Do you really want to lose some weight?

I am talking to a new and younger woman who has joined the women- only boot camp that I attend three times a week. The core group of the boot camp is comprised of women that see exercise and staying fit as a no-brainer for not only good health and longevity, but a fantastic opportunity to hang out with a really cool group of gals. We know that most women that come to check the group out will not stay… it is boot camp after all and it is hard work!

As we are having a conversation she mentions that she wants to lose weight and this is her main goal for joining the group. I ask her if I can give her some "advice” and she says yes. I tell her that she is going at it the “wrong” way… (I am paraphrasing here; I trust I had more tact when talking with her :) ). Instead of having as her goal (and motivation) being to lose weight, she needs to frame her goal/motivation with a constructional approach in mind.

Goldiamond defines the Constructional approach as… An orientation whose solution to problems is the construction of repertoires (or their reinstatement or transfer to a new situation) rather than the elimination of repertoires. http://ojs-prodlib.cc.uic.edu/ojs/index.php/bsi/article/viewFile/92/117

In essence when we engage in constructional thinking - be it problem solving or/and goal setting - we are focused on the goals, what is available at the moment to us (or to the animal) so that we can come up with a plan on how to get “there”.

You see, when someone says: I want to lose weight… it appears as if the person has a goal in mind but in reality the focus is on the lack of a slim figure, better health, bad nutrition, etc.

The person is focused on the problem instead of the solution:

The questions that we need to be asking are more on the lines of…

• Where do I want to go? I.e.: the behaviors we need to establish to achieve the goal.
• Where am I now? Assess current “usable” behavior (s).
• What steps do I need to take? Concrete actions that will lead to the “destination”.
• How will I remain moving forward/motivated? (Maintained consequences)

This same model is exactly what we need to employ as framework for when we want to achieve changes in our dog’s behavior!

Whenever I am called to “resolve a problem” - mainly this is what I do in my fun professional life, I followed with the questions:

What is your dog doing now that you don’t like, are concerned about etc.)? AND…
What would you like your dog to do instead?

The second part of this equation will lead us to find some solutions to the problem(s)!

In addition, it is imperative for me that within the solution I take into consideration not only the goals my client has for his/her dog but also the welfare of the dog within the new goals. In other words, the dog must also get something of what it wants (what he/she considers reinforcing) as a result of these changes.

And then… the fun and creative process begins. We begin to explore the steps needed: the behaviors and coping mechanisms the dog can perform as well as the ones the dog will need to learn in order to reach some specific criteria – goals.

What I love about this approach is that it is not only is it hopeful and that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but that it produces attainable goals. This is because we are taking as a point of departure something that is already in place and setting the foundation for future learning and change.

Dog Training Need or Luxury?

I just came from a Behavior & Animal Training conference where the trainers, who work with a myriad of different species, gave us a lot of food for thought. One of my favorite presenters, Ken Ramirez - head trainer at the Shed aquarium in Chicago, spoke of among other topics,  the need to train our animals. So it got me thinking…. is training our dogs a need or a luxury?

Our animals are always learning, not only during formal training sessions. What they learn can help them have a much better quality of life or the opposite - make their lives a living hell. What then are the advantages of training? And who benefits from it?

Training teaches dogs to live in our care. It also addresses their safety and welfare. Welfare can be defined as the health, happiness, and fortunes of a person or group. When it comes to our dogs, welfare includes the following:

1. Access to a health program (veterinarian care).
2. Good nutrition.
3. A “rich” living environment – including a social structure (the other animals they share their lives with and their relationships with them).
4. Friendly social interactions with conspecific and people.
5. Proper shelter such as comfortable temperature and sleeping/resting arrangements.
6. Mental and physical enrichment.
7. Management that provides for a safe environment.

Besides including adequate (depending on breed and the individual dog) physical and mental stimulation for our dogs, training also facilitates cooperative behaviors. For example, we should teach our dogs to be comfortable with our touch when being examined, to accept (and being comfortable with) equipment such as collars, leashes, harnesses, etc. that makes our walking with them easier, confinement such as crate training. And the list goes on.

There are, of course, other secondary reasons for the training of dogs such as the work animals are required to engage in as assistant animals and for entertainment purposes.

I guess living with our dogs and their care is like anything else in life: you get out what you put into it. It never ceases to amaze me how well dogs do living in a world that is kind half their own. Half their own because of domestication but not their own because they are subjected on a regular basis to our needs and whims – not theirs.

Now, if instead of often curtailing their natural behaviors (digging, chewing, barking, chasing, marking of territory, etc.) we find viable ways - via education and training that allow for their needs to be met in an acceptable way to us, (the concept of “compromise” comes to mind) we can rest assure that not only will we enjoy their company much more but at the same time we are providing for a being in our care. In essence, I am strongly advocating for a relationship and lifestyle that makes our dogs equal partners in our relationship. And as a result, they will thrive and continue to provide us with a lifetime of companionship and fun.