What is ‘Management’ and how is it used in dog training?. Management is an essential tool to train your dog and keep them happy and healthy.
Even if you don’t know the definition of management in dog training, you’re probably already managing your dog’s environment to keep them out of trouble; Do you close the bathroom door so your dog doesn’t pull out the toilet paper? Or put away your shoes when you get home so they don’t become chew toys? That’s management.
Management controls your dog’s environment, making them less likely to repeat unwanted behaviours. Remember – every time a dog does something it is learning, and getting a ‘reward’ for doing it. Even if that reward is jumping up at a visitor, chewing the skirting board and definitely if they are taking food from the worksurface or climbing on the table!
Important management tools are limiting access to certain places, avoiding specific situations, and preventing unwanted behaviours. When we manage our dog’s environment, they can no longer repeat unwanted behaviours, and training them becomes more straightforward. Of course, it’s impossible to control everything about your dog’s environment. Management doesn’t replace teaching desirable behaviours, but it is part of the process and will help you to do so more effectively.
How To Use Management in Your Training
Every dog is different, so management will look different for each one. If you have a puppy, management is crucial in the early weeks to avoid bad habits and keep them safe. You can keep your puppy on a lead in the house and supervise them at all times.
If you’re working with an older dog, identify the behaviours you want to work on with them. For example, maybe your dog barks at people, animals, or noises. How can you control their environment so they don’t bark at everything? Think of ways to limit their access to whatever causes them to bark. If they bark at everything they see out the window, keep them in another room or use window coverings so they can’t see outside. Or, if noises trigger your dog’s barking, use soft music or white noise to drown out the outside noises. Of course, training your dog on what they should do is important, but managing unwanted behaviours lays the groundwork for introducing better ones.
Management Tools
Some tools can help you to control your dog’s environment. These include:
- Baby gates: You can use baby gates to keep your dog out of areas of your house where they might get into trouble, like the kitchen.
- Leashes: You probably use a leash to manage your dog on walks. But you can also use a leash at home to keep your dog close by, especially if they’re still a puppy.
- Crates: If your dog is crate trained, you can put them in the crate when you can’t supervise them so they don’t have the chance to engage in unwanted behaviours. Of course, it’s vital that you properly crate-train your dog and that they enjoy being in it.
- A dog-proof room: If your dog isn’t crate-trained and you need to leave them unsupervised, try dog-proofing a room in your house. If they have access to the entire house, they likely have more opportunities to practice destructive behaviours. Please give them a comfortable space free of anything they could destroy, or that could harm them.
If used properly, these tools can help you to manage your dog’s environment effectively
A Word of Caution
Management is an excellent way to keep your dog safe and keep them from developing unwanted habits. As responsible dog guardians, we want to improve our relationship with our dogs and give them the best quality of life. So as in any aspect of dog training, avoid aversive corrections or tools when controlling your dog’s environment. Management is controlling the environment; it is not forcing your dog to do something or punishing them once an incident has occurred. With fun training and your dog set up to succeed, alongside management, you’ll achieve the best results without harming your relationship with your dog.
In conclusion, management is an essential part of dog training and can be a helpful way to solve some problem behaviours. If you can control your dog’s surroundings, you’ll be in a better position to teach them appropriate behaviours. So if you’re learning management, look for ways to incorporate it into your routine with your dog.