Desensitization AndCounterconditioning: The Details
1. The goal is to help your pet learn new tasks to help them deal with situations, people, or places that make them fearful, anxious, or exhibit undesirable behavior.
2. The first step is helping your pet to learn to relax and be calm on a verbal command. Animals cannot learn if they are emotionally aroused.
a. See handout on Tranquility Training Exercises.
b. This can be accomplished not only with training but with training aids such as a head collar.
3. The adult who has the most control over the pet should do these sessions.
a. For additional safety, a leash and/or a head collar or harness is advised.
b. For cats, a harness and leash or a crate may be necessary for control.
4. Be aware of the stimulus gradient before you start.
a. How does the response vary across the components of the stimulus? These may be distance, size, speed of approach, personal characteristics (hats, bicycles,age).
b. Then arrange the stimuli from the least likely to cause a problematic response to the one most likely to
elicit the problem behavior.
5. Establish a reward gradient. Find rewards that are extremely valuable, some of lesser value, and finally lowest value treats. Usually high value treats will be consumable people food. These should be reserved for treatment sessions and withheld at all other times.
6. Engage in daily training sessions lasting approximately 10 minutes.
a. Expose the pet to the stimulus at a level below that which evokes the anxious/fearful/undesirable reaction.
b. When exposed to this low level stimulus, the animal should be rewarded for calm, relaxed, obedient behavior. Rewards may include play, praise, tasty food treats, etc.
c. With success, gradually increase the intensity of the stimulus until it is at full strength without evoking a fearful/undesirable response.
d. If the animal responds with anxiety, fear, aggression, or any undesirable behavior, the stimulus intensity was too strong. Do not reward or scold the pet but back away until the pet is calm.
e. Try to end each session with a successful exposure.
7. Avoid the following pitfalls, which will make progress more difficult:
a. All situations known to elicit undesirable responses must be avoided unless they are part of the controlled training exercise. This may mean curtailing walks, confining the pet when visitors come over, not
allowing the pet outside in the yard unattended and off leash, not allowing aggressive displays at
windows, doors, and fences.
b. Avoid long training sessions where the pet becomes distracted/agitated or upset.
c. If the pet becomes very reactive, the stimulus was too close or too intense, and future sessions must have better control of the stimulus intensity. You may need to be quite a distance away for the pet to be calm and controlled. Remember, the pet learns best when calm.
d. Progress slowly and be conservative in expectations. You want the pet to be successful and end each session on a positive response.
Maximizing Treatment Success
Rewards
Identify very valuable rewards for the pet that you are training; for most dogs this will be delectable food treats. The treats should be tiny (less than 1 cm in length) and readily consumable. Some options include soft jerky treats cut into tiny pieces, small pieces of hot dogs, small cubes of cheese, small strips of deli meat, etc. Consideration should be given to any medical dietary restrictions.
Target Fist
When an animal is trained to attend to a target, they will follow that target, allowing the handler to easily lure them into certain positions (e.g., sit) and to redirect their attention away from competing attractions. Using the closed fist as the target makes great sense, since it is always with us. It also is a natural place to hold a treat. To train a pet to a target fist, simply put the tiny tasty treat in your hand and close the hand into a fist. Allow the pet to smell the closed fist, then release the treat. Usually after two to three repetitions, the pet readily focuses on the closed fist in anticipation of a tasty morsel. Then the fist can be manipulated in different directions. Where the closed fist goes, the head follows and then the body follows. If the target fist is brought from the pet’s nose up and back over the head in a gentle arc, the pet will sit; if the target fist is brought up toward the forehead, the pet will make eye contact, etc. As the pet successfully completes these tasks, it is rewarded by release of the treat from the target fist. Once the pet has established great compliance with following the target fist, the food rewards can be intermittent from the fist.
Giving Commands
Many people yell commands repeatedly at their dogs in order to achieve compliance. In all pets, but especially those with behavioral problems, yelling/loud voices can increase arousal levels and/or aggravate anxiety. Both of these consequences are counterproductive when you are trying to teach a pet to respond in a tranquil manner. Before giving the command, gain the pet’s attention by saying their name, then the command should be given in a gentle voice and there should be a pause to allow the pet to respond. Responses are rewarded. Nonresponse or undesirable
behavior is not rewarded, if the pet has a head halter on, you may be able to gain compliance with some gentle pressure. If this is not possible, the situation needs to be changed so the pet can be compliant.
A pet that has anxiety or a competing undesirable response needs constant direction when exposed to the provocative stimulus. The pet should stay engaged with the handler via a constant dialogue. For example, the handler can say “Sophie, sit. Watch me. Stay. Watch me. Stay. Watch me.” Success is unlikely if the pet is given a single verbal command such as “stay” and expected to hold that command for a prolonged period with the distraction present.
Principles of Rewarding
When you are first establishing a new behavior, valuable rewards should be given every time for success. When the new behavior is firmly established, the rewards can be intermittent. For pets that have particularly challenging behaviors that we are trying to change their response, consistent fabulous rewards will need to be maintained for significant periods before moving to an intermittent reward schedule. Rewards should be given immediately after the task is completed. Praise should always be part of the reward package in addition to other rewards such as food
treats.
Safety Recommendations For Aggressive Animals
■ All animals have the potential to bite. The only way to absolutely guarantee no aggression is euthanasia.
■ Animals usually give preliminary warning postures prior to an actual bite; all warnings should be heeded and all interaction with the animal discontinued.
ｷDog aggression warnings: body tensing/stiffening, intense stare, pupils dilated, growling, snarling (lifts their lip and shows teeth), lunging, snapping
ｷCat aggression warnings: tail rapidly flicking, ears pinned back, pupils dilated, hiss, growl, swat
■ Interaction with the animal should only be resumed again when the animal is no longer aggressively aroused, which may be difficult to determine, so caution is needed.
ｷThe aggressively aroused pet should be segregated in a secure location with necessary resources and minimal stimulation until the pet is calm again. Periodic visits to the containment may allow owner to assess the animal’s reactivity and ability to rejoin the household.
ｷFor cats, there may be a prolonged recovery period; it can take hours or days for them to return to a calm state.
■ To decrease aggressive episodes, avoid all known situations that trigger aggression.
ｷIf your pet exhibits warning signals or actually bites when you physically interact with them, then this interaction must be avoided. This may include petting, hugging, pushing, stepping over them, grabbing by the collar, picking them up, wiping feet, cleaning ears, etc.
ｷIf your pet exhibits warning signals or actual bites when you approach his/her food or when in possession of a toy, chew bone, or stolen item, this must be avoided.
ｷIf your animal is aggressive around human food, they should not be in the room while food is being prepared and consumed. Children must not walk around the home eating food if the animal is in the house.
ｷIf your pet is aggressive around their pet food then one should:
ｷPrepare the pet’s food when the pet is outside or contained in another area of the house.
ｷPlace the prepared food in a room that can be closed/locked.
ｷLet the pet into the room with the food.
ｷClose and lock the door, allowing the pet to eat without any contact.
ｷOnce the food is consumed, let out the pet and put outside or contain in another area of the house.
ｷOnce the pet is contained away from the feeding room, the human can go into the room and retrieve the food bowl and put it away.
ｷIf your pet is aggressive toward children, they must never be left alone with the children. An adult must closely supervise all interactions. If close supervision is not possible, the pet needs to be confined away from the children. Muzzles may be appropriate in some situations.
ｷIf your pet aggresses toward visitors to your home, the pet must be confined before visitors are allowed in the house.
ｷThe pet should be placed in confinement by an adult.
ｷThe confinement must be some place secure such as a room with a lock, a kennel or crate, or a fenced back yard.
ｷIf your pet exhibits aggression when outside in the yard, they must not be outside alone. They should be supervised by an adult and preferably on a leash for additional control. They must never be left outside when no one is home.
ｷThe yard should be securely locked at all times so that people cannot get in and dogs cannot get out.
ｷDo not tether aggressive dogs in the yard or any public place.
ｷElectronic containment systems should not be used with aggressive animals.
ｷIf your dog shows aggressive behavior to other dogs, avoid walks in high traffic areas or where you are likely to encounter other dogs.
ｷIf your cat shows aggressive behavior to other cats in the neighborhood, outdoor access is not advised.
■ Avoid all physical reprimands, as these are likely to increase rather than decrease aggressive responses.
Tranquility Training Exercises
Listed below are guidelines for a series of daily training exercises, taking less than 10 minutes to complete. These are the foundation work for later desensitization and counterconditioning exercises. It may be more successful to start with the dog on leash and head collar, then progress to off-leash training on the second rotation through the exercises. If the dog’s problematic behaviors only occur outside the home, do all the tranquility training on leash. If a dog routinely gets bored, distracted, agitated, or distressed during these exercises, they can be broken down into two
5-minute sessions. The person with the most control over the pet should begin the training first.
■ Find a quiet place in your home for initial training.
■ In some cases, you may want to use a small rug or bed as a location to train your
pet to settle and relax.
ｷUsing a rug or bed will allow you to take this item to other locations where your pet may need to be calm. Naturally if the problem occurs outdoors, this is not necessary.
ｷHaving a reliable “go to X” command is very helpful for a wide range of undesirable behaviors ranging from obnoxious greeting behaviors to aggression.
ｷThis can be used in separation anxiety exercises for independence training and teaching a safe place to remain when alone.
■ In all of the exercises, the dog has to do a simple command (sit or down) and then remain in that position and in a tranquil state to gain the reward.
■ You may want to add in a key phrase like “relax” or “easy” to teach the dog to associate relaxation with sit/down and stay.
ｷThe goal is for the pet to be relaxed and calm.
ｷRelaxation is measured by watching the facial expressions and body postures of your pet; ears should be relaxed and the body soft and loose.
ｷYou also want slow and relaxed respirations.
■ As you progress through the exercises, the handler will start to engage in mild distractions during the command phase.
■ Remember that the handler throughout the exercise should give the dog verbal direction. The distractions will become greater as the training progresses.
■ Noncompliance is not rewarded. Just turn away, take a short (e.g., 30-second) break, and adjust the exercise to increase chances of success then try again.
■ Between each exercise, the dog should break the sit, get up and move, and sit again. To get this to happen, the handler can move to another spot in the room and call the dog to them for the next exercise.
■ The first round of these exercises should be done inside the house with minimal household distractions; other dogs should be confined elsewhere, it should be quiet, etc.
■ The second round can be in slightly more distracting circumstances such as in a secure yard.
■ Once the dog has successfully completed these exercises in at least two different locations, you can progress to desensitization and counterconditioning to the trigger stimuli.
Example Training Day
Day One
1. Sit
2. Sit, watch you for 2 seconds
3. Sit, watch you for 5 seconds
4. Release for a rest
5. Go to spot, sit
6. Sit, watch you for 3 seconds
7. Sit, watch you while you take one step backwards and return
8. Release for a rest
9. Go to spot, sit, stay for 3 seconds
10. Sit, watch you while you raise your free arm to chest level and return it to your side again
11. Go to spot, sit, watch you for 10 seconds
12. Sit while you walk one step to the right and return
13. Go to spot, sit while you walk two steps backward and return
14. Sit, watch you for 5 seconds
15. Go to spot, sit while you walk three steps backward and return
16. Sit, watch you for 5 seconds
Day Two
1. Repeat steps 1–16, varying the time the pet remains in place from 3 to 10 seconds
2. Vary the direction of movement; go left then back, swivel and turn away one step and return, or turn in a circle or march in place
3. Vary the distraction, perhaps clapping your hands softly two to three times
Subsequent Days
1. For the remainder of the first week, continue to vary the amount of time the pet remains stationary in each step.
2. Continue to vary the distractions, include jumping jacks, knocking on furniture, talking, jogging in place, turning your back on the dog, etc.
3. After a week, return to Day One and repeat in a different location.
4. Repeat with different family members handling the pet.
Using Classical CounterconditioningTo Change Emotional State
When a pet is showing an undesirable response to a stimulus, that response is usually associated with an underlying emotional state that is also undesirable. Anxiety, fear, and aggression are common motivational emotions for unwanted pet responses. To help the pet respond in a different way, it is useful to change the association with
the stimulus and hence, the underlying emotional state. The goal is to change the meaning of the stimulus from one that predicts something unpleasant to one that predicts something desirable. Although some animals will respond to play, for most animals, the best way to do so is using food.
■ A first step in changing a response to a stimulus is to attempt to grade the response across varying characteristics of the stimulus. In other words, how does the pet respond to the stimulus as that stimulus changes either in its proximity, speed of approach, location, or other characteristics such as sound or size.
■ The next step is to find a reward that the animal finds especially enticing (an “A” treat), usually food and especially table food. It is important to have a gradient of reinforcers, from those that are extremely desirable to those that are less so. Extremely desirable rewards are saved for training and conditioning sessions.
■ Finally, two simple tasks must be taught to the pet.
ｷThe first is a task to get the pet’s attention. This can be as simple as teaching the pet to look at you using a phrase such as “watch me” or “focus.” The goal is for the animal to have eye contact for several minutes but remain neutral and relaxed. A leash and possibly a head collar should be used for additional control.
ｷThe second is a following command that allows you to leave the situation. The dog should learn to associate a phrase such as “let’s go” with turning 180 degrees and briskly walking the other way. This should be performed quickly, but without anxiety or tension.