From Head to Nails: Practical Uses for Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning Workshops By Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP Summary Trimming a dogs' nails, or getting a dog to happily wear an Elizabethan collar or a head halter all these can pose a challenge for many pet parents. This workshop will provide hands-on experience helping jumpstart these behaviors in shelter dogs. You will work in teams using clicker training and desensitization techniques while charting your progress. Our efforts can help make these dogs more adoptable and will also easily transfer to your personal training practices. NOTE: The workshop will include a presentation, with plenty of hands-on interactivity. There will also be a separate presentation that will summarize the workshops and recap the challenges and successes of our efforts. Learning Outcomes/Objectives By the end of this session, attendees should be able to do the following: Review how to desensitize a dog to happily accept a nail trim, head halter or Elizabethan collar. Practice effectively charting training progress, in order to accurately determine if training goals are being met. Experience adjusting training efforts to work with dogs in a shelter setting. Target Level of Knowledge Prior to attending this session, it is assumed all attendees: Have a basic familiarity with clicker training. Have at least two years of experience training dogs. Will be comfortable working with dogs in a shelter setting. Information Are your clients afraid to cut their dog s nails? Do your own dogs cringe when it s time for a pedicure? What if a dog needs to wear the cone of shame? Or you think a head halter would help your client manage his dog until you can train them? Many dogs will develop aversive reactions to husbandry procedures or equipment simply because they happen or are used on them in time of need. This is especially the case with an Elizabethan collar the poor dog has surgery and wakes up with a cone on his head. How bewildering! By introducing these potentially scary things gradually, using the basic laws of learning, we can help dogs acclimate to them faster. Dog behavior geeks love to learn about theory we re going to put it into practice! Definitions Classical Conditioning: The process of associating a neutral stimulus with an involuntary response, until the stimulus triggers the response. Counter-conditioning: The process of pairing a stimulus that causes a response with another stimulus that causes an opposite response. Desensitization: The process of increasing an animal s tolerance to a stimulus by gradually increasing the presence of the stimulus. 1
From Head to Nails: Practical Uses for Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning Workshops By Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP Charting How do you know you re making progress if you are not measuring your results? Accurate charting is a critical part of behavior modification. It s also an excellent tool to help your clients have an accurate picture of their dogs progress or lack of progress. For example, a client complains since your last lesson, Fido was terrible! He tried to attack everyone in the neighborhood and hated every dog he met. Frustration with a dog s behavior can lead to exaggeration. Closer examination may reveal the dog actually did very well, with no reactivity for seven days, but the day before your lesson he lunged and reacted at three neighbors and five dogs. This setback is fresh in the client s mind, so it paints a vivid picture of failure. Teaching your clients to chart their dogs progress will help them keep a realistic picture of what s going on, and help you gauge next steps accordingly. Charting also helps you. Is the dog really getting better? Are you having a setback? Accurate charting keeps you honest, and quickly gives you insight when you need to change your approach if necessary. Charting doesn t have to be complicated! We ll cover easy tips to make it part of you and your clients training sessions. 2
From Head to Nails: Practical Uses for Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning Workshops By Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP SAMPLE CHART FOR CLIENTS TRAINING PROGRESS CHART Instructions: Take 10 treats. Work on the exercise as outlined in your lessons, and record the results! This will help you and your trainer track any issues you may have during your sessions. EXERCISE: Success? Not So Much? Any Notes? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. EXERCISE: Success? Not So Much? Any Notes? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Teoti Anderson, 2015 3
From Head to Nails: Practical Uses for Desensitization and Classical Conditioning Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA -CTP
Learning Outcomes 1. Review how to desensitize a dog to happily accept a nail trim, head halter or Elizabethan collar. 2. Practice effectively charting training progress, in order to accurately determine if training goals are being met. 3. Experience adjusting training efforts to work with dogs in a shelter setting.
Eek!
Life's Necessities Husbandry Health Management of behavior Other applications: Working with fear/aggression
Desensitization & Counter Conditioning Foundation techniques. If animal is afraid of something, not enough to teach him an alternate behavior. Need to change how he feels about trigger. Makes things that are scary or unpleasant less scary and pleasant. More effective implemented together. If implemented incorrectly, can make issues worse or create new issues.
Learning Theory Classical Conditioning The process of associating a neutral stimulus with an involuntary response until the stimulus triggers the response.
Learning Theory Classical Conditioning Pavlov s dogs When one event predicts another event Involuntary response
Learning Theory Classical Conditioning Conditioned stimulus = stimulus that initially has no meaning Unconditioned stimulus = stimulus has meaning Causes an unconditioned response. This means the response comes naturally. Example: Logan Labrador sees food, he drools. Involuntary.
Learning Theory Classical Conditioning Once an animal has learned to associate the conditioned stimulus with the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus itself causes a response, which is called the conditioned response. Bell (conditioned stimulus) associated with food (unconditioned stimulus) bell causes drooling (conditioned response)
Learning Theory Classical Conditioning Very powerful tool
Learning Theory Counter Conditioning The process of pairing a stimulus that causes a response with another stimulus that causes an opposite response. =
Learning Theory Counter Conditioning Take something that is scary and pair it with something that is appealing. Teach dog that scary item is a predictor of appealing item. Goal is to elicit a neutral or positive response.
Learning Theory Classical Counter Conditioning Involuntary responses Operant Counter Conditioning Consequences
Learning Theory Desensitization The process of increasing an animal s tolerance to a stimulus by gradually increasing the presence of the stimulus. Systematic desensitization
Learning Theory Desensitization As animal gets used to stimulus, we gradually increase its proximity/intensity, until animal adjusts to that level.
Results
Guidelines Aim for boring! Goal is not to elicit fear/aggressive response Resist just one more try Use really rewarding treats Danger of using mediocre rewards Stay at one level until animal is ready to proceed
Guidelines Sessions should be 10-15 minutes Avoid triggers in between sessions Maintenance sessions
Working With Clients Can better control environment Consistency same people working with dog In general, dog is bonded to owners, has interest in working for them
Working With Shelter Dogs Today Environment? Bond dog doesn t know you Unknowns Could be overexcited at interaction Could be fearful or shy
Working With Shelter Dogs Today Two-person teams Choose one protocol via drawing One dog in 15-minute increments First 5 minutes, introductions, monitor dog s behavior, introduce to clicker if using 10 minutes: one person trains, other charts Break for lunch Work with same dogs this afternoon
Working With Shelter Dogs Today Hyper hooligans Jumping Lack of focus Overly kissy Mouthing How to handle?
Working With Shelter Dogs Today Fearful/shy dogs Lip licking Yawning Cowering/cringing Turning away Avoidance Whining How to handle?
Working With Shelter Dogs Today Patience Don t let your goals surpass dog s ability to progress Success: ending each session farther than where you started Follow training and charting protocols Helping shelter dogs!
Nail Trims Classical/counter conditioning & desensitization Depends on dog s experiences
Nail Trims 1. Present nail clippers at a distance 2. Give treat 3. Repeat until dog is comfortable 4. Present nail clippers 5. Touch one nail 6. Give treat 7. Repeat until dog is comfortable 8. Work up to touching all nails
Nail Trims 1. Ideally, cut ONE nail. 2. Jackpot!! With our limited time, may not happen. Depends on progress, depends on dog.
Head Halters Classical or operant/counter conditioning & desensitization Depends on dog s experiences
Head Halters 1. Present head halter at nose level. Start at 1 foot away, gauge dog for threshold. 2. When dog looks at head halter, click and treat. 3. Repeat. 4. When dog readily looks at head halter, bring closer. Click and treat for looking.
Head Halters 5. Hold treat outside nose loop. When dog extends nose through loop, click and treat. 6. When dog is comfortable sticking nose in loop, close clasp. Click, give three treats in a row, remove halter. 7. Repeat. Only proceed if dog is comfortable!
Elizabethan Collars Classical or operant/counter conditioning & desensitization Depends on dog s experiences
Elizabethan Collars 1. Present collar at nose level. Start at 1 foot away, gauge dog for threshold. 2. When dog looks at collar, click and treat. 3. Repeat. 4. When dog readily looks at collar, bring closer. Click and treat for looking.
Elizabethan Collars 5. Lightly touch collar to dog s neck, the beginning step of putting it on. Click, treat, remove collar. 6. Repeat. 7. Gradually work up to putting collar on. Click, give three treats in a row, remove. Only proceed if dog is comfortable!
Charting Accurate tracking of results Helps clients be realistic Helps you determine if training program is working Doesn t have to be complicated
Charting EXERCISE: Success? Not So Much? Any Notes? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Recap (insert videos after workshop)
Thank You! Questions? Contact info: www.teotianderson.com www.facebook.com/teotianderson teoti@getpawsitiveresults.com