What Is Behavior Modification?

While basic obedience training teaches your best friend a suite of responses that can be used in a variety of scenarios (like sit, stay, down, and come), behavior modification dog training is all about changing how your dog reacts to the world around him.  

Think of it this way: Basic training is for learning new skills, while behavioral modification is all about changing the dog’s emotional response to a stimulus that provokes an unwanted behavior. 

For example, asking your leash reactive dog to sit when there’s a dog approaching probably won’t do a thing to address his barking and jumping. But a carefully planned behavior management program that includes counter-conditioning and desensitization will not only decrease the reactivity, it’ll actually change the way your dog feels about the scary trigger on the horizon. 

It’s not easy going through life on high alert. The dog that alarm barks at every sound outside the apartment door, or drools and shakes when left home alone, is likely living with chronic stress and might be more susceptible to the health and behavioral issues associated with it.  

Behavioral modification training is all about giving dogs the tools to calmly navigate scenarios that usually evoke negative reactions. 

Dog behavioral modification training doesn’t suppress your pup’s reaction to a trigger—it changes his emotional response to it, which basically defuses the bomb. This type of training helps make the world feel less overwhelming, decreasing stress for both ends of the leash.  

Here’s how you can tell if your pup needs some B-mod help:  

• If the unwanted responses are emotionally driven, like acting fearful around big men in hats, or running and hiding when you try to trim his nails, it’s time for behavior modification.  
• But if the issue is that your pup is happily jumping up on your guests, you can use obedience training to teach your pup a more appropriate greeting. 

There are a variety of approaches for applying dog behavior modification techniques. The safest and most dog-friendly approaches include: 

• Counter-conditioning: This changes your dog’s emotional response to a trigger by pairing it with something they love, usually a high-value treat. The dog doesn’t have to perform a rewardable behavior during this process—it’s all about making the association between the appearance of the trigger and the presentation of the treat. 

• Desensitization: This involves exposing the dog to the trigger at a level that doesn’t evoke a response, like letting a leash reactive dog see another dog in the distance where they’re far enough away to not seem like a threat. Counter-conditioning and desensitization usually work in tandem. 
• Shaping: Shaping is a technique to build small approximations of a response into the desired behavior. It’s like a game of hot and cold, where you use rewards to let your dog know he’s “getting warmer” with each behavior he offers.
  • For example: To train your reactive dog to look at you instead of a trigger (like a car racing by), the first step of your shaping might be rewarding a split-second glance in your direction, then building it to a prolonged “watch” cue. 

Pet parents looking to shift their dog’s emotional response to triggers should also use management in addition to counter-conditioning and desensitization.  

• Management is more of a bandage than a true fix because it doesn’t address the underlying issue, but it’s an important part of the training puzzle.
  • For example: If you stepped outside for a quick potty break without treats with your leash-reactive dog and you see a dog headed your way, you can “manage” the reactivity by stepping behind a parked car so your dog doesn’t see the trigger. 

Unfortunately, some outdated techniques are still suggested by trainers, including: 

• Flooding, which exposes the dog to a stressor at full intensity without allowing an escape  
• Punishment for the inappropriate reaction  
• Aversive tools like shock, prong, and choke collars 

These techniques can backfire and worsen your dog’s responses to triggers, and aversive tools only suppress the dog’s response rather than changing it.  

True behavioral modification addresses a dog’s emotional response slowly and gently, always letting the dog set the pace for change. If you need help, contact a certified dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist.  

How can you correct bad behavior in dogs? 

When considering our dogs’ responses, it’s important to take natural canine behavior into account. Barking, jumping, biting, and resource guarding are all normal responses in the dog world, and they’re only considered “bad” by human standards.  

Changing the behaviors that don’t work in our world involves identifying exactly what you’re dealing with, mapping out the steps of the counter-conditioning and desensitization program, using high-value rewards, and staying consistent.  

Remember: Changing your dog’s emotional responses takes time and dedication. 

Is it ever too late to train a reactive dog? 

No! Our furry best friends are eager students for their entire lives, but pet parents need to be realistic about the time necessary to address a longstanding behavior challenge.  

A dog who’s been barking at people passing by on the sidewalk for years has a deeply entrenched behavioral pattern that isn’t going to go away with just a week or two of training. A combination of disinvitation and counter-conditioning training combined with some management techniques, like covering the windows, will help chip away at long-term behaviors over time. 

Do dogs remember if you yell at them? 

Yes, there is evidence that a dog’s memory allows them to remember if you yell at them.  

Maintaining an even temperament during dog behavior modification programs allows you to stay on track and lets your dog know that he can trust you to help him through this challenging process.