Using Management to Prevent Dog Behavior

As a professional dog trainer, it’s my job to help both dog and pet parent change inappropriate dog behavior. Depending on the situation, management protocols and tools are suggested first before jumping in and changing a behavior. When I mention management tools, many pet owners smirk and give me a side eye because they’re skeptical the tools will work. However, dog behavior management is an essential component of dog training and it can prevent inappropriate behavior from happening. To be completely effective, management must be paired with behavior protocols.

What is Management?

In a nutshell, management means organizing and controlling situations and things. Within the dog training world, management means controlling your dog’s environment to stop your dog’s behavior from happening. Think about management this way: It prevents dogs from engaging in inappropriate behavior.

When dogs practice behaviors (e.g. barking at the front door, digging in the trashcan, fence fighting, etc.), they get better at it. Think of behavior like a muscle; the more the behavior is exercised, the stronger it becomes.

Management stops certain behaviors from happening, but it doesn’t really teach your dog anything. Stopping the behavior from happening is the key to changing your dog’s behavior. Once your dog stops barking, digging or chewing, it’s time to teach your dog what to do instead.

How Does Management Work?

Management works well in many situations. Remember, management is controlling the environment, so your dog stops the inappropriate behavior. Here are a few examples.

• Behavior: Dog barks out front windows.
  Solution: Prevent dog from entering room with front windows by placing a baby gate to block access.

• Behavior: Dog digs in trash.
  Solution: Purchase a trashcan with a heavy lid.

• Behavior: Dog runs away from you.
  Solution: Keep dog leashed at all times.

• Behavior: Dog chews furniture when you’re away.
  Solution: Crate dog when you leave.

• Behavior: Dog barks at outside noises.
  Solution: Play soft music to drown out noises.

How to Use Management in Dog Training

Sometimes, if you’re really lucky, management will stop a behavior immediately. Usually, this happens when management is introduced early, so the behavior isn’t that strong. For example, if a pet owner prevents a barking dog from running over and barking out windows quickly by installing a baby gate in the doorway, the behavior will go away because the dog is unable to run over and bark out the window.

Management can prevent behaviors from happening too. Purchasing a heavy lidded trash can will prevent a dog from dumpster diving. For persistent trash digging dogs, placing a trashcan inside a cabinet works amazingly well too.

Management Isn’t Foolproof

This is very true. Management will stop or prevent a behavior from happening, but it’s not 100% effective. Usually, management breaks down due to human error. We forget to close a baby gate, close the trash can lid and so forth. It takes only one successful opportunity for your dog to start digging in the trash or barking intensely at the window again.

Additionally, if a dog has practiced a behavior for a long time, it might take some time for management to help. Management should be used to prevent inappropriate behavior from happening while pet owners should train dogs on what they should do instead. For example, keeping your dog on a short leash will prevent him from jumping up on guests. Asking your dog to sit (and rewarding him lavishly) when greeting guests teaches your dog that sitting works best.

Conclusion

Management is the first step in changing dog behavior, and it should be followed thoroughly. Furthermore, management shouldn’t be the only option. It’s important to teach your dog how to react differently. When in doubt, reach out to a professional positive reinforcement dog trainer for advice.

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