As a professional dog trainer in Bradenton, Florida – I often field calls related to a dog’s aggression toward their owner or other humans and pets around them.
Dogs live in the moment, and any punishment or reward must be timed within seconds of the behavior if we want to encourage or discourage that behavior. For example, if you come home to pillow cases being ripped up and feathers being everywhere, the incident may have happened hours ago. In a rage, punishing the dog in this moment may not have the effect you’re hoping for, as the dog will likely just see his owner inexplicably punishing him, which will frighten the dog.
Safety is the Key Ingredient
A psychologist named Abraham Maslow is renowned for his hierarchy of needs where he placed safety above the need for water, shelter, and even food. Consider this: Are you going to stop for a meal if there was a lion loose in the restaurant? Absolutely not, because in that moment, your need for safety will outweigh your appetite. While the psychologist above is focusing on human behavior, this is something that clearly will overlap with dogs and other pets as well.
When we (knowingly or not) push dogs into feeling unsafe, we push them out of balance, and the unsafe feeling is often the root of an aggressive response.
NOT feeling safe underlies behavior issues that owners, trainers and behaviorists face every day:
- Separation anxiety: The fear of losing the dog’s most significant social bond (to the owner); panic-inducing for some dogs.
- Leash aggression: By being tethered to a leash that eliminates the possibility for “flight” from a scary dog or person, the dog reacts out of fear to make them go away.
- Aggression towards men or children: Not being properly socialized to them as puppies, dogs can perceive these individuals as threats to their survival.
In all of these cases, we humans can rationalize how the dog’s safety is not threatened—but the dog’s emotion (fear) is very real to them.
Training also makes dogs feel happy and safe. Studies on the brain show that animals like to have their brains challenged. The mental exercise can be just as rewarding (and exhausting) to your dog as physical exercise. As long as you use positive methods to teach your dog, he will LOVE the safety and security that comes with learning.
