What is Behavior Modification

Why should I learn about Behavior Modification

Terms

Tactics

What is Behavior Modification?

Behavior modification is a term much referred to in training circles, but seldom explained in any satisfying detail. After all, isn't obedience training a way to change a dog's behavior?

Dogs with aggressive problems are not looking at the world the way a normal dog. They are unable to differentiate between what they perceive as a threat and a real threat, or able to react appropriately.

Behavior modification refers to changing the problem behavior through changing a dog's attitude. Training (as in obedience training) teaches a specific behavior action (such as learning to sit). While some behavior modification uses obedience postures (as in sitting or lying down), as part of a behavior changing program, these postures act as tool in an overall program that hopes to change how the dog thinks, feels and behaves. Lying down and staying may encourage deference or relaxation for example In combination with other methods.[1]

According to the protocols used at American College of Veterinary Behavior, Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, there are a few steps involved while make your dog ready for change. The first step encourages your dog to defer to you:

• Teaching your aggressive dog deferential behavior
  Dominance aggression in dogs: part 1, Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl.
  
  
• Changing the Owner-Pet Relationship
  includes potential problems and pitfalls with deference program

Next step involves relaxation as a foundation to all other behavior modification techniques (which vary depending on the nature of your dogs challenges).

• Protocol for Relaxation - Karen Overall's behavior modification program
  
• Other strategies may be to teach your dog to "watch" or "focus", to "settle", or to "go to your mat" and practice long down stays on hisor her mat. Massage or T-touch may be used. Some clicker trainers have had success clicking their dogs when they take a more relaxing position eventually working towards marking their slower breathing patterns
  

More related information regarding behavior modifcation:

• Using avoidance and passive behavior modification to treat canine dominance aggression
  Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl. ACVB,
  
  
• Using active behavior modification to treat dominance aggression in dogs
  Dominance aggression in dogs: part 1, Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl. ACVB,

Behavior modifcation is then tailored to the specific nature of the problem. This is where consulting a qualified expert is needed. Below are some articles that are examples of how behavior modification might be applied to a specific situation.

• FEAR & the Use of Systematic Desensitization
   By Doctors McKeown, Luescher and Machum of the Ontario Veterinary College. These techniques have worked well in the past, but they obviously require a great deal of commitment from you if they are to be effective. Although your dog will always be fearful, with these techniques you can train him to accept situations in which his fear response is totally inappropriate
  
  
• Protocol for Desensitization and Counterconditioning to Noises and Activities That Occur by the Door
  By Dr. Karen Overall "Some dogs that are fearfully aggressive or those that are protectively or territorially aggressive react whenever anyone comes to a door and rings the doorbell or knocks. Because the reaction level at the door is a key in the dog's increasing anxieties, clients often need to work separately on desensitizing and counterconditioning the dogs to noises and activities around the door."
  
  
• Protocol for Teaching Your Dog to Uncouple Departures and Departure Cues
  By Dr. Karen Overall help for separation anxiety
  
  
• Desensitization for Muzzles and Head Halters
  (MS word doc format)
  
  
• Desensitizing for vet visits

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Why should I learn about behavior modification?

Education is important. And knowledge will give you a little more to empower yourself. Treatment, although frustrating at times, does not need to be intimidating.

Ultimately, you will be working with your dog. While learning about behavior modification won't teach you exactly how to treat your dog, will be a great benefit to you as an order in understanding how a given program could work, and why you need to comply with the program for your dog.

Further some trainers, even well meaning experienced trainers (never mind scam artists) only pick up the methods of behavior modification without understanding the context of why they work. There are plenty of books written by experienced trainers who are seen as experts with very little academic training, or understanding about learning principals that are behind the methods.

Some trainers or "behaviorists" focus instead on the actions without fully understanding why the methods have evolved. It is a little like the child's game of telephone. The message eventually gets distorted. This is not a concern for obedience training for the normal dog.

Unfortunately, when trying to affect how an aggressive dog thinks, small misunderstandings can affect a dog greatly. For example one trainer recommends you deal with dogs who are afraid of thunder storms by rewarding them for sitting and staying by your side. This may seemsimilar to desensitization combined with counter conditioning, and yet this suggestion not only will not get rid of the dog's fear unless the fear was very minor or very new, but could actually cause the dog greater anxiety.

Another trainer recommends long crate stays, claiming it is not a punishment, but a way for the dog to gain insight about his situation. If the dog suffers from learned helplessness and become passive in the process, it can seem like the trick worked. But instead the crate is being used as excessive punishment, and the dog may actually become worse, or develop other behavioral problems.

An expert should understand how the principles of learning can be applied to your dog's specific issues. Understand that it is possible to make a situation worse if these methods are done improperly. That is why relying on an experienced expert is essential. They will be able to outline exercises, a schedule, and consult with you about your dog's progress. Additionally a consultant is an objective expert who can help you with timing problems around corrections and rewards (often the biggest difficulty), and when to change correct your tone, posture, or quickness of praise or rewards. It helps if you understand why these things are important.

Accurate diagnosis is essential. Even though your dog and your neighbor's dog both fight, for example, their problems and their treatments may take on very different forms.

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Terms

Less important are the terms, more important is the understanding how behavior modification works. The terms will give you a base to start your research from. You can read up about this on the Internet (although some of the information is too technical, confused, misinformed or inaccurate), but you are better off finding a book in your library that can explain them in greater detail in an accessible way.

NOTE: This is only a simple guideline on behavior modification methods. The most important part of the process is determining what your dog needs in his situation. Again, accurate diagnosis can be complicated but is essential. A consultant can give you an idea after meeting you and your dog and conducting an extensive interview based on your history.

Conditioning refers to the association between a stimulus ( something that is capable of provoking a response in an animal), and the response itself. This is a little like looking at the association between cause and effect. There are two kinds of conditioning that is referred to and often confused.

Classical conditioning does not involve a reward structure. Generally an even occurs, followed by another event. A dog can come to respond to the first event in anticipation of the second. For example, anyone who's dog starts to get excited when the leash is brought out from the closet, has been classical conditioned to expect a walk in association with the leash. There are no consequences to the dog's action. For example the dog is not rewarded because the dog gets excited. If the leash is brought out several times without the walk being associated, then the response will diminish, although will not necessarily disappear completely.

More on Classical Conditioning.

Operant or instrumental conditioning uses a reinforcement (such as rewards and/or punishments). There is usually a consequence to a given action. For example, if a dog is asked to sit, and is given a reward, then the dog will come to anticipate the consequence to sitting when asked.

It is most successful if the reinforcement occurs immediately (within 0.5 seconds). Delayed or intermittent reinforcement (rewards and/or punishments) can slow the process of learning and acquiring the behavior, although work well for maintaining the behavior. The more an animal values the reinforcer the more quickly and reliably it will acquire the response. It is important to understand that not all dogs value the same things equally. Some dogs desire food treats, other praise, or playing with a ball, etc.

Secondary reinforcers are signals the indicate the reward of valuable reinforcer is coming - commonly used secondary reinforcers are words ("good girl"), clickers, hand signals, whistles, etc... This reinforcer can be learned through classical conditioning.

The schedule of reinforcements is important for teaching or learning a behavior and maintaining it. How often the dog is rewarded while learning, after the dog has learned, and what happened when the dog is not responding the right way, etc., A good consultant will be able to lay this out to you very clearly.

Learning is complex and variable. It is essential to note that conditioning is not the only way dogs learn. There is habituation, associative (conditioning) learning, perceptive/discriminating learning, insight learning, learning to learn,and imprinting which is early learning.

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Tactics

Behavior Modification uses six main tactics that all involve learning:

Habituation

Extinction

Desensitization

Counter conditioning

Flooding

Avoidance/aversive conditioning

1. Habituation: involves an elementary form of learning. It involves no rewards. To simplify, it is the principle behind learning that nothing horrible happens in response to something new in the environment. This usually needs the event to be repeated. A puppy may be startled by the door bell, but will learn to get used to it through habituation.
   
   
2. Extinction: The discontinuing of a response because a reward (or reinforcement) no longer exists. The major pitfall for the use of extinction is that if there is any doubt that the reward is truly gone then the behavior will continue. For example, a dog who is rewarded with any form of attention for jumping up even occasionally, will continue to do so.
   
   
3. Desensitization: The reduction of a response by the gradual non-threatening exposure to the event or situation that provoked the response. For example, a dog who becomes fearful or stimulated at the sound of a doorbell, may eventually relax if a tape recorder is used. First playing the sound softly at first so the dog doesn't react, then playing the sound louder and louder at a slow enough rate so as to not to provoke the response. This often requires to go back to the previous event where there was no response and working up. This way the dog may become desensitized to the doorbell. Doing the exercises too fast sabotages the program and can cause anxiety in their dogs. This is not a quick fix, but is a method that often works well, if executed properly.
   
   
4. Counter conditioning: A undesired behavior may be extinguished or controlled by teaching the dog to do something else (ideally a behavior that is favorable and fun). Ideally the new behavior is incompatible with the undesired response. For example, if a puppy can be taught to sit-stay and relax (the relaxing is the point), and rewarded for it, instead of becoming anxious, if done properly, can be used to substitute the positive response (relaxing) for the undesirable response (anxiety). Best coupled with desensitization, as the dog can relax for a given period of time (as set by the consultant), then the sound of the doorbell can be made a little louder, and the work is done again. At any time the dog becomes anxious, the sound of the doorbell is lowered until the dog can perform the exercises in a relaxed state again. Again, a very time consuming technique, but works. Dog owners that have the least success are those who want quick fixes and less work. This is not something a trainer can do for you. You are a factor in the process, and by the end of the exercises in combination with other methods, you withdraw from the situation. It is hard work, but it works.
   
   
5. Flooding: is the opposite of desensitization and should be used as a last resort and only at the advice of a truly qualified expert. Involves prolonged exposure at a level that provokes the response in the animal so that the animal eventually gives up. This can damage the dog.
   
   
6. Avoidance/aversive conditioning: This is the definition of punishment, and has a high probability of backfiring. Punishment does not mean physical punishment. The best punishment is nonphysical and noninteractive (e.g. "time out"). Local pain caused by pinch collars, hitting or shock collars causes increased aggression in dominantly aggressive dogs.
   
   "The critical factors in punishment are
   1. timing
   2. consistency
   3. appropriate intensity
   4. the favorable stimulus or reward when the behavior ceases even if it is just praise or a pat. This is the single most ignored aspect of therapy for clients whose pets have behavioral problems; when the pets are not causing trouble; almost no one tells them how good they are. This is where the most ground is lost." (Overall, 1997)

    

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Finally, a good trainer will have a few good tricks up his sleeve that he or she may need to use for you and your dog. These are beyond the scope of this page as each dog and owner situation is unique.

References

[1] Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D. Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Behavior, Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, Mosby, Inc. 1997

Teaching your aggressive dog deferential behavior
Dominance aggression in dogs: part 1, Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl. ACVB, Department of clinical Studies, School of Veterinary medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com

Protocol for Deference - Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D. Diplomate
Orginally appeared on: http://www.cnca.com/whats-new-relax.htm

Protocol for deference - Silverden
Orginally appeared on http://www.aquafit.org.uk/silverden/archive/arch02.html

Changing the Owner-Pet Relationship
Debra Horwitz, DVM, Diplomate ACVB Veterinary Behavior Consultations St. Louis, Missouri

Protocol for Relaxation -Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D. Diplomate
http://home.gci.net/~divs/behavior/bemod_relax.html

Protocol for basic relaxation techniques - Silverden exercises
Orginally appeared on: http://www.aquafit.org.uk/silverden/archive/arch03.html

Using avoidance and passive behavior modification to treat canine dominance aggression
Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl. ACVB, Department of clinical Studies, School of Veterinary medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com

Using active behavior modification to treat dominance aggression in dogs
Dominance aggression in dogs: part 1, Karen L. Overall, MA, VMD. Phd, Dipl. ACVB, Department of clinical Studies, School of Veterinary medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com

FEAR & the Use of Systematic Desensitization
 By Doctors McKeown, Luescher and Machum of the Ontario Veterinary College.
http://www.kuvasz.info/kuvaszfear.htm

Protocol for Desensitization and Counterconditioning to Noises and Activities That Occur by the Door
By Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D. Diplomate
http://www3.us.elsevierhealth.com/communities/Veterinary/Overall/protocolnoises_instructions.html

Protocol for Teaching Your Dog to Uncouple Departures and Departure Cues
By Karen L. Overall, M.A., V.M.D., Ph.D. Diplomate
http://www3.us.elsevierhealth.com/communities/Veterinary/Overall/protocoldeparture_instructions.html

Desensitization for Muzzles and Head Halters
Dr. Lore I. Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB
http://www.bcrescuetexas.org/Training/Desensitization for Muzzles and Head Halters.doc

Desensitization/Counterconditioning for Veterinary Visits
Dr. Lore I. Haug, DVM
Texas A&M University Veterinary Teaching Hospital
http://www.lbah.com/ Dog Behavior Pages/pupvetvisit.htm

Territorial Aggression Toward People
By Dr. Nicolas Dodman. 
http://petplace.netscape.com/Articles/artPrinterFriendly.asp?all=1&artID=1990&conID=19261

Inter-Dog Fear Aggression
By Dr. Nicolas Dodman, Dr. Alice Moon-Fanelli
http://www.petplace.com/articles/artShow.asp?artID=1972 

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