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Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

Working with aggressive dogs demands attention to detail. We are setting our dog up to succeed, protecting him from known triggers, and keeping people safe around him. That’s a lot right there. We are also teaching our dog new skills and new patterns of behavior. We’d like our dog to learn better ways to relate to people, dogs, or other stressful situations.

Whew! Okay, let’s get started.

I love teaching this stuff, seeing dogs become more confident and relaxed. Even more, I love seeing people change how they think about and interact with their dogs. The process always works. That’s a big promise. Almost all my clients enjoy significant progress with their dogs.

Some, unfortunately, do not. The difference between successful and unsuccessful clients seems to hinge on staying connected with me between consultations. Clients who post updates and question in their online journal (we share a doc on google drive) do well. Those clients report more satisfaction and most require fewer consultations. Clients who do not journal, email, or text assimilate information more slowly and falter in training.

Why is this so? I have some ideas.

We need the repetition to get it right. Dog training is detail oriented. This is especially true when working with dogs who behave dangerously. My Aggressive Dog Training Foundations course is chock full of information. Live consultations are a great way to learn and practice training techniques. Still, it’s easy to forget some lessons. And, once we practice on our own, it’s easy to go astray. Journaling (or emailing or texting) is a great way to solidify lessons and fine tune training skills.

We need accountability. Many clients tell me they train more regularly because they have to report back to me in the journal. Okay. I like to think of the training journal as a way I serve my clients, a means of supporting them and helping build on their success. But, if some clients see it as homework that adds structure to their day and encourages their work with their dogs, that’s great! Who am I to argue?

We thrive on reinforcement. It’s true for our dogs. It’s true for us. We want to know if we’re getting it right. I have a great time serving as both coach and cheerleader for my clients and their dogs. Reinforcement is the engine that moves leaning forward.

Clients who do not communicate via journal, email, or text between visits lose all of this. There’s no repetition of key ideas or fine tuning of techniques. The acquisition of knowledge and skills slows down. There’s no built-in accountability. Training becomes less frequent. They miss out on reinforcement. The dog training process sputters or stalls altogether.

Make me earn my money. Journal. Text. Stay connected to me between our consultations. It will enhance your success, speed up your progress, and save you money.

And, if it matters to you at all, I love hearing from you.

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

Living with a dog who has aggressive behavior can be hard. There are all kinds of emotions involved: human emotions and dog emotions.

Taking on the project of helping a dog change his behavior feels complicated sometimes. It’s a process. There are details. We have to work at it. All the while, there’s the risk our dog will act out, maybe even bite.

How do we get through the hard times of aggressive dog training, especially the early days when we are just getting started?

Depend on your trainer. If you aren’t working with a trainer, hire one. Choose someone who understands how to use positive reinforcement dog training to change unwanted behavior. Pick someone who is properly credentialed, a dog trainer with a CPDT or CDBC certification. Both is better. When training feels hard, turn to your trainer for help between sessions. Let them clarify your training tasks and the overarching plan. Make sure they explain how your training relates to your specific goals with your dog.

Trust the process. Easing or resolving aggressive dog behavior doesn’t happen all at once. There are steps and incremental successes. Stick with it. Don’t give up. And, again, turn to your trainer. That person should understand dog behavior. They should also be a good human teacher and coach.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Be safe. Protect your dog from aggressive outbursts. It’s okay to avoid triggers of aggression (it is preferable, in fact) while you train. Keep things calm and stress-free in the early days of training. You’ll add stressors as you progress under your trainer’s guidance.

Focus on your wins. Attitude in dog training is everything. How you think about your dog and the training process affect your outcome. All of us tell ourselves stories about our dogs, what they might be feeling or thinking, why they are behaving the way they do. If you’re going to tell yourself a story, let it be a hopeful one. You’re smart. You’ve got this.

Remember, behavior is always changing. Sometimes it changes for the worse. More often, when we guide and influence it, behavior changes the way we want it to. That one bit of truth is so empowering. Let that inspire you and keep you going. Behavior changes. We can, and do, affect how it changes. There is hope, alway.

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He specializes in Aggressive Dog Training.

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

The process is simple. The project sometimes feels hard.

This is how we humans get tripped up. We focus too much on the dog training project, what we have to accomplish, the end goal. We lose sight of – or never get a clear picture of – the process of how to train our dog.

Anything our dogs can physically do, we can teach them to do it on cue. Lie down, relax the hips, rest the head on the front paws. Those are all trainable. We can even teach them to breathe slower. Go to another room. Wait quietly behind a baby gate. Those are teachable too, with positive reinforcement training.

The process, the actual science of dog training, is very accessible to humans with average intelligence and education. (Most of you reading this are well above average). Still, when we face a dog who is biting, barking, or just going bonkers, it can all feel like too much. I get it. No, really, I do.

Besides Charlie, who we’ve had just a few months, we also have a year-and-a-half old foster dog, Norman. I want them to behave nicely in the house. I want them to pee and poop outside. I want them to get along well with each other. When I look at those big, admittedly vague, project goals, I feel anxious.

When I look at the process, I breathe easier. When I actually start the process, none of it feels hard at all. Teach coming when called. Teach a relaxed down. Potty train. Monitor body language during play. Cue breaks in play. My training sessions with each dog are short, seven to ten minutes. I train one to two times daily, per dog. That’s it.

Our results have been fast and measurable, so far. My worry about big-picture outcomes (yes, I’m a worrier) reduces notably with each session.

Certainly, I don’t expect my clients to know training processes right off the bat. Teaching those is my job. New trainers also don’t automatically have great timing and mechanical stills (When do I click? When do I give the treat?). Teaching that is also my job. And it’s normal to feel some frustration along the way. You guessed it. Coaching my human clients through that is my job, too.

Bottom line: Set goals. It’s good to know what we are reaching for. Then, set those goals to the side and focus on the process. The destination is not the thing. Getting there is the thing.

 

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He specializes in aggressive dog training.