Definition of impulse control

Impulse control is the ability not to act on an impulse. The impulse can be an innate reflex or a spontaneous action. Impulse control in dogs means that the dog can control its actions and emotions.

Die Impulskontrolle ist wie ein Akku und Muskel zu gleich. Eine Übung kann nur wenige Male hintereinander geübt werden, weil der Akku vorerst ausgeschöpft ist. Das gilt auch für den restlichen Tag. Die Konzentrationsfähigkeit lässt nach und der Hund ist nicht geduldig. Vielleicht kennst du das von dir: Du hast einen sehr intensiven Tag an der Arbeit oder der Schule. Am Abend kannst du dich nicht einmal mehr auf die leichtesten Dinge konzentrieren. Dein Akku ist erschöpft und muss neu geladen werden – am besten durch Schlaf. Für deinen Hund gilt dasselbe. Nach viel Impulskontrolle und Beherrschung muss der Akku geladen werden. Wird er nicht geladen, fallen deinem Hund banale Alltagsdinge schwer. Schwierige Situationen sind bei leerem Selbstregulation-Akku für deinen Hund kaum machbar und sehr belastend. Der Akku kann verbessert werden, je häufiger die Impulskontrolle geübt wird. Die Impulskontrolle beim Hund ist z. B. beim Rückruf wichtig. Der Hund muss lernen einem Impuls zu widerstehen, indeme

Impulse control in dogs is therefore self-control that needs to be practised in small steps. Impulse control depends on the situation and cannot be generalised. It is good to train impulse control like a muscle so that the dog can remember it better in serious situations and support the dog through management.

"Control of the immediate relationship activity, restraint, sometimes thinking things over, and possibly successfully defending oneself against a strongly emerging need are among the essential prerequisites for being able to live together successfully with closed or other social partners" - p. 140, Gansloßer, U. & Kitchenham, K. ; 2015

Factors that influence impulse control in dogs

The ability to control impulses in dogs is influenced by various factors. While one dog may prove to be extremely patient or obedient in a certain situation, another may have problems showing the desired behaviour under similar circumstances. Genetic influences, but also breeding, have an impact on impulse control and are also influenced by background stressors (illness, increased stress, etc.). The following factors can have a major influence on a dog's ability to control impulses:

• Physique
• Age
• Race
• Stress

Impulse control versus frustration tolerance

Impulse control and frustration tolerance are two related but different concepts in the context of dog behaviour. Impulse control in dogs refers to the dog's ability to control its impulsive reactions. It has to wait, pause and is not (yet) allowed to do what it actually wants to do. The dog learns to take a step back, pause and wait.

• Example 1: You prepare the food for your dog and place it in front of him. Your dog is only allowed to eat when you give the go-ahead. This is impulse control, because your dog does not jump straight to the bowl and wait until he is allowed to eat.

• Example 2: You leash your dog. You go to the door together and you only let your dog out when he looks at you. Your dog must resist the impulse to rush out.

Frustration tolerance in dogs refers to the dog's ability to deal with disappointment when it does not get something it wants or when faced with obstacles or limitations. It refers to the dog's ability to remain patient and not react in frustration or aggression when its needs are not met.

• Example 1: You prepare the food for your dog and put it to one side. Your dog must learn to deal with this frustration. The important thing to remember with this food example is that this should only be done when your dog isn't hungry - anything else would be unfair and would be relevant to animal welfare.

• Example 2: You put your dog on a lead. After that, you move on to other things and don't take your dog for a walk. Your dog has to learn to deal with the frustration of being on a lead and still not going out. Here too, the basic needs must be met. Frustration tolerance is not practised on an empty stomach or when the dog hasn't done its business.

While impulse control focuses on suppressing impulsive reactions and behaviours, frustration tolerance focuses on the dog's ability to deal with negative emotions and remain controlled when its expectations are not met. Both concepts are important for dog training and enable the dog to react appropriately to situations and live together in harmony. Through targeted training and consistency, both impulse control and frustration tolerance can be developed and improved in dogs. Free training is already available on the dog blog.

Conclusion

In summary, impulse control in dogs is an important skill that enables them to control their impulsive reactions. Well-developed impulse control leads to obedient behaviour in various situations. Recall, leash training and even companion aggression can be improved by good impulse control in problem behaviour. Impulse control teaches the dog to be patient and to react appropriately to stimuli or distractions. This contributes to harmonious coexistence and facilitates communication between dogs and humans.

Impulse control can be improved through consistent training and regular exercise. It is important to set clear rules and boundaries for the dog and gradually encourage it to control its impulses. Reward-based training and positive reinforcement are effective methods of promoting impulse control. Well-developed impulse control enables the dog to remain calm and controlled in everyday situations, leading to a pleasant and harmonious coexistence between dog and owner. 

Impulse control training