Counterconditioning by Playing
the Look At That Game
Keep your dog below threshold, still showing quiet and calm behavior, while you teach your dog to look at the exciting or fearful stimulus, then repeatedly reward them for remaining calm while just in the presence of the trigger.
Have lots of high-value rewards your dog loves, like pea-sized bits of hot dog or chicken. Be sure you are at a distance and time where you control how close or far your dog is from the trigger.
Always keep your dog under threshold (showing quiet and calm behavior), so they notice the trigger without going over threshold. Sometimes this means starting at a very far distance from the trigger.
If your dog isn't able to see the trigger at any distance without going over threshold, that's ok. Practice first at home with a neutral target (anything that they do not react to) so that they learn the game before being in the presence of the trigger.
As soon as your dog glances at the trigger, click or say "Yes!" while your dog looks at the trigger to mark that behavior and give them a delicious treat. After your dog progresses to the point they are offering a glance toward the trigger, add the verbal cue "Look!"
Your dog quickly starts to look at the scary or stimulating trigger when you give the "Look!" cue and then eagerly turns to you in anticipation of a tasty tidbit (which you always provide!).
Continue rewarding their bravery, and keep sessions short by using less than five to 10 repetitions at a time. Give your dog frequent re-set breaks and make each session brief and positive. Keep practicing this game until your dog is calmly looking at the trigger and then back at you in anticipation of the reward.
Gradually and incrementally decrease the distance to the trigger over time. Always keep enough distance so that your dog remains under threshold.
The end goal is a conditioned emotional response so that your dog remains calm when they see the trigger. Eventually the dog glances at the trigger and looks back at you, then you click and treat while the dog looks at your face.
Your dog now has a calm conditioned response while in the presence of what used to be their trigger.
What Is Counterconditioning
Anyway?
Counterconditioning literally means opposite learning. It's the process of modifying behavior through a new association with a stimulus of an opposite emotional affect.
When a dog feels fear, aggression, or excitement about a particular stimulus, the dog is counterconditioned (learns the opposite emotion) to feel comfort, friendliness, or calm toward the same stimulus.
A classic example is the fear of men. Many dogs, for a multitude of reasons (sometimes the reason is unknown due to an event that occurred in the dog's past, sometimes the reason is obvious; counterconditioning works either way) have a fear of men.
The dog has learned to feel fear when in the presence of men. In counterconditioning, the dog learns the opposite feeling when in the presence of men: the dog learns to feel comfortable.
Counterconditioning is achieved by keeping enough distance between the dog and the trigger (in this case a strange man) so that the dog stays under threshold, or still showing quiet and calm behavior, while providing things the dog finds enjoyable and valuable while in the presence of the trigger.
How Counterconditioning Works
Anytime the dog is anywhere in the presence of the trigger and is still under threshold, toss your dog treats they find highly valuable. Often boiled chicken or any other food your dog finds delicious works well as a reward.
Over time and several repetitions, the dog eventually learns to associate the wonderful feeling that good things happen whenever they're in the presence of strange men.
At first the dog only receives treats from the trusted handler. Remain in this phase for however long it takes for the dog to remain calm within visual distance of the trigger.
Gradually progress from the dog receiving treats tossed from the trusted handler to the man tossing food treats in the dog's direction, at first from a distance while walking calmly past the dog. Over time as the dog becomes more comfortable the man tosses treats gradually closer to the dog.
Be sure the dog stays under threshold. Remember the dog does not have to interact with, be petted by, or do anything with the man.
The dog does not have to sit or perform any specific behavior. The only criteria is that the dog stays calm while in visible distance of the trigger, and is rewarded for remaining calm.
This process worked well with our foster dog Pix.
Pix could not even be in the same room with my spouse Chris when we first got her without fearfully growling at Chris and cowering away. Within 23 days of operation "When I See Dad Chicken Rains From The Sky" (counterconditioning) Pix was nudging under Chris' hand to ask him to pet her and Chris was able to pat her all over, scratch her ears, and Pix even slept next to him in bed.
This same process worked with other strange men including our pool cleaner, our gardener, and eventually Pix's new dad when she was adopted successfully into her forever home.
Pearls:
- Keep enough distance so your dog remains calm while rewarding them for noticing the trigger.
- Practice with a neutral target at home if needed before introducing the trigger.
- Click or say "Yes!" and reward them when your dog glances at the trigger, then add the verbal cue "Look!"
- Reward bravery and keep sessions short and positive.
- Provide frequent breaks and maintain positivity while teaching.
- Gradually decrease the distance to the trigger while being sure your dog is far enough away to remain calm.
- A positive emotional response where your dog remains calm in the presence of the trigger is built with conditioned positive feelings associated with what used to be the trigger.
Questions? Comment here, I'm happy to offer suggestions to get you started teaching your dog to feel better about their triggers.
