Is Consistency Important In Dog Training?
Part 3 of 3: Building A Relationship With Your Dog
By: Midas’s Mom - The Puppy DogMa
Part 3 in this series is all about consistency - a conglomeration of the prior two points with some additional “fun” evidence! Here, I start with attachment theory. Hey! Wake up! This is going to be worthwhile, I promise!
Attachment theory (Coined by psychologists John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth)
Humans are born with a need to form a close emotional bond with a caregiver, but that can only develop if the caregiver is appropriately responsive (Bowlby, 1969; Ainsworth 1982).
Forming attachments helps infants (or dogs!) successfully regulate emotions in various situations with their caregiver. Attachments are influenced by a parent’s (or pawrent’s) own caregiving behavior (Rehn, 2016).
There are 3 defined styles of attachment between a dog and their owner: (although this theory was originally applied to children, adolescents, and even adults in romantic relationships).
Secure - experience of security and comfort from the relationship, while also being confident enough to engage with others and in other activities
Avoidant
Ambivalent
There is also a 4th that was added later - disorganized
So, what does this have to do with consistency you ask? Well, everything!
Consistency in the dog-human relationship is essential when it comes to developing trust and a secure attachment style between you and your dog.
Attachment Styles & Dog Behavior
Secure: For dogs with secure attachments to their owners, the presence of the pawrent enhances the likelihood that he/she will explore and engage with the environment (Bowlby, 1982). This is because the owner's caregiving style is usually consistently responsive to the dog’s needs or signals of need.
Insecure: On the flip side, insecure attachment styles are ones in which the dog is less likely to explore the environment. The dog will often show persistent distress despite the presence of their owner in the strange situation (Wanser & Udell, 2018). These dogs may also show exaggerated “clingy behavior” or separation anxiety. Insecure attachments form when the caregiver is inconsistent in attending to the dog’s needs or signals of needs. This often manifests when the caregiver is unsure about how they want to handle situations and are unsure of their own behavior.
Now you’re probably thinking, “Okay, Puppy DogMa, this is all fun and great but how do I cultivate a secure attachment between me and my doggo?” No worries, puppy dogma to the rescue! By understanding the way a secure attachment is cultivated, it is easy to modify your day to day to help you and your dog’s bond grow. Here are three ways to do this, all of which involve consistency!
1. Work on communication with your dog.
Learn how your dog communicates with you and/or give them a way to communicate with you. For example, if your dog is frequently having accidents in the home, evaluate the situation and ask yourself: Does my dog have a way to tell me that he/she needs to go potty? Is she trying to tell me in her own way? What can I do to help her/him?
In this case, try instituting a bell system. Hang a bell from the door handle that you let your dog out to go potty. Ring it just before you open the door to let them out. This creates an association between the sound of the bell, and going potty. Next, teach your dog how to ring the bell with their paw or nose to let you know they have to go potty. Don’t forget to use positive reinforcement when they ring correctly!
2. Positive reinforcement, not just during training, but “just because”
If this is giving you deja vu from the last blog post, you’re not going crazy, I’m repeating a bit. BUT this point is so important. Let your dog know the behavior they are doing is GOOD! Otherwise, how else do they know? Seriously?!
A great way to try this is to simply praise your doggo while they are laying nicely, or chewing on a bone (that they are supposed to be chewing on). Don’t be surprised if your dog looks at you like you’re crazy for a minute - they are just surprised! Think about it… how many times a day do you give your dog corrections or redirections? Now think about how many times a day you praise your dog for making the right CHOICE to settle himself down and chew on a favorite “chewy” (as the puppy daddy and I like to call them)?
We know dogs need consistent feedback, but feedback doesn’t have to be negative or limited to training time. It can also be positive! Try letting your dog know that you like what he/she is doing more often and I think you’ll come to find that your bond only grows stronger and healthier.
3. Teaching the importance of “me time”
This point is key, especially for all of you wonderful DogMa’s who adore their pups like I do. Knowing that I would be obsessed with Midas before I even got him, I worried about causing separation anxiety. (Quick callback to insecure attachment styles where separation anxiety is frequently seen… okay I’m done now, I swear!) Of course, I want my dog to love me and for him to know I love him, BUT there are ways to create and show that love while still developing a healthy bond/attachment.
Crate Training: One way to teach your dog the importance of “me time” is via mat training and/or crate training. As a puppy I would leave Midas’s crate out with treats and toys around and in it, while I was at home to help him learn that his crate was his “man cave.” I wanted him to feel welcome in there at any time. Overtime I started to close the door for a couple minutes at a time, again, while still in the room, even feeding him treats through the door at the beginning. Eventually, I left the apartment for 10-20 mins and gradually increased the time away. I did this, not because I like or want to “lock my dog in a cage,” but because it created a safe haven for Midas to be able to access without questions at any time. He now will go in there just to nap sometimes or when he just needs some “me time.”
Mat Training: Recently, Midas and I have been working on “mat training.” I got this idea from a book by Beverly Courtney (2016) that provides a step by step method and was inspired by the author’s own anxious dog. Midas isn’t what I would call “anxious” but he does get very excited and sometimes struggles to calm down even when he is overtired. This leads to attention seeking and hence mischievous/naughty behaviors. The goal with teaching him to go to his mat is to associate it with treats and relaxation, so much so that eventually the mat can be taken out of the home to various places and act as a traveling sanctuary for your doggo. It gives your dog the “permission” to take a break from being your constant high energy companion and just take some much needed “me time.”
Both of these ideas are ways for you to help teach your dog that it is okay to be independent and be able to calm down on their own. These are key skills to have, but not all dogs are programmed to do them innately, OR we have messed up their programming by our obsession so they no longer know how to decompress. This also means that we have to respect this “me time,” and by this I mean, not bothering your pup too much or petting them without their permission when they are having their “me time.” Think about if you were overwhelmed, exhausted, and had a bunch of people in your face trying to get you to go out on a Friday night, I might be showing my age here a little, but this type of situation would not help me be my best and healthiest self (or make the best choices!). So, I know it’s hard but give it a try, you and your dog will thank you for it!
I hope that you enjoyed this three part series (Part One Here, Part Two Here)on how to optimize your relationship with your dog! I know I enjoyed researching and writing it! We look forward to hearing how implementing these ideas into your daily lives is going and welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions! What should I read about next?! Until then, stay consistent DogMas!
Furever yours,
The Puppy DogMa
Aka Midas’s Mom
References:
Ainsworth, MD. Attachment: Retrospect and prospect. In: Parkes, CM.; Stevenson-Hinde, J., editors. The place of attachment in human behavior. New York: Basic Books; 1982. p. 3-30.
Bowlby, J. Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. 2. New York: Basic Books; 1969/1982
Courtney, Beverley. Step-by-Step to a Calm, Relaxed, and Brilliant Family Dog: Essential Skills for a Brilliant Family Dog. S.n., 2016.
Rehn, Therese, and Linda J. Keeling. “Measuring Dog-Owner Relationships: Crossing Boundaries between Animal Behaviour and Human Psychology.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 183, 2016, pp. 1–9., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2016.07.003.
Riggio, Giacomo, et al. “Quantitative Behavioral Analysis and Qualitative Classification of Attachment Styles in Domestic Dogs: Are Dogs with a Secure and an Insecure-Avoidant Attachment Different?” Animals, vol. 11, no. 1, 2020, p. 14., https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010014.
Schöberl, Iris, et al. “Social Factors Influencing Cortisol Modulation in Dogs during A Strange Situation Procedure.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior, vol. 11, 2016, pp. 77–85., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2015.09.007.
Solomon, J., et al. “Attachment Security in Companion Dogs: Adaptation of Ainsworth’s Strange Situation and Classification Procedures to Dogs and Their Human Caregivers.” Attachment & Human Development, vol. 21, no. 4, 2018, pp. 389–417., https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2018.1517812.
Wanser, Shelby H., and Monique A.R. Udell. “Does Attachment Security to a Human Handler Influence the Behavior of Dogs Who Engage in Animal Assisted Activities?” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 210, 2019, pp. 88–94., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.09.005.
