By: Eileen Koval, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, MSc
"I am a good dog owner and a confident person so why does my dog have behavior problems?" -- asked by a concerned dog owner
A confident owner will convey to dogs that they can trust in their human to keep them safe, so they do not need to be reactive while walking on leash.
A more confident owner will show dogs they do not need to have anxiety during separation.
These are common myths that circulate in the training world and dog sports world that often leave owners feeling more frustration and less understanding of their dog's situation.
Owner's emotional states absolutely influence the emotional states of their dogs -- and everyone else living with them, too! Indeed, their stress can also influence our stress levels. However, these over-simplifications are some of the biggest fallacies making their rounds in the dog training world. The underlying message is that your dog's behavior problems are a reflection of YOU as a person -- that your dog's character or behavioral flaws are your own. Similarly, this message asserts that your dog is not a sentient being. They are merely a mirror of their human's emotional state, lacking independent thoughts, feelings, perceptions, or emotions of their own. Simplistic messages can feel catchy and empowering, but usually do not yield the results people want. They miss the mark with addressing whatever the issue is at hand (e.g. fear of dogs, environmental sensitivities, lack of positive social experiences, difficulties handling frustration, needing additional training of particular skills, etc).
Certainly, if owners do not choose to put in the work then there is some level of ownership for problematic dog behavior. However, dogs' emotional states are NOT simply a mirror image of our own. Whether human or canine, we also each bring our unique experiences, learning, traumas, perceptions, and likes/dislikes into situations. Your dog is not an empty vessel waiting for a human to tell them how to feel. Dogs experience a very different world than we do with their unique perceptions informed by their genetics, selective breeding for particular perceptions, behaviors, and past experiences (or lack thereof) as well. Merely exuding confidence while entering environments around other dogs will not make your dog non-reactive in social settings. Being confident leaving the home will not cure separation anxiety. On the flip side, simply sharing a trusting relationship with another person does not make someone feel comfortable to repeatedly enter a situation that feels terrifying to one's personal safety day after day.
Behavior modification will help address emotional issues by building positive emotions, practiced behavior patterns, and controlled arousal. This can include controlling environmental arrangements, creating predictable routines, desensitization and/or counter-conditioning, coping skills for emotional regulation). The type of confidence that WILL help is if you know what to do in a scenario and can offer clear communication to your dog about what behaviors you will like to see. The good news is that once owners get started, behavior modification can yield transformative results for their pet's behavior as well as their relationship with their pet.
Dogs are incredibly perceptive of our emotional state. If we are stressed, they may worry about us, or alternatively, think that there is something to worry about in the environment. That does not mean they lack self-awareness. They absolutely are filled with their own rich emotions. Does worrying about a friend or spouse who appears stressed mean that we do not have emotions of our own? It is time to stop thinking so simplistically about the complex lives and emotions of our canine companions. Appreciate and respect them for all that they truly are.
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Eileen Koval, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, MSc (in Operations Management) is a fully certified dog behavior consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She is currently working toward a M.S. in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare at Husson University. She believes the foundation of a good cross-species relationship is understanding the needs and normal behavior patterns of each dog as an individual, as he/she was bred to be. She enjoys helping humans and dogs communicate more effectively to create brilliant relationships with joy, purpose, and fulfillment for all species involved. She offers private consulting for serious dog behavior issues, obedience/manners, and agility training. Eileen developed a unique online course to help pet parents and trainers develop reliable snake avoidance behavior off-leash through positive reinforcement techniques. These techniques have been applied by trainers worldwide to teach dogs reliable avoidance of dangerous environmental hazards and off-leash property boundaries. She lives on a small ranch in Las Vegas, Nevada with her husband and their Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes.
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