WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION?

By Claire Grobbelaar DipCABT (COAPE, UK) NOCN, CertCAB (Tech Pta).TTouch Practitioner

Cape – Canine Concepts Behaviour & Training

www.canineconcepts.co.za

 

Obedience training is teaching the dog to associate cues (commands) to certain actions i.e. sit, down, leave, drop, recall, stay etc.

Behaviour modification is changing the dog’s emotions about how they feel in certain contexts, it is about teaching them coping skills or alternative behaviours that is more acceptable (to us humans) and also improves their quality of life i.e. how to feel more comfortable and confident being on their own or how not to be fearful of strange people or other dogs.

Obedience training will increase the dog’s compliance to your cues and you will have more influence over your dog’s behaviour but it will not necessarily change his emotions in situations that you find his behaviour problematic. During behaviour modification we often include obedience training as the two are not mutually exclusive.

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