Before we begin desensitization and counter-conditioning for his leash reactivity, we taught Fritz how to Leave it. He learned it so quickly that we had extra time to take a walk, where we encountered 2 dogs. The first was an Lhasa Apso, and although Fritz was excited, he did not lunge or bark at the dog, but he did sniff. The second dog, a Standard Poodle, Fritz did bark and lunge at from across the street, which was just too close for him. We will have to adjust our training for the next session. TIP #1: DESENSITIZATION & COUNTER-CONDITIONING What is it? Desensitization and counter-conditioning (DS & CC) are the processes of changing a dog’s association with an object, animal, or person from something scary to something safe. While the two techniques are different, they are usually used together to optimize the speed and degree of resolution of a behavior problem. Desensitization works by exposing the dog to the scary thing a little at a time and always at a level with which she is comfortable. In counter-conditioning, the animal is taught to associate a stimulus that previously induced fear with a pleasant experience so that the undesired response is replace by a desired one. (From your perspective a stroller or a man with sunglasses may not seem scary at all, but to your dog anything strange and unfamiliar can be frightening. Fear is not necessarily logical.) TIP #2: FADING FOOD REINFORCEMENT Once your dog knows a behavior well, and can perform it in many locations and with many distractions, you can fade the use of your marker signal and rewards. In other words, you don't need to click and treat every time your dog sits for you. However, it's also important to pay off every now and then to keep your dog in the game and gambling. "This time might be the time the reward happens, so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, just in case." - excerpted from Chill Out Fido! Bernadette, or Bernie, is a 6-month old Saint Bernard who needs some help learning her manners. We will also be doing boundary training so she learns not to leave her yard. Fritz is a 3-year old miniature Schnauzer whose owner admits that he was undersocialized when he was young. He has become increasingly reactive to other dogs, and is a bit uncomfortable around children as well. We will begin a desensitization and counter-conditioning program to help him with his fears. |
AuthorJeff Dentler, CPDT-KA, IAABC-ADT, FFCP, CTDI Archives
April 2024
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