HOW DOGS THINK
A NON-VERBAL LINK TO CANINE COMMUNICATION
by William E. Campbell
Have you ever seen a
device or a program designed to correct a dog behavior
problem that explained how smart dogs are and how they think? Most plans or
gadgets enable owners, literally, to declare war on their hapless pets. Little
or no concern is afforded to what the dogs happen to think about them. In fact,
the implication is that dogs don't think at all ... either they just react to
external stimuli like robots , or respond according to
genetically controlled "drives." Dogs are rarely credited with the
ability to solve a problem mentally; to analyze a situation; imagine ways to
manipulate or control it, then take a pre-planned course of action toward a
goal that was preconceived in the dog's mind. In short, the dog is considered a
real dummy, then treated like a dummy. But this
concept is not correct. Dogs are smart. They can, and usually do, think rings
around their owners. And they can do it because most owners have never learned
how to think like a dog.
Understanding
Non-Verbal Thinking
We all wonder now and
then what our dog is thinking. If we wonder aloud, perhaps when mealtime is
approaching and the dog is looking expectantly at us, we might say something
like, "I'll bet Tippy's thinking, 'When is my
dinner going to be ready?' " In all likelihood, Tippy isn't originating any thoughts about 'when dinner
will be ready.' It is more likely Tippy is imagining
(or 'imaging' in his mind) the words and movements you usually say and perform
before getting his dinner; something like, "You want dinner, Tippy?" All that tail wagging and those pleading eyes
are aimed at stimulating you to say it.
But, an inability to
originate thoughts in a spoken language does not make dogs unintelligent. Even
people don't actively think in a spoken language unless they actively 'speak'
it. For instance, during a short vacation to
With this in mind, when
Tippy is prodding us about serving dinner, we'd be
wise to discard ideas about complete sentences being originated and thought
about, and replace them with the non-language concept of mental images. To
illustrate this further; when most Tippys are asking
for dinner they actually look from their owners toward the place where it is
served, generally the kitchen.
Evidence of Imagery
Some very convincing
research suggests that dogs think in sensory impressions; visual, sound and odor images, etc. This is not to say that they sit around
on quiet days experiencing videos inside their brains. However, they likely
share our ability to form and experience in their minds certain images, odors and sounds. The scientific basis for this idea came
from
The late Polish
scientist, Jerzi Konorski,3
taught dogs to salivate and expect food in their trays when a light flickered.
This was done regularly every few minutes. However, after a few trials, the
dogs started salivating and looking at the trays as if the food were actually
there, even though the light had not flickered. Konorski
ventured that the dogs were hallucinating about both the stimulus (the light)
and the reward for salivating (the food). One thing is sure: Something was
going on in the dogs' minds that made them behave as if they were happening.
Some Human Examples
Before going on with
dogs, let us consider some facets of our own 'mind's eye,' as suggested by Konorski. Imagine we have a date to meet a loved one at a
busy restaurant. We get there on time and sit at a table near the door. Fifteen
minutes go by, but no friend arrives. We begin to wonder if they are coming at
all. We start watching people approach the door. Pretty soon, people with
similar features almost cause us to call out to them. The more concerned and
anxious we become, the more apt we are to mistake strangers for our friend.
When he or she finally arrives, the pleasure and relief we feel is often mixed
with mild displeasure. We are ambivalent ... we have mixed emotions about
meeting them in the future.
Almost everyone has
mental imagery. Often, just the thought of a loved one conjures up their image.
This can apply to sounds, as well. Think about your favorite
musical piece and your can often hear it in your 'mind's ear.' These are
positive images. They are emotionally pleasant. At the other end of the scale,
recalling a terrifying experience can not only create its images, but sometime
even make us shudder. This is an example of negative, emotionally unpleasant
images.
Back To Dogs
So it is with our dogs.
When we are late getting home, or if they over-miss us because we spoil them
with attention and petting every time they demand it, they very likely worry in
images, too. They may well recall images of us and our activities, such as
fluffing the pillows on the sofa, putting away record albums, handling
magazines and books, putting on shoes just before leaving, sitting in a favorite armchair, etc. As a result of this, they often
engage in activities which involve them with these images: Pillows wind up on
the floor, albums or magazines are moved or chewed, a chair seat gets dug up, shoes are brought out of the closet. If they can't have us
there, they try to interact with things that symbolize us.
If dogs really do store
up and recall images of us and life's other objects and experiences, it follows
that we might use this to our mutual benefit. But since most owners do not
understand how dogs think, this imagery is where the seeds of most behavior problems are sown. Dogs receive and recall
conflicting images of owners and many important experiences.
The Puppy's Dilemma
Consider the new puppy
whose owners come home at regular times and join in an ecstatically joyful
greeting ceremony. This imagery is quickly ingrained, and the pup begins to
anticipate the experience, just Konorski's dogs
hallucinated about the flickering light and the food tray. However, as will
happen in even the most well regulated household, one day the owner is late.
The puppy begins experiencing the images of his tardy owners ... starts
fretting, pacing. Well primed energies, ready for the greeting ceremony, demand
an outlet as the adrenaline starts pumping.
What's going on in its
mind's eye or ear? It probably imagines hearing footsteps, perhaps even sees
the door open... which doesn't happen. But it should. This introduces conflict
between what it wants and expects and what is really happening. Conflict
creates frustration. Frustration produces anxiety, which triggers an even
greater adrenaline rush. The pup searches for something real to satisfy its
desire to 'experience' the owner ... a magazine or book it saw the owner
reading recently. It is rich with the owner's scent. If it cannot have the
owner there, it can at least have their genuine odor
or taste. So it sniffs, tastes, maybe even swallows parts of the article.
Naturally, this does not fully substitute for the whole owner, so the puppy's
social appetite is not really satisfied.
Finally, here comes the
owner. The puppy innocently launches into its joyous, semi-hysterical ritual.
The owner starts to join in, but spies the pulverized magazine or book. What's
this? Naturally, if not wisely, the owner angrily grabs the pup, drags it to
the demolished object and scolds it, or slaps it's
snout or rump, or both. The pet's single-track mind is riveted on the owner. It
yips, rolls over, or struggles vainly to escape. Punishment concluded, the owner angrily picks up the remnants of the article and
storms to the trash basket.
Psychic Trauma
The net result of this
is a totally confused pup with a conflicting set of images of its owner. This
sort of shock to the nervous system is called psychic trauma in both animals
and humans. A conflict has been instilled between the positive image of the
owner (happy Dr. Jekyll) and the negative (Mr. Homecoming Hyde). This creates
frustration and anxiety about homecomings, growing in severity if the scenario
is repeated a few times. (It is interesting that in many cases, owners tell us
that the pup was fine for a day or so after the first punishment. This may
equate to the human experience of repression, in which memory of the traumatic
experience is suppressed, creating a sort of 'backwards amnesia.') Even when
this occurs, since the punishment was not associated with the act of chewing up
something, the puppy seeks out another article, perhaps a shoe, and the cycle
is repeated until the total relationship between owner and dog is tainted with
emotional ambivalence. Mixed feelings are eating away at the positive qualities
of their relationship. Negative emotional impressions may start to dominate it.
At about this stage,
many owners conclude that the punishment may not have been severe enough.
That's why the correction was not permanent. So they intensify it. The
relationship erodes further as weeks go by. Enough of this cascading negative
effect and the owner is ready take drastic action. The
dog, now hyper-sensitive to its owner's mood change, feels something is wrong.
This often is reflected by new problems, such as submissive wetting when the
owner comes home or approaches the dog at other times; off-schedule bowel
movements or urination occur, etc.
Many pets act insecure,
currying more favor when the owner is home, and
hence, missing the owner even more acutely when left alone. Frustration and
anxiety build, while the isolation-related, tension-relieving behavior mounts. The unwitting owner, who originally may
have thought the dog is 'getting even' for being left alone, begins to consider
it incorrigible.
HELP!
This is when outside
help is often sought. A book is purchased. The veterinarian, breeder, pet shop,
a trainer or behaviorist may be consulted. If lucky,
the owner gets advice that brings genuine insight into pet/owner relationships
and dog behavior. But, more likely, they find
traditional quick fixes and the dog winds up in a desensitization program; gets
dosed with anxiety relieving drugs or barbiturates; is stuck in a cramped crate
or cage all day, or banned to the yard or garage, or has its mouth stuffed with
chewed debris and taped shut for hours. Since none of these approaches deal with
the causes, the 'thinking dog' and the total relationship with its owners and
the environment, success is rare. The majority of these formerly precious pets
find themselves rejected ... relegated to the local pound for five to seven
days, where the odds are 3-to-2 they'll suffer society's 'ultimate solution'.
But things don't have to be so grim, if the owners learn some 'dog think.'
Applying Positive
Imagery To Solve 'Separation Anxiety'
Dogs that misbehave
when they are left alone are said to be suffering from separation anxiety. The
term is a neat buzz-phrase; almost everybody uses it. It sounds professional.
The trouble is, as a transplant from human psychiatry, it really doesn't convey
much useful information. However, the term is here, so we'll use it in its
broadest sense, which is; "a troubled feeling when left alone or apart
from a certain person or persons." This allows us to recommend a remedial behavioral program that deals with the realities of the
dog's total relationships. First, however, we must be sure that the dog's
veterinarian has ruled out the many physical/medical causes for anxiety, such
as thyrotoxicosis, hyperthyroidism, pre-diabetes,
encephalitis, allergies, hyperkinesis, etc. etc.
The Program
Dogs that are unduly
upset when left alone usually enjoy their owner's attention and petting
whenever they ask for (or demand it) when the people are at home. To apply the
imagery concept to this relationship, we could say the dog 'sees itself' as
directing, or leading the owner. When it wants some petting, it nudges or
otherwise stimulates the owner, and the owner complies. The dog wants out,
whines at the door or at the owner, and the door gets opened. Mealtime
approaches, dog whines and prances, and dinner gets
served. When the owner goes from room to room, the dog is either ahead, leading
them, or close behind. This is the reality of their relationship, at least in
the dog's mind. But, when the owner leaves, against the dog's wishes, the pet
is predictably upset, and problem behavior occurs.
This can involve barking, chewing, pacing, self-mutilation, off-schedule bowel
movements, urination around the house, etc.
The leadership problem
can be turned about by presenting a different reality to the dog; one in which
the dog is pleasantly, but firmly and consistently told to perform some simple
act, such as 'sit' whenever it attempts to gain attention or affection, or
whenever the owner wants to give the dog some attention. All 'sits', or
whatever command is used ('down' is a good one for highly bossy dogs) are
praised happily as 3 to 5 seconds of petting is awarded; then the dog is
cheerfully released with an "OK" or "Free." (Free is a good
release because OK is too common a word.)
If a really bossy dog
refuses to obey, and many do when they realize their relationship is being
turned around, simply ignore the situation, turn away and go on about some
other activity, ignoring the dog. Some dogs have refused to respond for as long
as four days before coming to terms with a follower relationship. However long
it takes, after a few days the dog's image of itself seems to evolve from one
of giving direction to taking it with compliance prior to being petted, getting
dinner, going out the door, getting on the couch, etc.
In moving around the
house, whenever the dog forges ahead, simply about-turn and
go the other way. This must be repeated until the dog walks patiently
behind or, better yet, doesn't even follow. It is also helpful, but not vital,
to practice down-stays of increasing length during several evenings a week.
Images of
Hyper-Emotionality
Most 'home alone'
problem dogs get extremely emotional when their owners get home; some even get
excitable when regular departure times approach. To supplant these emotionally
over-stimulating images, sit quietly for about five minutes before leaving, in
the area where the dog will be left. No eye contact or speaking is allowed.
Then, get up and go without looking at or speaking to the pet.
At homecoming, enter
quietly and ignore the dog until it quiets down completely. Then it is greeted
happily, but briefly, away from the door of arrival. This subdued routine soon
replaces the dog's highly emotional mental images of returns and departures
with calmness and serenity.
Here's the tough part
for most all dog owners: When coming home the place is a mess! Pillows have
been chewed, or the chair is tattered again, or a pile of poop graces the
doorway, or some other problem is evident. If we keep in mind that the dog has
in the past suffered from conflicting images at homecoming, it is imperative
that no emotion, or even attention, should be directed at the remnants of the
problem; such as chewed up magazines, shoes, defecation, etc. Instead, after
five minutes of ignoring the dog, it should be greeted away from the scene of
the misbehavior, and then pleasantly taken outdoors
or to another room and left alone while the mess is cleaned up. This avoids
creating new (or reinforcing old) conflicting images of emotional reactions to,
or interactions with, the debris, defecation, etc.
I have always called
this 'the secret clean-up'. It has worked wonders as part of programs ranging
from digging in the yard to housetraining puppies. Just why it is such an
effective adjunct to correction programs remains to be satisfactorily
explained. In the meantime, we'll have to say that the lack of an image of the
owner and the mess is more beneficial to correction than is the image.
The Big Picture
So, there it is. Dogs
think in images and we can mold and change their behavior in hundreds of ways if we will think as they do.
For instance, on the negative side, a set up whereby a car screeches to a stop,
horn blaring, just as a dog starts toward the street from the sidewalk, then
praising its retreat, is a valuable exercise in negative imagery. However, it
must be repeated until the dog avoids the street when cars are not present, as
well.
Teaching the 'panic'
command to come needs the dog's name followed by a code word, a sound image
that is exclusive to coming when it is absolutely necessary, and praise words
or a vocal rhythm that is unique to that command, coupled with fast
hand-clapping while taking a crouched position. These combined, positive images
can create a dog that will dependably respond to your code word and come to
your praise. It is especially important to teach this command when the dog is
out of sight, as well.
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It is edited by William E. Campbell,
internationally recognized authority on pet dog behavior
problems. Bill co-founded the American Society of Veterinary Ethology (1975) and, although not a veterinarian, was its
first president-elect. He is a charter member of the Dog Fancy Magazine Hall
of Fame (1996); author of "Behavior
Problems in Dogs, 3rd ed." 1999, "Dog Behavior
Problems - The Counselor's Handbook," (1999) (DogWise 800-776-2665) and the new "Better Behavior in Dogs," 1999, A Guide to solving all your
dog's problems,(Alpine Publishers 800-777-7257). Bill has worked closely since 1967
with pet owners, veterinary practitioners, behavior
consultants and trainers. |
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To Order "The New Better Behavior in Dogs" visit |
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Copyright 1995, William E. Campbell. All rights reserved. This article was first published in DOGWORLD
Magazine. It is presented here to convey
the concepts behind
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