Does your dog stop responding to their favorite treats when you take your dog for a walk or go outside? If your dog is no longer eating treats, this is a HUGE RED FLAG. It means there is a trigger in the environment that is causing your dog anxiety. In this video, I break down 4 dog training strategies using positive reinforcement dog training methods to help you better understand what is triggering your dog, and how to reduce your dog’s anxiety.
Grisha Stewart’s Behavior Adjustment Training 2.0 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BG05UAW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
Next, WATCH:
“Dealing w/ Dog Anxiety: What it Looks Like & What to Do” https://youtu.be/-Job84Qyka4
“How to Alleviate Dog Car Anxiety” https://youtu.be/CRze1x2RIik
“Is Your Energy Causing Your Dog’s Anxiety/Aggression?” https://youtu.be/76CqaeAzlRc
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Disclaimers: Jenna Romano is not a veterinarian. Always consult a veterinarian before giving your dog any food. Use of this information is strictly at your own risk. Jenna Romano will not assume any liability for direct or indirect losses or damages that may result from the use of information contained in this video including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death to you or your dog. This video is not instructional. This video is for entertainment purposes only.
What’s up guys it’s Jenna with dog Liaison where I coach you on how to Enhance your dog’s mental health I’m a Professional dog trainer I work Exclusively with dogs facing behavioral Issues including anxiety and a lot of Times what we see is that these dogs are Not able to take treats because they are So overwhelmed or perhaps they’re just Not valuing treats enough when their Trigger is around so in this video I’m Going to be giving you four strategies Using positive reinforcement dog Training methods however I recommend you Stay until the end because each Technique levels up on itself what that Means is like you’re going to try Activity number one if that doesn’t work You’re going to move on to activity Number two if that doesn’t work you’re Going to move to activity number three And so forth so make sure you stay till The end so that you can experiment with All of these techniques and see which One works best for your dog let’s get Into it the first technique I want you To implement is to start working where Your dog is below threshold now I’m Going to explain what I mean over and Under threshold in just a moment but First I want to give you an example Let’s say you were working with a juicy Flavor of turkey or or a juicy treat of Chicken whatever and inside the house
You bring that chicken out and your dog Is so willing to do the Sid so willing To do the down so willing to do whatever You ask they are ravenous for that Chicken it is the prime reinforcement That they’re eager for but then you walk Out into the trigger environment where The trigger is present and all of a Sudden that exact same treat that exact Same turkey that exact same chicken Whatever is no longer valuable enough Your dog is no longer seeking to eat it Well what this tells you in this context Is that it has nothing to do with the Tree it has nothing to do with the fact That your dog just doesn’t value the Treat or that the treat isn’t invaluable It has everything to do with the context Of the trigger first recognize that food Is a primary reinforcement which is a Big fancy scientific way of saying that Food is always valuable it would take Your dog to be very sick and Ill to deny Food and even then some dogs don’t have That impulse control even in that Condition so if your dog is not taking a Treat in a specific context where the Trigger is present then that is a huge Red flag that they are too overwhelmed To be able to eat now here’s what that Means when we talk about a dog being too Overwhelmed to eat another way of Thinking this is over threshold okay That is just a cute little way of saying
That your dog’s fight flight or freeze Response is engaged and what ends up Happening when that fight flight or Freeze response is engaged is that There’s so much adrenaline coursing Through your dog’s body it is such a Taxing stressful moment on your dog’s Body that it’s actually going to start To dim down some of the more automatic Systems for example the digestion system Suddenly your dog’s body is literally Not sending as many resources to the Digestion system because it’s Reallocating those resources the blood The oxygen the calories whatever you Want to think of it as it’s reallocating Those resources to the fight flight or Freeze response and so your dog’s body Is literally going man we can’t worry About digestion right now we literally Cannot worry about food right now Because we are in such a fight flight or Freeze response that is our number one Priority and so when you think of it That way the logical conclusion then is Well I need to work in a training Situation in a training context where my Dog is not in that fight fight or freeze Response in other words my dog is under Threshold and this is the technique that I want you to be operating out of it’s Something called counter conditioning And desensitization I have a full length Video that is 50 minutes long and I know
It’s a long tutorial but it is so in Depth I’ll link it right here it’s also In the description box below I really Recommend that if you are looking to Implement counter conditioning and Desensitization into your dog’s training And you haven’t tried it yet that is Your very next video that is your very Next step but number one objective is in At least for this technique is we are Working below threshold let’s move on to Number two now if you have been working Under threshold already and your dog Still isn’t valuing treats you’ve tried Doing different types of treats Different what you would perceive Different values some are higher some Are lower value treats and it’s still Not working out for you or perhaps it is Working but it’s not functional perhaps You can’t translate the treat feeding to A bunch of different contexts well in That case you’re going to move on to Technique number two and for this I like To call this the enrichment list okay Enrichment is a big fancy way of saying Giving your dog what your dog needs and Desires okay so sometimes we think about Enrichment in terms of play and in terms Of like food puzzles and a bunch of toys From Petco but actually enrichment is Much more encompassing than that Enrichment includes sleep water sniffing Rolling around in Grass doing anything
That dogs do and so what I want you to Do at the end of this video as soon as You are ready for step two is I want you To bring out a pen and pencil And paper and I want you to write down All of the things your dog enjoys don’t Worry about putting them in any Particular order don’t worry about doing Anything fancy with the list right now This is just a brain dump I just want You to sit down and and write out all of The things you think your dog enjoys Even if it’s just mildly mild enjoyment And don’t be afraid to return to this List so maybe this is a list you keep on Your fridge and as soon as an idea hits You you go to the list and you write it Down once you have a pretty solid list I Would say anywhere from 20 to 30 Different activities that your dog Ranging from mildly excited to Overzealous Overjoyed excitement ranging In that level of enrichment once you Have that list what I want you to do is Cross-reference the activities to the Contexts under which they make sense so Here’s what I mean for example let’s say You are working on getting your dog to Feel comfortable at the park well that Would be a perfect condition for your Dog to practice sniffing it may not be The perfect condition for your dog to Practice swimming because there’s no Pool around right you would want to pick
A situation or an enrichment form that Makes sense for the the context for Example going to to sniff the bush or Rolling around in the grass or getting Belly rubs from Mom with a big laugh Right you would want to pick a Enrichment form that makes sense for the Context and then what I want you to do Is I want you to start pairing that Level of enrichment that type of Enrichment with when the trigger is Around and again we’re working below Threshold so what this means is that Your dog is not all consumed by the Trigger in fact if the trigger is around And your dog can’t do anything but stare At it or bark at it or lunge at it or Otherwise react at it if that’s the case Then you are still working over Threshold in this case and you need to Build distance or lower the criteria in Some other way by changing the Environment changing the action that the Trigger is doing Changing the appearance of the trigger Whatever it is you need to lower the Criteria area of the trigger and then Try the enrichment activity again now Practicing this enrichment with the Trigger around can be what we would call Like changing the association pairing Something good with what your dog likes That is definitely one way to look at it But personally I actually promote that
You look at it as more of a Desensitization experience and so what This means is that it’s actually Operating like exposure therapy assuming You are working at a really really Really far distance or really really Really low criteria such that your dog Is far under threshold very comfortable With the trigger in the environment Everything is going swell and also They’re doing this other enrichment Which has nothing to do with treats has Nothing to do with a formal reinforcer Assuming all of those things are true You’re actually just giving your dog the Opportunity to be exposed to the trigger At such a mild rate that they can Actually afford to just watch it and see What is the outcome of this event and There can be a lot of learning in that Stage so if the treats are not actually Working in a more formal delivery get Rid of the treats lower the criteria Exponentially and focus on enrichment in Those moments technique number three is Something called Bat 2.0 by Grisha Stewart now this is also known as Behavior adjustment training you’re Probably just going to hear it as bat She does have a book called Bat 2.0 by Grisha Stewart I highly recommend it Again this is especially optimal for Dogs that don’t take treats around their Trigger and here’s why first of all the
Entire training protocol requires no Treats at all it is completely just free Free of any sort of formal overt Reinforcement okay the reinforcement Comes from the experience now there are Pros and cons to bat 2.0 and I want to Emphasize right now that bat 2.0 is not For every single dog okay and that’s one Of the reasons why you’ll notice that It’s in step three I want you to try the Other two first before you go on to step Three and the reason is is because that 2.0 while I deal for Anxious dogs that won’t take treats While all of those things are true from A functional end from a guardian end It’s actually a little bit more Painstaking Such that it requires more time on your End it can be a longer recovery Journey Potentially it requires a lot more Patience from you and it requires a lot Less training mentality okay so the Reason I bring it at the third step and It’s not like the very first thing I Suggest is because ideally you’re saving This for the dogs that really really Really need it and you’re not Necessarily jumping straight into it Right out of the gecko now here is the Reader’s Digest version of how bat 2.0 The protocol Works however again I’m Gonna send you to that book for the full Expansion on how to implement okay what
I want you to do is think about playing Follow the Leader bat is basically Follow the Leader on steroids okay and Mind you you are not the leader in this Equation actually your dog is the leader So what you want to think about is as Soon as your dog takes one step you take One step as soon as your dog takes Another step you take another step as Soon as your dog takes another two steps And goes to a sniff you take those two Steps and go to a Sniff and Interestingly this can be very difficult For Guardians because there it’s a it’s A new way of walking with your dog right Generally speaking when we’re walking With our dog we think that we have to Give them Direction on like okay we’re Going to this stop or we’re going to This location or we’re doing that we act As sort of the Navigator or the guide of The walk and in Follow the Leader in This bat protocol it’s actually reverse You’re intentionally taking your dog to An environment say an open park or an Old you know schoolyard it doesn’t Matter take your dog to somewhere that Is safe for the most part and you can Afford to let your dog control where he Walks again it’s imperative that you’re Not thinking about fall the leader is 24 7. it’s not like as soon as you walk out Your front door you’re immediately Letting your dog guide you that may not
Be practical it may not even be safe so That’s not what I’m saying what I’m Saying is you need to take your dog to a Location that you already know has a Reasonable amount of control and your Dog is gonna behave in that environment Relatively safely and then you’re gonna Play Follow the Leader and all I want You to do is let your dog guide how Close or how far away from the trigger They want to be you’re not taking the Time to point out the trigger you don’t Need to say hey fluffy look there’s Another trigger over there you don’t Need to make the trigger do a dance you Don’t need to make the trigger make Noise none of that why well first and Foremost because you have an anxious dog And they probably already know where it Is right if you have a phobia you’re Very aware of where that scary thing is At all times I’m afraid of clowns I can Guarantee you if I know there’s a clown In this space I am hyper scanning so That I know exactly where that clown is At all times that’s how you want to Think about your dog they are very aware Of where that trigger is and even if They’re not necessarily looking directly At it they’re certainly smelling it They’re hearing it they are very aware Of where it is you do not need to point It out or make it an extreme thing Instead allow your dog to navigate the
Environment on his terms allow him to Tell you when he wants to get closer and Investigate the trigger and when when he Doesn’t now this is also an exercise in Being aware of what the other trigger is Doing this is another reason why I save That for special circumstances is Because ideally in a bat setup you are Controlling what the trigger is doing And where they are so for example you Would need to have a helper person a Helper dog a helper whatever to control So to speak what the trigger is doing Whereas if you are working you know with A more counter conditioning or Desensitization approach in that case You can actually afford to just use Normal people on the street that are Living their lives a little bit more Freely So again ideally in this situation while Your dog is in control of navigating the Fall of the leader environment you are Actually controlling what the trigger Does to a certain extent the trigger’s Not going to start jumping up and down And doing jumping jacks right you can Really afford to make sure that the Trigger is doing safe things or at least What your dog perceives to be safe now The fourth technique is to actually Consider behavioral medication or Otherwise known as anxiety medication Now before you exit out because I know
That there can be a stigma I want to Expand a little bit on this okay there Is a reason why I put this as step four And the reason is because I know that Many Guardians many veterinarians even Many that behaviorists want you to try Other things first before just jumping Right into you know medication it’s not That medication needs to be a last Resort indeed there are many k dogs that Would benefit from Behavior meds Happening soon sooner in their life Their lives would be a lot easier if They had started the medication sooner So it’s I’m not suggesting that it has To be a last resort what I am suggesting Is you want to think about any time You’re living with your dog anytime you Are waking up in the morning and your Dog is in your vicinity they are giving You constant information they are Constantly giving you data and the Reason I leave step four or behavior Meds for step four is that you can Really think of one through three as Just data collection right you’re Writing constant experiments you’re Asking your dog a bunch of questions and You’re waiting to see what their Response is sometimes those responses Are going to come really fast you’re Going to be able to move through Techniques one and through three you Know in a matter of two weeks get a lot
Of data and go shoot we need to go to The vet right On the other hand perhaps it’s a slower Process perhaps you’re going through Techniques one through three several Weeks at a time and several months later You conclude hey my dog might be a Benefit my benefit from anxiety Medication so it’s not that you’re Saving anxiety medication as the very Very very very very very last resort It’s actually just that you are trying To collect a lot of information from Your dog and as an effective manner as Possible think about you asking your dog A ton of questions every single time They’re in your vicinity and that is Especially true if the trigger is also In the vicinity and so if you’re asking Your dog questions and your dog Continuously tells you hey this is Really stressful for me this is really Difficult this is really hard for me This is causing me a lot of stress and Pain and frustration if all of those Things are true it’s actually unethical To keep putting your dog in that Situation right and that’s this kind of Leads me into the discussion of what What anxiety medication is and what it’s For first of all anxiety medication Should not be a mere sedative Let me say that again Anxiety medication for the purpose of
Lowering your dog’s stress levels is not With the intention of sedation There is a purpose for Sedation in the Veterinary world that has nothing to do With treating your dog’s anxiety okay so If you are giving your dog a medication And and you’re noticing that they become Very drowsy very out of it unmotivated To do anything if you’re noticing that That is not why you that is not for the Anxiety purpose okay you need to talk to Your vet about whether or not you need That for some other purpose maybe you do Need sedation for some other thing but It is not for the purpose of getting Your dog to feel comfortable around his Trigger so that he’ll take treats that Is not it okay what anxiety medication Should be doing is lowering your dog’s Stress it can actually work in two Different ways it can change Um how your dog actually feels about a Particular trigger such that he’s less Likely to go over threshold when the Trigger is around that’s one way at Anxiety medication can work the second Anxiety way that an anxiety medication May work is that it changes or speeds up The recovery time so once your dog does Go over threshold the recovery time After that and your dog’s ability to Come back to what would be considered Homeostasis is faster now I’m not at Liberty because I’m just a professional
Trainer I’m not at Liberty to tell you Which medications do what and how and And why instead you need to go to the Vet you need to have that conversation With them okay however I did do a Wonderful two-part series on anxiety Medication where I had the assistance of A professional veterinary technician who Works closely with vet behaviorists and That is a really in-depth Um analysis of how Behavior winds work What you need to know and that would be Linked in the description box most Importantly if you are considering Having a conversation with your Veterinarian about Behavior meds go in Knowledgeable go into the conversation With your veterinarian or your vet Behaviorist with knowledge that is why Those two YouTube videos are there Because they are meant to empower you With information so that when you go Into the conversation you don’t feel Like you’re getting gatekeeped you don’t Feel like you’re being sidestepped You’re certainly not being talked down To because you’re able to speak the Vets Language that’s really the purpose of Those two videos and I can’t can’t Encourage you enough to watch them Now let’s say that your dog is all of a Sudden on you know Behavior medication You’ve found the right dosage you’ve Found the right prescription everything
Is rainbows and butterflies you’re like Huh my dog is starting to feel better Now you need to go back into step one Through three and move through those Techniques methodically until you find The right one the reason is is because Behavior medication is not meant to be a Standalone fix it is meant to complement Those other techniques so perhaps your Dog was not able to do one of those Three techniques while not on Behavior Meds but now that your dog has the Medication has the anxiety medication One of those three if not all three of Them will absolutely help your dog and That’s how you want to think of it is Like okay we got through one through Three without anxiety medications they Didn’t work now we have one let’s go Through it again and find the one that Works throughout your dog’s recovery Journey throughout your dog’s Desensitization of his trigger you Really want to be thinking about am I in A conversation with my dog do I feel Like I am asking my dog questions and They are able to give me answers that I Can then interpret and vice versa is my Dog asking me any questions that I can Answer for him and give him clear Information you’re trying to communicate More than just simply these are the Things that are happening and these are The things I want you to do it’s
Actually a conversation where your dog Has a role in what happens in the Equation it’s actually a question and Answer think of it like a q a event Right you’re going to ask your dog a Question see like how do you feel about The trigger if they’re doing this how do You feel about the trigger if we if you And I do that how do you feel about the Trigger if the trigger is doing nothing But we’re doing a whole lot of something You want to think about as you’re Constantly asking your dog a question And you’re leaving space for your dog to Be able to give an answer the thing is Throughout this training process is that Your dog’s answers absolutely will Change as he learned Burns and as he Starts to problem solve more so while You may ask your dog a question in one Context on one day And he can give you a certain answer you Ask that exact same question with the Exact same setup in the exact same Trigger you know a week later and your Dog may give you a completely different Answer so let me give you a practical Example of this when we were working With a dog in the rep her name was Deja She would become very anxious and one of The very first things that would go from Her stress repertoire one of the very First things that she would lose is her Willingness to eat so as soon as she was
Even feeling mildly distressed her Willingness to eat just went right out Of the window and said no thank you Mom But when we finally got her on the right Anxiety medication and she was at a far Enough distance and a low enough Criteria Amy her guardian was able to Ask Deja like okay what do you feel About this and how do you feel about This setup this you know Um design of the training event and Suddenly her dog was able to eat right So you want to be thinking about you’re In a constant q a with your dog and Their answers will probably change as Their mood and their education and their Awareness changes If you enjoyed this video do me a huge Favor consider subscribing and hitting The notification Bell so you get Notified when I drop a new video smash The like button to help us in the YouTube algorithm consider watching one Of these two videos next all of the Videos I referenced in this video are in The description box and I will see you Guys in the next video