Innovative Strategies: Ethological Approach (2010)
To better train your dog, it’s better to think “Inside of Dog”!
Alexandra Horwitz in her famous book 2009 book “Inside of a Dog: What a dog Sees, Smells and Knows”, present a groundbreaking perspective on dog training. This approach is grounded in ethology, the scientific study of animal behavior, and emphasizes understanding a dog’s innate behavior to effectively modify unwanted actions.
Core Principles of the Ethological Approach:
Natural Canine Behavior: Canine Ethology examines dogs’ natural instincts, genetic makeup, and environmental factors, considering the evolutionary functions they were bred to perform.
Recognizing and understanding dogs’ intrinsic behaviors, such as their pack mentality and need for social interaction, is vital for competence in relating to your dog.
This understanding helps in addressing behaviors like excessive barking or aggression, which may stem from social needs not being met.
- Environmental and Genetic Factors: The approach takes into account the dog’s surroundings, genetic makeup, and past experiences. For instance, a history of abuse might predispose a dog to fear or aggression.
- Positive Reinforcement: This method is central to the ethological approach. Rewarding dogs for desirable behavior not only encourages repetition of such behavior but also fosters a positive association with it.
- Avoiding Punishment: Punishment is discouraged as it can exacerbate unwanted behavior and harm the dog’s well-being.
- Barking: By understanding the root cause of barking, this approach aids in developing effective solutions to manage it.
- Aggression: Addressing aggression involves identifying triggers and creating strategies to prevent aggressive episodes.
- Destructive Behavior: Factors like boredom, anxiety, and separation anxiety are considered when dealing with destructive behavior, leading to tailored treatment plans.
This ethological approach provides safe, effective, and humane strategy for rectifying unwanted canine behaviors.
There is a free pdf course online at Animal Behavior Associates that teaches you more about this progressive and modern approach to dog training.