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Owner Education From A Different Perspective |
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Written by Stephen C. Rafe
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 Something about the way we approach canine behavior troubles me. For the most part, we seem geared to thinking and talking about the subject from the perspective that "It must be broken: So we have to fix it."
Rarely do we seem to focus on the valid viewpoint that owners have an obligation to recognize and accept the fact that most of what dogs do is perfectly normal and natural -- from the dogs' perspective.
Somehow we've directed our focus to treating "bad" dogs -- or, at the very least, dogs' "bad" behaviors. Begging the Question
While "maladaptive" would be a more accurate way to classify the behaviors of dogs whose owners seek help, even this term begs the question: Do owners have a responsibility for understanding the genetically formed, (i.e. "natural") instincts, drives and behaviors of this creature that humankind has domesticated from the wild? Or are they merely obliged to raise their dogs according to human standards and expectations?
In my experience, dogs have done better at adapting to humans than we have at understanding them and adapting our expectations accordingly. Would aggression be the problem it is today if people truly understood their dogs? At the other end of the scale, would obedience competitors continue to drive themselves to frustration trying to get that "perfect score" with a breed whose genetic profile is not suited to that task?
An Educational Approach
Is dog training and behavior about fixing problems, or is it about increasing owners' understanding and helping them set realistic expectations? Would we not serve better if we placed at least as much effort into helping owners see and experience their dogs' natural behaviors as strengths -- and then working within that profile to bring out the dogs' personal best? We all know that dogs that do something well and receive praise for it are more likely to succeed than dogs that do something the owners don't like and are corrected or punished for it.
We could accomplish much more, in my view, by helping owners discover what's right about their dogs and building upon that. Two well-formed, natural behaviors of our Jack Russell Terriers are chasing ground animals and digging holes: Our German Shorthaired Pointers don't engage in either activity. They like to find gamebirds and point them -- something the Jack Russells have no natural ability for doing. Yet both breeds are hunters.
We seem to be experiencing an epidemic of canine behavior problems. As a kid, my dog was as welcome on the streets of my town as I was. (I can only hope that doesn't say more about me than it does about my dog.) My friends and I had our dogs with us everywhere -- swimming, camping, playing sandlot ball, and sledding. Everybody knew them and liked them. But we all knew they were dogs, and we treated them, respectfully, as such. Because they were constantly exposed to one another, and to all kinds of people, they adapted well to our shared environment.
Times Have Changed
Today, we leash our dogs, lock them inside all day long, and, in general, keep them away from other dogs and people. Small wonder, then, that they lack the socialization skills essential to their success when they finally are exposed to people and other animals. Our cat gets along well with our dogs: Our dogs don't even show aggression toward my son's ferret. But we give them all ample opportunity to experience being around one another -- under our supervision where the ferret's concerned.
Building Success
When dogs are well socialized to other creatures and humans in ways that regard and respect their own unique natures, they are more likely to succeed in terms of humans' expectations. And that starts, in my opinion, with finding out what's natural, and right, about our dogs. While I certainly support the role of professionals as healers, I believe those who take on this role also have an implicit obligation to serve as educators. We need to help owners understand why dogs do what they do, and how they, as owners, can use that knowledge to build a more successful relationship with their animals.
A New Perspective
Practitioners in canine behavior have become highly successful in understanding and treating problems from a psychological perspective. However, much more could be done from a sociological point of view. Put another way, we know far more about problem solving in dogs than we do about recognizing and building their natural strengths. There seems to be no taxonomy for accomplishing this. . We don't appear to have an agreed-upon system or methodology for classifying those traits in canines which owners need to know in order to maximize their chances for success. This would seem to be one of the more fertile and productive areas of opportunity available to professionals today.
When owners have a better understanding why their dogs do what they do -- naturally -- they will be in a better position to understand what they, the owners, need to do to maintain their domesticated animals as pets. Certainly over the long run, both our dogs and their owners will be better served by this approach.
No Retreat
This is not to suggest a retreat from the approach that is based upon helping owners identify and solve their problems with their dogs. Rather, it recommends that a collaborative compilation of what we know about canines in their own environments and dogs as adaptive creatures in their environments with humans. It further suggests the development of an educational program that helps owners understand what is right about their dogs, and how they, as owners, can adapt their thinking and expectations -- as well as their interactions with their dogs -- accordingly.
I believe that owners are ready for this, due in part to the increasing numbers of canine-behavior problems, changes in our society's approach to animals, and owners' expectations of their household pets. Such an approach would also carry with it the highly desirable outcome of preventing behavior problems in the future as owners come to understand their dogs' natures better and recognize and accept their own roles in their dogs' success.
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Stephen C. Rafe has been a canine-behavior practitioner for more than 20 years. His work has been endorsed by leading professionals including Drs. Michael Fox, David Mech, Richard Lore, and J.P. Scott. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree and has more than six years of study in psychology and sociology. His contributions to the research in the field of animal behavior include cure systems for noise-phobic dogs that professionals consider to be the most effective available. Steve is also the author of Your New Baby and Bowser, Training Your Dog for Birdwork, and numerous manuals and pamphlets on training and behavior.
Starfire, P.O. Box 3119, Warrenton, VA, 20188-1819
Tel / Fax: (540) 349-1039 E-mail: steve-rafe@erols.com
Website: www.starfire-rapport.com
By: Stephen C. Rafe
© 1998,2002, Stephen C. Rafe. All Rights Reserved.
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