08/10/2022
Great resource!
There's really just three main types of dog behavior problems and this flow chart summarizes how you can resolve all three.
Obviously, there's only so much info we can fit on a single page but if you'd like to learn more about how to resolve these 3 common types of dog behavior problems you should enroll in our free online course:
https://dunbar.info/6steps
It all starts with NOT feeding your dog from a food bowl. If your dog has a behavior problems, there's a very good chance you can use their regular daily allotment of food to help resolve this problem. You might be able to resolve it without using their food but making use of their food will almost certainly accelerate the training.
Do the problems occur when the dog is at home and unsupervised? The key is preventing these problems with confinement, either a crate or playpen, but it's essential that you start by teaching your dog to LOVE hanging out in these confined areas, and the best way to do that is with food-stuffed chew toys.
Are the problems the result of fear or stress? Is there any element of aggression? If so, you have to manage for safety and then use classical conditioning to teach your dog to feel more at ease. You'll also want to use lure reward training to put useful skills on cue, which you can use to redirect your dog's attention from stimuli that stress them.
If it's not an at-home unsupervised problem, and it's not a fear or stress-based problem, then all you need is a simple obedience training solution. Your dog is doing something you don't like. What would you like them to do instead? Sit-stay? Down-Stay? Go to their bed and settle down? Be quiet?
Teach them to do this behavior on cue and then practice it in progressively more challenging situations until they do it reliably, anytime, anywhere.
Want to learn more? Sign up for our free course, Six Simple Steps to Solve Your Dog's Behavior Problems: https://dunbar.info/6steps