Prevent Triggers
The first step in solving any pet behavior problem is to identify the lead up to your pet’s unwanted behavior, and then take steps to reduce exposure to the triggers that worry your pet. Is your dog unfriendly to visitors? Bring her somewhere else when answering the door. Too much barking the window? Apply temporary window film or put up a barrier to keep your dog away from that area during high risk times. Issues with leash behavior? Stay in the yard to play with a teaser pole for exercise or drive to a place where you can avoid reactive triggers. This may feel like you are just avoiding the problem, but you actually taking the first necessary step toward teaching a different behavior response. Good behavior management alone is not enough to fully resolve a behavior issue, but it is the necessary foundation for successful training.
Be Safe
If your pet’s behavior potentially dangerous at times, it is important to take preventative steps to keep everyone safe. A good management plan will anticipate what your pet COULD get wrong (not what he is likely to do or what you hope he will do). It requires you to imagine a worst case scenario, then take steps to prevent it from happening. This could mean that you have to temporarily take something away that your pet enjoys (ex. being off leash), but try to remember that this could safe your pet’s life. So many pets are put to sleep for behavior problems that are preventable with safe management.
Set up for Success
When teaching yourself to eat healthier, it is helpful to keep your favorite junk food out of the house. When teaching your pet to choose desirable behaviors, don’t tempt them fail. Rehearsing bad behavior just leads to more bad behavior. Instead of asking “What do I do when my dog behaves anxiously or reactively”. Ask yourself, what can I do to prevent my pet from feeling anxious or reactive. Not only does this have stopping the cycle of unwanted behavior, it also gives you the opportunity to reward good behavior!