Last week I wrote about how it can be overwhelming when you have a long list of training goals – which is the case for so many of us.
Today I want to talk a bit about how I choose which of those things to focus on first in training. My three main considerations are safety, quality of life, and preventability. Some of this is a bit subjective – it won’t be black and white. But hopefully this guide will help you to choose priorities if you have a long list!
First, here’s my list in order of importance:
- Safety at home
- Safety in public
- Quality of life (no or low safety risk)
- Minor problems
Now lets break these down a bit:
Safety at home:
This is top priority, hopefully for obvious reasons. But let’s talk about breaking that down within this category. I will always prioritize human safety first. If there is a dangerous situation for the humans in the home, especially children, that has to be changed immediately. This is in the best interest of both the people and the dog. Of course we don’t want people to be injured, but often if a dog injures a person, it’s prognosis for a good quality of life is decreased.
Some Examples:
1. Any behavior you would label as “aggressive” – biting, snapping, growling, scratching, lunging, intense barking
2. Behaviors that are not necessarily “aggressive” but could injure a person, another animal or your dog – jumping up on an elderly person or child, counter surfing (especially if your dog has a tendency to ingest stolen items), mouthing or biting during play
Safety in public:
This is a second priority because it is possible to keep your dog home if there is a public-only safety risk. But it is important to address because at some point your dog needs to leave the house. Even if just for a vet visit, there is a risk that the dog may get out of your car or that you’ll encounter an unexpected scenario on the way. Additionally getting out into the world, to have positive, enriching experiences can greatly improve your dog’s quality of life. Keeping them home forever is limiting.
Some examples:
1. Any behavior you would label as “aggressive” that occur outside the home – biting, snapping, growling, lunging, scratching, intense barking
2. Behaviors that are not necessarily “aggressive” but could injure a person, another animal or your dog – running away, chasing cars
Quality of life (low or no safety risk):
This would include anything that contributes to your ability to care for your dog’s basic needs, but doesn’t pose a safety risk. These include behaviors that occur in situations you can avoid for a period of time but not forever
Some examples:
1. Anything that leads to more enrichment opportunities – Polite walking on leash, off- leash reliability, toy play skills, tricks, or sports
2. Behaviors that lead to more comfortable experiences for required care – Vet-related behaviors, grooming related behaviors, traveling in the car
3. Barking in unavoidable or frequent situations
4. Behaviors that impact your enjoyment of each other – potty training, sleep schedules, ability to rest calmly in the house
Minor Problems:
This would include anything that you wish your dog did/didn’t do but isn’t a safety risk and doesn’t impact quality of life. These are behaviors that:
– Are easy to manage or prevent
– Occur in very specific situations or occur rarely
– Are not a safety risk when they do occur
Some examples:
1. Begging, Digging, Stealing items (when your dog doesn’t chew them or eat them)
2. Jumping up (when there isn’t a safety risk)
3. Barking in specific, avoidable situations
As you work through and sort your list, you may find that you need to break a category down into smaller chunks. When doing so you might consider this: Can you manage the behavior to avoid/prevent it from occurring for a period of time, until you can work on that behavior? If your management plan fails, what are the safety risks?
You may have considerations I didn’t mention when you are choosing your priorities. If you do, please share below!