This is a common problem reported by dog owners
– one that often stubbornly resists attempts at resolution through the
introduction of various competing aversive stimuli (water sprays, shake cans,
throw chains, air cans etc.) On the
surface it may appear comical – in fact, there are dozens of YouTube videos featuring
dogs howling and barking at TV programs. But it can be more than just a minor
annoyance. It can effect the quality of life of both the owner and the dog.
Before we can solve this problem we have to consider
its etiology. This is a learned behavior, rooted in watchdog instincts. Lindsay observes, “Alarm barking and threat
barking are normal and useful when expressed appropriately, but under the
influence of inadequate socialization or
improper training, social novelty or unexpected change may generate a shift in auto-protective
arousal that sets off reactive adjustments that are impulsive and difficult to
control.” [1]
Why do some dogs become aroused by sounds on
the TV while most dogs seem to barely notice them? This is a learned behavior. The sequence of events is typically
this: An under socialized, poorly trained dog reacts to the sound of other dogs
on TV (barks) and the owner reinforces the behavior (shouts at the dog). The
dog is now (inadvertently) rewarded as, from the dog’s perspective, the whole
pack is now vocalizing at the sound of the TV. Let this happen 10, 20 or 30
times and it becomes a hard habit to break.
An owner’s first reaction is to punish the
behavior with an aversive stimulus of some sort. Done early, consistently and
with proper timing this tactic can reduce the behavior. But more often than
not, by the time the frustrated owners contact a trainer for assistance, the
owners have already botched the attempt through bad timing and inconsistent
practice. Their use of ever-changing and gradually-increasing aversive stimuli (without
consistency and proper timing) has had no lasting effect on the reduction of
the undesirable behavior. Instead they have created habituation; a process is
known as “learned irrelevance.”
Mild aversive stimuli, well-timed and
consistently delivered are consistent with operant conditioning (+P) and can
effectively inhibit nuisance barking, but only
if they have been carried out properly (i.e. the “sandwich” technique). Improperly done, they merely serve to initiate
a startle reflex and do not result in a long term reduction of the behavior.
They provide only temporary relief and will ultimately result in a frustrated
owner and an anxious dog.
Improperly and inconsistently delivered
aversive stimuli serve only to temporarily interrupt the behavior, and in fact
can make the problem much worse, as the dog is really NOT being trained to stop
barking at the TV, but is instead being
trained by the owner to tolerate various aversive stimuli. By the time the trainer is consulted, the
owner may have already removed this tool from the toolbox by misusing it -
dooming to failure any further attempts at extinguishing this behavior through
mild aversive stimuli (particularly among dogs with sharp personalities and/or hard
temperaments).
Solutions:
“Plan A” (The Sandwich Technique)
The trainer’s first step should be is a
detailed interview with the owner. Don’t downplay or make light of the problem.
Obtain a complete history of everything they have tried. More often than not, coaching them on the “sandwich technique”
(and demonstrating it) is all that you will need to do to solve this problem.
“Plan B” (The
Dead Dog Rule)
In cases when it is clear that the owners have
botched the “simpler” road to a quiet
peaceful home (Plan A), then it’s time to consider the “Dead Dog Rule.” The
dead dog rule encourages trainers to identify what they want the dog to do, instead of focusing on what they want
the dog not to do (i.e. a dead dog
cannot bark at the TV).
When aversive protocols have failed because
they have been improperly implemented, try focusing instead on creating an affirmative change in behavior.
Focus on what you want the dog to do instead of
what you want him to stop doing. The goal is no longer “stop barking” but instead, a new behavior – “rest
quietly in the room while the TV is on.” Since the dog has been “trained” to bark
at the TV, the owners must now train him to do something else when the TV is on. This approach takes time,
patience, some common sense changes in the home and some new skills for the
dog:
1) Train a
reliable “stay” command, then back-chain “place.”
2) The
“place” can be in the same room as the TV, but as far away from the TV as
possible.
3) Find
something that the dog loves to do more than anything else – e.g. chew on a
smoked marrow bone, a frozen Kong or work on an interesting food-puzzle-toy.
4) Start
with short sessions of low-volume TV while the dog is staying in his place and engaged
in one of the above activities.
5) Any
barking means you’re moving too fast. Success might be the ability to have the
TV on for 5 minutes without barking, then 10 minutes on day 2, etc.
6) Until
the dog has mastered the new behavior (i.e. lay quietly in your place and enjoy
your bone) there should be no more TV with the dog in the room. If you forget
the new rules and the dog starts barking, simply shut off the TV. No more
yelling at the dog when he barks at the TV.
Conclusion:
I would much rather train a proper use of the
sandwich technique (Plan A) to address this problem. But when owners have
backed themselves into a corner by botching attempts at correction over a long
period of time, we can fall back on Plan B – admittedly a much longer road –
but successful when employed by intelligent, committed owners.
