​​​WHAT IS BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION?​

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Behavior modification, or BMod for short, is the process of modifying a behavior response to a particular situation or stimuli (person, dog, wildlife, ect.).

 

In dog training we utilize behavior modification to change behaviors that are harmful or damaging to the dog or others.

 

These kinds of behaviors could be:

 

• Extreme fears, anxieties and phobias of various things or situations, such as: 

  • Fear of humans, children, other dogs or animals.

  • Fear of objects or situations - difficulty with handling for grooming or the vet, not wanting to get into the car, fear of houshold objects - vaccuums, blenders, blow driers ect. 

  • Separation anxieties - fear of being left alone.  Brought on by being isolated and left alone this can manifest as excessive vocalization, heavy drooling, urinating and deficating,  destructive behaviors such as chewing, shredding and ingesting items, and self harm such as plucking hair, excessive licking or chewing of themselves while confined. 

  • Sound sensitivity/noise phobias - intense fear and distress in response to loud noises - spontaneous or prolonged. This can manifest as excessive panting, pacing, and trembling. ​

• Reactivity which can be characterized by large emotioal outburts in reponse to a stimulus or situations. This can look like: 

  • Barking and lunging on leash at dogs, people, cars or other things in the environment. ​

  • Barking, lunging, jumping and pawing at barries - doors, windows, gates - in response to things in the environment. 

  • Not all reactivity leads to agression, though it can often overlap. 

• Agression - the act or intent to cause harm to another being (human, dog or other animal). In dogs this primarily through biting or atempting to bite a person or other animal in a manner that is not playful. Agressive behavior is often accompanied by fear and reactivity.