Training Versus Management - What’s the Difference, and When and How to Use Them

When I consult with my dog training clients, I always ask them if anyone has ever explained the difference between management and training. To date, not one single person has answered Yes to that question. So I thought it would be helpful to give you some information about what management actually is.

To anyone who is not familiar with dog training concepts, the word management can sound authoritarian and forceful, as if we’re planning to make the dog do something whether he wants to or not. But this isn’t at all what dog trainers mean when they talk about the difference between management and training. First, what does dog training really mean?

DOG TRAINING

Simply put, dog training is about teaching dogs to perform specific behaviors in response to a signal or cue or command (since the word command sounds pretty authoritarian in itself, I prefer using the words signal and cue). Behaviors such as sit, down, stay, come, and many others, are taught through dog training, preferably training using positive methods that reward the dog for responding and avoids corrections and punishment. Using positive reinforcement training is especially important when working with dogs around children and babies. I’ll explain more about this in a future article.

Families with dogs and babies often discover that some of their dog’s behaviors just don’t work well around a baby. But while training is useful for teaching specific behaviors, it doesn’t always address the pesky problems that can arise between dogs and babies. Dog jumping on the couch to join you when you’re nursing the baby? Dog getting into the diaper pail? Trying to play with the baby during tummy time? Those behaviors can quickly become problems.

MANAGEMENT 

Far from being an authoritarian practice, management is anything but forceful; the term refers to arranging the surroundings so that unwanted behaviors don’t happen in the first place. Management is not about teaching specific behaviors, but about setting up situations to avoid problems. For example, using a leash when you walk your dog is a common and simple example of management; the leash prevents your dog from darting across the street if he sees a cat on the other side, and possibly getting hit by a car in the process. 

As people, we use management throughout our lives: we set an alarm clock to wake us up in time so we won’t be late for work; we make lists so we don’t forget an important item when we go grocery shopping; when driving to a new and unfamiliar location, we use our GPS instead of trying to remember a complicated set of directions.

We also use management with our dogs: we use collars and harnesses with a leash when taking them for a walk; we keep our front doors closed so the dog doesn’t dash out into the street; we fence our yards so our dog can be outside safely, without fear of the dog running away or getting into some kind of trouble.

Management becomes especially useful and important when we live with dogs and babies. Many common dog behaviors, such as jumping up on people, getting overly excited when visitors come to our homes, and grabbing food from people, can be frustrating and sometimes even downright dangerous when there’s a baby in the picture. And often, management is the easiest way to keep dog and baby homes calm and safe. 

HOW TO DECIDE WHETHER TO USE TRAINING OR MANAGEMENT

When you want to change what your dog is doing around your baby, asking yourself three questions can help you decide whether it’s better to train a new behavior in your dog or to use management. Here’s what to ask yourself.

TRAINING

1. Do I know how to teach my dog the new behavior I want him to learn? 

2. If my dog learns that new behavior, will it lead to a calmer home?

3. Will the new behavior cause my dog to be safer around my baby?

If you can’t answer all three questions with a clear YES, then management may be the better option. There are many advantages to using management, especially for busy baby and dog parents.

MANAGEMENT

Management involves setting up safe ways of keeping your dog and baby separated when needed, by using baby gates, crates or kennels (if your dog is trained to be in a crate and likes being there), using an exercise pen; keeping your dog in a separate room with a chew toy; giving your dog some time outside in a fenced yard; keeping him on leash in the house.

Management is a big help when you have a dog and baby and you can’t be right there to supervise closely. Establishing safe zones, using the suggestions above, can make your life not only much easier, but also help to maintain safety. Just make sure to introduce any new management methods to your dog slowly, in a positive way, with lots of rewards, so he can get used to the new routine. Once management has been set up, you can relax, knowing problems won’t happen.

Here are some important advantages to using management:

* You don’t need to teach your dog anything - no dog training required.

* It’s easy to set up safe management spaces using barriers to keep your dog and and baby separated when necessary.

* You don’t need to rely on your dog controlling his own behavior.

* While supervision is always important, you don’t have to monitor your dog as closely when safe zones are set up.

* There’s less chance of problems happening since you’ve set things up to prevent them.

3 EXAMPLES OF TRAINING VERSUS MANAGEMENT

SITUATION #1

When you’re nursing or bottle feeding your baby, you usually sit on the couch with her. Your dog often jumps on the couch with you and can be bothersome to you, so you decide you want him to stay off the couch during baby feeding time. Should you train your dog to keep off the couch, or should you put him in another room? Both options can work, so let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

Training: You can teach your dog to sit on the floor when you’re feeding your baby. Most dogs already know how to sit when told, so teaching your dog to do that should be easy.

The key here is to ask your dog to sit before he jumps on the couch. Practice this without your baby at first, so your dog gets the idea, and be sure to give him lots of treats for sitting on the floor. 

Doing frequent practice, just 3-5 minutes at a time, is the best way to train your dog. Establishing his new behavior of sitting on the floor will certainly keep feeding times calmer, and since you’re right there with your dog and baby, you can make sure all is safe. Three “pros” for training in this situation!

Management: However, if training doesn’t work for you and/or your dog, a management strategy would be to put your dog somewhere else, so he can’t get to you and the baby, and make sure he has a chew toy or something else to do. If you go for this option, get your dog settled before you sit down with your baby, so the dog will already be occupied when you start feeding.

SITUATION #2

Your baby has recently learned to crawl and your dog is following her around, perhaps barking, pawing at her, and getting very excited. Your home has become noisy and chaotic and you want to establish more quiet and calm.

Training: A training option might be to teach your dog to stay in one specific place while your baby is crawling. However, this may not be a safe option, if your baby is able to crawl toward your dog, who may feel threatened if the baby approaches him when he’s been told to stay. This can lead to your dog becoming defensive toward your baby, so probably not a good option. Using management is usually safer in this situation.

Management: Use baby gates, crates, a fence between dog and baby, or any of the other options mentioned above. And be sure to set your dog up with something he enjoys doing while he’s separated from the baby. That way everyone is busy and happy.

SITUATION #3

You put your baby to sleep in the nursery. It’s important to keep your dog from going into the baby’s room when there’s no adult there to supervise. Should you train your dog to stay out of that room, or should you use management?

Training: This would involve teaching your dog never to enter the nursery unless there’s an adult in the room to invite him in. No matter how well trained your dog is, when something as important as your baby’s safety is concerned, it’s just not enough to rely solely on training. Babies make sweet little sounds when they’re sleeping, and dogs can get curious and want to investigate. Leaving babies and dogs alone, without adult supervision, is a big no-no, so this is a time when I believe management is the only safe way to go.

Management: Setting up management here is pretty simple: a secure baby gate in the doorway of the nursery, or a closed door to the room. Just make sure your dog can’t get in, either by knocking down the baby gate or climbing over it, or by pushing the door open. Even when you’re sure your dog can’t get into the nursery, it’s still a good idea to keep track of where your dog is when your baby’s asleep and you’re in another part of the house.

Management can be your best friend when you have an active baby and a dog. Take your time in introducing anything new to your dog, so he can adjust, and you will find that home life gets a lot easier.

Need some help in figuring out how to manage your dog and baby home? I’m happy to answer questions and help you work out problems. Just send me an email at jane@yourdogandbaby.com and let me know what you need. I’ll get right back to you.