resources defense (Blaschke-Berthold) lecture Ute Blaschke-Berthold Topic: ' Resources Defense ' 09.03.2010 in Gelsenkirchen Organizer: Paws Academy After some time it was for me last time again reasonable, well prepared and presented input, which you can do something concrete as a dog owner. Very soothing, it still has deals that rely on knowledge and without attacks get along with other coaches. Thank you very much, Ute!
the subject - to defense resources should go that evening, that is: What happens in the dog when he aggressively defended something that is important to him, and how to respond appropriately as a dog owner on that?
resources are all that the dog can be important. This includes the first place, what is needed to survive their illness (eg, food, water), but also things that well-being (eg training objects - they are linked with fun and activity) and / or safety convey (eg, Location) and of course mating or social partners (other dogs and their humans). Jealousy is thus a form of defense resources.
is important to know this, that even things that appear to be of no use in our view, the dog may seem worth defending. Even leash and harness or collar can be verteidungswerte resources for the dog. Affected also "victims" of the defense resources are usually found within their own household: Children are affected more often than adults, other pets can be addressed. Outside the family usually is observed aggression towards other dogs.
Basically, the defense of resources once an all-natural behavior - it ensures the survival in nature; Animals not showing a clever ressourcenverteidigendes behavior set, by opposite fellow competitors and are thus favored in the selection. In the modern dog breed for these traits, however, is not selected at all - it does not matter. This may explain why today there are more cases of excessive and pathological defense resources. The genetic basis is participation, can be detected by means of some strains. For example, shows the U.S. strain of the English Springer Spaniel such an abnormal behavior ressourcenverteidigendes. Ultimately, the redemption of the behavior is dependent on a number of factors (general excitability, Frustration tolerance, anxiety).
A behavioral change through learning within the genetic framework is always possible, but how much can be achieved is individually very different.
Why does the dog exactly this behavior? What is his motivation?
main driver is the competitive situation, it leads to a conflict over the resource. The dog developed various strategies to resolve this conflict. These strategies can vary greatly from case to case and from dog to dog. The escalating conflict has not always - a strategy it is as well to go out of the way a dispute. Only leaves from the fact that the dog once that way chosen, and not conclude that he will always use this strategy. The chosen strategy is related to the value of the resource with the experience that the dog has made to the resource (for example, once he was able to win over by aggressive behavior, he has possibly learned that this behavior is the best ), the level of arousal, from the active reaction boundary, the behavior of competitors in the communicative abilities of the competitors and by genetic framework.
A few remarks have to - when a dog feels threatened, is very individual. Of course, this is a very negative emotion occupied. If a dog feels threatened very quickly, then his quality of life is very limited. It therefore makes sense to dogs react aggressively to explore for resources in addition to anxiety.
The active reaction boundary is also commonly referred to as "threshold". It is enshrined in certain breed standards, but this is absolutely untenable, since it is always individual and situational. Reaction boundaries are never static, there are several factors which increase or decrease - and a whole life. The main three will be mentioned: stress, pain and frustration. Stress can be triggered by a loss of structure (eg a new circadian rhythm by job change), noise (eg Construction site before the house), bad mood in the family, new dog in the area, etc. If there is pain you have to distinguish between acute and chronic. Especially the latter are in between you up from the people "forget". Frustration occurs when the behavior does not lead to the solution of the conflict and not to the satisfaction of needs. This behavior can escalate gradually, as frustration and aggression "are row-house neighbors." An example: If a dog has been through appease, the resource that it is important that man does not recognize, however, he goes away, perhaps in the next step of the resource (second strategy). It also shows no success - he growls in the next step, the frustration continued to rise and continues to rise - and then he bites.
Aggressive behavior associated with resource defense must be resources not always. It can also be defensive (ie selbstverteidigende) aggression, as when children tease the dog in his place or with toys when the dog is punished for warning behavior (eg the idiotic bowl-taking away the puppy to show that one the "dominant") or if the dog is punished in connection with the resource (eg, jump on the sofa).
Will you determine to which type of aggression is, so you have to watch the dog's behavior closely. The escalation of runs in both cases the following stages: freezing / tensing; Dodge body (via the resource), rapid eating / object taken away / shielding (depending on which resource is to it), growling, teeth showing, grab a bite. For defensive aggression by the dog runs these levels (sometimes much) faster. Unfortunately, there are also dogs that show little or no sign of this escalation, and with them the work is difficult. Shows a dog on the other hand two or more reactions from the stage order, are currently good working conditions. And of course, the longer the period before going on the snap / bite, the better can work on the problem.
Will the behavior change, one should start at the onset (ie, freezing), and pour into the situation of a marker / clicker. This "acoustic splitting" changed the situation, the dog learns the pattern, waiting for the signal. The turning away from the resource is deskalierendes behavior and thus reward "worthy". In the ideal case can be resolved soon so ressourcenverteidigende situations.
as "first aid" measure was to stop all punishment actions related to the resource-defending behavior immediately. Only once (and this is especially important if the dog has bitten once) you should run management and the dog of known triggers leave it alone. In the second step, you should remove the shutter button to prevent (if possible) and other biting (habituation to muzzle!). Both prevent the unwanted behavior provisionally until it has been replaced with desirable behavior. Through the management measures, however, this behavioral adaptation is possible at all.
The following will have to work on optimizing the desired behavior. Especially with static resources that can be well controlled (eg space) systematic desensitization is often successful. Our main concern is to reduce the level of arousal to improve (eg relaxation training) and the emotions (On counter-conditioning). The classic exercise to look like this: The approach to this resource, something good / high quality for the dog is added. There is a conditioned emotional response: The dog sees / smells the reward - that puts him in excitement and anticipation, in conjunction with the resource. The dog feels better then. This approach is proven and very effective if you proceed with small steps and short rather than long and frequent and infrequent exercise. Gradually, can be approached according to the resource further, but always only when the conditioned emotional response is seen. Whether the dog is approaching a positive light, can be for example at the Head position (high) readings, with fronds connected to a slow reduction of the tail, tongue licking the nose (as the expectation of food) and generally relaxed body posture and facial expressions.
is difficult when the dog defends items that are not associated with food or toys. These dogs invent their defense constantly evaluate resources and can thus be "unpredictable". These alternative behaviors should be practiced immediately - preferably on 'search and retrieve. The rewards should be selected as variable.
as a dog owner can also do something about it that ressourcenverteidigendes behavior is not even showing. It should be of small to replace and outputting learn. Never should resources "just so" (because you're the boss ... yes;) take away) - that inevitably leads to frustration and aggression. And also in place should the dog is not "simply" crowd out or interfere. This is especially true for children as a guide to action - here, too often their parents to not educate in an appropriate manner, which ultimately must pay for the dog, but for him this behavior extremely annoying, threatening and frustrating. You should also let the dog as do many good experiences (with matching, dispensing, retrieval) work and the frustration tolerance.
henceforth one can already Puppy legs, it's certain basic training commands that facilitate the handling of a ressourcenverteidigendem behavior. This includes an output command (build on exchange - is bearing in mind that the exchange offer must vote!), Bring a Command's items, send a command to the court go from one place. "Seat" the dog gets out of the squat posture and "waiting" improves the tolerance of frustration.
Ute would inhibit a resource-defending dog never aversive, because he learns that no good emanates from its people, which in turn can trigger defensive aggression. In the first management could inhibit the dishes handle, but basically one must be aware that can be achieved by inhibiting no capacity to deal with. Nature knows no vacuum - if a behavior is suppressed, another comes behind it. In this respect, this reaction should not be here.
Still it was a book on Tip: Ute recommend Jean Donaldson: "Mine." (To order via www.laserdogs.de or Pia relate to).
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