Of Cows' Tails and Chew Toys

Part of my training has been to get me change the way I feel about things or people that scare me. The main way we have been doing this is through something called counter-conditioning. In the human world counter-conditioning means replacing “an undesirable response.. to a stimulus.. by a favorable one” (Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary). In the dog world it means treats, lots and lots of yummy treats.

So how does counter-conditioning work? By setting up a stimulus that could trigger an unwanted response (think fear and/or aggression) out of a dog and doing something good around that stimulus, the dog’s brain starts to link the stimulus with something good and so their behavior changes. Something that stimulates me are the little humans known as children. It’s not that I don’t like children. I have on, occasion, played with them and had them chase me to much delight. It’s just sometimes I  get anxious and afraid (meaning snappy) as children are small, quick and often grabby. To counter-condition my fear and snapping response, my mom first started by having me sit a safe distance away from a playground, a teeming nest of these little humans. I could see them, hear them, but not interact with them. Through out our time at the playground I would occasionally be given a tasty morsel and often praised, especially when I sat or laid down and was relaxed. We did this a few more times until I became to expect the treats. During a few more playground visits we would get closer and closer, all the while I would be given treats. Now, when we are at a park or a beach and there are children around, my mother will have me sit and let the children pet me as I am fed yet more treats. It is quite satisfying for my tummy and I do enjoy the attention. I now greet these little humans with a tail wag and a look at my mom’s treat bag because I know only good things come from the pitter patter of their little feet.

You can use counter-conditioning for a variety of behavioral problems you are facing with your dog. The important piece of advice is to take it slow. You want to first figure out the triggers that causes your dog to react to whatever the stimuli is. Is your dog aggressive toward the neighbor who never leaves his home without a baseball cap? Maybe the cap is the trigger. Buy or borrow a few different types of hats and lay them out on the floor for your dog to inspect. Always praise your dog and give them things that make them happy. I respond a lot better with food rewards, but maybe your dog has a special toy that he or she will do anything for. Eventually move on to sessions where you have a friend or relative wear the hat while standing a distance away from your dog. Continue to work until your dog can interact calmly with the person while the hat is on their head. It may take weeks or months for your dog to get that hats, or whatever the stimulus is, mean happy things like praise and treats, so patience is very important.

Please check out this article by Dog Spelled Forward and this one on the Animal Humane Society website for more information on counter-conditioning.

Happy tail wags!

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