Desensitization - How And Why It Works

Topic: Socialization

Filed under Dogs

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Desensitization is by no means a training method that is new or one that is exclusively used with dogs. There are many very professional therapists that use desensitization as a way to help people get over fears and anxieties and the same general methods can easily and very effectively used with your dog.

Dogs develop fears by one of two ways either by being frightened during the fear periods of their puppyhood or being injured, hurt or abused at some time later in their life. With puppies the fear periods in their developmental stages occur at approximately the 8th to 11th week, known as the fear imprint period, as well as later at the 6th to 14th month period, known as the second fear period. During these two times in a puppy's development they can be significantly affected by anything that is startling or fearful to them.

In the earliest fear imprint period at about eight to eleven weeks the puppy will typically run away and try to hide when he or she is frightened. Loud noises, rough handling and being treated aggressively by humans or other animals can result in long lasting fear towards both the cause of the fear as well as new situations in general. Many breeders won't ship puppies at this time since the whole shipping event is one giant fearful experience. Often puppies that are shipped rather than picked-up by owners during these critical weeks will be highly distrustful, more timid and shy or more aggressive for the first few weeks in their new residence. Many canine behavioralists feel that this fear imprint time is the most problematic as fears developed in this stage are much more difficult to work with later on in the dog's life.

The second fear period when the puppy is about 6 to 14 months old is more likely to result in the dog showing signs of aggression and protectiveness of both itself and what it perceives to be its territory. In breeds that have a tendency to be dominant and independent, these traits will also start to surface. Juvenile dogs are really in their teenage years and use bluster and aggressiveness as a way to deal with things that frighten them. Many owners mistake this and become equally aggressive or punishment based, which only increases the young dog's fears and causes increased anxiety and stress.

One of the biggest concerns with dogs that show signs of aggression or high levels of fear is that they can be very unpredictable and even dangerous. Even a dog that is normally very timid can be a ferocious protector of their space if they feel threatened. The key to socializing these types of dogs is to get them to face and work through their fears, but in a very gentle, slow and positive fashion. Forcing a dog into a situation where they are fearful is going to create more problems rather than eliminating them. As dogs become fearful and distrusting of humans, their behavior will change and they will become more anxious, even about things that previously didn't cause any problems.

Desensitization Basics

To start desensitization the first step is to know exactly what it is that is causing the stress for the dog. Is it traveling in the car or is it going away from the dog's own space and area? Is it being around all new pets or is it just being around dogs? Is the fear present in all environments or just some? Is it the same with all people?

Watching and observing your dog while not intentionally putting them in fearful situations is the key. Look for the subtle changes in body language that include non-compliance, dropping the tail, head and body to appear smaller, whining, pulling away, hesitancy or even aggressive and dominant types of behaviors. Each dog will exhibit discomfort differently, so it is important to know the very early signs of stress for your own pet.

As soon as you notice anxiety within the dog, immediately note what is happening. Where are you, who is there, what are you doing, what is going on around you, what is the dog trying to avoid? You may even want to keep a small journal handy and just jot down a couple of notes about the environment and the behavior you see. Immediately stop the activity, remove the dog to where he or she was calm and give positive verbal praise and attention as the dog becomes relaxed again.

Now, knowing what is distressing to the dog you can start to slowly get the dog accustom to the fear issue, just a little bit at a time. For example, if your dog is terrified every time you turn on the vacuum and runs and hides or tries to bite the appliance you know what is causing the issue. The first part of the desensitization would be to simply put the vacuum, unplugged and not running, in a place where the dog could examine it on his or her own. Don't put it right by the food or water, but perhaps in the opposite corner of the room. Encourage but don't force the dog to be close to the vacuum, however if the dog does come over for a look give them a lot of praise and a treat right there.

When the dog is calm walking around the turned off vacuum, put the dog on a leash and get a friend or family member to run the vacuum in another room, close to the dog but not in visual sight. Reward the dog for staying calm while the vacuum is on. Just do this for a minute or two once a day until they are no longer paying attention to vacuuming in the other room. Gradually move the dog closer to the running vacuum, a bit at a time. As your dog becomes comfortable with closer proximity, you can take him or her off the leash. Before you know it they will be calm and relaxed, even when you vacuum in the same room.

If the dog does become fearful or aggressive you have simply moved too quickly to the next step. Go back to the last successful distance and repeat, this time moving forward more slowly and watching the dog for any signs of distress.

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