| Canine Fears and Phobias | | | | loudness. |
| I would like to share some of my experiences | | | | The first “7” is seven different size |
| with dogs who are fearful or phobic. First of all | | | | humans for example; have a small child just walk |
| there is a difference between fears and phobias. | | | | pass the puppy at a distance and toss some food |
| Fears can be worked with and possibly get better | | | | at the puppy and walk on. Then again repeat. By |
| but phobias can not be cured they can only be | | | | the time the child is close enough to meet the |
| managed. | | | | puppy it will have paired a child with good things. |
| Phobias often cause dogs to react with irrational | | | | Pairing the child with food makes the child more |
| behaviors. Canine fears and phobias vein out to | | | | desirable. |
| feed so many more underlying behavioral issues. | | | | The second “7” is try to get your puppy |
| Most of the time fears stems from lack of | | | | on 7 different surfaces. If your puppy is not |
| socialization as puppies. Phobias develop from | | | | socialized to sand then at age two when you visit |
| some sort of trauma when the puppy was very | | | | the beach and it steps on this hot sinking surface |
| young and then the fear becomes a learned | | | | it may think it is on a different planet and then |
| behavior and finally the fear turns in to a phobia. | | | | might exhibit unwanted behavior. If your dog has |
| Traumatic experiences for an adult dog can also | | | | never gone to the bathroom on anything but |
| instill phobias. | | | | grass then if you are in the desert you will have a |
| Most common fears are; fears of men, other | | | | problem. Besides having a dog get used to |
| dogs, loud noises, strange objects, children or it | | | | different surfaces I also make them eliminate on |
| can be anything they were not exposed to as a | | | | different surfaces [except concrete or any |
| puppy. | | | | flooring]. The reason for that is a dog should be |
| The most common phobias are thunder, fire | | | | able to eliminate on bark, pine straw, sand, mud |
| crackers, car travel and gun shots. The | | | | etc. so when you’re traveling your dog will |
| uncommon types of Phobias are other dogs, | | | | eliminate on whatever surface is around. This will |
| odors example: veterinary hospitals; then phobias | | | | keep you from having to travel with pine straw |
| of certain people such as impaired individual’s | | | | or a square of grass. Some dogs will imprint on |
| example: wheel chairs, crutches and prosthetic | | | | one type of surface and only eliminate on that |
| limbs. | | | | surface. |
| The best treatment for these types of behaviors | | | | The third set of “7” is different |
| is desensitization. The process is to start applying | | | | environments. I take puppies [once fully |
| a very weak stimulus; then gradually increasing | | | | immunized] to warehouses, dog parks, soccer |
| the strength. For example a phobia or fear of gun | | | | games and other environments. If a dog is |
| shots would be to desensitize them to the sound | | | | well-socialized to change and different |
| by starting the sound off at a distance and | | | | environments then in the future when they |
| gradually approach the dog. You can even play a | | | | experience these environment it becomes no big |
| tape recording of gunshots at a low volume and | | | | deal. When I take my dog or puppy to a new |
| then graduate to increased loudness. You can find | | | | environment I do it slowly. When the dog is |
| tapes of thunder and other sounds to help | | | | comfortable then I will move forward in to the |
| desensitize your dog to their fears or phobias. | | | | environment. |
| Another way of desensitizing is counter | | | | I pair new places with good treats and then once |
| conditioning. The process for counter conditioning | | | | they are fully comfortable in the environment, I |
| is to ask a dog to do an obedience command for | | | | fade the food out and always keep the praise |
| example; a down stay then start the stimuli very | | | | coming. |
| weak and reward the dog with food for | | | | The fourth “7” is sound desensitization. |
| maintaining the down stay. Only reward the dog | | | | Puppies and dogs who live inside all the time might |
| for the desired behavior. If a dog is doing one | | | | build a fear to normal everyday sounds. For |
| behavior then they can not do the undesirable | | | | example; traffic noises, horns, roller bladers, skate |
| behavior at the same time. Increase the stimuli | | | | boards etc... To start the process of sound |
| slowly and do consistent exercises to help | | | | desensitization, I drop a book 2 inches off the |
| conquer the fear. | | | | floor and toss my dog/puppy a treat. Then I raise |
| Fears usually develop from lack of socialization as | | | | the book a little more and repeat till I am dropping |
| a puppy. If a dog is not exposed to different | | | | the book from 5 feet high. By then the puppy will |
| sounds, environments and people it is easy for | | | | associate the sound with a reward. This exercise |
| them to have a fear of the unknown. After your | | | | is done slowly and consistently. I raise the level of |
| dog is immunized you should do an exercise. | | | | sounds and add in different sounds. I start with |
| 3 called “777”. The exercise is slowly | | | | dull noises like books. Then I go to tin sounding |
| exposing your puppy to a desired object or | | | | noises like dropping cans. I will graduate to a |
| person. Everything is paired with positive | | | | baking sheet which can get quite loud when it is |
| motivation. Whether it is food or toys or any | | | | dropped from 5 feet in the air. By the time you |
| other thing that is a positive motivator for your | | | | get these objects to 5 feet in the air your dog |
| dog. | | | | sound be getting socialized to sounds and |
| You have to introduce your dog to 7 size | | | | understand that loud noises produces positive |
| humans, 7 different surfaces, 7 different | | | | rewards. |
| environments and 7 sounds at different levels of | | | | |