Barking Episode 4- Barking at Strangers- Dog training

This dog training video outlines a plan for beginning to counter condition a dog to certain types of people that a dog becomes reactive to. This video can also be used as a way to socialize young puppies to weird things in the environment. Another useful application of these exercises would be for a dog and handler team practicing to take a Canine Good Citizen test, as well as proofing a Therapy dog or Service dog for all types of situations they might encounter while on the job.

It is very common for dogs to become reactive to anything out of the ordinary. We have selectively bred them to be this way.

Many dogs will become reactive or show fear to stimuli such as a weird hat, a cane, a walker, a stroller, a person with bags, a big jacket, strange movement and anything that changes a persons profile.

You can set up training games to change your dogs emotional response from fear or arousal to calm friendliness using counter conditioning. Watch this video to check out what you can do.
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Another thing you can do to speed up the process, is to leave these scary items around in your house for the dog to habituate to and investigate. You can also wear them. If your dog is fearful of people with gloves, wear gloves when you watch TV in the evening every once in a while. Put on a different scary item before you put down your dogs dinner bowl.
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If at any point the dog were to become reactive, simply say 'let's go' to the dog, and when the dog has stopped reacting you can let them watch as their favorite person removes the object, and walks away from it. You can then let your dog approach and check out the object on the ground to find out that is not dangerous.
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If you have a very shy or reactive dog, seek advice from an animal behaviorist, and during this exercise do not let the dog get within reach of the favorite person with the object, or they could get bitten.
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For a doorway. Have your dog on leash.

1- have the dogs favorite person enter and exit the doorway. Click or feed your dog for watching the person come in while the dog remains calm by your side
2- have the person come in pick up the hat or coat, and then put it on in front of the dog.
3- have the person leave in the hat or coat, and then come back in the door seconds later.
4- repeat with different scary items




Dog training clicker training how to train a dog to bark, how to train a dog not to bark at people when on a walk how to train a dog not to lunge on leash stopping aggressive behavior how to end aggressive behavior in a dog correcting a dogs issues of fear and arousal around people

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• dog
• training
• clicker
• aggressive
• puppy
• socialization
• lunging
• reactive
• barking
• how
• to
• stop

[enderilles]

I would only disagree with your overuse of treats as a form of praise. I find much longer lasting results when using physical affection and praise. This focuses the dog on YOUR relationship, not the dog's relationship with treats.

[kikopup]

@enderilles Well, what if you did it wrong and used "Operant Conditioning" your dog would be reliant on treats. But what I am using is "Classical Conditioning" which just changes the dogs emotional response, think Pavlovs dog- a dog drools from hearing a bell, a response is created in the dog, the dog cannot help it. The same thing happens when you eat something and then get sick, you don't feel like eating it again- these are classically conditioned responses, not trained behaviors

[kikopup]

@kikopup By using the highest level reinforcement possible- real meat and your dogs favorite reinforcers, you will create faster stronger neuron connections and save time training your dog. THAT is why I use food. Some dogs dont like being pet and it can actually work against you, as well as its proven that our voices are not the primary reinforcers like food is- primary reinforcers are things like food, water... secondary reinforcers can be added after your dog is starting to like the stimuli

[RescueCadetsUSA]

OMG, I'm definitely using this one with Bella. She recenty reacted to a lady at "paws in the pool" an event where dogs get to go swim , the lady was wearing a hat, sunglasses, and was carrying a large camera. I know it freaked her out, so I didn't blame her, but I definitely want to fix the problem.

[kikopup]

@RescueCadetsUSA yeah, :) big cameras, and binoculars are big triggers for dogs :) besides the hats and glasses

[Issa2848]

What breed dog is Bruno? (5:40)

[kikopup]

@Issa2848 Hes an Afghan Hound :)

[kikopup]

@JocoseCatastrophe If you rescued a dog and only had it for a short time :) etc

[Scoutdogs]

As always, wonderful training video! I wish more people would do this sort of stuff during the PUPPY SOCIALIZATION PHASE (with the slow intro of new stuff as you describe) so there would be fewer reactive dogs in the first place! :-)

[langleywrite]

@kikopup To add to this, as the owner of a highly-wrought, wonderful but reactive dog, praise, a happy voice, petting, any reward that isn't silent elevates my dog's excitement. Silently dropping a treat while I quietly say "good" has been the vest form of reinforcement for this dog. I, too, used to be treat aversive, but if your dog responds to them, then why not? Also, THANK YOU again for these wonderful videos! I wish I'd seen them when my boy was a pup.

[ShadowwWolf1288]

i got a counter conditioner, i did what you told me in the videos. On the label it says "dont use on human skin, can cause eyes and skin irritation. Do you think i should still use this conditioner

[bekahsmiles97]

Hello,

So my family has a golden retriever/ St. Barnard mix. We absolutely love him, but the thing is we live at a summer camp and we always have people coming and going. When he is outside and someone drives down and gets out of their car he runs up and starts barking and barking because he is scared and we can't get him to stop. As you can imagine it is a very scary bark! We would love to be able to break him of this bad habit. What method would you recommend?

[crispita007]

I've wanted to have a Golden Retriever for like 6 months now, and since then I've watched at least a 100 of your videos, I don't even have the dogs yet, but I feel 100% prepared to train them. Seriously, thank you @kikopup , I love you, and my future dogs will thank and love you as well. You're truly the best. :)

[illyas1]

@kikopup does this mean that you dont have to ever stop using treats when classically conditioning?i wanna classical condiotion my dog to children and petting and i fear it may take a long time.thxs

[jmallen62691]

My dog doesn't bark at objects on a person, my dog barks at people. All people that she doesn't know well. She barks at shadows, she barks at any tiny noise, she barks at other dogs, cats, squirrels, she barks when I leave her outside, she barks when I leave her inside, she barks ALL THE TIME! I don't know what to do.

[darkharmonyjustice]

I am getting a maltese in a week or so. It will be eight weeks old. What should I start with? After I have done the basics which things should I move onto to train my puppy?

Your videos are awesome and extremely helpful. Thanks in advance. =)