MISMATCH: Conflict Resolution Styles

Today we’re covering a topic that applies to EVERYONE who shares their home with a dog - whether it’s a brand new puppy, a totally happy-go-lucky, loves-everyone-and-everything dog, or a dog with fear, anxiety, or aggression issues.

• We’re talking about CONFLICT that arises in your relationship with your dog - and more specifically, we’re talking about how your dog (and you) approaches conflict and tries to resolve it. 
• Conflict is a normal and unavoidable part of any relationship - including the relationship between you and your dog (and, if you have a multi-dog household, the relationship between your two dogs).
• It becomes a problem when the strategies used by an individual (or individuals) to try to resolve the problem are physically or emotionally harmful to the other party. 
• Within our Nature Driven Nurture framework, we identify FOUR main conflict resolution styles that dogs use to try to deal with conflict when it arises - both with humans, and with other dogs.
  • Those include Peacemakers, Ostriches, Warriors, and Tasmanian Devils
• Understanding your dog’s conflict resolution style (and reflecting on your own!) is a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to maintaining a peaceful household, and to protecting the relationship between you and your dog, or between the dogs in your household

Hosts Brian Burton and Sarah Fraser are Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of INSTINCT Dog Behavior & Training. Both are Certified Dog Behavior Consultants and have  Master's degrees in Animal Behavior from Hunter College/CUNY.

INSTINCT has 11 locations across the US and services the global community via virtual consults. Learn more at https://www.instinctdogtraining.com

INSTINCT Resources:

• Online School
• Free Monthly Seminars (Puppy Parenting Roadmap, Rescue Dog Roadmap, Behavior Roadmap)
• YouTube Channel (video episodes of the podcast)
• Locations (all locations service the global community via virtual consults)