Life is Scary (Part Two)
Training Away Fear? It Can Be Done
So your dog is fearful, but when is it necessary to seek professional help?
Even the mildest forms of fear can benefit from the help of a professional, especially when considering the fact that fear can worsen over time! However, there are some circumstances that present a more urgent need for professional help.
If your dog’s fear is affecting their ability to function in their day-to-day life. A dog that is fearful to walk inside of Petco would not necessarily be considered abnormal, but a dog that is fearful to walk in their own neighborhood may be considered abnormal.
If your dog has a long recovery period after a fearful experience. For example, your dog is afraid of storms and is unwilling to come out of hiding for a long period of time after the storm has passed.
If your dog’s fear response includes aggressive behaviors which put yourself and others at risk. A dog that chooses to isolate themselves in another room when a new guest comes to the home is not a risk, but a dog that chooses to seek out a new guest in the home and bite them is certainly a risk.
There are many different treatment strategies for fearful dogs. The treatment plan suggested by a professional will likely include vet visits, assessment for medication, identifying the dog’s triggers, managing the dog’s daily environment to minimize exposure to triggers, establishing an appropriate exercise routine, training functional operant behaviors, establishing safety protocols, and working with triggers directly through a desensitization and counter-conditioning protocol. The exact elements that will be included in each of these outlined topics will vary depending on the dog and their fears. Let’s look at a more detailed breakdown of a treatment plan for fearful dogs.
Vet Visit
Before diving into training, get an extensive vet check. The dog should receive a full physical, thyroid panel, and if it is suspected the dog could be experiencing pain further testing to identify possible issues will be necessary.
Assessment for Medication
Not every dog needs to be medicated in order to be successfully treated for fearfulness. However, medication should not be reserved as a “last resort”.
A dog may benefit from medication when they are unable to function normally in their daily life, the intensity of their fear is so strong that training progress will be slow, and/or the dog’s symptoms of fear present a safety risk to themselves or others.
Medications and Other Aides
Adaptil (DAP)
T-Touch
Pressure wraps (i.e. Thundershirt)
Nutraceuticals (i.e. Zylkene and L-theanine)
Herbal Supplements (i.e. CBD and Shen Calmer)
Pharmaceuticals (i.e. fluoxetine and diazepan)
*I am not a vet and will not recommend specific prescription medications for a dog. Owners should work closely with a veterinarian well-versed in the medications available for fearful dogs to decide what will work best for their dog.
Identifying the Dog’s Triggers and Managing their Environment
Gathering a list of the dog’s triggers can be helpful in discovering common trends and may change how training is conducted.
Ranking the intensity of the dog’s symptoms with different triggers helps to determine where training should be prioritized. Generally, I like to begin working with lower intensity triggers first. (i.e. your dog’s fear response to the sound of a hairdryer you’re using is a level 1 out of 5, they will move to the other side of the room and if you called them to you they would not come. Your dog’s fear response to strangers is a level 5 out of 5, they will hide in your closet when someone knocks on the door and will not come out for at least 10 minutes after the stranger departs.)
Eliminate the existence of a trigger if it is feasible to do so. (i.e. your dog is fearful of nail clippers so your switch to a nail grinder instead, or your dog is fearful of walking on the tile floor, but their water bowl is located in that room so you move your dog’s bowl to a room without tile floor.)
Minimize the dog’s exposure to triggers outside of training sessions. Understandably, this may be easier said than done depending on what your dog is fearful of. However, this is an important element in making efficient training progress.
Establishing an Appropriate Exercise Routine
A dog that does not receive adequate physical exercise is more likely to demonstrate signs of anxiety and fear. The amount of physical exercise a dog needs is contingent on their age and breed. Some dogs may be content with running around in the yard a few times per day, whereas other dogs may need a strenuous one mile run before feeling satisfied.
In addition to physical exercise, mental exercise is also a necessity. A simple way to promote mental exercise is to provide all meals via enrichment feeders. I tend to favor foragers for fearful dogs as they help induce calmness and focus.
Training Functional Operant Behaviors
While obedience cues are not the key to resolving fearful behavior, they can be helpful in building confidence, promoting calmness, and redirecting the dog away from triggers.
Cues may include: “down”, “go to mat” (move to designated space and remain there until released), “focus” (make eye contact with handler), “touch” (use their nose to touch the handler’s hand), “settle” (lie the head down and relax), “find it” (sniff out hidden food), and “let’s go” (begin moving with their handler)
Establishing Safety Protocols
Necessary safety protocols are largely contingent on the dog’s typical fear response.
Here are some potential safety protocols that may be used:
Muzzle training for dogs that growl, snap, or bite.
Emergency u-turns for getting a leashed dog away from an approaching trigger.
“Escape-proof” equipment for dogs that attempt to get out of their equipment.
A general “hands off the dog” rule for non-household members.
A leash sleeve for public outings that advertises the dog is fearful and should be ignored.
Desensitization Work
Begin training at the lowest intensity version of the trigger. For noises, this may mean playing a recording of the noise at a barely audible volume. For visuals, this may mean presenting them at a great distance (but still viewable by the dog).
The intensity is only increased once the dog’s fear response has disappeared at the current level.
Counter-conditioning Work
Consistently pair the trigger with something the dog loves in order to build a positive conditioned emotional response. For many dogs, high value food like chicken or cheese works well. However, a special toy or affection can be used if the dog finds those very valuable.
The order of events is quite important for effective counter-conditioning. The dog must be aware of the trigger before the reward is delivered. The dog should develop the understanding that when they encounter a trigger their handler will reward them. This is the core concept that will help the dog’s emotional response to seeing a trigger change from one of fear to one of neutrality and even excitement.
During counter-conditioning it is important that rewards are not doled out when the trigger is not present.
Other Training Elements
Typically, desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises are rolled together. So, the trigger will be presented at a tolerable intensity (desensitization) and when the dog becomes aware of the trigger the handler will begin to reward (counter-conditioning).
If the dog’s fearfulness appears to be increasing during a training session move them to a safe area and allow them to decompress. From there, decrease the trigger intensity and try again, or end the session and try again the next day.
Give the dog as much choice as possible during sessions. A dog that feels they have no autonomy is much more likely to become fearful and panic when in the presence of a trigger (even at a low intensity). Therefore, if the dog makes the decision to move away from a trigger allow them to do so!
Providing the dog with calm reassurance and occasional affection is fine, especially if it helps them to relax when in the presence of a trigger. The idea that a handler can cause the dog to be more fearful by doing this is false. However, it is important to remain calm and relaxed during these interactions because it is possible for the dog to be aware of handler nervousness or anxiety, which can elicit stronger fear response.
Much like my previous post, there is much more to say on fearfulness. I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what I incorporate into my treatment plans for fearful dogs, but I hope this helps owners get started off on the right foot. For further reading follow the links below.
Dealing with canine anxiety and phobias
The use of gabapentin to help manage anxiety in dogs
Shen Calmer to ease anxiety and nervousness
