Behavior modification

How it works

It is usually separated from obedience or skills training. Skills training teaches a dog to do something on cue, such as sit or walk on a loose leash. Behavior modification addresses behavior with an underlying cause, such as barking and lunging driven by fear, guarding driven by worry about losing something, or distress when left alone. A typical plan has several parts working together: a veterinary check to rule out pain or illness, management to stop the behavior being practiced, gradual exposure paired with something good to change how the dog feels, and an alternative behavior the dog can use instead. Where anxiety is severe, a veterinarian may also prescribe medication to support the plan.

What it looks like

A dog growls when anyone approaches while they are chewing a bone. The plan starts with feeding chews in a closed crate so the situation cannot arise. Separately, a person walks past at a distance and tosses a piece of chicken, again and again, until the dog begins to look up hopefully when someone approaches.

Commonly confused with

Management

Management prevents a behavior by arranging the environment, and changes nothing about how the dog would respond given the chance. Behavior modification aims to change that response, and management is usually one part of it.

Related terms