What Is Desensitization Too Counter-Conditioning Inwards Canis Familiaris Training?

A user-friendly guide to desensitization together with counter-conditioning for fearful dogs.

Photo: Alzbeta / Shutterstock

By Zazie Todd, PhD

Whether you lot desire to purpose counter-conditioning to acquire your dog to similar other dogs, or desensitization to learn your domestic dog that alone-time is okay, this guide is for you. It explains what these technical damage hateful – and, importantly, the tips you lot ask to know to acquire it right.

First, we’ll aspect at how to spot a fearful dog, because these techniques are ofttimes used to aid resolve dissimilar kinds of fear.

Sometimes, desensitization and/or counter-conditioning are used amongst medication. If you lot are concerned nearly your pet or desire to know if medication mightiness aid your dog, verbalise to your veterinarian.

Recognizing signs of fearfulness inwards dogs

It tin hold upwardly hard to recognize signs of fearfulness inwards dogs, together with people ofttimes lady friend it, fifty-fifty inwards situations where nosotros know many dogs are afraid (e.g. fear at the vet or inwards response to loud noises).

This way many dogs are non existence helped with their fears because their possessor does non realize their domestic dog is afraid. Another effect is that when dogs are afraid of fireworks, people may create their best to aid their domestic dog contend at the fourth dimension – together with thence forget nearly the employment until a nighttime similar Halloween or quaternary of July is coming upwardly again.

When is the best fourth dimension to origin to aid your domestic dog acquire over their fearfulness of fireworks? It’s truly correct now, because this is something that takes time.

Some of the signs of fearfulness to aspect for inwards your domestic dog are a tucked tail, ears back, lip licking, looking away, lifting a paw, trembling or shaking, a lowered torso posture, yawning, grooming, sniffing, seeking out people (e.g. looking for comfort from you), hiding, non moving, urinating together with defecating.

For to a greater extent than information together with some practise at spotting signs of stressed torso language, consider how tin I tell if my domestic dog is afraid?

Systematic desensitization

Desensitization way rattling gradual exposure to the scary thing, starting at a rattling depression grade together with edifice upwardly rattling slowly. It should hold upwardly systematic, which way you lot guide hold a conception to construct upwardly gradually. At every measuring on the way, you lot domestic dog should hold upwardly happy together with comfortable.

If instead you lot notice your domestic dog is fifty-fifty a tiny flake scared, you lot ask to straight off acquire dorsum to an easier phase of the plan. If you lot boundary ahead likewise fast together with frighten your dog, thence you lot mightiness hold upwardly doing sensitization (making it worse) instead of desensitization!

As an example, suppose your domestic dog is afraid of fireworks. You discovery a recording of firework sounds (such equally the recordings from Dogs Trust that come upwardly with a booklet explaining what to do). You can’t origin past times playing the sounds at anywhere close normal volume, because you lot already know that frightens your dog. Instead, you lot origin at a truly depression majority – mayhap fifty-fifty barely audible.

Then gradually over time, ever making certain your domestic dog is comfortable, you lot move on turning upwardly the majority a notch. Then some other notch. And thence on. Over time, assuming you lot acquire it right, your domestic dog volition acquire to tolerate the sounds.

Counter-conditioning

Counter-conditioning is a type of classical conditioning. Have you lot heard nearly Ivan Pavlov together with his dogs, how when he rang a bell the dogs salivated because they had learned it predicted they would hold upwardly given food? Then you’ve heard of classical conditioning!

Classical conditioning involves automatic responses, similar salivation, changes inwards pump rate, or nausea. These are involuntary reactions (not behaviours).

Most classical conditioning uses a neutral stimulus (like the audio of a bell). In counter-conditioning, nosotros are trying to learn the domestic dog to similar something they already don’t similar or are afraid of.

For example, suppose you lot guide hold a domestic dog that is afraid of other dogs, together with you lot desire to learn her to similar them. In counter-conditioning, every fourth dimension some other domestic dog appears, you lot would laissez passer your domestic dog some rattling delicious food. Over time, she volition acquire that other dogs predict yummy food, together with thence she volition acquire to similar other dogs.

Did you lot notice I said every time some other domestic dog appears? That’s because nosotros desire to guide hold what’s known equally a 1:1 ratio. If instead, sometimes when some other domestic dog appears your domestic dog gets food, but sometimes when some other domestic dog appears they don’t, this won’t operate rattling well.

Therefore, if you’re counter-conditioning something you lot mightiness encounter exterior grooming sessions (like other dogs), you lot ask to guide hold a conception to either deal it (so it doesn’t happen) or to ever guide hold treats on you lot thence you lot tin even thence create counter-conditioning on those occasions too.

Open bar/closed bar

Jean Donaldson’s opened upwardly bar/closed bar technique is a non bad way to create counter-conditioning. What it way is that when the scary thing appears (e.g. the other dog, or the sounds, etc…) the bar is open: treats volition move on on flowing. Yay! It’s similar a party! (Hopefully that’s what your domestic dog volition think).

Then when the scary thing stops (e.g. the other domestic dog goes away, the audio stops, etc.) the bar is closed together with the stream of treats stops. Now, cipher happens – the political party is over.

H5N1 positive conditioned emotional response

Learning to recognize a positive conditioned emotional reply is an essential business office of doing desensitization together with counter-conditioning, because you lot can’t displace on to the adjacent measuring until you’ve got a +CER.

Look for signs that the domestic dog is happy together with expecting food, such equally a wagging tail together with a happy, opened upwardly mouth.

Desensitization together with counter-conditioning

Desensitization together with counter-conditioning are ofttimes used together. Trainers ofttimes abbreviate it to dscc.

If nosotros stick to the instance of a domestic dog who is afraid of other dogs, nosotros tin purpose desensitization past times keeping a suitable distance from the other dog. We should also accept trace organisation human relationship of other aspects of the experience (for example, a moving domestic dog mightiness hold upwardly to a greater extent than scary to your domestic dog than 1 that is still, thence a moving domestic dog would ask to hold upwardly farther away).

At the same time, nosotros tin purpose counter-conditioning past times feeding delicious nutrient equally shortly equally your domestic dog notices the other dog. Using these ii techniques together industrial plant truly well.

Desensitization together with counter-conditioning is a practiced option to negative reinforcement because it does non involve aversive experiences for the dog.

There are some cases where nosotros mightiness purpose desensitization on its own. An instance is to aid a domestic dog with separation anxiety acquire used to existence left lonely for gradually-increasing periods of time. The practiced intelligence is that novel applied scientific discipline tin aid inwards separation anxiety cases, because it enables you lot to consider video of your domestic dog at abode to cheque she truly is okay.

If your domestic dog has separation anxiety, equally good equally speaking to your veterinarian, I recommend trainers with a certification called CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer). They are specialists inwards resolving this problem, together with many offering distance consults.

And at times when desensitization is non possible (or, due to a mishap, went wrong), you lot tin even thence purpose counter-conditioning on its own.

Some mutual mistakes

There are some mutual mistakes that people brand with desensitization together with counter-conditioning. If you’re thinking, “I tried it together with it didn’t work,” consider if whatever of these mightiness apply.

Not using practiced plenty food

H5N1 mutual error is to non purpose practiced plenty food. For counter-conditioning, I recommend using practiced nutrient similar chicken, cheese, or roast beef. For to a greater extent than ideas, consider the best domestic dog grooming treats.

Getting the timing mixed up

Your aim inwards counter-conditioning is to learn your domestic dog that the scary thing predicts practiced materials similar non bad food. Have you lot ever had the experience of doing counter-conditioning, together with thence finding that when you lot offering your domestic dog food, she starts looking circular to consider where the scary thing is? That way the timing was incorrect together with the domestic dog at nowadays thinks nutrient predicts something scary!

The thing to aspect for is when your domestic dog notices the other domestic dog (or whatever the scary thing is), together with feed then. You guide hold to pay attending to your domestic dog inwards monastic tell to acquire this right.

Going likewise fast

This is in all likelihood the most mutual error of all: starting at likewise hard a grade together with going likewise fast for your dog.

Learning how to create desensitization together with counter-conditioning volition learn you lot to tiresome down, because you lot guide hold to acquire at the dog’s pace. This volition vary from domestic dog to dog, but it volition commonly hold upwardly rattling tiresome at the start. Then hopefully it volition speed upwardly along the way. But this domestic dog grooming technique is non for the impatient!

Signs you lot are going likewise fast include the domestic dog having a harder rima oris when taking treats or only sometimes existence interested inwards treats. Also spotter out for whatever signs of worried torso linguistic communication such equally a depression tail or depression posture. If you lot consider whatever of these, acquire dorsum to an easier measuring inwards the plan.

Not reading the dog’s torso language

Learning how to read a dog’s torso linguistic communication is a science that times fourth dimension to acquire. To purpose desensitization together with counter-conditioning, you lot ask to hold upwardly able to recognize when a domestic dog is afraid (so you lot know these techniques are relevant, together with thence you lot notice if you lot accidentally acquire likewise fast). If the domestic dog is afraid, you lot gamble making things much worse instead of better.

You also ask to hold upwardly able to recognize when you lot guide hold got a positive conditioned emotional reply – a happy reaction to the previously-scary thing. It’s only when you lot consider this that you lot tin displace to the adjacent measuring inwards your plan.

Using a clicker

When nosotros purpose a clicker inwards domestic dog training, it’s to score a demeanor that volition hold upwardly rewarded. In counter-conditioning, nosotros are non didactics a behaviour; instead, nosotros are trying to modify the dog’s emotions. So at that spot is no demeanor to click.

Even if you lot honey using a clicker when doing operant conditioning (teaching a behaviour), set it away when doing counter-conditioning.

But I only desire to feed the domestic dog for existence good

Sometimes people only desire to feed the domestic dog for existence good. But the thing is, counter-conditioning isn’t nearly behaviour; it’s nearly changing the dog’s underlying feelings. So it does non thing what your domestic dog is doing.

Sometimes nosotros brand a error together with acquire likewise closed to the scary thing. We’ve all done it! For instance if you lot acquire likewise closed to some other domestic dog together with your domestic dog lunges together with growls at it. Sometimes people chemical compound this error past times telling the domestic dog off for lunging together with growling, but this won’t aid together with mightiness brand things worse.

Instead, you lot should acquire your domestic dog farther away from the other domestic dog together with thence offering the yummy nutrient anyway. The argue is that inwards counter-conditioning they should acquire the nutrient every unmarried fourth dimension they consider the scary thing. If they don’t, it’s basically an extinction trial that is starting to undo your training.

This tin hold upwardly quite hard to create inwards world with other people looking on. But you lot shouldn’t experience embarrassed for doing the correct thing for your dog.

So if your domestic dog goes over threshold, acquire away equally fast equally you lot tin together with thence feed them anyway. Of course, you lot mightiness also similar to tell sad to the possessor of the domestic dog yours merely growled at equally you lot displace away, but you lot don’t guide hold to acquire into a discussion.

The other thing you lot ask to create is brand a mental banking concern complaint that adjacent time, you lot ask to a greater extent than distance. Think nearly whether at that spot were other things going on that mightiness guide hold made it to a greater extent than hard for your domestic dog – this is known equally negative reinforcement. (Look for the department on alternatives to negative reinforcement).

H5N1 word on punishment

If you lot guide hold a domestic dog that is fearful or afraid, it’s of import that you lot halt using penalization on your dog. Punishment is stressful together with at that spot is a gamble it volition brand your dog’s fearfulness worse, or fifty-fifty brand your domestic dog afraid of you. Punishment may suppress behaviour, but it does non learn your domestic dog what you lot would similar them to create instead. For to a greater extent than information, consider my post on positive penalization inwards domestic dog training.

If you lot are using whatever sort of penalization (including prong together with shock collars), stop. This is an of import business office of helping a fearful dog.

Summary

Desensitization together with counter-conditioning are powerful techniques that nosotros tin purpose to aid dogs acquire to similar something they are afraid of. They tin hold upwardly used inwards many domestic dog grooming situations, from fearfulness of loud noises to fearfulness of existence left alone, fearfulness of implements similar smash clippers together with stethoscopes, together with fearfulness of strangers.

These techniques are to a greater extent than advanced than obedience training, together with it volition accept practise (and a practiced plan) to acquire to acquire them right. Hopefully this article has helped explicate the basics. You tin also cheque out eight tips to aid fearful dogs experience safe.

If you lot ask aid with your dog’s issues, consider my article on how to select a domestic dog trainer.

Subscribe to to acquire to a greater extent than nearly how to guide hold happy dogs together with cats.

Further Reading

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Interview with Jean Donaldson nearly The Culture Clash

Dogs Are from Neptune past times Jean Donaldson.

The Trainable Cat: H5N1 Practical Guide to Making Life Happier for You together with Your Cat past times John Bradshaw together with Sarah Ellis. Systematic desensitization together with counter-conditioning is 1 of the telephone commutation skills taught inwards this book, together with at that spot are plenty of examples of its purpose with cats.

From Fearful to Fear Free: H5N1 Positive Program to Free Your Dog from Anxiety, Fears, together with Phobias past times Marty Becker, Lisa Radosta, Wailani Sung, Mikkel Becker, edited past times Kim Campbell Thornton. Lots of tips, including sections on desensitization together with counter-conditioning.

Excel-erated Learning: Explaining inwards patently English linguistic communication how dogs acquire together with how best to learn them past times Pamela Reid.

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the writer of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. She is the founder of the pop weblog , where she writes nearly everything from grooming methods to the human-canine relationship. She also writes a column for Psychology Today together with has received the prestigious Captain Haggerty Award for Best Training Article inwards 2017. Todd lives inwards Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, 1 dog, together with ii cats.

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