In dog training there is a set of behaviors that we refer to as “Attention Getting
behaviors.” This means that the dog is doing “something” that will get his or her owner to pay attention to him and not, for example, to the TV.
Puppies come into the world wired with these behaviors. When they are one week old,
puppies that got stuck in a corner of the whelping box or are taken away from their mom already “know” that they should whimper to get her attention.
As dogs get older and go to live with their human families, they learn what kinds of
behavior will get them attention from their owners. Sometime these actions are useful and desired – as when a dog barks near the door when he needs to go out or when a stranger arrives on your property.
At other times, however, attention-getting behaviors can be a nuisance and, if untreated, can result in considerable human as well as canine frustration.
So the question becomes what should we do to get our dogs to stop these behaviors when they are undesired? The answer is nothing. Just do nothing. Your dog is learning (or has learned already) how to get your attention. If he gets it by barking, he will start barking every time he wants you to get up. Jumping – the same. Instead, you want to teach your dog that these behaviors will not get him the outcome he craves. If you ignore him he will start looking for different ways to get your attention.
While ignoring your dog when he barks/jumps/nips, you should also make sure to clarify for him what behavior you want. For example, if he sits nicely and looks at you, this is the time to pay attention to him. In training this is what we call “marking a behavior”: letting your dog know how to behave appropriately to get the attention he desires.
It is really important not to actively correct the dog for the behaviors that you think are negative, such as barking. For your dog, even negative response is still attention. If your dog was bored all day at home and jumps on you when you return, yelling at him will still be more interesting that just staring at the wall. Therefore, correcting your dog for barking or jumping (instead of ignoring him) won’t stop him from doing it, and he will become more confused and uncertain about what you want him to do. The result will be a dog that is excited to hear your car in the driveway but at the same time anxious about your reaction when you enter. Anxiety in dogs can lead to all kinds of behavioral problems that you do not want to deal with.
This method of training requires patience. Things will get worse before they get better. If your dog is used to getting your attention in a certain way he will try harder when you ignore him. That means that at the beginning he will bark or jump even more than he used to. You will just have to keep your poise and ignore him. Gradually the behavior will diminish and disappear. If you pair this method with rewarding a desired behavior for instance paying attention to him when he is sitting your dog will change his behavior much faster.
Ram Reizel is Master Dog Trainer that trains in Carlton Minnesota serving the areas of Duluth, Superior WI, Cloquet and Moose-Lake.
Please visit our Website at www.ramreizel.com for more information
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