Читать книгу Whoa Dog, Whoa! - CPDT-KA Deathe - Страница 4

Well the simple answer is... Because it works!

Our four-legged canine counterparts only do things that produce a result. If Fido is engaging in a behavior, chances are you are doing something that is reinforcing that behavior, intentionally or not. Dog behavior is easier to predict, manage or modify if you are willing to admit that you are doing something to prompt that behavior!

What does all this mean with a dog who pulls on a leash? If dogs only do what works, (and at this point it must be working or you would not have bought this book!), you are probably caught up in the downward spiral of allowing Fido to create bad habits. Think about it: Whatever you do in life repetitively, you end up getting better at, whether for better or worse. For example:

 Sports

 Lying

 Public speaking

 Driving

 Chewing your fingernails

 Saying “Thank you”

Let’s face it: From your dog’s perspective, the fastest way to get from point A to point B is to simply drag you along for the ride. So why on earth would the dog slow down? From his or her perspective, they are just saving you time! They have four legs, and you, the silly human, only have two. Fido figures he is just helping you out and getting you there twice as fast. Where’s the motivation for the dog to do anything differently?

Now if you are lucky and you have a puppy and are reading this book, great! You can simply teach the right behaviors from the get-go, and in no time your dog will perfect an easy-paced loose leash walk. The rest of you readers no doubt already have pooches who have perfected leash pulling. Ironically, the techniques to teach loose leash walking are the same either way, but if you fall into the second category, be warned: It will take longer.

You will simply create an alternate or replacement behavior to the pulling: We are going to make leash pulling less rewarding than walking with a loose, relaxed leash. Because if we make the leash pulling less rewarding, then the behavior will go away; and this is what we dog trainers like to call the “extinguishment of a behavior”.

It really is that simple! But please do not confuse the ideas of quick and simple... If you do everything I discuss in the book, and do it in a consistent and frequent manner, you should be able to see substantial improvement in 6-8 weeks of practice... I said simple, not fast!

So, let’s look at how you are walking your dog now, and see where this wonderfully terrible behavior got its start.