Ready to give up? Dealing with an out of control trigger? You can fix it. Read on.
Desensitize - To lessen the sensitiveness of. To make indifferent or unaware.
Many different things can become sensitized for our dogs. Particular items like leashes, toys, shovels, cars etc. etc. Sounds can become sensitized; thunder, door bells, food pouring in a bowl, packages being opened etc. etc.
The moment that we need to step in to desensitize is when the response becomes a problem. This is a very common issue with dogs, no matter what the cause.
When a fear response is exhibited due to a sound, item or activity, we typically use counter conditioning which is different from desensitizing. I will discuss counter conditioning in the next blog. Today's blog is about desensitizing which is usually used for an over excitement issue.
I am going to use the leash for my example. The leash often results in a severe sensitivity caused by the whole "going for a walk" thing. Dogs love going on walks, most do. So when a leash is a trigger for wild and out of control behavior we need to step in and fix it. I have had many clients who had a big time leash sensitivity causing them to race around the house like an out of control maniac resulting in a very frustrated guardian who cannot get the leash on their dog.
The goal with desensitizing training is to make the leash less of a trigger. The way you do that is to pull it out often with no response. Mix it up, pull it out and throw it on the floor, walk away. Pull it out right before your dog's mealtime. Pull it out and go outside. Pull it out, hook it up to your dog and go no where. Your goal is to make the meaning of the leash less powerful.
By bringing it out often and creating a different meaning of the leash being out it loses its crazy out of control power. The more mundane the leash becomes the less power it holds. Soon the leash coming out means a lot more than just a walk; your dog never knows.
This is how you desensitize things like the doorbell, pulling out the food bowl, a noise making item or any other item or sound that causes a loss of control. Out of control is never a good state for any dog to be in.
Make sense? Questions? Leave me a comment!