How Human Movement Affects Dog Behavior

While we are starting to learn about the function that movement has in a dog's life, we also have to understand one simple impact that movement has on behavior.

Let's first dissect what behavior is. Most people may think behavior is very choice-oriented to the dog where they act out of spite or revenge, stubbornness, or the dog is simply just trying to be difficult. These are simply not true. Dogs don't surround their entire life on morals, what's right and wrong, or to please their owner. They simply do what works and avoids things that don't work, they act based on their instinctual drive, and they "think" based on survival.

If a dog barks at the mailman and the mailman leaves the house, the dog has learned barking has worked! Even though the mailman was going to go on his way either way, since he had to deliver the mail to the next house, the dog will take pride in knowing they caused the mailman to go away. The same can be said for many reactive dogs as well who bark at other dogs and other humans in many cases. The more these behaviors are practiced, the stronger the behaviors may get. This doesn't always have to be "bad" behaviors, but it can also include attention-seeking, learning how to play with other dogs, and just learning how to associate and interact with the world around them.

So, what is one of the primary roles that movement plays in behavior? Let's consider what behavior is "reinforcing" other behavior, such as pulling on leash. When a dog pulls on leash, they learn that movement forward gets them to walk. And then creates this endless loop of "I pull forward = I move forward" And being that many dogs can be a ball of energy and muscle, it can be hard to really control the pull and may even appear unnoticeable until the dog has already pulled a several feet forward.

How to Stop Dog Leash Pulling Using Movement Practice

Practice becoming aware of when the dog tends to pull. This is crucial to understand. We have to assess whether the dog is already pulling forward once the front door opens. Are you even able to open the door, or is there a "trigger" such as another dog or human in the environment that causes the dog to start pulling? Some dogs get excited once the owner picks up the harness. Become aware of your energy and what you're reinforcing in this space. It's okay to be excited and even have the dog display excitement when the harness comes out. It's natural, but boundaries must be practiced consistently in the space of excitement. Examples may be the following: The dog can display happiness, but they can't jump on the owner, the dog can sniff around while on leash, but not pull them down the road, the dog can watch other dogs pass, but they can't pull towards them. This level of boundaries can really help define what is acceptable.

If we stop moving forward, we don't reinforce forward pulling, no matter how hard the dog pulls. Walking the other way can also help keep the walk unpredictable. Training to walk on a leash indoors, even if it's in your own hallway, is the easiest way to reinforce good walking.

While also taking this behavior-focused approach, sprinkling in some canine fitness training would help your dog excel by becoming much more proficient in using their body. These skills can include a tighter heel, walking backwards, crossing under your legs when asked, or using both sides of your body to practice heel on when you want your dog to shift from the right to the left side.

How to Stop Dog Jumping Using Human Movement

Your dog is always responding to their environment, and one main stimulus in the environment is you. Practice becoming aware of your feedback. When the dog jumps and understand why the dog may be jumping in the first place. Is it happening when you come home, and the dog may be excited, or is it happening when you're just standing around, and the dog may be bored? Now here is where most owners get confused. There is advice that we should knee the dog when they jump or ignore the jumping completely. There is a lack of effectiveness in both of these ideas. For one, kneeing a dog is considered abuse. This can also damage your relationship in the long run, which wouldn't be beneficial for either of you. At Venture Dog Training, we don't recommend this. Ignoring your dog for jumping may be beneficial if they haven't gotten reinforced for it in the past, but because there is often a layer of reinforcement that has already happened, this can lead to frustration of the dog jumping even more. So, in this case, a lack of movement is inadvisable. What we recommend doing instead is to move out of the way before the dog's front paws touch you. Sometimes all these takes are one step backwards. We aren't saying run away or have this become a game of chase. If things are to the point of it becoming a game, we prefer managing with a physical barrier, like a baby gate or a crate, when you can't focus on jumping. Reinforce behaviors when the dog has all four feet on the ground.

What to Do When Your Dog Won't Come When Called

Your body can do all types of things to increase your dog's recall. If your dog is having trouble coming when called, it's often because something else in the environment is more distracting/motiving than you and possibly even what you have to offer. Remember, dogs don't come to you because they want to please you, and they aren't just stubborn. It simply hasn't been proficiently practiced at this level.

Remember, in order to get a dog to a state of proficiency, they have to practice in an environment where it's not as stimulating. I tend to say it's like sports practice off the field when the crowd isn't there watching. It's the exercises before the big game or the dance practice before getting on the dance floor.

Some things that can encourage your dog to come using movement are to get to their level. Kneel to their level and call them, open your arms like you're expecting a big hug. This makes you welcoming and exciting. You can move in a little closer to see if you may be able to grab the dog's attention, or you can run away from the dog to see if they will chase you.

In conclusion....

We went over some introductory skills that you can use to encourage a dog to listen. The important takeaway is that we can utilize our own human movement to impact a dog's behavior. There is a feedback loop that we must distinguish, which can be the sole reason why the dog is displaying desirable or undesirable behaviors. Of course, there could be something more to the behavior. Behavior is not so black and white. We want to ask why the behavior is happening in the first place, and it's not always about owner reinforcement; however, at a fundamental stage, we do want to question what we are doing on our end when we move, which may be interacting with the dog's behavior. If you want to learn more about how our human movement interacts with a dog's behavior and how to address these common behaviors more thoroughly, please reach out to us at venturedogtraining.com or email us at info@venturedogtraining.com