Labels and alternatives - How to effectively describe your dogs behaviour

Have you ever called your dog something like "cheeky", "bold" "stubborn" or "hyper"? I know I have previously. (I've also applied those labels to family members at times, sorry sis!) However, when it comes to things our dogs do (or our human relatives..) and our desire to possibly change a certain behaviour or set of behaviours, labels can sometimes actually hinder or prevent us from fully understanding or helping them, or effecting real behaviour change.

What does this even do?!

The definition of label is: a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.

Words like those above don't really describe what is happening, and can also lead us to add extras to the picture. For example, the label of stubborn can also lead us to anthropomorphise and think of the individual as 'doing it on purpose, out of spite'. It restricts us and applies other beliefs to the dog. Stubborn isn't a behaviour, it doesn't describe anything in a helpful way. Labels also place the responsibility on the individual, which also can hinder us in working out what is going on. "Well it would be fine if he just wasn't so stubborn!" 

What words can we use?

Instead of labeling your dog, use descriptions of what they are doing, and what is happening in the environment too. For example, I might say "When I reach my hand into my pocket for the tennis ball, my dog will stand quite still, mouth closed, ears forward, looking at my hand/pocket. There is tension in her legs and shoulders. When I lift the ball out of my pocket and into the air, she will begin to back away from me slowly, taking one or two steps backwards. She continues to look at my hand, ears forward, body tensed. When I move my arm backwards in preparation of throwing the ball, she will turn away from me and begin to run in the opposite direction to me. If I throw the ball further than where she is, she will continue to run towards the ball. If I do not throw the ball, she will slow her pace and stop running, and then turn her body towards me and look at me."

I know that is a descriptor of playing fetch with a dog, but it is easy to spot where the environment has cued behaviour. My hand going into my pocket cues the dog to look at my hand. My hand going up in the air cues the dog to begin running away. The ball appearing in front of her cues her to run towards the ball and take hold of it in her mouth, and so on. 

I could label her as "hyper when we play fetch", but hyper only works if it describes the exact behaviours we see above. If a dog was described as hyper to you, would you picture the above? Or would you picture different behaviour? 

It is so much more useful to describe rather than label. It is absolutely something that needs practicing, and I have to correct myself sometimes and say "Describe what is happening, Niamh!" 

The next time you contact a dog trainer, describe the behaviour, no matter how detailed and irrelevant you may feel it can be. Your dog trainer will thank you for it!