Why are we called ‘Thinking Dog'?

Many dog behaviour problems are associated with excessive emotional responses by the dog to things in the environment. For example, aggressive behaviour often has a basis in fear. The dog has learned that aggressive behaviour - such as barking, growling, snarling and lunging - is successful in driving away the dog or person that she is afraid of. Other emotions that can cause problems are anxiety, anger and frustration.

Unfortunately, the activity of the ‘emotional' side of the brain (the limbic system) inhibits the activity of the ‘thinking' side of the brain (the cerebral cortex). Dogs who are experiencing an intense emotional reaction such as fear are incapable of acting rationally or learning new skills. Think about the last time you were terrified or enraged about something - Were you able to think clearly? Would you have been able to memorise some new information? Probably not!

On the other hand, dogs who are in ‘thinking' mode and concentrating on a task are better able to fend off emotional reactions and stress. In the same way that counting to 10 can help you regain control of your ability to think rationally, a dog can stay calm if she is concentrating on doing something that requires her to think.

So, if we want to teach a fearful, angry or frustrated dog to respond in a desirable way, we first have to make sure that she is in ‘thinking' mode. (As well, we have to work on changing those yucky emotions to pleasant ones ... but that's another story.) Hence the name ‘Thinking Dog'!