When I am observing or diagnosing a dog behavior, I will inevitably try to answer two questions:
1.) How does this behavior happen?
2.) Why does this behavior happen?
The first question is about the immediate, or “proximate”, causes. What is the most direct information that leads to a conclusion as to how this incident happened. That is the Sherlock Holmes part of the job.
The second question is more philosophical, as in the philosophy of science. This is about why dogs do behaviors like that. What biological function does that behavior fulfill?
The answers to these questions can be combined to diagnose the problem, as well as lead to a logical remedy.
Having one question answered without the other isn’t going to be very fruitful. Just thinking that you can STOP the dog doing that behavior doesn’t mean your solution is going to work.
While this two step concept sounds easy to apply, it takes many years to get good at it.
Plan accordingly.
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