Modification vs. Management
There are two main approaches to handling aggressive problems. A behaviorist can implement a management program or they can design a modification program.
In simple terms, a management program teaches owners how to avoid triggering the dog’s aggression, where a modification program changes the way the dog reacts when exposed to a situation or alters
their association towards a particular trigger.
While there is a time and place for both approaches, many people utilize management programs without incorporating a modification program into the equation. The problem with this approach is that it does not teach the dog a different reaction. As an example, if a dog has food aggression a management program may involve feeding the dog in another room; but what happens when someone accidentally drops something on the floor and goes to pick it up; often a bite occurs. This is not a failure on the dog’s part but on the human’s part since they never taught the dog to react differently. A modification program should determine what type of aggression the dog has (there are many different types), design a program to safely start having the owners teach the dog a different association with the situation / trigger and finally have the dog not display aggression when exposed to the trigger.
FollowWhat certifications do you hold?
Yes we are both formally educated and are Board Certified Companion Animal Behavior Counselors, as well as dog trainers.
Daniel Forst
Daniel Forst is certified by ACABC as a Board Certified Companion Animal Behavior Counselor. He also holds a certificate from the American Foundation for Animal Rescue in the area of Dog training and Instructor skills. Daniel has been published in journals and taught classes in applied canine behavior and psychopharmacology for ACAS’s graduate and undergraduate program. He has testified as an expert witness in multiple jurisdictions.
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Shari Forst
Shari Forst is certified by ACABC as a Board Certified Companion Animal Behavior Counselor. She also holds a certificate from the American Foundation for Animal Rescue in the area of Dog training and Instructor skills. Shari has been published and taught classes in applied canine behavior for ACAS’s graduate program. Additionally, she is on staff as a behaviorist for the Warwick Valley Humane Society and has testified as an expert witness in multiple jurisdictions.
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