You won’t need us to tell you that being a dog parent isn’t always plain sailing.
Though caring for a dog can be thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding, there are times when even the biggest dog person might feel frustrated or disheartened. If your dog isn’t quite understanding what you want from them, or you feel as though they’re being deliberately awkward or stubborn, knowing what to do next can be tricky – particularly if you’ve already tried using some of the best dog treats!
But while it might feel as though our dogs are pushing our buttons sometimes, they aren’t doing so on purpose. Professional trainers Ella Camps-Linney and Alistair Mackenzie, the owners of Kirby Dog Training, have explained what’s really going on here, and it’s rather eye-opening.
Camps-Linney and Mackenzie begin, “We promise you: your dog isn’t giving you a hard time on purpose, they are probably having a hard time!”
They explain that a dog’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and planning, isn’t as well-developed as a human’s, which has an impact on their ability to feel revenge or spite.
“Dogs have complex cognitive abilities, but they lack the advanced reasoning and moral judgment that humans use to act with intentional malice,” they continue, so if you’re dealing with one of these common dog behavior problems, there’s a reason for it.
“Their brains are primarily focused on immediate survival, forming bonds, and responding to their environment. Studies in canine cognition show that dogs do not possess the capability to form long-term, premeditated plans to harm or upset others.”
The way your dog behaves is a form of communication, and provides valuable information. When a dog isn’t doing what we want, it’s up to us to find out why and help them out. As frustrating as it might be, there will be a reason. Maybe you’re training recall in dogs, or trying to stop them from jumping up, or stop barking – whatever it is, there’s a reason.
As Camps-Linney and Mackenzie explain, “It might be that they haven’t practiced the behavior you want in lots of environments yet, it might be that we are expecting too much of them too soon, it might be that they are experiencing big emotions, it might be that the distractions are too high, the distance too close, it might be that we aren’t using the right motivation, the wrong treat values, the list goes on!”
It can be valuable to take a step back, as well as some deep breaths if you need to, and really think about why your dog isn’t co-operating to formulate a plan. Then, it’ll become an experience you can learn from.
Need more advice? Here’s how to deal with a badly behaved dog.
