Impulse Control: What it is and why it matters

Have you ever wonder why some dogs can easily look away from a turkey sandwich on the table while their owner is washing their hands, and others will have eaten the sandwich within seconds of their owner walking away? If you have, you've come to the right spot. Of course, there is training involved and we have to teach our dog's how to leave things alone, but I for one, don't want to have to tell my dog "Leave It" every single time I get up and theirs still food within his reach. I also don't want to have to tell him "Leave It" every time we're out for a walk and he sees a squirrel or discovers a new smell and starts pulling me down the sidewalk to figure out what the scent is. Having certain cues in place such as "Leave It", is super beneficial, but teaching our dog's how to control their impulses rather than having to be told what to do, influences their daily lives, as well as yours, in such a positive manner.

In the simplest of terms, impulse control is when a dog learns how to relax when they are frustrated and unable to get something they want. This can look like:

• Your dog barking and jumping at the door when you get home from work.

• Crying and scratching at a door that you're on the other side of.

• Rushing out the front door to chase a bunny.

• And so many more behaviors.

Even though these behaviors can be related to behavioral issues, such as separation anxiety and jumping, as well as a lack of training, it is so much more than that.

Many behavioral problems can be caused due to a lack of impulse control, among other factors, and not necessarily due to a lack of basic training. Now, impulse control is still a type of training, but it's more so teaching your dog emotional regulation rather than teaching them to sit and high five. In daily life, living with a dog that has impulse control makes both of your lives easier and less stressful.

Dogs with impulse control are the ones you see:

• Walking nicely on a leash.

• Going back to their owner when called regardless of what they are doing.

• The dogs you can leave alone with a plate of food to go wash your hands and know, with out a doubt, your food will still be there when you get back.

Teaching your dog how to control their impulses is accomplished through training, and you will use cues from basic obedience training to help teach them impulse control, but it looks very different. The reality is, we are teaching them how to observe the world without becoming overwhelmed. We are teaching them how to have confidence, and most importantly, we are teaching them how to make decisions for themselves. They can decided to react and chase after a squirrel in the yard, or they can decided to continue what they were previously doing. By teaching them impulse control, we are simply teaching them that not every event warrants a reaction.

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