ASSISTED LIVING  DISEASE   NUTRITION   REPRODUCTION  STUDIES  TOXINS  TRAINING

BEHAVIOR & TRAINING TOPICS

DOGS:
Bark Collars
Coprophagia in the Canine
Parmacologic Treatment of Separation Anxiety
Behavior Modification: Departures
Behavior Modification: Relaxation
Behavior Modificaition: Uncouple Departures and Departure Cues

CATS:
Kitten behavior and training
Toilet Training your Cat
Feline Agression
Inappropriate Elimination

GENERAL:
Fears and Phobias
Destructive Behavior
Compulsive Behavior

OUTSIDE LINKS

www.greatpets.com
www.gentleleader.com
Pet Partners Program
Canines Unlimited
Capital Kennel Club

KAREN OVERALL'S BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM
Protocol for Desensitization and Counter Conditioning using Gradual Departures

Dogs with separation anxiety often begin to experience anxiety at the first cue that you will be leaving the dog's sight. You should first uncouple cues for departure from the actual event and reinforce general relaxation and responsiveness to vocal cues, as described in Protocol for Deference and Protocol for Relaxation. This program concentrates on desensitizing and counter conditioning the dog to being left alone for gradually longer periods.

It is not sufficient that the dog does not bark or destroy something when left alone. The goal of this program is to reinforce relaxation and behaviors associated with actually feeling calm when left along (i.e. happy looks, lowered heart rates, and slowed respiration). Once again, go slowly. It is particularly important that dogs with separation anxiety do not become stressed or made more anxious during this protocol. Speed is not a measure of success, behavior is. Remember to shape the dog's behavior by rewarding even the smallest, incremental hint that the dog is more relaxed than previously. If at any time you notice outward physical and physiological signs that the dog is becoming anxious while working, break the suite of tasks on which you were working into smaller components. Outward physical and physiological signs of stress or anxiety can include panting, increased heart rate, lowered head with ears retracted, lips pulled back horizontally, dilated pupils, "redder" eyes with or without movement, shaking or shivering, whimpering, whining, and blowing in and out of "cheeks." If you see any of these signs, the dog is too distressed to effectively learn to change its behavior. Backtrack and return to a level at which the dog does not react inappropriately and can respond happily. Break the tasks with which the dog had difficulty into smaller components. All of the following tasks can be broken into smaller components. Everyone in the family who is involved with the dog must be able to successfully complete the program.

When the program is completed in one calm area, it must be expanded to other areas: other rooms, indoors or outside, inside a fence or outside, and so on.

Remember to use the dog's behavior to help you decide how to adapt the protocol for the dog's specific needs. If the dog is perfectly calm when left in a car but is distressed when someone leaves, start by practicing the tasks in the car. If the dog is calm when all but one person leaves the house but panics when that person leaves, start by practicing with departures involving people for whom the dog does not panic. If the dog appears to keep a good calendar and does not become distressed when people leave on weekends, start by practicing the tasks in the protocol repeatedly on weekends.

Remember to shape the dog's behavior by rewarding even the smallest signal that it is more relaxed with each succeeding task. Be patient. Do not become angry. Do not punish the dog. Stop and return later if you are feeling stressed.

Always remember to return to the dog and reward it after completing the tasks.

Day 1: Dog's Tasks

• Sit for 5 seconds
• Sit for 10 seconds
• Sit for 20 seconds
• Sit while you take one step back
• Sit while you take two steps back
• Sit while you take one step to the side
• Sit while you take two steps to the side
• Sit while you take three steps back
• Sit while you take three steps to the side
• Sit while you walk around the dog
• Sit while you take 10 steps backward and return
• Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and return
• Sit while you open the door or go into the entrance for 10 seconds and return
• Sit while you take one step to the side
• Sit while you take two steps to the side
• Sit while you take three steps back
• Sit while you take three steps to the side
• Sit while you walk around the dog

Day 2: Dog's Tasks

• Sit for 20 seconds
• Sit while you take 10 steps backward and return
• Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and return
• Sit while you open the door or go into the entrance for 10 seconds and return
• Sit for 30 seconds
  Sit while you disappear from view for 5 seconds and return
• Sit while you go through the door or the entranceway and return
• Sit while you touch a doorknob
• Sit while you rattle a doorknob
• Sit while you turn the doorknob, but do not open the door
• Sit while you touch a doorknob
• Sit while you rattle a doorknob
• Sit while you turn the doorknob, but do not open the door
• Sit while you open the door a few inches, and quickly close it
• Sit while you open the door a foot and then close it
• Sit while you open the door 2 feet and then close it
• Sit while you open the door 3 feet and then close it
• Sit while you step into the door but remain in view

Day 3: Dog's Tasks

• Sit while you turn the doorknob, but do not open the door
• Sit while you open the door a few inches
• Sit while you open the door 1 foot and then close it
• Sit while you open the door 3 feet and then close it
• Sit while you step into the door but remain in view
• Sit while you into the doorway
• Sit while you through the doorway
• Sit while you through the doorway, close the door just slightly, and immediately return
• Sit while you step through the doorway, close the door, wait 5 seconds, and return
• Sit while you disappear from view for 10 seconds and return
• Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
• Sit for 10 seconds
• Sit for 15 seconds
• Sit while you disappear from view for 15 seconds and return
• Sit while you step through the doorway, close the door, wait 20 seconds, and return
• Sit while you go out of the door and firmly close it
• Sit for 20 seconds
• Sit for 10 seconds
• Sit for 5 seconds

Day 4: Dog's Tasks

• Sit for 10 seconds
• Sit while you go out of the door and close it:
  • And wait 5 seconds
  • And wait 30 seconds
  • And wait 45 seconds
  • And wait 90 seconds
  • And wait 2 minutes
• Sit while you go out of the door and close it:
  • And wait 3 minutes
  • And wait 4 minutes
  • And wait 5 minutes
  • And wait 7 minutes
  • And wait 10 minutes

Continue as above until the dog can sit quietly and relax while left alone for 30 minutes. Generally, if the dog can be relaxed while left alone for 30 minutes, the dog will be able to relax when left alone for normal durations, prohibiting any startling or disastrous events. This means that if your dog is afraid of firecrackers and one is herd while the dog is left alone, relapse is possible.

Future Repetitions

• Repeat all tasks in different location
• Repeat all tasks with all family members
• Repeat all tasks with only every secone or third task being rewarded with a treat. (Remember praise!)

Antianxiety medications may help some dogs that otherwise are unable to succeed in this program. Remember, if it is decided that medication could benefit your dog, you need to use it in addition to the behavior modification, not instead of it.