the Cost of Dog Training

Until now, aggression therapies have focused on the pathology of aggressive behavior. The premise is, that if the dog is exposed to a certain trigger, the response is always the same: trigger > attack. In this model, the behavior is involuntary, in short, the dog cannot help it.

The Constructional approach maintains that aggression is a learned behavior and it is persistent because it has worked in the past. In other words, if you have a dog that is fearful of other dogs and the dog has discovered that acting aggressively makes other dogs go away, that aggressive behavior becomes very reinforcing. The dog learns that aggressive behavior pays off. So, what would happen if the aggressive behavior didn't pay off?

Since the function of most aggression is to achieve distance from the icky thing (other dogs, humans, skateboards), if you can manipulate the consequences (the icky thing DOESN'T go away when the dog aggresses) then the dog will start to experiment with which behaviors actually will make the icky thing go away.

Initially, the behaviors may be very small; a sideways glance, blinking the eyes, or a head turn. The dog learns that those behaviors WILL make the icky thing go away. As a treatment progresses the dog begins to feel more comfortable, he will offer more and more alternative behaviors, building a repertoire that is more social, friendlier. The end goal for all types of aggression using these techniques is total interaction not just tolerance.

This service was amazing. My dog was very agressive towards other female dogs, but after going to many classes and many hours of training, she's much much better. I would recommend agression training for any dog.

It's essential that the dog trainer you select uses humane training techniques that encourage appropriate behavior through such positive reinforcement as food, attention, play, or praise. Look for a trainer who ignores undesirable responses or withholds rewards until the dog behaves appropriately. Training techniques should never involve yelling, choking, shaking the scruff, tugging on the leash, alpha rolling (forcing the dog onto his back), or other actions that frighten or inflict pain.