Behavior Adjustment Training: Helping Dog Overcome Anxiety

In this Omaha dog training session, we worked with Hank, a 1-year-old Saint Bernard. Hank barks, charges, and acts aggressively towards guests and strangers. To combat this aggressive dog behavior we tried some training exercises, as well as Behavior Adjustment Training.

Hank’s guardians put up a pet fence between the living room and kitchen. This let me watch his behavior and mood. He showed he disagreed with my presence by barking at times. However, I built a positive connection using gentle body language and rewards.

I started by sharing a number of small dog behavior tips that will help flip the leader follower dynamic. This transition will be necessary as it’s fundamentally the root of this aggressive dog behavior. This sweet dog was just confused about his role in the home and acted aggressively in an attempt to move people away.

But there is another way to accomplish this goal. The dog can move away on their own.

Behavior Adjustment Training (BAT)

As a dog behaviorist I have researched many different methods to stop dogs from acting aggressively. My preferred method is to use Behavior Adjustment Training or BAT when working with aggressive dogs. BAT helps a dog learn a new behavior. It creates a safe situation for the dog to practice being calm.

I asked one of the guardians to help me call Hank away. I needed a small distraction. This way, the dog could start learning to stop acting aggressively around new people.

It was great to see how quickly Hank responded to the BAT training. I would like the guardians to invite a new person over every day. This way, they can practice this technique to reduce dog aggression. If the humans practice at Hanks pace and don’t push too far too fast, the dog should stop acting aggressive around strangers.

Many people think you have to specialize as a St Bernard trainer to work with the breed, but that isn’t true. I have shown guardians of dogs of all breeds how to use BAT to stop dog aggression.

Hank’s guardian had left him at his parents home due to his aggressive behavior while he moved out of state. His guardian lives with a few roommates and everyone was concerned that the new location may not be an ideal situation for a dog displaying some aggressive behaviors.

After watching Hank’s behavior and learning more about his living situation, I told the guardians my advice. I recommended they keep the dog at the parents’ home while they worked on his aggression towards people.

Are Saint Bernards Aggressive?

Saint Bernards are usually gentle and calm, especially around children. However, they can become aggressive without proper training and socialization. Known for their patience, loyalty, and affectionate nature, they can be very friendly when well-socialized.

Due to their large size, it’s important to supervise them around young children to prevent accidental bumps. While they may bark at strangers, they generally do not bark excessively.

Saint Bernards are hardworking dogs. They love to please their owners. They often do well in search and rescue or tracking activities.

We created a video to help the guardians remember the dog psychology tips from our training session. You can check out this “roadmap to success” below.