dog behavior training

Dog behavior training issues are usually associated with assertive dogs. You could be forgiven for thinking that passive dogs should be easy to train.

After all, a passive dog is one that waits for others and seems comfortable letting others lead to the point where it will be last to do everything. One clue to a passive dog is that when in a pack, if there is more than one dog at home, or if playing with a group while exercising, it stays a little detached from the others. We are not talking about an older dog here, or a frightened or placid one. So what’s the problem?

Much of passive behavior isn’t a problem, but there could be some:

1. For example, the passive dog is not going to be much help guarding your house.
2. It will let strangers approach you or it with no reaction, in any circumstances.
3. In a situation with other dogs, it could get into problems from other, more exuberant dogs.
4. If it is part of a pack of dogs at home, its food could be taken in some circumstances. It may even find itself being chased away at times, which will lead to more serious issues in future.

These examples may not always be desirable. While recognizing that dogs have characters and some traits may be largely unchangeable, by working with the nature of the dog and consistently training the change in behavior you are seeking, over time it can be encouraged to be more outgoing in some situations by using some or all of the following techniques:

• Find the toy or reward it likes best, and use that to reward it, possibly by going so far as to remove a toy at times so that it has more impact when used.
• If training a behavior, be a little more gentle than normal when appropriate. This might be by using a more friendly tone, not waiting so long for a reaction and/or being a little more patient though still persistent in training exercises, etc.
• If you have more than one dog at home, while helping the passive one in situations where the others are taking advantage, clear signals can be sent to all by making sure it goes first for things occasionally, for example when entering the house.
• Again in the “pack” environment, be seen to take it out on its own on occasion and in some circumstances, feeding it separately to the others will reinforce its confidence in itself and its position to the others.

It may take time but by setting modest goals for any changes, these tips create more opportunity for the changes to happen.