Impulse Control in Dogs – The Practical Guide: How to Help Your Dog Effectively Control Instincts, Understand His Body Language Precisely, and Build a Harmonious Relationship E-Book

Alexander Gietzen

• Herausgeber: Edition Lunerion
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 141

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Impulse Control in Dogs: Simple and Effective Strategies for a Harmonious, Conflict-Free Relationship Lively, playful, enthusiastic about everything, and bustling through the house – a joyful dog brings smiles with its vivacity. But one aspect is crucial: impulse control. To ensure your life together isn't overshadowed by problematic incidents, this book shows you a simple path to find the right balance between training, control, trust, and affection. When your dog chases rabbits in the park, growls at the neighbor, or can't hold itself at the table, conflicts or even dangerous situations can arise quickly. That's why this guide equips you with knowledge, techniques, and tips to establish a strong foundation for your relationship from the start. Learn clearly and concisely about your dog's learning processes, basic needs, and instincts, and discover how bond- and relationship-building work smoothly. It also covers common communication patterns and misunderstandings, offering practical daily tips. Need you be a dog expert? Not at all! With the clearly described, easy-to-use practical exercises, even new dog parents can succeed, paving the way for adventures with a loyal companion. How Dogs Learn: Discover what matters in dog training, how stimulus-reaction chains, reinforcement, extinction, and more work, and the crucial role you play in this process. Basics & Needs: What does each dog need? How do you effectively train basics like leash walking and housebreaking? And how much does breed matter? Best Relationship: Learn how your body language influences relationship work, how to read your dog's signals, establish nonverbal communication, and use clicker training to build trust and obedience. Typical Pitfalls: Unconscious body signals, misunderstood growls, prey drive, or destructive behavior – expert-tested tricks help you confidently address the most common problems. This book lifts your relationship with your dog to a whole new level, bringing harmony, reliability, and balance to daily life together. Whether you're welcoming a new family member, working through existing issues, or preparing for a future furry addition—you'll find valuable tips for smooth coexistence. So what are you waiting for? Click "Buy Now with 1‑Click" now and soon enjoy the wonderful feeling of a relationship built on trust, joy, and shared experiences!

Leseprobe

All advice in this book has been carefully considered and checked by the author and the publisher. However, no guarantee can be given. The author and publisher therefore accept no liability for any personal injury, property damage or financial loss.

Impulse control in dogs - The practice bookCopyright © 2022 Alexander Gietzenwww.inselliebe-verlag.de

All rights reserved, in particular the right to reproduce and distribute the translation. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form (by photocopy, microfilm or any other method) or stored, processed, duplicated or distributed using electronic systems without the written permission of the publisher.

For questions and suggestions:[email protected] 2022

Contents

Foreword

Too impulsive?

Training basics

How dogs learn & why a good bond is important

Humans and dogs: a deep bond

Learning theory and learning processes - You practice what you do every day

Why pure conditioning is not enough: A plea for bonding work with your dog

Approach: The human as alpha dog

The dog as a mirror of its human

Understanding dogs

Basic needs in training

Basic training right from the start

The basics

What does a puppy need?

What does a dog need from second hand?

Different & yet so similar

Different types of dogs & their needs

Types of dog

Breed-specific differences

Test: Which dog is right for me?

Relationship work in concrete terms

Making good decisions & building trust

How your dog communicates

They can't not communicate - Why we constantly send signals to our dog

Insecure, anxious or confident: what your body language tells your dog

Exercise: Becoming aware of your own body language

Who moves whom?

Blind understanding & unconditional trust

How to establish non-verbal communication between you and your dog

Exercises with the clicker: clicker training & visual cues

Develop calming signals: Immediate relaxation with visual signals

The behavioral lexicon

What is my dog trying to tell me?

Body language

Often misunderstood: Growling as a warning signal

Aggression

Suddenly no longer house-trained?

Common problems & solutions

Hunting behavior & anti-hunting training

Destroy the furniture

Stealing food

Epilogue

Foreword

Dear reader,

What is the ideal dog like?

Many people answer this question by saying that they want their dog to be their best friend right from the start and to have a loving and friendly character. It should also not be a barker, not bite, always walk well on the lead and be easy to care for. The fact is, however, that this dog does not exist, or at least only partially!

The main occupation of a dog owner and his dog is therefore a lot of training and bonding work. Just as we already know it from ourselves as human beings, the relationship between humans and dogs must first grow slowly. Above all, you will need a lot of time, patience, trust and training in order to end up with a dog that meets your ideal expectations.

But what actually makes living together with a dog so difficult? Humans are creatures that are controlled by their minds. Human actions are therefore primarily characterized by logical thoughts, learning progress based on the acquisition of knowledge and self-reflection. Over time, humans also acquire the ability to control their needs.

Dogs, on the other hand, are creatures that are primarily guided by their senses and innate instincts. Dogs therefore rely on natural behavioral patterns and can therefore only control these to a limited extent and cannot transfer them to any situation.

At this point, a very central concept comes to the fore, which is also the main topic of this book: impulse control - the dog's ability not only to rely on its instincts, but also to resist these impulses and control itself. You may have bought this guide because you are new to dogs and generally want to find out what type of dog is best suited to you based on its behavior. Or you may already be a proud dog owner and have realized that the harmony between you and your four-legged friend could be improved and would therefore like to learn how to grow into a real team. Or perhaps there are some tangible problems in everyday life with your dog for which you are hoping for a quick solution. In all these cases, you are sure to find lots of valuable tips, information and training suggestions in this book. Ultimately, it is always about understanding the dog and its behavior - whether positive or negative - and building on this basis.

I hope you enjoy reading this guide and, above all, that you have a lot of fun training your dog, who, as we all know, usually becomes man's best friend at some point in his life!

Too impulsive?

The dog is the virtue that could not make itself human.

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

An impulse is generally understood to be something that drives us internally to perform a certain action or show a certain behavior. If we look at the origin of the word "impulse", we see that it is derived from the Latin "impulsus" and means something like "under the influence of...". The word can also be applied to the behavior of dogs in the same way.

Impulse control in dogs is particularly important, as a dog that has not learned to control its impulses is difficult to integrate into everyday life. If the dog constantly gives in to its instincts, allows itself to be distracted and is impulsive, this is not only annoying, but the dog also endangers itself and its environment. It is therefore particularly important that the dog has a certain amount of self-control and learns to control its actions and emotions.

In everyday life, there are often situations in which the dog feels the impulse to do something. A classic example is playing ball. You are in the garden with your dog and throw the ball. However, the dog is not allowed to run off immediately, but must wait for your OK to fetch the ball. The dog must therefore suppress the impulse to run straight after the ball. Another example is feeding. You place the full bowl in front of the dog, but it is only allowed to start eating after you have given your consent. In this situation too, the dog has to suppress its natural impulse. Frustration tolerance plays a crucial role in such situations. Frustration tolerance is about the dog having a wish, but not having it fulfilled immediately and then having to endure this without, for example, running headlong into the lead or being impatient and bad-tempered. It is therefore primarily about enduring frustration, whereas impulse control is more about the dog's self-control. Every dog is different. While some dogs naturally find impulse control easier and have a high frustration tolerance, there are dogs that first have to learn it. The ability to control impulses is mainly dependent on 4 factors:

Factors influencing impulse control

The 1st factor is physique. The larger and stronger a dog is, the easier it will be for him to remain calm and not be irritated or distracted. Small dogs, on the other hand, are usually much more agile and therefore tend to be much more impulsive.

The 2nd factor is age. Here too, the younger the dog is, the less impulse control it has, as the brain is not yet fully developed.

The 3rd factor is the breed. Each breed was originally bred for a very specific purpose, so it is not surprising that each breed also has its own unique character. While some breeds have an easy time with impulse control, other breeds typically have more difficulty with this. Herding dogs, for example, are patient, independent and territorial, as they were bred to guard the herd on their own. Herding dogs, on the other hand, are more sensitive, obedient and agile, as they have to listen to the shepherd's slightest commands and thus keep the herd together. As a typical hunting dog, the Dachshund is considered to be lively, even-tempered and self-confident. With such different character traits, it is understandable that the different breeds also respond very differently to impulse control.

The last - and often very underestimated - influencing factor is stress. An animal that is generally under stress will also find it comparatively more difficult to control its impulses than a balanced dog. It is therefore absolutely essential that you can offer your dog fixed procedures and a familiar routine, but breaks are also important without neglecting him.

When training your dog's impulse control, you should bear in mind that the training is very strenuous for your four-legged friend. Therefore, many breaks are necessary and even hours of training will have little success. At some point, the dog will no longer be able to concentrate and impulsiveness will win out over self-control. You should therefore dose these training sessions carefully. It is best to first think about the situations in which it is particularly important to you that the dog is controlled and behaves itself, and limit yourself to practicing these so that you do not put your dog under pressure in numerous situations with self-control.

As already mentioned, regular daily routines and habits are just as important for improving impulse control as longer breaks in which the dog is simply allowed to be itself and is not constantly corrected. It is also important to remember that the dog cannot transfer its behavior to different situations. If waiting in front of the food bowl now works very well, this does not mean that it will work just as well with the deer on a walk or with the neighboring cat.

You should start with simple exercises that do not overwhelm your dog and then slowly increase the difficulty of the exercises. This way you won't overwhelm your dog and will see the quickest results. A positive reward with a favorite toy or treat also reinforces the desired behavior. Punishment, on the other hand, causes stress for the dog and consequently impairs your dog's impulse control.

The individual aspects of impulse control in dogs as well as training tips and exercises to improve impulse control are described and explained in more detail below. Have fun with it!

Training basics

How dogs learn & why a good bond is important

If you want to teach your dog something, such as little tricks, or if you want to stop an unwanted behavior, then you need to understand how a dog learns. Learning behavior can be just as different in dogs as it is in us humans.

Learning describes an experiential process that leads to a change in an individual's own behavior. It is therefore a modification of behavior based on experience. The aim is always to improve one's own condition. Learning is essential for survival, especially for animals in the wild! It helps an animal to adapt better to its environment.

There are very different forms of learning, which differ in factors such as the stability of what is learned, the neuronal structures involved, the timing and the context. Typical forms of learning are, for example, habituation, sensitization, imitation of certain behavioural patterns or classical and operant conditioning, in which a link is established between stimuli and certain behaviours through repetition.

But not only humans need certain conditions to be receptive to something new. Dogs also need a learning atmosphere, which is the basic prerequisite for the dog to be able to learn something new at all. The feel-good factor plays a very important role here. The atmosphere should be cheerful and not tense. Feelings such as anxiety, fear or even too much pressure mean that learning can hardly take place under these conditions. Excessive excitement in the form of uncertainty or positive excitement, both in humans and dogs, should also be avoided. The environment is another important factor. In a learning situation, the dog should be able to concentrate fully on you. Distractions in acoustic or visual form lead to disturbances and what has been learned cannot be consolidated.

The last point to mention is the physical well-being of the dog. The dog should be fit before a training session. We know this from ourselves: If we are supposed to perform a task at work but are physically distracted by headaches or back pain, for example, it can take a long time and the end result is often not optimal under such circumstances. You simply find it harder than usual. It's the same with your dog. If you notice that your four-legged friend is feeling physically unwell, it is better to postpone a training session. Your dog will find it very difficult to learn and will not achieve the desired result.

In addition to the feel-good factor, motivation also plays a decisive role in learning processes. Motivation includes the reasons that make a dog perform a certain behavior. These reasons can be just as varied as the nature of the dogs. Some dogs are particularly well motivated by treats, others will do anything for a quick game with their favorite toy and others simply want to please and will do anything for praise and a quick stroke from their owner. If we don't manage to motivate the dog with enthusiasm and positive expectations for new behaviors, all we end up with is pressure and intimidation. This is not only unattractive and unprofessional, but also destroys the feel-good atmosphere mentioned above right from the start. What is learned under pressure will not lead to the desired success. Below you will find some details worth knowing on the topic: "How dogs learn best":

Tip 1:Dogs learn best through play, it's in their nature. Even as young puppies, they learn rules for interacting with other dogs through social play and certain behaviors that, for example, guarantee that they will continue to play or cause them to stop playing.

Tip 2:Dogs learn contextually and make connections quickly. An example of this could be a pasture with horses. The dog is interested, approaches the horses and comes into contact with the electric fence. And the negative association with horses is already established. Caution: In future encounters, he could react with fear, avoidance or even aggression.

Tip 3:Dogs generalize quickly. A bad experience with a person dressed in dark clothing can lead to the dog avoiding all people dressed in dark clothing in future or even becoming afraid of them.

Tip 4:Many repetitions and short training sessions several times a day lead to better results. It is more effective to train for 5 minutes several times a day than to carry out a long training session lasting 2 hours. A new behavior is better internalized through numerous repetitions. Taking breaks to process what you have learned is also very important.

Tip 5:The right level of motivation can be crucial. If the motivation is too high, no learning takes place, if the motivation is too low, no learning takes place either. Dogs that are hungry, for example, cannot concentrate well on the training, as the focus is on the treats and not on the behavior to be learned. If the dog is full, the treats are not a great motivator. So find the right level of deprivation.

Tip 6:The dog learns 24 hours a day. Even if you do not complete a training session, the dog learns certain behavior patterns. It even learns in its sleep when it processes the learned behaviors. Be aware of this.

Humans and dogs: a deep bond

The gray wolf is the closest ancestor of today's domestic dog. It is a successful hunter because it combines characteristics such as strength, flexibility, robustness and intelligence. In the history of evolution, it is one of the top predators, i.e. at the top of the food chain. The wolf is also the most widespread predator on earth.