Sometimes My Dog Training Advice Does Not Involve Training

Often, I am contacted by a dog parent to help with “problem” behaviors that the human wants the dog to stop doing. Some common behaviors are: digging in the yard, chasing the kids, or stealing human food off of the counter or the table.  Pet parents come to me for tips on how to “fix” these behaviors. Sometimes they are surprised when my advice is not necessarily to stop these behaviors, but to give the dog an outlet to perform the behaviors in a safe way.

Humans intentionally designed or bred dogs to perform many behaviors that, in today’s world, we find bothersome. For example, terriers were bred to dig and tunnel to get rats. Exterminating rats saved the surplus food humans had (before more modern storage facilities), and reduced disease transmission to our food supply. Today, many terrier owners are frustrated when their Yorkie or Schnauzer is digging under the deck or in the flower bed.  Most times, my training session plans for these dogs includes giving them a “digging box” or “digging pit”, and also doing nosework (hiding things like treats or toys outside, even buried and letting the dog dig to find them). This gives the dog a way to relieve their natural need to perform these actions, and will minimize unwanted digging in our prized gardens or lawn. I also include training cues in these plans (a strong recall word such as a “leave it” and “drop it” cues). But usually, if you give the dog an outlet for their strong natural breed tendencies, you will see less “problem” behaviors. Let the dog be a dog!