Communication and Consistency

In working the case of the Hoobie monster, it has occurred to me how very important consistency is to communication. I already knew this, but in a case where "good" has become bad; it brings this point even more clearly home. In fact, Hoobie will probably be an example given to new students about the importance of consistency in communication.

I use "good boy" to praise a dog for good work done. This does not mean the exercise is over, but it does mean that I am very pleased with the dog. To Hoobie, at some point "good boy" meant that the bad thing was coming. A muzzle on, meant the bad thing is coming. These are all things that needed to be reversed. Now I could have decided to simply change the verbal word "good" to something else. Only problem is, that someone who does not know Hoobie could say "good boy". It's a fairly common thing to say to a dog, even when you just pass them on the street and are smiling at them.

First in order for "good boy" not to mean that the bad thing is coming, means you don't do anything negative after the good boy OR anything perceived by the dog to be negative (and this is a moving target as we are teaching Hoobie that previously negative things are really no big deal). "Good boy" is used AFTER some of these things when they are not accompanied by growling or "blowing". So for instance, brushing Hoobie four times, Hoobie doesn't growl, and then you give a "Good Boy". I knew when Hoobie was beginning to understand this was a good thing to be told this in these consistent instances, when the eyes lit up and the ears came forward and the tail went up and wagged. At the point that these things started to happen, I knew that I had turned "good boy" back into the positive association it should have been.

Now how did this become negative in the first place? This is an extreme example involving Hoobie, and usually does not grow to this extent. This is one way something said lovingly and with the intent to be soothing can be understood by the dog as something completely different. Hoobie was thought to need injections before everything medically wrong with him was figured out. The owners decided to do this themselves at home (not bad in of itself). However, when they did this and were holding him down, they said "good boy".

Because the consistency of a positive statement was compromised, this no longer meant what the owners intended. That is because dog's don't understand English per say, but they do understand actions and what things are linked to actions. If this situation popped up for me and I was involved, I would say to use a command like down or sit, where the dog is required to do this reliably. To prep the dog for this with good training is always good, but you could do this parallel in an emergency type situation where there is no time. The point is that you want to start to prepare your dog as well as possible before they are in the situation. You want words like "good boy" and "break" to consistently and through the owner's actions mean "well done, we are proud of you" and "it's all over". You need to practice this in other situations, because obviously you aren't going to give your dogs shots over and over to practice this. This way your verbal commands start to be an assurance as to your predictability.

So again, Hoobie is at the extreme of his phobic reaction to inconsistent actions paired with verbal commands. You can see how this can happen though. I have found that Hoobie in specific responds well to short term having to deal with something, then "good boy" makes his eyes light up, and then "break" makes him dance a bit. Then you can prolong these things like brushing, toweling, nail clipping, ear cleaning, and shaving into longer and longer sessions.

I have also found this is a great way to relax Hoobie should he get fearful in situations. I am touching and manipulating his back and front legs, and sometimes this does cause Hoobie to tense up a bit. So if he hasn't growled, I will say "good boy" and then "break". Then at a later time, I will casually do it again. He has been showing that he is beginning to cope with different and unexpected much better now. It is the trust that has been developed through consistency in communication.

This will be key to teach the owners when they come back, to be very consistent in not only discipline, but in their verbal communication with him in that it is married to the actions, so he can predict the situation. The better prepared he is, the more comfortable he feels with the situation.

One last note, it goes both ways. Hoobie knows that consistently a non-growling and sitting Hoobie gets the crate door open.


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