description

Fear of sudden or loud noises is a common problem facing dogs and their owners, and is an issue you’ll likely be called on to address. What may start out as a little startle response when an unusual noise happens can turn into a phobia very quickly in certain dogs, and fear of one sound can generalize to fears of related sounds before you know it! The key to preventing an issue from forming is to teach dogs that sudden sounds are actually predictors of fun! Teach your clients to give sound a happy meaning so their dogs don’t attach their own, negative meaning!

syllabus

• Factors involved in noise sensitivity, from medical to experiential
• Common noises dogs are sensitive to and may fear more than others
• Why working with noise is different from training behaviors
• The framework of applied classical conditioning, without jargon!
• The five steps: the noise, the gasp, the joint attention, the verbal cue and the party
• What to do when it’s all just too much, and when to refer out