SongDog is the industry leader in the rehabilitation and management of canine aggression, drawing clients from across the United States and internationally. SongDog’s behavioral therapy is grounded in classic conditioning, operant learning, ethology, and the physiology of emotions. It’s not about dominance or “being in charge.” These methods don’t address what’s actually driving the behavior and in many cases, make it worse.
Our approach is best described as behavioral engineering, we modify behavior at it’s root, teach owners how to maintain the results, and keep aggression on extinction long term.
When Training Alone Isn't Enough
What We Treat
SongDog specializes in the full spectrum of canine aggression, including:
+ Fear and anxiety-based AGRESSION
+ RESOURCE GUarding
+ Dog-on-dog aggression
+ Human-directed aggression
+ Predatory aggression
+ Idiopathic aggression
Safety Training
Our Safety Training program is a behavioral modification process that eliminates aggression by de-arousing your dog's nervous system, targeting the root emotional triggers rather than just blocking or suppressing them. Unlike punishment, clicker training, or counter-conditioning with treats, Safety Training gives your dog an actual coping strategy, rerouting fear and anxiety so they feel safe under your guidance instead of relying on their own defensive instincts. The result is long-term elimination of aggression, not a temporary fix.
Barking, growling and even biting due to becoming startled by a new object or loud, unrecognizable sound, along with aggressiveness toward people riding bikes, skateboards or running.
Reactivity & Startle Response
Some dogs develop dominance or hierarchical issues that lead to aggression toward family members, visitors, or other pets in the home. Safety Training eliminates these confrontations and restores a healthy dynamic between your dog and the people around them.
Aggression Toward Family & Guests
If your dog becomes aggressive over food, toys, or their resting space, Safety Training teaches them to relinquish possessions without conflict, so you can take anything away from your dog without a fight.
Resource Guarding
Running away, chasing squirrels or cars, barking at strangers, and ignoring commands around distractions are all behaviors Safety Training directly addresses, giving you a dog you can trust in public, off-leash or on.
Public Behavior & Obedience
Many dogs become unmanageable around other dogs, the mail carrier, or visitors, what's often labeled "territorial" aggression. Safety Training reduces this arousal so your dog can be controlled in any environment, including the vet's office or groomer.
Territorial & Environmental Triggers
The dog learns to respond to the operant commands; the commands are reinforced through play and relaxation. This associates pro-social emotions (playfulness and relaxation) with the commands. The commands therefore become a verbal way to control the dog’s emotions. It also allows us to develop control over the dog’s physical movement.
Stage II - Play Training
back
next
We will create a “learning set” in the dog that effectively teaches it how to respond to our safety signals in order to make a less desirable consequence not occur and to make a very desirable response (play and relaxation) occur. This produces dependence upon the handler and causes neotinization in the dog. The dog quickly becomes very attached to the handler for play, relaxation and safety.
Stage III - escape/avoidance
back
next
The dog is reintroduced to society. The dog is worked in public in the presence of distractions such as people, other dogs, squirrels, cars, bikes, and loud unpredictable noises. In addition, the dog will be exposed and controlled in the presence of food, toys and other objects.
Stage IV - Normalization of training and emotion
back
next
This is arguably the most important stage of the therapy and one that sets SongDog apart from the pack. Dogs are ‘place learners.’ This means that there is a relationship between environmental cues and the animal’s expectations. The animal has a specific set of behaviors that it uses to deal with situations it may encounter. These behaviors are elicited and reinforced by the presence of environmental cues. These cues could be the owner, someone in the family, another pet, a location in the home (i.e. the couch) or the yard.
Once the therapy is complete, transfer of training is crucial to the success of super-imposing the new learning on the old environment. Transference of learning is an issue that a vast majority of behaviorists and trainers fail to understand. SongDog will personally transfer the training from the therapist to the owner and anyone else who may be responsible for handling the dog. Together we will teach the dog how to properly respond to the handler and teach the handler to control the dog. We will put the dog in situations that in the past would have elicited, an unwanted or aggressive behavior and teach the owner how to properly control the dog in each situation. Through practice we will not only teach the dog a new pro-social way to deal with stress but, also build and foster confidence in the handler. The Transfer of Training is mandatory for all dogs and owners who complete the Behavioral Therapy Program.
Stage V - Transfer of Training
back
next
Therapy involves a series of stages that implement progressively complex conditioning procedures, through which the dog learns how to handle increasingly difficult circumstances by successfully overcoming these challenges. Dogs are like people in that they learn at different rates. It will be up to the therapist to determine if the dog is ready to progress from one stage to another. The time spent here at Songdog will vary from dog to dog and will be determined by the therapist and client.
The Behavioral Therapy Process
Songdog will periodically follow-up with the client and their dog to ensure unwanted behaviors are gone and the pet is enjoyable for the whole family!
Stage VI - Follow-up
This is arguably the most important stage of the therapy and one that sets SongDog apart from the pack. Dogs are ‘place learners.’ This means that there is a relationship between environmental cues and the animal’s expectations. The animal has a specific set of behaviors that it uses to deal with situations it may encounter. These behaviors are elicited and reinforced by the presence of environmental cues. These cues could be the owner, someone in the family, another pet, a location in the home (i.e. the couch) or the yard.
Once the therapy is complete, transfer of training is crucial to the success of super-imposing the new learning on the old environment. Transference of learning is an issue that a vast majority of behaviorists and trainers fail to understand. SongDog will personally transfer the training from the therapist to the owner and anyone else who may be responsible for handling the dog. Together we will teach the dog how to properly respond to the handler and teach the handler to control the dog. We will put the dog in situations that in the past would have elicited, an unwanted or aggressive behavior and teach the owner how to properly control the dog in each situation. Through practice we will not only teach the dog a new pro-social way to deal with stress but, also build and foster confidence in the handler. The Transfer of Training is mandatory for all dogs and owners who complete the Behavioral Therapy Program.
Stage V - Transfer of Training
The dog is reintroduced to society. The dog is worked in public in the presence of distractions such as people, other dogs, squirrels, cars, bikes, and loud unpredictable noises. In addition, the dog will be exposed and controlled in the presence of food, toys and other objects.
Stage IV - Normalization of training and emotion
We will create a “learning set” in the dog that effectively teaches it how to respond to our safety signals in order to make a less desirable consequence not occur and to make a very desirable response (play and relaxation) occur. This produces dependence upon the handler and causes neotinization in the dog. The dog quickly becomes very attached to the handler for play, relaxation and safety.
Stage III - escape/avoidance
The dog learns to respond to the operant commands; the commands are reinforced through play and relaxation. This associates pro-social emotions (playfulness and relaxation) with the commands. The commands therefore become a verbal way to control the dog’s emotions. It also allows us to develop control over the dog’s physical movement.
Stage II - Play Training
Lots of running and playing around the farm, develops trust and positive emotions toward the therapist.
Stage I - Bonding
Therapy involves a series of stages that implement progressively complex conditioning procedures, through which the dog learns how to handle increasingly difficult circumstances by successfully overcoming these challenges. Dogs are like people in that they learn at different rates. It will be up to the therapist to determine if the dog is ready to progress from one stage to another. The time spent here at Songdog will vary from dog to dog and will be determined by the therapist and client.
The Behavioral Therapy Process
Faq
Frequently Asked Questions
Aggression (for a list, see our Behavioral therapy section), unruliness, separation anxiety, barking, digging, running away, jumping, and just about anything else your dog can think of!
This is probably our most commonly asked question. The answer is yes! It has been Jason Major’s experience that if you have known the dog for at least two weeks, the dog will remember you for life. Actually, if the dog did not remember you, it would make our job easier. We could simply remove the dog from your environment, complete the training and send the dog home, and that is how they would behave from that point on. We know this would not work. Your dog will remember you and remember how they behaved with you before the training and transfer of training.
Many people are concerned about this. This is where science meets art. It is possible for the trainer to become so overbearing that the dog simply shuts down. We have all seen dogs that, while they responded to the handler, do so without drive and motivation.
Songdog takes great pride in giving the owner back a dog that not only responds well but also, does so out of love and respect. We teach the dog coping skills and active avoidance strategies. We spend a tremendous amount of time implementing play reinforcement and relaxation training to counter any emotionality the dog may be experiencing due to the training.
Yes. We will give you realistic expectations of outcome for the training of your dog.
