THE DOG WHISPERER CONTROVERSY
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| COPYRIGHT INFORMATION: This article is protected by copyright. Reproduction on other websites is prohibited per our terms of use. While users are welcome to link to this and other articles on their site, permission is not given to reproduce any or all of its content on other websites, blogs or other materials. | By Lisa Mullinax, CPDT With the recent popularity of The Dog Whisperer television show, books and products, the controversy over which methods are the most humane and effective ways to address behavior problems in dogs is dividing dog lovers all over the world. While animal behaviorists, trainers and other dog professionals recognize that the show is exposing dog owners to the possibility that their dogs' behavior can be changed (and indeed, business is booming), the concern is that the show gives the false impression that behavior can be changed within a matter of hours and that the methods used are known to incite or increase aggressive behaviors. Wherever possible, additional links or book recommendations are provided as reference or to elaborate on the preceding issue. We strongly recommend those who disagree with this article read the links and/or books provided before contacting us. Dominance: Wolves This belief that dogs are pack animals that constantly battle for rank originated with studies of captive wolf packs in the 1940's and was later popularized by the Monks of New Skete in the 1970’s, which is what many trainers based their beliefs on for the next 20 years. These beliefs included the fear that dogs could physically harm us unless we "established our dominance." Methods such as alpha rolls and leash corrections were often recommended as a way for the dog owner to "establish dominance" over their dogs.
However, there are problems with modeling dog training after these beliefs, including: The early wolf studies were seriously flawed. First, the wolves were held in captivity and not in studied in their natural habitats. Second, the wolves had been captured from different wolf packs, creating a volatile and unnatural pack structure. Finally, the studies focused largely on hunting/feeding behavior, a small percentage of wolf behavior. None of these factors provided researchers with an accurate view of normal wolf behavior. According to one biologist, this study was akin to using the concentration camps of Germany and Poland to study natural human behavior. More in-depth studies of wolves in their natural habitats over the last 50 years have since revealed that a wolf pack is made up of a family; the breeding pair who shares leadership, and their offspring (1), who stay with the pack until 2-3 years of age, when they start their own pack. Eventually, almost every wolf becomes an "alpha" if they survive long enough mate and breed. Dominance: Dogs "Today, the popular dog press seems to feel that if dogs descended from wolves, they would have wolf qualities. But the natural selection model points out that the wolf qualities are severely modified. Dogs do not think like wolves, nor do they behave like them." Observations of free-roaming dogs throughout the world reveal that dogs are social animals that are more scavengers than predators, and therefore live much more solitary lives than wolves, as it does not benefit a scavenger to share limited resources with a large group of other animals. These dogs rarely form packs, and when they do, the packs are loosely structured with animals joining and leaving randomly and frequently, a trait not seen in wolf packs. Domestic dogs frequently use displays of submission to keep the peace, not displays of dominance or aggression. Further, the domesticated forms of wild species will, as a general rule, revert back to their original form after being feral (wild) for a few generations. Dogs, of which there are many feral types throughout the world, have not reverted back to wolves either in appearance or behavior. All of this evidence strongly discredits the romantic notion that dogs are watered-down versions of the wolf. At best, dogs are watered down versions of wolf puppies, which are reliant on adult pack members to feed and protect them. In both dogs and wolves, puppies do not battle adults for rank or resources, nor do adults use physical punishment to keep puppies under submission.As stated by Myrna Milani, DVM, author and veterinary ethologist:
Power struggles with dogs communicate no more leadership than an adult human “dominating” a small child or an armed bank robber and his hostages. Here's the reality, through a stroke of evolutionary luck, we were blessed with opposable thumbs which give us priority access to most, if not all, of the resources that dogs want. By maintaining control of those assets, including food, access and attention, and not giving them away for free or on demand, it is not necessary to get into power struggles with our dogs. We already have everything the dog wants. We are already "dominant." The trick is to not give those resources away for free, or on demand.
Dominance-based training methods are very energy-intensive for the human. They require that the human constantly react to the actions of the dog, such as a leash correction for growling, which still initially puts the dog in the lead. This is not how the "dominant" individuals behave - it is, however, how insecure individuals behave. So these "calm-assertive" methods communicate the insecurity of a bully, rather than leadership. Humans are neither dogs nor wolves. So when we try to replicate the behavior of either, we are genetically doomed to fail. We lack the proper physiology, timing and accuracy with which to deliver the same types of signals and corrections that wolves or dogs use with one another to maintain peace. We're not dogs and our dogs know it. We are not wolves and our dogs know it. Exerting excessive amounts of energy attempting to be something we're not doesn't communicate leadership. At best, it amuses our dogs. At worst, it makes us dangerous and unpredictable in the eyes of our dogs, which does not communicate leadership at all. Through a stroke of evolutionary luck, we are blessed with opposable thumbs, which give us priority access to everything that dogs want, and more sophisticated brains, which allow us to plan ahead. By maintaining control everything the dog wants, including food, access and attention, and not giving them away for free or on demand, it is not necessary to get into power struggles with our dogs. We already have everything the dog wants. We are already "dominant." The trick is to not give those resources away for free, or on demand. Additional Reading
Advanced Reading
Recommended Books
UNDERSTANDING AGGRESSION According to the show’s website:
However, aggression is rarely caused by 'dominance'. Frustration due to lack of exercise may result in problem behaviors such as excessive barking and destruction and can contribute to existing problem behaviors, but it will not cause aggression. So what causes aggression? Aggression is a response to something/someone the animal perceives as a threat. Aggression is used to protect the animal through the use of aggressive displays (growling, barking, tooth displays, etc.) or protect the animal through aggressive acts (biting). Aggressive behavior is most frequently caused by fear due to various factors including, but not limited to:
This is true of all breeds and all sizes of dog (for the record, a Pit Bull is not more prone to aggression or more difficult to train than any other breed of dog). Medical causation can also be a cause of aggressive behavior in dogs. On a recent episode of It's Me or the Dog, an American Bulldog that was exhibiting aggressive behavior towards visitors was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after the trainer recommended a vet check. The owners were previously unaware that the dog had a medical condition which was contributing to his behavior. Some aggressive behaviors which do not have physical causes, but neurological, such as compulsive disorders. A popular internet video shows a dog attacking its own foot. This is a very good example of a compulsive behavior problem. Problems such as this would not be modified through exercise - in fact the dog in the video exhibited this behavior after returning from walks. Aggression is also a natural behavior used to protect a resource the animal finds valuable including food, territory or offspring (and some will use aggression to win access to mates). Most members of the animal kingdom use aggressive displays to protect these resources. This can be seen in domestic dogs as food or object possession and territorial aggression (such as aggression towards mail carriers). This form of aggression is one of the few types that could be attributed to "dominance," (although there still is a component of fear - fear of losing a valued item, meal or fear of an intruder). However, trying to "establish dominance" over a dog that exhibits a territorial or guarding behavior is ill-advised and more likely to earn you a trip to the emergency room than a well-behaved pet. Whatever the cause, when aggressive displays are not recognized or punished (such as punishing a dog for growling without addressing the underlying cause), the animal is forced to escalate the threat to greater displays or resort to aggressive actions. Many of the dogs seen on the show are pushed to the point of escalation before their behavior is suppressed. When a dog is pushed to the point that it reacts aggressively, the sympathetic nervous system, which controls what most people know as "fight/flight" response, becomes engaged in the brain. When this area of the brain is engaged, the dog's digestive system shuts down, as does the dog's capacity for learning. This is why when we experience acute stress, such as fear (bear circling your tent), anxiety (a letter from the IRS) or trauma (grief), food doesn't seem remotely appealing and it is difficult to concentrate. This is why the belief that "food doesn't work with red zone/dominant dogs" is so prevalent in dog behavior mythology. When the dog is pushed to this point, the dog is in survival mode and no longer learning. Aggression is not a mystery. To claim that dogs "become aggressive" due to dominance ignores the overwhelming amount of information about aggression. The explanation fits nicely into Millan's "Exercise. Discipline. Affection." mantra, but it is grossly inaccurate. EXERCISE On the television show, a great deal of importance is placed on exercise as a dog's primary need. Dogs do need exercise. The following is not an attempt to minimize the importance of regular exercise. However, most dog breeds were developed for particular work which requires both mental and physical exercise. Dogs need mental stimulation as much as physical exercise.
Behavioral Fallout. Dogs that are reactive to dogs, people or other stimulus commonly found on walks can actually get worse with continued exposure. Would it reduce your stress levels to be chased by a bear? Of course not. Your survival instincts will kick in, sending your body into stress overdrive to keep you alive. The dog's stress levels, including cortisol and adrenaline, are elevated with each walk and exposure to the triggering stimuli (person, animal or object). Not only do elevated levels of these hormones lead to behavior problems, but they undermine the immune response, leaving the dog more susceptible to illness. This is why effective behavior modification programs start in low-stress environments, before gradually introducing the dog to increased levels of the person, animal or object that causes the aggressive behavior. Not necessarily entertaining television, but the results are long-lasting. A Primary Need? Contrary to the claims made on the show, a dog's primary need for survival is not, in fact, exercise. If a dog were to spend all of its time and energy exercising, it would have nothing left for establishing and protecting territory, hunting/scavenging, or raising young. Exercise is accomplished through these actions, not instead of.
Training and other activities provide dogs with both the mental and physical stimulation necessary for their complete well-being. Well-trained dogs are also able to enjoy off-leash activities much more often, which provides them with adequate mental and physical exercise. Additional Articles:
DISCIPLINE AND AFFECTION: POSITIVE DOES NOT MEAN PERMISSIVE With a greater understanding of behavior, today's behaviorists and trainers are now using positive methods to modify even the most extreme behaviors in dogs with great results. This includes dogs with severe aggression problems that may be facing euthanasia, or "red zone" dogs. This does not mean, however, that the dog is not given boundaries, firm rules or is only responsive when treats are present. Positive training and behavior modification methods start with setting clear boundaries and controlling the resources in the dog's life, including affection and play, which are not given to the dog for free or on demand. This is done in a way that sets the owner up to succeed, so that they can control their attention, but still enjoy their dog's company and affection. If dog owners don't set these rules and boundaries, they will be forced to rely on punishment, as they will have no other means to motivate their dogs. Many of these dog owners give the dog what it wants for free or on demand (i.e., becoming submissive) then punish the dog for assuming a "dominant" role. This is not a dog behavior problem, but a human behavior problem. Additional Reading STRESS IN DOGS One of the biggest concerns that the experts have with the television show is that many of the dogs show signs of significant stress, some even go to the point of biting the star of the show. While most people are able to recognize overt signs of stress such as barking, growling and baring teeth, dogs give numerous other subtle signals of stress before they resort to more impressive displays. Some of these subtle signals include:
If a dog is repeatedly exhibiting these signs during training, it is time to re-evaluate either the training methods, the environment, or the owner/trainer's behavior. Is the environment too stressful? Are the methods or equipment causing the dog pain? Is too much being demanded of the dog too soon? We all need some stress to survive. Hunger is a form of stress. If we didn't feel hunger, we wouldn't eat. However, humane and dog-friendly methods don't just mean the absence of pain, it also means absence of undue stress. A dog that is stressed to the point of aggression, fear, or shutdown (learned helplessness) is physically unable to learn and any training attempted while the dog is in this state will be wasted. Additional Reading Recommended Resources RESTRAINED, NOT REHABILITATED Are the dogs on the show truly rehabilitated? Rehabilitation suggests that the dog's behavior has been changed, that the dog is somehow cured of the problem behavior. And yet, on the show, the vast majority of the dogs are still restrained by short leashes or suppressed through physical methods. What is the difference? Behavior Modification is the process of permanently changing a dog's behavior by gradually exposing a dog (desensitization) to the triggering stimulus (dog, person, car, etc), then teaching an alternate behavior (counter-conditioning). Just one example is a dog that shows aggression toward other dogs on walks would first be taught how to walk nicely on leash and pay attention to the owner when no dogs are around (it is not uncommon for these dogs to have poor leash skills), and then gradually expose him to other dogs while asking for the newly trained behaviors. Those behaviors are then rewarded and the proximity of the other dog is gradually increased. This process keeps the dog below the level at which they react (commonly referred to as the threshold) and gradually teaches the dog a more desirable response under stressful situations. A dog with modified behavior willingly offers the alternate behavior, such as looking at the owner instead of lunging toward a strange dog, without a tight leash or physical restraint, allowing the owner to reward the more desirable behavior, rather than "correct" the undesired behavior. Suppression is typically done through the use of force or flooding. Suppression of behavior stops the behavior in the moment, but requires the dog owner to constantly repeat the steps necessary over and over. Because so many dog owners want to know "What do I do when my dog..." this feels like a solution. However, it is not actually changing the underlying cause of the behavior and it requires the owner to constantly work to suppress problem behaviors.
The primary difference between behavior modification and suppression is what happens when the dog is no longer restrained by the leash or physical aversives. In the example of the dog-aggressive dog, if the dog's behavior has been modified, then if the dog's collar breaks (as has happened on the show), the dog won't exhibit aggressive behavior, but will instead look to the owner, as the behavior modification program trained it to do. True behavior modification is not always a fast process, although it can be, and while it certainly doesn't make for exciting television, the effects are more permanent than those gained by suppressing a behavior through the use of force or flooding. Additional Reading American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Statement on Punishment DOG PSYCHOLOGY OR POP PSYCHOLOGY? Dog psychology or, more accurately, the study of animal behavior, is not a complete mystery that is left to the interpretation of a few individuals. While there are many areas in which our understanding is incomplete, there is a staggering amount of scientifically proven information available. Additional Reading
Books
CONCLUSION Is exercise important? Absolutely! Do dogs need rules and boundaries? Certainly! Do humans need to stop equating dogs to humans and gain a greater understanding of dog behavior? Definitely! But how these goals are accomplished are of equal importance. A basic understanding of canine behavior can give dog owners the knowledge they need to determine the right training methods for their dog and avoid those methods that offer new age explanations or pop psychology to sell old and potentially dangerous methods in a new package. The fact that the show's very foundation is flawed should be enough to make dog owners think twice before buying into the methods promoted. However, in our media-centric society, if it's on television, it must be true. Part II: Frequently Asked Questions ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND RESOURCES Review by Dr. Andrew Luescher Sent to National Geographic Video Examples AVSAB Position Statement on the Use of Dominance Theory in Behavior Modification PDF Experts Say Dominance-Based Training Techniques Made Popular By Television Contribute to Dog Bites He Ought To Call Himself The Dog Screamer Pros and Cons of the Cesar Phenomenon Cesar Contends "I Help The Dogs," Experts Question His Approach
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