These exercises are intended for animals that respond inappropriately (afraid, aggressive) to other dogs or people.  If the dog’s problem involves other dogs, a second dog will be required.

Ask your dog to sit and stay, or to lie down and stay if this is more relaxing for the dog. If your dog is very anxious, move the dog far away from the approacher. Only when your dog has become relaxed at this long distance should you gradually move it closer to the approacher and repeat the tasks described in this protocol. As soon as your dog sits, stays, and relaxes, reward it with a small treat. Make certain that what you reward is that the dog remained relaxed and was attentive to you. As the stranger passes, the dog is permitted to quickly glance at the stranger but should not react inappropriately or anxiously by putting his hair up, whining, growling, barking, trembling, salivating, or looking distressed. At all times the dog should look happy. If the dog looks at the approacher for more than a moment, as soon as you say the dog’s name (in a happy, upbeat voice), the dog should look at you and be relaxed. Remember that a tone of voice that conveys that you are worried for the dog or angry that the dog is not instantaneously responding only increases the dog’s anxiety.

Be very quick with the food rewards: as soon as the dog responds to your call or voice command, give the reward. The potentially anxiety-provoking event – the movement of the approacher – should be timed to coincide with and take place during the reward phase of the exercise. The following tasks can be varied by having the stranger approach the dog from the front and from the back, but you should start with the dog facing you and sitting sideways to the approach of the stranger.

If cooperative strangers are not available, or for further practice, these exercises can be performed in shopping centers, parks, or other busy places using fortuitous strangers if and only if you have good control over the dog’s head and can be confident that it does not pose any risk to the strangers (dog or human). For dogs that need reassurance or a little more restraint, practice these exercises using a head collar. This not only prevents the dog from bolting but also allows you to safely turn the dog’s head away from someone else and toward you within the time frame (the first few seconds of the behavioral process) that will allow the dog to learn from and be rewarded for the correction.

These same tasks can be used for dogs that have problems with inter-dog aggression. Instead of having a stranger walk by, have someone (preferably a person with whom the dog is comfortable) walk by with another dog. If a strange dog is not available, you can first use another dog of your own or use dogs that are behind fences or in the park, leashed. Remember, other dogs may have problems, too, and you not only need to protect other dogs from your dog (use a head halter), but you also want to protect your dog from them. This is often not easy to do if any of the other dogs run free. Use sound judgment and err on the side of caution.

If your dog has problems only with a particular dog or a particular class of dogs, start with a dog or class of dogs with which there is no problem and then gradually begin to use the problem dog.

You will need the cooperation of other people and dogs to succeed in this protocol. You can get this cooperation by being cautious and ensuring that your dog cannot cause injuries. Head collars can speed the rate at which the dogs can learn these exercises because they correct the dog before it can become fully upset and experience a cascade phenomenon of inappropriate behavior. Head collars also can provide an extra degree of protection for the approacher dog and should be used for both dogs in all circumstances when a problem exists between the dogs. If you cannot find appropriate strangers (dogs or people) with which to practice the approaches, ask if your veterinarian can set these up in his or her practice. At first you will practice under extremely controlled circumstances, but you eventually need to practice under less controlled circumstances.

Again, for each step you are rewarding the dog; not just for not reacting, but also for relaxing and being happy and confident while it does not react. If you have difficulty with any of the following tasks, break them down into simpler, smaller, more manageable tasks. Your dog’s behavior will tell you what is manageable. Do not make the dog more fearful. It is better to work for three 5-minute periods that the dog enjoys than for one 15-minute period when the dog becomes progressively distressed.

The intent of this program is to teach the dog that someone can walk quickly up to it, touch it while making noise, and keep going. If the problem is with another dog, the intent is to teach the dog that another dog can pause in front of it, sniff, and then pass without problems.

For Future Repetition

Anti-anxiety 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.