Strategies 5f

To better understand our dog’s behavior on walks and at home, we, as responsible pet owners, should learn about and understand the concept of the 5F strategy.This concept describes the ways in which living species on Earth cope with various situations they may encounter.What strategies do our dogs use??What exactly are they, and why are they so important??Will understanding them make it easier for us to address troubling behaviors??

What are the 5F strategies??

In stressful situations, dogs may feel threatened or anxious, and they then employ strategies designed to ensure their survival.If a certain behavior works in a given situation, the animal will exhibit it more and more often.

The term is borrowed from English and refers to behaviors such as:

• fainting - faint,
• freezing in place - freeze,
• flirt.

However, as pet owners, we most often notice the following in our pets:

• fight,
• escape - flight.

The strategy an animal chooses depends not only on its past experiences, but also on:

• emotional and physical well-being,
• the space and the overall situation the dog is in,
• genetics.

Run or fight

These two strategies are most commonly observed in our pets.Furthermore, such extreme behaviors perfectly illustrate how important the overall situational context is for the dog, and how the history of reinforcement shapes and guides the animal.

Although dogs are predators, they much more often choose to flee rather than fight.It's simply safer for them.It is primarily exhibited by wild animals.If our dog has strong social skills, has been taught that it’s safe to pass other dogs at a distance, and has the option to run away, it will choose to do so.As the name suggests, this strategy is designed to increase the distance from a threat or a stressful stimulus.

Our dogs are kept on leashes, which prevents them from using their natural instinct to flee and leads to confrontations.This strategy is also intended to create distance, but it is a last resort.Dogs that have been forced to use it do so with great determination, which is due to their natural instinct.When they succeed, the sense of relief that comes with it is extremely reinforcing, which means that in the future, the dog will resort to this behavior more often and more quickly.

It also happens that we, as caregivers, help to ingrain a particular strategy in a dog’s mind, and we often do this from a very young age.In our efforts to raise a puppy properly, we often overlook the importance of proper socialization.We prioritize quantity over quality.We stop paying attention to dogs' signals and communication and allow them to interact with any dog, such as during walks.However, from the dog’s perspective, this isn’t permission—in most cases, it’s coercion.We often end such forced interactions the moment one of the dogs behaves in a way we perceive as aggressive, and then we go our separate ways.By ignoring earlier cues, we are teaching the dog to rely on this strategy.Since the only way to avoid contact was to bark, growl, or try to bite, that will be the behavior our dog displays next time.It may be that we, as owners, are the ones provoking behaviors that are actually the dog’s way of surviving, yet we interpret them as aggression.

A defenseless puppy

In highly stressful situations, our dog may act like a helpless puppy, even though he is a mature dog.It exhibits this behavior toward both members of its own species and humans.And indeed, without an understanding of canine communication, an observation of the entire situation, and knowledge of canine behavior, it will be difficult to determine their intentions.Realizing that what we think of as play may actually be a survival strategy is a good starting point for making changes and improving our pet’s well-being.

Freezing and fainting

Freezing is a strategy that involves remaining still and waiting for a dangerous situation to end.Most of us have probably seen videos online where a dog sits motionless, for example, in the middle of a trashed room.This can be interpreted as a sense of shame, but it is nothing more than an attempt to avoid danger.An opponent who doesn't move won't provoke an attack.Another example of the "freeze" strategy is a visit to the veterinarian or groomer.When a dog waits quietly for an examination or grooming, we as caregivers perceive this behavior as exceptionally well-behaved; however, in such situations, the dog is experiencing a great deal of stress, and this does not mean that it has grown to like the place or the veterinarian.

In the animal kingdom, fainting is characteristic of opossums, which fall into a coma-like state when they feel threatened.
Sometimes our pets use this strategy too.We can see this in small dogs as a reaction to a sudden loud noise.However, it’s important to remember that if your dog starts to faint, you should consult a veterinarian, because aside from being a survival strategy, it could be a symptom of health issues that should be evaluated by a neurologist or cardiologist.

Summary

As we can see, understanding the 5F strategy has a huge impact on our relationship with our dog.Understanding them helps us avoid or address behavioral problems.If a certain behavior concerns us, it’s always a good idea to see a specialist to discuss it.