When Dogs Act Like Dogs, Everyone Wins

I once had a Beagle named Gaston. He would howl at passing dogs, when you came home from work, and when he was hunting bumble bees (the only thing he hunted, by the way). When Gaston got old and lost his hearing, we no longer heard him as we were pulling our car up the driveway. However, as soon as the key entered the lock and he caught our scent, the happy howls commenced! While his howling wasn’t the prettiest sound in the world, it was a breed characteristic that, as soon as you accepted it, became a welcomed form of communication to our life with him.

This was a Beagle being a Beagle: a dog bred to sound the alarm and get your attention when they found something. When he howled at our return home, it was like he was letting us know that he found us, and he was so happy with this discovery. Our life together was made significantly better because we accepted the dog we had and learned to work with him.

Working With the Dog You Have

Life with Gaston could have gone in a different direction. Between the howling, and the insatiable desire to sniff everything in sight, I could have spent a lot of training hours suppressing the barking at every chance I got and omitting the sniffing from our walk entirely. But what would I have succeeded at doing? Certainly not enhancing my dog’s life or our relationship together.

What I decided to do was to give my Beagle an opportunity to be a Beagle. To practice a set of skills that were unique to him and that he found joy in practicing. But, I gave him a lane to operate in. We worked on a Quiet cue (my word was Enough) to help me help him understand when the barking was no longer necessary. And I used a walking tool that helped me help him slow down on the walk and not pull.

For a little bit, I did try to reign in the sniffing, but what I ended up doing was building up a lot of frustration in my dog which led to even more excessive howling. The training we did together enhanced his qualities and built on what he was good at, which eventually led him to be able to become a certified Therapy Dog.

When Frustration Becomes the Problem

So many dogs I work with are having behavioral issues due to frustration. And the frustration stems from being told NO….all the time. Don’t bark! Don’t jump! Don’t pull! Meanwhile, the dog is not being told what they CAN do.

Dogs bark! Many jump because let’s face it….they’re really athletic and find joy in it. And pulling? They’re on a mission and they don’t understand the dynamics of this whole leash walking thing. They are being dogs, and they are trying to live in this human world the best they can.

Teaching What Dogs Can Do

So what’s the best training you can give your dog who’s practicing behaviors that annoy you? Find what brings them joy so that THEY are operating a less frustrating lifestyle. Stop telling them what they can’t do and start telling them what they can do.

If you have a jumper, enroll them in agility or practice your own urban agility. If you have a dog with insane prey drive, buy them a Flirt Pole and learn how to use it and play with them. If you have a crazy leash puller, make sure you’re draining some of their pent up energy before telling them how to slow down and focus. Maybe you teach them how to use a treadmill. Maybe you play a great game of tug. Ask yourself ‘what do I need you to do, and how can I help you achieve that goal.’

Merging the Human and Dog Worlds

Dogs are born knowing how to do one thing: be a dog. Some are born with a specific set of skills that we’d be stupid not to incorporate into their daily activities. All are born needing direction and a strong desire to perform tasks that bring them joy.

If we don’t provide those tasks, they will make up their own. And that’s usually when humans and dogs start to have a conflict. Humans will be humans and dogs will be dogs, but it is up to us to merge those worlds cohesively where everyone will benefit!