As always please do your research and common sense when taking any advise.
Now that we are in the next stage with this crisis we will be observing many dogs being fearful of our mask.
Yep all the humans are now wearing muzzles ?
As we know many dogs where never socialized around mask during puppyhood.
Therefore you might be observing your dog having some fear/anxiety or evening escalating into some type of aggression. No worries we can desensitize them slowly to a mask and even other people wearing a mask.
Grab some soft eating food/treats that your dog can consume fast. To get a quicker emotional response use your dogs favorite rewards even if it’s tug or fetch.
1-Grab a mask put it in one hand and food In the other. Then place both hands behind your back. (Or tug/fetch toy).
2- Introduce mask (show your dog) When he sees the mask say the word yes (or your choice of marker word/clicker) and drop food/reinforce. Repeat a few times.
3- Introduce the mask and wait a second or two and see if your dog looks at mask, to you or your treat hand. If he does either of these mark (yes/reinforces) give food. This is a sign that you are already changing a emotional response from fear to something good. If not repeat steps one and two again.
4- Slowly progress to raising the mask up to your face and repeat steps one and two until you are wearing your mask....go slow and at your dogs pace. Always set them up for success.
5- When you take it outside with strangers. Your dog sees a stranger with mask mark (yes/reinforce ) treat. I would start from a long distance to help your dog not go over threshold. Basically stay far enough away where he doesn’t react or get fearful.
We want our dogs to see a mask and now it turns into a predictor of good things (food, tug, good things). In behavior modifications the technical term will be COUNTER CLASSICAL CONDITIONING and a more detailed definition will be in comments. Just in case anyone is interested in the science ?
Notes:
1- Desensitization
The process of increasing an animal’s tolerance to a particular stimulus by gradually increasing the presence of the stimulus. In psychology, desensitization is defined as the diminished emotional responsiveness to a negative or aversive stimulus after repeated (gradually) exposure to it.
2-Marker
A signal through conditioning indicates a correct behavior that will result in reward. Typically, to be effective, the signal should be within 1.5 seconds of the behavior. A clicker is a marker.
Hope this helps and as always head over time our sister site forums for more questions.
Article for more scientific learning:
www.doggieresidence.com
Now that we are in the next stage with this crisis we will be observing many dogs being fearful of our mask.
Yep all the humans are now wearing muzzles ?
As we know many dogs where never socialized around mask during puppyhood.
Therefore you might be observing your dog having some fear/anxiety or evening escalating into some type of aggression. No worries we can desensitize them slowly to a mask and even other people wearing a mask.
Grab some soft eating food/treats that your dog can consume fast. To get a quicker emotional response use your dogs favorite rewards even if it’s tug or fetch.
1-Grab a mask put it in one hand and food In the other. Then place both hands behind your back. (Or tug/fetch toy).
2- Introduce mask (show your dog) When he sees the mask say the word yes (or your choice of marker word/clicker) and drop food/reinforce. Repeat a few times.
3- Introduce the mask and wait a second or two and see if your dog looks at mask, to you or your treat hand. If he does either of these mark (yes/reinforces) give food. This is a sign that you are already changing a emotional response from fear to something good. If not repeat steps one and two again.
4- Slowly progress to raising the mask up to your face and repeat steps one and two until you are wearing your mask....go slow and at your dogs pace. Always set them up for success.
5- When you take it outside with strangers. Your dog sees a stranger with mask mark (yes/reinforce ) treat. I would start from a long distance to help your dog not go over threshold. Basically stay far enough away where he doesn’t react or get fearful.
We want our dogs to see a mask and now it turns into a predictor of good things (food, tug, good things). In behavior modifications the technical term will be COUNTER CLASSICAL CONDITIONING and a more detailed definition will be in comments. Just in case anyone is interested in the science ?
Notes:
1- Desensitization
The process of increasing an animal’s tolerance to a particular stimulus by gradually increasing the presence of the stimulus. In psychology, desensitization is defined as the diminished emotional responsiveness to a negative or aversive stimulus after repeated (gradually) exposure to it.
2-Marker
A signal through conditioning indicates a correct behavior that will result in reward. Typically, to be effective, the signal should be within 1.5 seconds of the behavior. A clicker is a marker.
Hope this helps and as always head over time our sister site forums for more questions.
Article for more scientific learning:
Desensitizing and Counter-conditioning - Doggie Residence
Desensitizing and Counter-conditioning At one point in time, I had a neurotic sheltie. Some people might say that most shelties are neurotic, but you’ll soon see why this case was a misunderstanding. Candy was afraid of everything; vacuums, carpeting, other dogs, and the entire contents of...
www.doggieresidence.com
