Hold it right there!
Before you even finish that thought I want you to stop, take a breath, and reframe your question.
How about: How can I get my dog to…?
Ask this question and everything changes, doesn’t it? Instead of figuring out how to stop an unwanted behavior, which can be very difficult, you need to get your dog to start a new one — which is often much easier.
This is called differential reinforcement. It’s not just a cool idea – it’s a recognized technique for addressing problem behaviors in both animals and people.
Differential Reinforcement of an Incompatible (DRI) behavior is reducing an unwanted behavior by reinforcing one that is physically incompatible. This is the idea behind the “Say Hi” behavior trained for stopping jumping up.
If identifying or training an incompatible behavior is too difficult, just training and rewarding any other behavior in order to increase the likelihood of them occurring instead of the undesired action may work. This is Differential Reinforcement of an Alternative (DRA) behavior. Rewarding behaviors such as sitting and lying down as a way to distract a puppy from barking are an example of this.
This post isn’t intended to make you an expert on differential reinforcement. These are just two of the more commonly used applications. (There are a few more.) Just try this: the next time you start to think “I wish she would stop…..” flip the sentence around and see what you can come up with.
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Love it! always telling my clients to write me lists of what they want their dog to do, not what they want them not to do…
This training approach had me on the floor laughing, with reference to working on people too! The tool you suggest using when people start down the road of “How do I stop my dog from….” of turning the complaint into a constructive question of how to get he dog to do something else is wonderful and will halt the frustration that causes so many to give up. Thanks, Eric!
I need to take my own advice and add that to my private session questionnaire.
Hey, “Don't Shoot the Dog” was originally intended for people too!
I may not understand the terms, but I get the exercise. I am sure Ty and Buster will be writing to thank you shortly for better preparing me to work with them!
This training approach had me on the floor laughing, with reference to working on people too! The tool you suggest using when people start down the road of “How do I stop my dog from….” of turning the complaint into a constructive question of how to get he dog to do something else is wonderful and will halt the frustration that causes so many to give up. Thanks, Eric!
I need to take my own advice and add that to my private session questionnaire.
Hey, “Don't Shoot the Dog” was originally intended for people too!
I may not understand the terms, but I get the exercise. I am sure Ty and Buster will be writing to thank you shortly for better preparing me to work with them!