Behaviour Modification - There are four elements to consider when attempting to resolve inappropriate animal behaviour
1. Rule out any medical or physical cause of the behaviour. This should normally involve a visit to your vet for a health check. This is especially important for problematic behaviours that have only recently started.
2. Establish behaviour management controls in order to reduce the possibility of your dog practicing the problem behaviour. If your dog is able to undertake the behaviour and is reinforced as a result, then it will increase the likelihood of it happening more often in the future.
3. Implement a behaviour modification plan that addresses the underlying causes of the problem behaviour. As this is normally dealing with animal emotions, it is important to appreciate that the process can take time and will require a significant amount of hard work.
4. Complement the behaviour modification programme through the training of basic skills. For example teaching your dog to sit on request can help to stop "jumping up" behaviour; your dog can not jump and sit at the same time!