pulled back, tail tucked, trembling, etc.). When encountering frightening stimuli, the dog tries to run away to the side, rests on the leash, and the signs of fear intensify. Sometimes the dog shows aggression, growls, barks.

Causes of problematic behavior.
As a rule, such problem behavior appears in puppies or young dogs when they begin to walk outside after completing the vaccination period, or sometimes in older dogs after moving with their owners to a new place of residence in an urban environment. Fears in this case stem from the dog’s inability to independently adapt to the specific living conditions in the city due to the genetic characteristics of the psyche and the lack of the necessary experience in mastering these environmental conditions (city) at an early age, that is, during the corresponding sensitive period of mental development. After this period, independent adaptation to completely new and difficult living conditions may be difficult. However, fortunately, in many cases, dogs can be helped to cope with this.

In this case, the dog perceives the environment and perceived stimuli as completely unfamiliar and therefore potentially dangerous. At the same time, avoidance reactions (manifestations of fear) are much stronger than the manifestations of indicative reactions (an innate desire to explore something new). In fact, the manifestation of indicative reactions turns out to be suppressed and the dog predominantly experiences one desire - to run back to the apartment, entrance, just run away, hide behind the owner, etc. Moreover, often the dog independently finds ways to reduce its emotional discomfort in this way, and very soon this behavior takes on a stereotypical character.
So, in order to teach a dog not to be afraid, it is necessary, through special training exercises, to form in it an alternative experience of alleviating emotional discomfort through active interaction with the trainer (owner) in specific frightening situations. At the same time, the dog has the internal ability to begin to get used to situations that previously frightened it, now as familiar and safe. Gradually, alternative experience accumulates and is generalized in the dog’s mind, and the behavior radically changes or, at least, significantly improves.
Methodological support for these trainings should be developed and provided to the dog’s owner by a canine zoopsychologist (canine psychologist), who is also an instructor-methodologist. Naturally, for this, a specialist must have relevant experience and reliable methodological developments in this area. At the same time, at the beginning of work on correcting the dog’s behavior, he must conduct the necessary analysis of the reasons for the dog’s behavior and an analysis of the possibilities of correction, characterize the prospects for correction, and then organize the training process in interaction with the dog’s owner.

Dogs' fears of separate categories irritants.
B o z nCUTSz v u k o v.
The dog may be afraid of gunshots, firecrackers, the sound of hitting metal, etc.
The reasons for this behavior can be either congenital or acquired.
If such behavioral reactions are predominantly genetic in nature, then behavior correction will be ineffective even with the maximum effectiveness of the training process. However, if these fears arose as a result of the dog's predominantly negative experiences, then in many cases the behavior can be corrected or improved.

Fear is unknown to people or dogs.
Most often it is the result of a negative experience when specific strangers or dogs showed aggression towards the dog or accidentally scared the dog. In this case, the dog may identify as potentially dangerous those people or dogs that resemble its offender, especially if the offense occurred in early puppyhood.

PRINCIPLES FOR CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.
In this case, the correction of dog behavior is carried out through special training with the help of a canine-animal psychologist (canine psychologist), aimed at creating an alternative positive experience of the dog’s perception of previously frightening situations associated with the presence of people or dogs.

Sometimes this behavior is genetic. This may be due to the dog’s predisposition to extreme isolation from strangers (not members of its pack) combined with the predominance of passive-defensive reactions. In fact, the dog perceives all strangers or dogs as very dangerous enemies and has a desire to protect itself from them.

Fear of individual situations.
Dogs may be afraid, for example, only of doctors and medical procedures, vacuum cleaners, strollers with children, etc. In this case, the cause of fears, as a rule, is the negative emotional experience of the dog at an early age.

PRINCIPLES FOR CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM.
Such variants of manifestations of fears are corrected by the formation of an alternative positive experience when the dog is exposed to previously frightening stimuli.

When we get a dog, we most often build rosy and idyllic pictures of our life with her in our heads. However, reality does not always coincide with our dreams. Of course, if you start training your puppy from the very first days, you have a better chance of reinforcing and shaping correct behavior.

How do we provoke dogs into “bad” behavior?

Often, we ourselves, without noticing it, provoke the dog to engage in behavior that we subsequently do not like and with which we want to fight. Want some examples?

EXAMPLE 1. Before leaving for the store or work, we go to pet the dog, lament, calming: “Don’t worry, I’m just here for a few hours, don’t be bored. I'll come back, you and I will go for a walk. Why are you making such a sad face?” And we leave under the heavy gaze of our sad pet, and inside our heart bursts into thousands of small fragments. Has this ever happened to you?

Congratulations - you are forging with your own hands a behavior that is quite difficult to correct: Separation Anxiety.

EXAMPLE 2. You returned from work, urgently change clothes to take your dog for a hygienic walk - after all, she has been sitting at home for almost 10 hours. And while you are changing clothes, putting on a harness, fastening a leash, you excitedly say: “Now, now, be patient a little more, now we’ll go.” The dog starts up, shifts from paw to paw, grabs your hands or the leash, and barks. “Well now, I see that you already want it, just a minute! Now I’ll just put on my boots.”

Bingo! Most likely you are in this moment sculpt a dog that, when getting ready to go outside, will grab your hands, bark and jump on you, carry you out of the entrance, knocking over your neighbors as it goes.

EXAMPLE 3. Your dog saw another one, pulled on its leash and started barking. Such situations occur almost every day. What does the owner often do in such a situation? Usually it’s quite a singsong, soothing: “Santa, why are you barking? This is a good dog, good, you see? No need to bark, she’s good!” Almost all of our dogs know the word “Good” - they are “good”, and we often tell them this when we pet them, when we give them something tasty. Our dog barks and hears behind him: “Santa, blah blah blah blah blah, good dog, good. Blah blah blah, good".

What does our dog understand in such a situation? - Right! She's doing great, she needs to bark even harder!

EXAMPLE 4. Or vice versa: the owner gets nervous because of his pet’s indecent behavior and begins to swear and shout at him. The dog at this moment rushes at the opponent, knows that the owner is behind him, and “together we are strong!” The owner also screams and rushes behind him, which means he also hates this dog!“Keep me forty people! I’ll tear the jaws, gouge out the blinkers!”

How to correct the behavior of an adult dog

I believe that starting classes on time with a competent instructor will help avoid the development of uncomfortable behavior. A good trainer is usually more experienced than the average dog owner. He also knows what behavioral nuances to pay attention to in order not to develop them. He notices the owner’s mistakes, which can provoke problematic behavior in the pet. And, of course, he knows how to solve problematic behavior that has already appeared.

The specialist analyzes the causes of problem behavior and then proposes a method, or even a combination of correction methods.

Uncleanliness in the house, animal or human aggression, separation anxiety, frequent barking or howling, fear of fireworks or thunderstorms, barking at cyclists or athletes, inability to walk on a loose leash - these are the most common reasons contacting a dog behavior correction specialist.

But they also resort to the help of a trainer to solve smaller behavioral nuances that are not very comfortable for the owner: the dog steals food from the table or begs, picks up food on the street, does not listen to the owner, does not want to wash its paws or trim its claws, is afraid of new objects, climbs on bed…

I have good news: with proper and thoughtful (sometimes quite lengthy) work, any dog’s behavior can be corrected.

It is not always possible to solve a problem completely and finally, but it can always be smoothed out and reduced. And it seems to me that one of our responsibilities as owners in relation to our pet is precisely to give him the opportunity to overcome his fears, aggression, and mistrust. After all, how nice it is not to fight with a four-legged friend for all our 10 - 15 years of life together, but to enjoy them.

(banner_rastyajka-mob-3)
(banner_rastyajka-3)

How to respond to bad dog behavior?

The expression “correction of animal behavior” is usually used in two meanings. In a broader sense, this concept refers to both the assistance of an ethological consultant to animal owners in solving emerging problems, as well as the various means and methods offered by him, for example, training, changing the environment, castration, medications, development of opposite reflexes, systematic desensitization, etc.

A more specific meaning is the systematic implementation of carefully designed therapeutic interventions that are either directly related to human behavior therapy or based on its principles. An example is the systematic reduction of sensitivity (desensitization) in the treatment of phobias. In this case, a number of conditions are created for animals that make it possible to gradually reproduce the fear-inducing situation, so that fear does not occur. This standard method in the treatment of phobias, used in human behavior therapy.

But just as there are few direct parallels between behavioral problems in animals and humans, the number of acceptable correction methods is so limited. The similarities are found primarily in the use of first principles as a basis common methods(gradual exposure, habituation, development of the opposite reflex, suppression, etc.) and their implementation in specially designed, systematically applied and often labor-intensive activities. The following are some commonly recommended behavior modification techniques:

By rewarding an older dog with treats, you can gradually teach him to ride in a car without feeling afraid. Encourage “confident” execution of the commands “sit”, “lie down”, “stand”, etc. first near the car, in the car with the engine turned off and then on. Give your dog a treat after the car has driven a few meters, and then gradually increase the distance.
A treat can help and teach the dog to tolerate brushing calmly, without growling. Give your dog a treat every time he does not growl when you touch his head, neck, back with a brush, lightly comb the fur on his back, or thoroughly comb him. Then reward your dog when he doesn't resist being brushed for longer and longer periods of time over several days in a row.
To accustom dogs to loneliness that are afraid of parting with their owner, exhibit anxiety, destructive behavior, or suffer from indoor uncleanliness, first leave only for a few minutes, reward the dog for calmly waiting, and then gradually, over several days or even weeks, increase the duration of your absence.

Obedience training while walking

There are two approaches to solving the problem. The first method is a straightforward continuation of the basic course of obedience training. The owner is recommended to constantly take with him a bag with 30 pieces of treats (more is possible) and with their help stimulate the execution of the “come to me” command, which is especially important when the dog is outside. The essence of the training comes down to calling the dog and, if it approaches, immediately rewarding it for it. Even if the animal is in no hurry and performs the command hesitantly, it should be encouraged, stroked and praised. In principle, the dog should always be rewarded for approaching the owner, no matter how long it takes the dog to do so.

The main thing is to never punish her either for approaching late or for actions she performed while away from her owner.

Getting angry at a dog for not coming when called and then scolding it when it does is a very serious mistake that owners should not make. In this case, the dog will be punished for approaching the owner. As a result, she will try to avoid punishment by remaining at a distance. In this regard, the owner should also point out that he is punishing or rewarding behavior, not the animal, for recently committed actions. Therefore, what the animal does at the moment of reward or punishment plays a decisive role.

In connection with the application of this simple method, the importance of some other fundamental principles should be clarified or re-emphasized:

Reinforcement should be applied immediately. This means that the owner should always have the treat on hand to give it to the dog as soon as it approaches, and not search for it in the pocket for a long time when the dog has already approached.
The dog should not be rewarded for any approach to the owner, but only in the case of “approaching a shout.” This will create optimal preconditions for the command to become an initiating stimulus or signal for the animal.
Treat rewards should always be accompanied by petting and praise. This enhances the rewarding effects of stroking and praise through a close temporal relationship with the delivery of treats.
Over time, you can completely eliminate or minimize the use of treats. However, in the early days, expected behavior must be constantly reinforced. If the dog has learned to quickly approach the owner on command and this skill is consistently demonstrated in any situation, then the frequency of rewards in the form of pieces of treats can be gradually reduced, while at the same time continuing to use stroking and praise.
The recommendation to gradually reduce the frequency of rewards, that is, to reward the desired behavior first each time, then the second time, the third time, etc., is general in nature and does not represent a specific method. For example, an animal may be rewarded two times in a row and then receive no reward at all four or five times. Thus, these data are averaged. In principle, the frequency of rewards should vary so that rewards are unpredictable and irregular. In such conditions, when the dog does not know whether this time his behavior will be rewarded or not, he will strive to carry out the learned techniques.
If the dog, despite its favorite treat, ignores the owner’s call because it finds a more interesting activity for itself, training to correctly respond to a command during walks should begin only in the absence of distractions or when the owner notices that the dog has calmed down and is still ready. approach him.

The second method of teaching a dog to come on command is that the owner calls the dog only once, and if it does not respond, the owner leaves and continues moving until the dog comes to him. If the dog does not like to go very far from its owner (most dogs do), consistent use of this method can quickly solve the problem. The dog will quickly understand that this command signals the owner's departure. This will quickly force an animal that does not like to be left alone to follow its owner. Immediately after this, the dog must be rewarded by petting, praising it or giving it a treat. The owner can also go in the opposite direction from the house. For the dog, this will be a signal that the walk is not over yet. (Chapter 18 contains detailed description this method, as well as approximate recommendations for these two methods).

Working through problem situations

If the above principles of obedience training are supplemented with punishment, we get a highly effective training strategy. The fundamental principle of this two-pronged approach is to enable the pet owner to respond consistently to actual or potential problem situations. That is, he must be able to punish deviations in the animal’s behavior and encourage any acceptable alternative form of behavior. From the list of effective methods of punishment below, it is clear why this particular path often brings success and helps eliminate or mitigate deviant behavior in dogs.

Methods of preventive correction

When solving many problems, such as aggressive behavior on the street towards strangers, depending on the circumstances, the two-component system of punishments and rewards can, and sometimes needs to be supplemented with another, third element. The owner is recommended to attract the animal’s attention to himself and find him a suitable activity immediately before the onset of deviant behavior, that is, at the moment of the first manifestations of initiating stimuli.

The dog must be taught to wear a muzzle from childhood

If a dog reacts aggressively to a running person, the owner should call the dog to him and reward him with a treat for obedience as soon as the running person comes into view of the owner and the dog, but the distance between them is not yet enough to cause aggressive behavior in the animal. This short obedience exercise is great for dogs that don't usually get treats. It should be continued until the person runs past and is a sufficient distance away. Instead of rewarding for following a command, the owner can use the dog's favorite toy to anort the dog until the running person is out of sight. In this case, the dog owner, when a problem situation approaches, is recommended to behave especially cheerfully and do things that usually make the dog happy.

Early intervention is often referred to as a “distraction” technique. At the same time, the dog owner should not have the false impression that any method of distraction is recommended. The goal of this method should be to take the dog's attention away from the runner and onto something else. But it makes no sense to distract the animal's attention with treats or play after the dog has already shown aggressiveness. In this case, you will encourage incorrect behavior, which is absolutely contraindicated. It should be carefully explained to the dog owner that early intervention through distraction is only appropriate if it occurs before signs of deviant behavior appear. If the dog has already shown aggressiveness, then time is lost, and incorrect behavior must be stopped with punishment, and not rewarded with treats or play.

Correcting the behavior of an adult dog at home

Measures to reduce or neutralize irritants

When correcting the behavior of dogs, their owners are often advised to take certain measures or give up certain habits that affect the irritating, activating, reinforcing and inhibiting stimuli perceived by the animals. If, for example, a dog is afraid to be alone, advise the owner to act calm and neutral shortly before he leaves the house. Thus, an attempt will be made to reduce the exciting stimuli emanating from the owner. As a rule, dog owners who anticipate a problem situation will become agitated and nervous. This happens, for example, when a stranger approaches the house or when a thunderstorm gathers. This can have a very adverse effect on the animal, since in this way the owner tells him that some kind of danger is approaching. This, in turn, may further enhance the response to the activating stimulus.

To neutralize activating stimuli, you can use the following tips:

avoid actions that provoke aggression from aggressive dogs;
During the correction course, do not let the dog find itself in situations that could cause it strong feeling fear;
prohibit the cat from entering the room it is marking;
keep two cats that react aggressively to each other in separate rooms, except in cases where being together is necessary for the purpose of behavior correction, etc.

These recommendations are part of a set of measures to correct many forms of deviant behavior. Many pet owners simply intuitively resort to this method of eliminating animal behavior problems. Thus, the habitual behavior of all family members, aimed at neutralizing stimuli that provoke aggression, sometimes makes it possible to live for a very long time with a potentially dangerous aggressive dog, striving for superiority over others. The owners simply do not take food away from her, do not wake her up when she is sleeping, and put aside their affairs when they notice that the animal freezes in place and looks at people with a sidelong glance, which shows that it is close to showing aggression or attack.

Likewise, measures to directly weaken or neutralize reinforcing stimuli (for example, if there are two dogs in the house, then when stranger they are kept in separate rooms) or the use and reinforcement of inhibitory stimuli (eg, startling a cat who is marking its territory, strongly scolding a dog) can largely solve the problem. In addition, the animals will receive a lesson in how to behave in such situations.

Eliminating problematic situations

In the case of aggression caused by punishment, it is necessary either to abandon a specific type of punishment or to use another “punishing” stimulus that does not cause aggression towards the owner. Loud noise, for example, shaking a tin can of coins will frighten the dog without causing an aggressive reaction.

The dog does not believe that the punishment comes from the owner. Accordingly, dog owners are often advised to make these sounds carefully so that the animal cannot determine their source. However, along with the question of whether the dog knows the source of the irritation or not, other factors may also play a role here, most notably the fact that a loud noise can be very unpleasant, but at the same time not cause pain. Fear-inducing stimuli in certain situations are much less likely to lead to aggression than stimuli that cause pain or unpleasant physical sensations.

Second important factor, which determines the absence of an aggressive reaction to acoustic stimuli that cause a feeling of fear, is simply the non-aggressive behavior of the owner himself. If an owner hits a dog with his hand, a leash, or a rolled-up newspaper, this is a very aggressive action, which is inevitably accompanied by aggressive facial expressions and gestures of the person. A loud sound can also appear aggressive, but the combination of the unfamiliar sound and the owner's relatively non-aggressive behavior is not perceived by the dog as some kind of "attack" that causes an aggressive response.

Dog owners should not become aggressive when using these alternative punishments to discipline potentially aggressive animals. For example, you should smile and not look strictly at the dog, but do something while pretending that you didn’t even notice what happened.

Avoiding ineffective methods

Punishing an animal even more severely for reacting aggressively to punishment can sometimes suppress the aggression. However, this strategy is dangerous. Under certain conditions, a more severe punishment may lead the animal to behave even more aggressively or, conversely, to experience fear of the owner, who is potential cause quite a serious deviation in behavior. Therefore, if a dog reacts aggressively to punishment, it may in principle be appropriate to focus more on behavior modification activities using rewards rather than increasing the intensity of the “punishing” stimulus.

A halter allows you to effectively correct a dog's behavior

The same applies to punishment for an aggressive reaction to medical measures, causing pain, fear or anxiety, which in some cases can give positive result. However, if simply scolding a dog is not enough to suppress aggression, it is better to use another method based on the use of rewards, which will be discussed below. This will ensure that the dog will be tolerant of medical procedures.

Avoiding unintentional reinforcement of aggressive behavior is also a potentially important component of therapy. An inevitable consequence of the cessation of the aversive stimulus is that the growling and biting dog feels some support for its behavior. However, it is quite possible to avoid rewards such as attempts by a loving owner to calm or pet the dog. Most dog owners seem to make this mistake because the strategy seems justifiable to them in a particular situation, which in turn encourages them to act that way in the future. However, in the long term, attempts to calm an aggressive animal will most likely only increase its tendency to display aggression in similar situations.

Behavior correction methods

Treat rewards can often be an effective means of inducing reflexive non-aggressive behavior at home when the animal has to endure a lengthy and unpleasant procedure, such as ear cleaning. In this case, it is quite possible to use a simple training technique aggressive dog striving for superiority over a person, to comb with a brush. In this case, the dog is gradually desensitized by changing the intensity of the aversive stimulus. At the same time, the dog is rewarded for non-aggressive behavior in an unpleasant situation. The intensity of the aversive stimulus increases over several days or weeks until the dog responds normally to the procedure.

Not rewarding bad behavior

Some dogs are difficult to control when walking. They don't want to move in a certain direction. It takes a long time to persuade them to cross the street. The animal stops every 20-30 meters and continues moving only when the owner pets it or speaks to it. Many dogs bark persistently and continuously when they want something until the nervous owner eventually gives in.

Dog training by a dog handler is the best method behavior correction

In such a situation, punishment is necessary only in rare cases. Usually it is enough to completely ignore the dog and not follow its lead. Ethological scientists call this method of correcting any form of incorrect behavior the method of “suppression” (extinction). Don't pay attention to the dog if it stops on the street. Continue moving forward without talking to the dog or looking back at him, no matter what he does. If a dog tries to bark to get affection, play or food, all family members must adhere to a strict rule - never give in to it in such a situation.

Suppression is extremely effective method eliminating behavioral problems caused by external factors that the owner can influence. But this path is effective only if three conditions are met. The owner must be completely confident in making the right choice method. He must have sufficient self-discipline, perseverance and consistency. Finally, the owner should be prepared by the consultant for the possible consequences of discontinuing rewards for misbehavior, in particular, the temporary worsening and then improvement of the situation.

For example, every day there will be repeated attempts to demonstrate behavior that you thought you had already gotten rid of (so-called spontaneous regeneration):

The process of stopping bad behavior will be long and uneven.
Drastic changes in better side are observed more often.
Slow improvement is less common.
The animal will calm down for one hour, and then start everything over again, then calm down for an hour or two, so that the next laziness can make new attempts with even greater persistence.
Again I -2 days of rest, and again the same attempts, etc.
Dog owners should, in principle, be prepared for new sporadic manifestations of deviations in behavior, even if at first glance their pets have been rehabilitated.

Other family members need to learn how to respond appropriately when the dog growls, barks, bites, or acts fearfully (eg, hostility, seeking help from other family members). In principle, they should give up the habit of soothing or comforting the dog with petting, sweet words, or attempts to distract attention.

All of these reactions can serve as positive reinforcement and, in certain circumstances, may cause the dog to behave aggressively and/or fearfully in such situations in the future. Only a few dog owners are aware of this danger, since such measures, as it seems to them, are currently producing results. In this case, it is necessary to clearly explain that if you pet the dog every time and pay a lot of attention to it when it growls or seeks protection, then in the future this will serve to develop the appropriate reflex and the dog will show this behavior much more often.

It goes without saying that other family members need to be consistent and ignore this behavior. However, in some cases, it is better for these individuals to stop certain behaviors (such as growling and barking). To do this, the dog must be scolded. This is especially important if the dog growls at small child. In such cases, parents must prove their superiority over the dog and stop such behavior. If the problem behavior is caused by fear, you should refrain from using punitive measures.

However, this does not mean that the use of any punitive measures is contraindicated in every case. If you gently punish, for example, scold a dog that is used to it, then such punishment is unlikely to cause a feeling of fear, but at the same time it will clearly show the owner’s dissatisfaction with the animal’s behavior and serve as a warning for the future. Excessive indecisiveness of the owner and abstaining from mild punishment of fearful dogs can be a serious mistake when solving animal behavior problems caused by fear. Such an error can prevent other problems from being solved or even exacerbate them.

Strengthening the authority of the owner

Many dogs tolerate medical procedures and the manipulations of some people, e.g. veterinarians who behave self-confidently, with a sense of their own superiority, but do not allow such actions on the part of others, for example, their owners. Perhaps this is due to lack of respect. If during the interview it turns out that the dog grumbles at the owner in other situations or obeys him reluctantly, it is advisable to draw his attention to the tips outlined in the previous chapter for strengthening his authority.

If the problem of insufficient authority is expressed implicitly and caused misbehavior For an owner who is not assertive enough in many situations, being more strict with the dog in order to get the dog to obey the owner's commands, for example, to stop barking or growling, may help in certain conditions. This method often quickly strengthens the dog's respect for its owner and thereby reduces its tendency to resist the owner's touch.

Shelter dogs - behavioral features and their correction

Adopting a dog from a shelter is a very kind and humane thing. In this way you save a defenseless creature that cannot survive without you. You acquire the most devoted and loving friend and at the same time take responsibility for his future fate.

An e-collar is necessary in special cases

Adopting a dog from a shelter is not the same as purchasing one. little puppy. When you take a puppy from its mother, its character and habits are formed with your help. You can watch his every step, correct his behavior and shortcomings, and know everything about his health.

What you need to know when choosing a dog from a shelter:

It is better to take it on Friday evening, or Saturday, or before the holidays (that is, so that the next day she does not have to immediately be left alone for the whole day).
If there are cats in the house, the introduction must be carried out very carefully, the dog’s reaction is unpredictable, the introduction must be strictly in front of you under the control of the situation.
When you go to work, hide expensive items like this in inaccessible places.
Even healthy dog from the shelter - conditionally healthy. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian - he will advise you on feeding. Analysis of the ear for ticks is highly desirable, general analysis blood, cleaning the paranal glands (buttocks, in short).
As for feeding, he will eat as much as he can, so diarrhea is possible for the first 2 days. He’ll ask for something from the table, no matter what, he’ll eat a little and stop.
The first walks are only on a leash. The first time you need to let go without unfastening the leash (just in case, it will be much easier to catch).
You must mark your phone number on the collar.

When rescuing an animal from a shelter, you need to remember that the animal has the imprint of an orphan's life: street and shelter. Even if the dog came to the shelter from its owners and knows how to behave in the house, you must remember that for some time you will have to study the character of your new friend, his habits and skills, get used to him and accustom him to yourself. This is a fascinating and painstaking process

The first thing you need is to be patient. The dog may be reaching out to you with all his might and be ready to love you. But the process of moving, getting to know a new environment and people is a lot of stress for her. Therefore, there is no need to jerk the dog over trifles; it is enough to talk to it gently and calmly and stroke it soothingly. It is important not to scare the animal with harsh words, noise, twitching, or to cause pain.

After you have let your dog in new house, let her get acquainted with the situation and immediately show her the place prepared in advance for her. This should be a well-protected corner, not located in a passageway or in a draft.

It happens that a dog in a new home behaves dejectedly for several days, lies down, not paying attention to anyone, eats little, and is afraid of everything. This is a normal process of adaptation of an animal to new conditions. With the owner's kind and gentle attitude, this goes away - after a few days the dog begins to behave like an ordinary pet.

If the animal is afraid to cross the threshold of the house and resists, you can carefully lift it and move it, repeating sweet words, then give a treat and praise.

If the dog lived in an apartment before the shelter, then most likely it will immediately remember that it needs to go to the toilet outside. If a dog has spent its entire life in an enclosure, then it will have to be trained like a puppy. It takes some time, but it’s also not scary if you want to cope.

It's good if you know the dog's background. In this case, you will understand her behavior more easily and quickly and will be able to prevent some difficulties. For example, if she has been bitten by other dogs or beaten by people, she may be afraid of them or act aggressively. Then, when walking, until the dog gets used to it and stops being afraid of them, you must follow safety measures: do not come close to large groups of people and dogs.

From the very beginning of walking your dog, you should not let it off the leash, because... she has not yet gotten used to you and has not learned to identify you as the owner. Let your dog out on a leash for the first time. This will make it easier to catch her. Be sure to mark your phone number on the collar.

If a dog has wandered a lot, it may, out of habit, pick up various refuse from the ground. It will not be possible to wean yourself off this immediately, but with time and patience, it is quite possible.

You should pay attention to what the dog was fed at the shelter: natural food or dry. You need to switch your dog gradually from the usual food to the one you plan to feed. This way the dog will avoid intestinal problems that can arise due to stress and food changes.

Even if the dog is not very clean, you should not wash it right away. It is generally not customary to wash dogs often, because... At the same time, her immunity decreases. The process of washing itself is stressful for an animal. In this case, the dog may catch a cold, get scared, etc. Don't forget that she hasn't gotten the hang of it yet. If you still need to clean the dog, wipe it with a cloth moistened with a 1:1:1 mixture of water, vinegar and vodka. The owner needs to immediately set the permitted limits and persistently and affectionately teach the dog to live by your rules.

Behavior correction products

Mechanical aids

If it is not possible to sufficiently change the family situation or the basic rules of human-dog interaction in a way that protects the person it fears, the dog should be muzzled in all potential situations. dangerous situations. This also applies to other forms of aggression. This remedy is recommended for use if children are at risk, especially young children who cannot be isolated from the dog.

In some cases, when the dog is left alone and barks at external stimuli, special collars that cause an electric shock to the animal or produce an unpleasant sound have proven themselves to be effective. These collars can be activated by the bark itself (and thus affect the dog when the owner is not at home) or by a remote control that the owner can use when the dog barks outside. The use of shock collars may pose some problems. The collar may be accidentally activated by the barking of another dog. It may be too large for the animal to cause an electric shock and may burn the skin.

A halter - otherwise called a head collar, a bridle leash or a head halter - resembles a horse's halter. It functions on the principle of creating a “basket” that holds the animal’s cheeks and jaws and is attached to the top of the scruff. At least one strap of such a collar passes through the bridge of the nose, and the other through the scruff of the neck. The leash is attached under the animal's chin to the middle of the nose strap, which makes a loop around the mouth. In this way, this device resembles a horse's halter and in this way it differs from a regular collar.

There are two main modifications of this device:

Halti (manufactured by Safari Whitco, Bohemia, NY). The Halti type is worn together with another collar, because... it attaches quite loosely. It cannot be tightened to cover the mouth of a dog rushing forward, but it is good for dogs with a large muzzle;
Gentle Leader/Promise System Canine Head Collar (Premier Pet Products, Richmond, VA), respectively. The Gentle Leader Head Collar type halter holds the dog's face much better, simultaneous use no other collar required.

Bridle collars are great for many dogs. They are gentle on the animal's larynx and esophagus, making them ideal for dogs with larynx injuries, tracheal collapse, and neck injuries, including damage to the vertebral discs, vertebrae, nerves and muscles. The halter passes through the scruff of the neck so that when the owner pulls the leash in one direction or the dog in the other, the loop around the mouth is tightened, preventing bites; however, the pressure on the upper neck near the head increases very little. This not only increases the safety of using the halter, but also gives the animal a signal (light compression in the neck area) similar to what dogs use to prevent unwanted actions of their relatives. Thus, when the owner of the animal pulls the leash attached to the halter, the dog receives a clear signal to it to stop or stop any actions. Since this signal is natural for dogs, they follow necessary actions without delay.

For those owners who work with their pets through behavior modification programs, this method communication can be considered “god-sent”. Even if the dog is used to grabbing people with its teeth or biting, in any case, a safe, reliable and completely painless fixation of the animal’s mouth can be easily achieved by simply pulling forward the leash fastened to the halter. At correct use such a collar cannot cause injury to the dog, but allows the owner to control its behavior and prevent it from biting people and animals.

By attaching a leash to the halter, the owner of the animal has the opportunity to correct the behavior of his pet and prevent biting others.

The halter allows you to walk poorly without any problems well-mannered dogs even children and arthritic elderly people. The more physical activity the dog receives, the calmer it is, and the more joy and pleasure people get from communicating with their pets, the more willingly they work with them. Everyone benefits from the use of a halter: both owners and their pets. This is why it is increasingly being chosen for puppies. But it will also be useful in adult life animal. Among other things, a halter compares favorably with a choke collar in that it promotes humanism towards animals.

A halter, like other devices, can cause damage to a dog, but only if used incorrectly. The most common complaint about this is from owners of dogs with large, drooping lips: their pets often bite their lips when the nose strap of this collar is pulled too tightly. It happens that the skin on the nose rubs and a bald spot forms. In order to handle the halter correctly, you need to practice more often. Over time, the owner learns to select the optimal tension of the neck and nose straps of the collar. Dogs with a halter on eat and drink without difficulty, breathe, even bark and bite, if their behavior is not corrected at this moment and the noose around the mouth is not tightened. A halter is not a muzzle with its straps around the dog's nose (a cruel and inhumane device), it is beautiful. And now, when they began to produce halters different colors, people buy them even more willingly.

Drugs to correct dog behavior

There is only a limited number of rigorous studies on the effectiveness of drug treatments for certain behavior problems in dogs and cats. Although some types of psychotropic drugs have been tested with animals, the tests were conducted in unnatural conditions or in the presence of brain injury, and therefore the results cannot be applied to guide the behavior of animals in the home environment.

In addition, there are no substantiated analogies with diagnoses from the field of human psychiatry, so it is extremely difficult when deciding on the use of any medicine in a specific case, rely on data medical literature. For example, cases of psychosis and schizophrenia do not occur in the animal world. With the exception of some stereotypes (eg, side licking), most problems encountered by consultant ethologists represent normal species-typical behavior (eg, aggression) that does not correspond to the person's beliefs. Little is known about the effective dosages of specific drugs for the treatment of dogs and cats. The dosage is determined based on medical experience, which is incorrect and, in some cases, dangerous.

Prescribing medication to support changes in an animal's behavior requires that the veterinarian have knowledge of the dosage, possible side effects and contraindications of a particular drug. A comprehensive evaluation should always be performed before using psychotropic medications. This also applies to cases where drugs are prescribed on the recommendation of people who do not have medical education(instructors or ethological consultants), since only the veterinarian is responsible for possible complications. In addition, the owner should be informed that the use of medications is only in the testing stage.

It is also advisable to invite the owner to give a receipt of consent to the use of medications, since most psychotropic drugs are not approved for use in veterinary medicine. Due to the different species-typical and individual reactions to the action of a particular drug, the animal must be closely monitored throughout the entire treatment period. This will allow timely detection of serious side effects.

Until sufficient experience has been gained, medications should not be considered the only means of treating behavioral problems. Psychotropic medications may be useful as an adjuvant in a behavior management program but, unfortunately, are rarely effective treatments. Often drugs do not have any effect on solving the problem, and if they do, then only directly during the period of drug treatment.”

The occurrence of side effects should not be underestimated. The following are some side effects that may occur with medications commonly used for behavior management:

Progestins (megestrol acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate): excessive appetite, lethargy, depression, breast hyperplasia and tumors, diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia, decreased activity or atrophy of the adrenal cortex, changes in temperament.
Benzodiazepines (diazepam, chlorazepate): increased aggression in cowardly-vicious dogs, ataxia, lethargy, excessive appetite, paradoxical arousal or increased activity, side effect to the liver.
Tricyclides and other antidepressants (amitriptyline, imipramine, doxepin, clomipramine): dilated pupils, cardiac arrhythmia, dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, severe sedation, hypotension, periodic convulsions, skin reactions.
Phenothiazines (acetylpromazine, promazine, chlorpromazine): periodic convulsions, hypotension, paradoxical agitation.
Buspirone: side effects on the kidneys and liver.
Narcotic antagonists (eg, naloxone, naltrexone, hydrocadone): lethargy, increased alertness, changes in activity, anorexia.

Taking into account the rather significant unpredictability of use and possible serious side effects when prescribing these experimental drugs, they are recommended for use only in selected cases of behavioral problems in dogs and cats. And only in rare cases (for example, when behavior correction measures are not enough to wean the animal from marking territory or stereotypes) do they turn out to be truly effective.