“Miss D” contacted me because “Petey,” her Shih-Tzu displays demanding dog behavior and she wants it to end. He barks, jumps or paws at her to get attention. When he expresses this type of behavior, Miss D tells him, ‘No!’ ‘Down!’ or ‘Leave me alone!’ to get him to stop. I visit Miss D’s house and observe Petey’s demanding dog behavior. I suggest to her to ignore him when he exhibits it. This means no eye contact, no talking and no touching. She should act as though Petey doesn’t exist. The moment he stops the demanding behavior, I tell her to immediately reward him. She can use affection, praise and some high-value treats to reinforce non-demanding behavior. After several attempts to get Miss D to acknowledge him, Petey starts connecting the dots. He realizes that every time he demands attention, she ignores him. But when he stops the unwanted behaviors, Miss D gives him a reward. He soon learns to wait patiently to receive affection, praise or treats from Miss D. This is an example of behavior modification.
Miss D is staying strong and not giving in to Petey’s demands. However, Petey’s demanding behavior is escalating in frequency and intensity. Because this is how he’s previously gotten her attention, he’ll keep trying it. She’s discouraged that ignoring him isn’t working because his demanding is getting worse. However, it’s a great sign that Petey is turning a corner. He’s becoming frustrated because he’s not getting the result he wants. This signals to him that he needs to try a different behavior. Repetition and consistency are extremely important in changing behaviors. If Miss D gives in to his demand for attention, she’ll reinforce the behavior she’s trying to extinguish.
Dogs don’t care what type of attention they receive, as long as they get it. If demanding is what works, that’s what a dog will continue to do. What Miss D didn’t realize was that scolding him actually gave him attention. But Petey noticed Miss D’s reaction toward his demanding behavior changed. Eventually, with consistency and repetition by Miss D, he made an important discovery. If he stopped jumping, didn’t bark and didn’t paw, he received the attention he wanted.
If you’re interested in learning how to end your dog’s demanding behavior, contact Debbie Tangen, Certified Professional Dog Trainer with Pawsitively Polite Dog Obedience Training; 816-686-4766 call or text; debtangen62@gmail.com.
