😫 Treating reactivity is a specialized field within the dog training profession. It requires many hours devoted to education in the latest scientific research and techniques, studying the top practitioners in the subject, and many hours of practical experience in the field. There are several different categories within the dog training profession that one can specialize in, such as: puppy/basic obedience, dog sports (agility, show/conformation, treiball, freestyle), separation distress or anxiety, therapy dog, Service Dog, breed-specific training (herding, retrieving, hunting), working breed (protection, search and rescue/scent). Each subset has its own unique requirements for a professional to competently address each client’s individual needs.
😫 In my case, focusing on reactivity also required countless hours of training, shaping, and tailoring several of my own dogs to become “demo” or “decoy” dogs to use in different protocols with clients’ dog-reactive dogs. All six of my dogs that I use are rescues, and with the exception of Brandy, they ALL had reactivity issues of their own at some point or another. (I’m convinced that Brandy was just born with the perfect temperament, although she was pretty neglected by her original owners before I got her at 8 months).
😫 Unfortunately, many dog owners believe that reactivity means their dogs are being disrespectful to them as owners--if only their dogs could stop trying to be the “alpha” and obey when they’re asked to sit, down, and stay when another dog goes by… But here’s the deal: reactivity is not an obedience issue. REACTIVITY is NOT an OBEDIENCE ISSUE! Your reactive dog is not stubborn, is not misbehaving, is not dumb, and is not executing “revenge” for you going away last weekend.
😫 Reactivity is an emotional issue, and every dog has his own unique history and set of lifestyle/learning circumstances that contributed to his behavior around certain triggers. You cannot “train” reactivity out of a dog (or any learner, for that matter). It takes a qualified professional to get to the emotional root of your dog’s conditioned emotional response. And don’t fall for a “quick fix” promise--treating reactivity is almost always a long journey, not an immediate destination. A competent, ethical professional will help you realistically manage your expectations and set achievable goals.
www.benevolentsundogs.com 🌅
Canine Behavior Modification & Training
Broward & Palm Beach Counties
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16 сен 2024
