You Cannot "Correct" The Fear Out of Your Dog

You Cannot "Correct" The Fear Out of Your Dog

Seriously.

First of all, fear isn't logical, it's a primal emotion meant to keep us safe.  If you feel afraid this will hopefully help you to avoid a dangerous situation.  Unfortunately sometimes our warning systems go a little awry and we become scared of things that can't actually harm us in any way.  Or sometimes we just feel a little wary or nervous about something because we don't know enough about a situation - also important evolutionarily, so that we gather enough data before we proceed with something that may or may not be risky.  Sometimes our brains make connections between things that aren't actually connected, as I described in a previous blog post, "pawsitive = fear free".  

Some scientifically inaccurate information has been floating around for quite some time advising us to not comfort or show affection to our pets when they are afraid because we will "reward" the fear.  This similarly misinformed advice also encourages us to "correct" our dog when they are afraid to somehow put them in a different frame of mind.  Now, it's one thing to pleasantly distract a dog when they have to endure something they don't like (i.e. feeding a dog treats while the vet staff have to take his temperature), but it's something different if you're trying to correct the fear out of your dog.  This won't work and will likely make the fear worse.  Think of a time when you've been afraid or nervous.  If someone gave you a smack on the shoulder and said "snap out of it", or stepped on your toe and said "stop that!", would that help you feel any better?  You might just feel annoyed at the person, not to mention have a sore shoulder or toe.  You may even try to hide your outward signs of anxiety to avoid another smack from your friend, but here's the problem: suppressing emotions or their resulting behaviours is certainly not the same thing as changing them.  

If your dog is feeling afraid and you yank his leash or poke his side, you're likely to put him more on edge and create further negative associations rather than "correcting" his emotions.  Even if he stops doing whatever behaviour you disapproved of, this only suppresses his ability to communicate his discomfort to you and does not improve his internal experience.  You can, however, do something called counterconditioning.  This is a wonderful process by which you take something the dog doesn't like and help him make positive associations with it.  

One example happened recently without me even having to do anything (it's kind of nice when things work out that way!)

Recently our son started taking the bus home from school.  We meet the bus at the end of our laneway, which is a few minutes' walk from our front door, so I decided to take my dog with me for a little sniff and potty break on the way.  The first time the bus pulled up, our dog that tends to be nervous of new things, was of course unsure.  The bus is large, makes noise, and she's probably never seen one up close before in her life.  She tucked her tail and hid behind my leg a little bit.  Then our son came off the bus.  Our girl (Phoenix) just loves our son.  They have a great relationship and she is always happy to see him.  When she saw him come of the bus her tail began to wag, her body relaxed, and she moved towards him (and the bus), excited to greet her buddy.  

The next day I took her with me again to meet the bus.  When she saw the bus, instead of cowering or tucking her tail, she immediately looked relaxed and happy: her tail wagging, moving towards the bus.  

What happened?

Yes, she learned that our son comes off the bus and she likes him, so she was happy to see the bus because it brings him.  More importantly though, a connection in her brain between a school bus and a good thing formed.  If we repeated this many times, then one day the bus came with out our son, she would still get the good feeling because of the positive association that has developed.  This is because of classical conditioning (something I also discuss in my blog post, called "Remember Pavlov?").  

If I had "corrected" her fearful reaction, forcing her to come out from behind my legs, or jerking the collar and telling her "no", I probably would have made her fear worse.  Her brain could make a connection between bus arriving and experiencing an aversive (an unpleasant consequence), and the next time the bus arrived she may act even more fearfully or defensively.  This is why aversive training of a fearful dog can lead to an aggressive dog.  

So, if your dog is fearful of something, please be patient with him or her.  He is only responding to his brain warning him of danger and is acting the only way he knows to try to keep himself safe or avoid something unpleasant.  If you want to help him through his fear, think of ways you can make it easier for him and ways you can create positive associations.  This can include yummy food treats, favourite toys, comfort from his family members, or the ability to move away and have control over the situation.  If the fear is significant, you  may need to break this down into very small elements, or find a competent, compassionate, qualified trainer (yes, I wrote a blog post on that too!).  

Remember, your dog does not have the benefit of the education you have received and certain situations may be very scary for him.  You can build his confidence by giving him a sense of control and security, by being his source of comfort, and by building trust. 

If you need help, please find a trainer that uses positive reinforcement and understands the counter-conditioning process.  

You can visit our website to learn more about our training services, and if you are outside of our service area, we can certainly try to connect you with a qualified and compassionate trainer in your area.

Some good places to look for a trainer are:

Fear Free Pets 

Pet Professional Guild

Certified Professional Dog Trainers

The International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants

About the Author 

Jillian is a fear-free certified and CPDT-KA certified animal behaviour specialist and has been working in the animal care and behaviour field since 2009.  

Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PawsPetMB


More Resources

For more information on helping fearful dogs, visit Debbie Jacob's website, FearfulDogs.com

And check out Dr. Marty Becker's latest book, "From Fearful to Fear Free"

Another anecdote for those who like examples :) 

Another personal example of classical conditioning and counterconditioning (helping to change the dogs' emotional response to something).  

My dog Phoenix recently had knee surgery and as part of her recovery she has to take some medications.  Dogs tend not to like pills, and who can blame them, really?  They don't understand that this yucky-tasting strange object we're giving them is to help them.  So, to make it a little easier for her, I would always follow each pill with a delicious piece of meat leftover from dinner.  

Initially when I would start preparing her medications she would show signs of discomfort: lowered head, moving away, looking nervous, general avoidance.  After a few times of getting a very special reinforcer (meat!), she started getting excited while I was preparing the medications.  She actually started doing a little happy tap-dance and woo-wooing in excitement, wagging her tail, sitting nice waiting for her food.  Initially she was trying to avoid swallowing the pills and would spit them out.  Once she realized something really good was coming, she voluntarily swallowed the pills and waited nicely for the pay-out.

This process of counterconditioning doesn't just apply to pills and school busses, it can apply to more complex situations as well.  However, if a dog's fear and/or resulting behaviour are severe, please consult a professional for help.  Above I listed a few organizations that are good starting places for finding a qualified, compassionate trainer.  

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Remember Pavlov?

Practical Uses for Classical Conditioning

For a good basic explanation of the
Pavlovian experiments, please visit
http://www.simplypsychology.org/pavlov.html

A couple of upsetting scenes got me thinking about classical conditioning and canine behaviour (again.  It's a never-ending train of thought in the back of my nerdy mind).

The first one happened in the summer: I was walking two dogs through Assiniboine Park on a busy day and a man and woman were standing on a hill overlooking the pathway.  Every time someone would walk by with a dog, their dog would react with barking, pulling on the leash, and whining.  The man was attempting to punish the behaviour out of the dog: He was setting him up to fail by having him so close to the path that he couldn't control his reaction, ensuring he would react, and then hitting him every time he did react.

The other two incidents happened in the last month: One was a lady walking her two large dogs on prong collars.  Similarly, they got excited when they saw another dog and started to react with barking, whining, and pulling on leash.  The lady very harshly corrected them, yanking on the leash to tighten the collar around their necks, and scolding them loudly to "STOP".  The third one happened just last week: A lady was again walking two dogs and I was across the street walking a dog as well.  Her dog got excited and was barking and whining, looking at the dog I was walking.  The lady turned and yelled at her dog, kicking it, and kneeing it until it backed up and paid attention to her.

Now, even if these owners weren't hurting their dogs (I'm sure they were, but let's pretend the punishment wasn't physically painful), the whole point was to stop the dogs from reacting this way and what they were doing was the complete opposite.  I am sure these people love their dogs very much, and that their intent was to improve their behaviour, unfortunately dogs don't know our intent, only what they experience.

If you are afraid of spiders and see one in your kitchen, what do you do?  Scream, squeal, yell for someone to come squish it, run away?  What if you were trapped in the room (like a dog on a leash unable to move away)?

What if someone scolded you or kicked you in the shin because you were afraid?  How would you feel about the spider then?  How about the person who scolded you or kicked your leg?  What would you do the next time you saw a spider in your kitchen, would you feel more or less upset?

A conditioned emotional response is one that is brought about by associations.  When you bring your dog's leash out, does he do a happy dance, wagging his tail and excitedly moving towards the door in anticipation of his walk?  When he hears that familiar rattle of the treat bag, does he come running, offering you his best sit in anticipation of a cookie?  Your dog doesn't have a thing for nylon or plastic, those associations were learned by pairings, making them conditioned emotional responses.  The difference is these are positive emotional responses: leash=enjoying a walk, plastic bag=eating a yummy treat.

Negative emotional responses come about when seeing another dog=getting smacked, kicked, or choked.  How do you expect those dogs to react next time they see another dog?  If the punishment is severe enough, they may learn to suppress their response and keep quiet, but that sure won't change how they feel.  In fact, I would wager that they feel more anxious because they're not allowed to respond for fear of punishment.

A more effective, kinder way is possible.  Create positive associations with the feared object and this will get you on the right path to helping your dog feel more comfortable.

Don’t worry about rewarding your dog's unwanted behaviour (barking, pulling, lunging, whatever he may be doing).  Counter-conditioning means that you are trying to change how your dog FEELS first, which in turn will change how he behaves. A fearful dog will act defensively. A comfortable dog will not. You cannot change your dog's behaviour until you have helped him feel safe.

If you need help with this, contacted a certified trainer in your area.



Donna Hill has a great video on teaching the "look at that" game, based on Leslie McDevitt's "Control Unleashed" program.

If you want to learn more, I have two blogs on Dog Reactivity: Understanding Dog Reactivity and Reactive Dog Myths, and Karen Pryor has a brief article further explaining the benefit of the "look at that" exercise.

Classical Conditioning is not just for reactivity, it's part of everyday learning.  You can use it to help your dog feel more comfortable with being in a kennel, with meeting new people, going to the vet, or just about anything that could potentially make them anxious.  But don't wait until your pup is anxious to start classical conditioning!  Socialize your pup as early as possible in controlled, relaxed, positive situations and you can go a long way in preventing your pup from developing fears or reactive behaviours.

Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA
Pawsitive Pooch Dog Training

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Understanding Dog Reactivity

Why Are So Many Dogs Leash-Reactive?

On-leash reactivity is one of the most common reasons people contact me for private training.  Many dog lovers are puzzled by their dog’s aggressive displays (or otherwise anti-social or embarrassing behaviour) when passing dogs on leashed walks, especially when that same dog can get along just fine with other dogs in the home and some are even social butterflies off-leash at the dog park.  So why is meeting other dogs while on leash so problematic?  

There is not a simple answer and there are many factors at play when dogs become reactive, but I will focus on the main issues.

Curves are IN

Firstly, in polite dog society dogs do not meet face-to-face (head on), instead they approach each other circuitously to show that their intents are friendly, then often they circle-sniff with each dog’s nose meeting the other’s rear end.  Dogs can get so much information from a sniff and from observing the other dog’s posture.  When dogs are approaching face-to-face their postures are often stiff, heads held high, coming in a straight line with no opportunity for appropriate body language and doggy etiquette.  As they are getting closer the tension is already building before they’ve even come in contact.  

Walking along a sidewalk most people are walking in a straight line with not much room.  It is wise to give the dogs a wide berth so they can pass each other in a curved pattern rather than a straight line.  Always ask the other person if the dogs can meet, please do not allow your dog into another’s face, and if the other person’s dog is on leash and you’re not in an off-leash park, the polite thing to do is leash up.  It’s so hard for trainers, walkers, and owners to work with reactive dogs when they cannot control the environment and it sets dogs back quite a bit when they have an off-leash dog not under control approach them.  Often these off-leash dogs greet enthusiastically, and although they may be very friendly, it’s not polite and the off-leash dog may not heed the signals from the reactive dog to please back off.  

Frustration

Many reactive dogs started off quite social and eager to play and interact in a friendly manner.  Unfortunately, being on leash limits the ability to do so and can cause frustration in young, playful, social dogs.  A lot of dogs also spend time barking at their window at dogs passing by, further adding to these frustrating experiences.  Over time the dog associates seeing other dogs with frustration and as the occurrences accrue, the dog ends up acting out whenever he sees another dog.  

If you have a friendly, social dog right now - great!  Keep it that way by arranging play dates with other social, friendly dogs who are a good match for your dog.  Socialization is a continuous process and dogs need to continually practice their social skills and have an outlet for their playful energy.

If you have a dog that is reactive contact a certified private trainer or attend a group class specifically for reactive dogs.  If your dog is reactive but has some friends he gets along with, arrange as many supervised play-dates as you can so that they have an opportunity to exercise their social side and have positive experiences with other canines.  These play dates are best done in a large, fenced area with one adult for each dog in case the dogs start to get overly rambunctious.  If they do, call them away with treats, ask them to sit or down, reinforce them for settling, then allow them to return to play.  Continue interrupting and reinforcing for calm every few minutes so the dogs don’t get over-excited and start playing too rough, remembering to reward them by allowing them to get back to their fun. 

Provide Alternatives

In the mean time, when you are out for walks you can help your dog develop a more positive association with seeing other dogs.  Whenever he sees a dog (further away is better so that he remains calm) give him treats.  You can ask for alternative behaviours such as sit, lay down, watch me (eye contact), touch (target) or anything he knows that he can do easily.  Being rewarded in the presence of other dogs helps create those positive associations and gives your dog something to do with his nervous energy.  

If your dog is too worked up to focus on you or to take treats that means you are too close and he needs more space.  

Avoid Punishment 

It is not advisable to punish your dog for acting out, no matter how frustrating or embarrassing it may be.  This will further add to the negative association being developed and can worsen the reactivity and increase the risk of aggression.  Try to keep your tone light and positive when you are working with your dog, if he sees you are relaxed and having fun this will help him understand that there’s nothing to be worried about.

You Are Not Alone

As I mentioned, this is one of the most common reasons people contact me for private training, there are also many books written on the topic.  To further illustrate this point, out of 11 blog posts, this is already the second on reactivity.  Know that, as difficult as this issue can be, you are definitely not alone and there is help and hope!

If you need help and are within our service area, please feel free to contact me, and if you are outside my service area I may be able to provide an appropriate referral.

Jillian Enright, CPDT-KA

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Related Posts

Dispelling Reactive Dog Myths

Classical Conditioning

You Cannot "Correct" Fear Out of Your Dog

Dispelling Reactive Dog Myths

3 Myths About Reactive Dogs 

What is a Reactive Dog? 

Reactive dogs are often the ones you see pulling to the end of their leash, lunging and barking towards another dog or some other “trigger” (such as a strange person or object on the street).   Many classify these dogs as aggressive, and yes, their behaviour is an aggressive display.  However, many of these dogs are sweet as can be when they’re in their comfort zones away from those triggers.  

There are a few harmful myths about these dogs and their owners, so I want to address three of them here.  

Myth #1 - Owners with reactive dogs are the cause of their dog’s behaviour 

Many of the owners with whom I have worked adopted these “problem” dogs when no one else would.  Many of them put in a great deal of time, effort, and money into helping their dogs overcome their fears.  They have worked with private trainers, attended classes, and some walk their dogs late at night or very early in the morning in order to avoid the triggering situations.  

Sometimes the triggers are well-meaning people who allow their dogs to greet these reactive dogs without first asking permission.  Owners of reactive dogs are often embarrassed by their dog’s behaviour, feel helpless when their dog is acting this way, and are trying their best.  You can help by removing the trigger (i.e. if your dog is the trigger, move away and out of their sight if possible) and always ask permission before allowing your dog to greet another.  

Myth #2 - Reactive dogs are “dominant” or inherently mean

Nope.  The primary and most common contributor to reactive behaviour is fear.  Lunging, growling, and barking are distance-increasing behaviours, meaning it’s the way the dog says “please leave me alone, you are scaring me!”  They are trying to make themselves look and sound scary in order to make whatever they perceive as threatening go away.  These dogs are usually more insecure, anxious, or fearful and these traits have nothing at all to do with dominance.  

Myth #3 - Rewarding Fear Increases that Fear

You cannot operantly condition fear.  This means if you comfort your dog when he is afraid, you are not rewarding the fear and you are not making it worse, you are helping him feel better and helping him make a positive association with the scary object.

Donna Hill has a great YouTube video on a game called "Look at That":

The above exercise was adapted from Leslie McDevitt's book "Control Unleashed".

On the same note, you can absolutely not punish fear out of the dog.  Putting a shock collar or prong collar on your dog and causing him pain whenever he is reacting will either suppress the behaviour, making him a greater bite risk because he no longer gives warning signs, or it will make his aggressive display much worse.  If a dog is afraid of other dogs and receives a poke or shock whenever he sees another dog, he will associate pain with other dogs and his fear will increase.  This is classical conditioning, a learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together.  

Fear is classically conditioned and not operantly conditioned, meaning fear is conditioned when two stimuli (i.e. treats and nail clippers) happen in close proximity, allowing the dog to make a connection between the two.  If we pair a scary object with something good (i.e. a yummy Kong whenever there is a thunderstorm), it helps decrease the fear.  

Come to think of it, a lot of really skilled and knowledgeable trainers I know have reactive dogs.  This is usually because no one else had the skill or ability to work with these dogs, so they are adopted by experts.  However, it takes a great deal of hard work, commitment, and management to help a dog overcome his fears.  Each time we unexpectedly encounter an off-leash dog where he’s not supposed to be, or have someone allow their dog to approach ours when we are asking them not to, it sets our progress back and is very stressful for the dog.  And no matter how skilled we are or how hard we work, we cannot change a dog’s DNA. 

To my friends, colleagues, and clients who have reactive or fearful dogs: thank you for having the patience and kindness to help these dogs whose lives can be very stressful.  It may add stress to your life, but when we see progress and know we are making their lives a little better, it makes all the hard work so worth it.  

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About the writer: 

Jillian Enright moved from Toronto in 2007 and spent her first four years studying Psychology with an emphasis on Animal Learning & Behaviour at the University of Winnipeg.  

Jillian is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), meaning her knowledge on animal learning theory, husbandry, health, ethology, training equipment, and instructing skills have all been evaluated to the standard of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers.  This also includes adherence to a code of ethics and to the humane hierarchy for animal training.  

Jillian has a strong academic background in training in addition to practical experience, including running her own highly successful Dog Walking & Sitting business called Sturgeon Park Dog Care 

www.PawsitiveCare.ca

Jillian also worked as a Behaviour Counsellor for the Winnipeg Humane Society doing behavioural assessments, behaviour modification, and clicker training.  

Jillian trains using an evidence-based approach including classical & operant conditioning and positive reinforcement.  "Pawsitive" means training is done without the use of any force, intimidation, or punishment.  No shock collars, choke chains, or prong collars are needed to implement a successful training program.  

Training should be both successful and FUN - for both owner and dog!