Just  Shy:  Understanding  and  Working  with  Fearful  and  Shy  Dogs  

Marcia  Helm  B.A.,  CPDT-­‐KA    Dogtown  Behavior  Consultant    

Cats  

This  symbol  indicates  that  the  current  slide  contains  

informaIon  and/or    techniques  that  can  be  used  with  shy  and/or  

fearful  cats.    

Defining  “shy”  and  “fearful”    

To  do  this,  we  must  look  at  behaviors  that  are  likely  to  accompany  these  emoIonal  states.    

Body  Language  

•  Paw  liN  •  Lip  lick  /  Tongue  flick  •  Moving  away  •  Tail  tucked  •  Anxious  /  Nervous  •  Moves  in  slow  moIon  

Body  Language  

•  Avoids  eye  contact  •  Low  body  posiIon  •  Low  head  posiIon  •  Curling  up    •  Tail  tucked  •  Avoids  interacIon    

 

Body  Language  

•  Growling  •  Showing  teeth  • Whale  eye  •  Threatening  • Weight  back  •  Raised  paw  

History  

Causes  of  Shy/Fearful  

•  Lack  of  socializaIon  •  GeneIcs  •  Physical  problems  

•  Unhealthy/stressed  mother  

•  Shy  mother  

•  Aversive  training  methods  

•  Rough  handling  •  QuanIty  over  quality  socializaIon    

 

Where  do  they  come  from?  

•  Strays  •  Hoarding  cases  •  Puppy  mills  

•  Abuse  cases  •  Family  homes  

•  Anywhere  

The  Good  News?  

No  maWer  what  the  cause,    our  approach  will  be  the  same.  

Where  to  Start  

Humane  Hierarchy      

 

 

Medical,  NutriIonal,  Physical  

Antecedent  Arrangements  

PosiIve  Reinforcement  

DifferenIal  Reinforcement  of  AlternaIve  Behaviors  

NegaIve  Punishment  

DesensiIzaIon  /  Counter  CondiIoning  

AccepIng  a  Shy/Fearful  Dog  

•  Medical  care  first  –  Priority  over  bonding  –  AWach  drag  line  /  tab  leash  

•  New  environment  –  RouIne  

•  Single  shy  dog  per  run/room  –  May  not  be  shy  without  humans  

Tab  Leash  

Can  be  added  at  iniIal  vet  exam  

Can  allow  leashing  from  a  farther  distance  

Can  be  as  long  as  needed  to  allow  catching  

Can  be  a  full  leash  (handle  removed)  

Can  be  sewn  from  broken/chewed  leashes  

 

 

Always  be  aware  of  the  risk  of  ge\ng  caught  on  objects.  

Human  Body  Language  

•  Be  sIll  •  Talk  quietly  •  Act  normally  •  Move  slowly  •  Move  deliberately  •  Be  predictable  •  Focus  on  the  task  

 

Please  …  • Give  dogs  space  

–  Allow  them  to  choose  a  comfortable  distance  • Allow  them  to  approach  you  • Allow  them  to  retreat  from  you  

–  Allow  them  to  choose  to  interact  • Allow  them  to  invesIgate    • Allow  them  to  watch  from  a  distance  • Allow  them  to  choose  to  not  interact    

Environmental  ConsideraIons  

Humane  Hierarchy      

 

 

Medical,  NutriIonal,  Physical  

Antecedent  Arrangements  

PosiIve  Reinforcement  

DifferenIal  Reinforcement  of  AlternaIve  Behaviors  

NegaIve  Punishment  

DesensiIzaIon  /  Counter  CondiIoning  

Environment:  Foster  Home  

           Benefits  

–  Home-­‐like  

–  Noise/acIvity  of  future  home  

–  Consistency  with  family  members  –  Short  or  longer  interacIons  

–  Supervised  dog  interacIons  

–  Calming  music  and  scents  

–  Can  manage  environment  to  match  dog’s  needs  

–  Double  barriers  between  dog  and  door    

Environment:  Shelter/Kennel  

           Benefits  –  RouIne  –  Helper  dogs  –  Play  dates  –  Calming  music  and  scents  –  Short  interacIons  with  mulIple  handlers  –  MulIple  employees  for  handling  when  needed  –  Exposure  to  adopters  –  Possible  exposure  to  volunteers  

 

Classical  CondiIoning  

Classical  CondiIoning  

•  Pavlov  •  Can  influence  a  dog’s  emoIons  

•  Involuntary  •  Learned  associaIon  between  

two  events      

 

Medical,  NutriIonal,  Physical  

Antecedent  Arrangements  

PosiIve  Reinforcement  

DifferenIal  Reinforcement  of  AlternaIve  Behaviors  

NegaIve  Punishment  

DesensiIzaIon  /  Counter  CondiIoning  

DesensiIzaIon  

A  process  of  presenIng  a  weak  version  of  a  sImulus  (people)  at  a  level  that  does  not  produce  an  undesirable  

reacIon  (shy/fearful)  and  gradually  increasing  the  intensity  as  the  animal’s  comfort  level  grows    

Counter  CondiIoning  

The  condiIoning  of  an  unwanted  emoIonal  response  (shy/fearful)  to  a  sImulus  into  a  wanted  emoIonal  response  by  associaIng  (pairing)  good  things  with  the  sImulus  

 

Humans  =  Good  Things        

•  Have  people  who  pass  the  dog  toss  treats  to  him  and  conInue  on.  

•  Have  people  read  to  the  dog  through  the  gate  or  door  while  tossing  treats  to  him  on  a  varied  schedule.  

•  Have  a  trainer  or  main  caregivers  toss  very  high-­‐value  items  to  the  dog.    

 

High  Value  

Only  the  learner  decides  what  is  high  value.  

Counter  CondiIoning  /  DesensiIzaIon    

•  Set  treats  along  wall  /  around  room  

•  Spray  Kong  filler  on  a  wall  

•  Leave  high-­‐value  treats  by  a  crate  

•  Drop  treats  while  doing  chores  

•  Leave  a  stuffed  Kong    

•  Swipe  peanut  buWer  on  wall  or  Frisbee  

 

 

   

Food  and  Treats  

Food  Puzzles  /  Slow  Feeders  

•  Easy  –  Slow  feeders  –  Pupcicles  –  Unfrozen  Kongs  

•  Canned  food  /  kibble  •  Pumpkin  puree  /  kibble  

–  Find  it  •  Toss  food  around  run,  room,  yard  

 

Food  Puzzles  /  Slow  Feeders  

•  More  difficult  –  Treat  balls  –  Kong  Wobblers  –  PVC  feeders  –  Frozen  Kongs  

•  Plain  yogurt  /  kibble  •  Broth  /  kibble  

–  Water  boWle  feeders  •  Can  cut  addiIonal  holes  •  BuWer,  yogurt,  storage  containers  also  work    

•  Frozen  or  unfrozen    

Training  and  SocializaIon  

Individual  Shy  Dog  Class  

Reinforcing  Approaches  1  

Reinforcing  Approaches  2  

Hand  Feeding  •  Food/treats:  in  bowl  –   Human  facing    

•  Away,  then  sideways,    then  toward  dog  

–  Bowl  •  6  feet,  then  5,  then  4,  etc.  

•  Food/treats:  out  of  bowl  •  Toss  treats  •  Toss  closer  and  closer  •  Placed  on  body/shoes  •  Placed  in  hand  

Volunteers/Friends  In  run/room  •  Read    •  Toss  treats  while  reading  •  Toss  treats  while  cleaning  

–  It’s  OK  if  they  wait  to  eat  treats    Outside  of  run/room  •  Toss  treats  as  they  walk  by  •  Walk  with  helper  dog  •  Set  up  enrichment  

–  Stuff  Kongs  –  Add  scent  to  bedding  –  Set  up  food  puzzles  

   

Leashing  

Leashing  

–  Leash  •  On  person’s  body:  while  feeding  •  In  lap:  while  feeding  •  Near  the  dog:  while  feeding  •  In  hand:  while  feeding  

–  Click  snap  •  By  person:  then  treat  •  In  lap:  then  treat  •  Near  the  dog:  then  treat  •  Near  the  collar:  then  treat  

Leashing  is  not  a  single-­‐step  process.  

Leashing  

•  Move  slowly  

•  Get  on  their  level  

•  Reach  calmly  

•  Leash  from  the  side  

•  Leave  space  between  you    

Some  dogs  cower  for  leashing  but  enjoy  walks.  

Leashing  

Helper  Dogs  

Run/Housemates  

Housemates  

Role  Models  

Helper  Dogs:  Shy  Dog  Class  

Helper  Dogs:  Walks  

Helper  Dogs:  Play  Dates  

Early  Training  

Medical,  NutriIonal,  Physical  

Antecedent  Arrangements  

PosiIve  Reinforcement  

DifferenIal  Reinforcement  of  AlternaIve  Behaviors  

NegaIve  Punishment  

DesensiIzaIon  /  Counter  CondiIoning  

 

 

Target  Training  

Target  Training  

Crate  Training  

•  Feed  treats  by  crate  •  Feed  treats  in  crate  •  Have  dog  enter  for  treats  •  Have  dog  exit  for  treats  •  Feed  in  crate  •  Door  open,  then  closed  •  Short  session  •  Long  session  

Car  Work  

•  Feed  treats  by  car  •  Feed  treats  in  car  •  Have  dog  enter  for  treats  •  Have  dog  exit  for  treats  •  Sit  in  car  while  off,  then  on  •  Doors  open,  then  closed  •  Short  ride  •  Long  ride  

 “Touch”  

Touch:  Add  DistracIon  

First  Touch:  Their  Choice  

Moving  On  

What’s  Next  

•  Come  •  Four  on  the  floor  •  Place/mat  •  Sit  for  leash/harness  •  Loose-­‐leash  walking  • Wait  at  the  door  •  Shaping  

More  Enrichment  

•  Car  rides  •  Office  days  •  OuIngs  •  Sleepovers  •  Training  •  InteracIve  play  

–  Fetch,  tug  •  Sports  

–  Agility,  Treibball,  nose  work  

 

Concerns  

Deadlines  

•  Progress  takes  Ime  

•  Use  small  goals  

•  One  step  at  a  Ime  

•  Rushing  creates  anxiety  

•  All  dogs  are  different  •  Training  can  take:  

–  1  month,  3  months,  6  months,  1  year  or  more  

Setbacks  

They  will  happen.  •  Dropping  bowls  •  Stumble  or  trip  •  Sneeze  •  Slam  gate  or  door  • Weather  •  Chaos  

Helpful  Products  

•  ThunderShirt  •  Calming  music  

•  Calming  scents  

•  Calming  caps  

•  Dog  appeasing  pheromones  (DAP)  

Limited  Resources  

•  Time    –  Can  you  give  2  minutes  daily?  –  Can  you  give  5  minutes  3  Imes  weekly?  –  Can  you  do  1  minute  each  Ime  you  clean?    

•  Money  –  Can  you  make  it?  –  Can  you  get  it  donated?  –  Can  you  subsItute?  

•  Space  –  Can  you  use  an  office?  –  Can  you  use  an  empty  run?  –  Can  you  use  the  storage  room?  

Any  QuesIons?  

References  Best  Friends  Resources:  besnriends.org/resources  

Calming  Music:  Through  a  Dog’s  Ear:  soundstrue.com  

Calming  Scents:  BlackWing  Farms:  blackwingfarms.com  

Clicker  Training:  clickertraining.com  

Dog  Appeasing  Pheromone:  dogappeasingpheromone.com  

InformaIon  &  Resources:  fearfuldogs.com  

Thundershirt  &  Thundercap:  hWp://www.thundershirt.com/other-­‐products.html        Images  &  Video  

Marcia  Helm,  behavior  consultant,  B.A.,  CPDT-­‐KA  

Best  Friends  staff  photographers    

Other  helpful  Dogtown  staff