Noise desensitization

I've used a cd with gunshots interspersed with music for gunshy dogs, with limited success.  These dogs were already very fearful, so not a true comparison to your situation. 

 I like to drive around with a puppy and let him hear the world from a safe vantage point.  Most puppies are naturally slightly nervous at new sounds and things they don't recognise. When walking I don't approach any closer than the pup seems comfortable.  I might stand in one spot for quite awhile waiting for the puppy to relax so we can move a little closer. I just act nonchalant and as soon as possible walk a little closer based on the pup's response.  I'd be interested to hear how this works if you get the tape. I do believe that the real experience with all the senses engaged is the best method to socialize a puppy.  With a fearful pup you just need to take things slower and vigilantly watch your pup's reaction and react accordingly.

 Maybe I should leave her at home crated when I'm at work? there's really no way to avoid the cars, I always try to take her as far away from the road as possible, but some places we can't get that far. She does ok in the car IF she's in the crate, if she isn't she's trying to climb over to me and down into the floorboard! so its not safe to have her loose, or even tied ( little wiggler can manage to get close enough to my shifter where I get nervous)so being in the crate is just easiest. Plus she usually just falls asleep in it.

so far when cars do go by I act non-chanlant also. If she seems calm and relaxed & comes over to me I reward her. When she starts freaking out or running after the cars ( which she can't since she's leashed) I just stay calm and don't reward or totally ignore the behavior, I'm just right in the middle. lol.

I was thinking that the CD would help my other dogs too, but then I thought about how EVERYTIME  a car goes to the neighbors - they bark & freak out. you know how many times they've done that? MILLIONS of times. you would *think* that they would be desensitized to it or *used* to it. but perhaps its self rewarding in some way.

I love taking pups to work and have done it for years.  There are so many good opportunities to socialize and expose them to different things.  I would definitely keep her in a crate in the car even if she just sleeps.  She may have picked up the car reaction from your other dogs and really it's a pretty normal dog reaction.  Sounds like you are on the right track as far as how you are dealing with this. You might try training an alternate behavior with your other dogs when they react to cars.  Someone else will be along  with more ideas.

 well thats whats weird, my other dogs dont care at all about the cars ( they'll bark if they're behind the fence) but when they're on leash, they do nothing, they just wait quietly at the side of the road with me. Hmmm...maybe I should bring Bella to work, so Zoey can see that Bella doesn't care about cars.....

I brought the crate to work - just because in the last 2 hours I've spent more time getting her not to chew the chair, the broom, find crap on the floor, chew the rug. LOL. So it's a crate day.

I also don't drive to work, so I can't do the car part. I do take her every time i do drive someplace though.

akyramoto82

Hmmm...maybe I should bring Bella to work, so Zoey can see that Bella doesn't care about cars.....

Sounds like a good idea to me. :)  A calm role model is always nice.  As for the other dogs, I was referring to their reaction to a car pulling in at the neighbors. 

I always crated at work when I couldn't be actively watching.  Too many possible puppy disasters otherwise. lol  It was still possible to spend lots of time playing and training in between puppy naps.  Personally, I like to teach a puppy that sometimes you just have to chill in your crate. 

 oh ok, when the dogs are in the run, bella & Zoey are usually playing, I haven't really seen Zoey actively bark at the stuff that the others are barking at. And its only the neighbors they bark at, other cars go by & they dont bark. I know it's strange.  But I will try to bring Bella with me so Zoey can see there isn't anything to be afraid of. Hopefully that'll work.

 my poor boss, LOL first a puppy, then TWO dogs!! haha

 I brought Bella with me this morning. right when we got to the end of the driveway there was a car! I stepped back a bit ( trying to set Zoey up for success), got ready with my SUPER treat ( lunch meat), had bella sitting there waiting. Car went by, Bella was just sitting there, Zoey went into crazy mode. I guess thats to be expected for the first 'try'. 

Zoey did great the rest of the way to work, she's starting to focus on me more - which equals tasty treats ( regular treats, the lunch meat is reserved for the 'car challenge';). I need to teach this stuff to Bella, she had no clue why every time Zoey got to the end of her leash I'd stop & wait. LOL.

 Had some success on a walk back to work today. i'm now giving her her high priority treats on the walk, because thats where I really want her to focus. The mailman was making his rounds, he was almost to use, she had been doing great by paying attention to me. she barked a bit at the mail carrier, then he slowed to make a delivery, she still wanted to bark. I gave her the 'look at me' cue, she did, she got a treat. after he left, she didn't want to go after him as much as she had in the past ( i'm almost thinking the faster the car is going, the more she wants to kill it)

on a new note, lol, my boss's friend wanted some of my cookies, i tried to hand him the package, something went wrong, package went flying, he caught is, but made a bunch of noise in the process, and it scared the living crap outta bella!! 

akyramoto82

as anyone else used a CD to help their dog get used to all kinds of different sounds without actually being in that environment?

Yes i have, and very successfully, but the overall prognisis is not that good. I strongly suggest that you work with a really good trainer with a ton of patience.

 What you have to do is de-sensitise, which is control the amount and intensity of noise that your dog is exposed to. You need to increase this level slowly over a long period of time. If your dog reacts, flooding may have begun and you need to withdraw immediately. For safeties sake you should use a dose of doggie xanex if this occurs . Please work with a good Vet as well.

Personaly, you need to avoid those who suggest that a dose of P+ is the go. It isn't and can make the dog even more insecure. Nothing will happen in a hurry. Most of what you see so far is just changes in the threshold. it took me nearly 8 months to desensitise my dog.

Well, the dog that got desensitised is my poodle Luci, the second on the list. She is now an outrageoulsy happy dog who is a regular triallist in UD here. She is also a very good tracking dog. I can take her anywhere and do much of anything that we like.

In the weekend she got up and really worked her little head of in front of a small crowd of people and dogs with really great focus. I am so proud of her.

 I wanted to give a quick update. I've been working with Zoey on this a couple times a week. She can sit next to the barrier fence next to the freeway with no barking/lunging.

On our road I would say I can get her to focus on me about 40% or the time, another 30% its looking either sitting or standing, but no crazy antics of barking/lunging. The remaining 30% is the craziness.

I've found her threshold on the road is about 40'. It all depends on the size/color/sound of the car too, also the speed. So I dont think the sound CD really works, its the movement that really gets her ( and the sound too, I've found out she's startled by the drum set a bit - wasn't playing, just thwacked one of them & she reacted like 'holy crap! what was that!! arf arf arf'

I had really great success with her yesterday, i was in town & had her with me at an appointment. Afterwards, she seemed to be doing ok with the busy street close by ( we were on almost a street corner). so when she looked at the cars calmly or decided to sit or lay next to me & look at me or the cars she got C/T), I kept working with her, also found a stick & showed her that 'look we can have fun even when there are scary cars around', she loved it!!

I kept going until I actually had her sitting on the corner watching cars go by! (this is a 4 lane road - 2 lanes west, 2 east speed limit is 35)

numerous cars went by, I'd say it least 100. she only barked at about 3 or 4. I was very proud of her & let her know that she was doing awesome.

akyramoto82

I was very proud of her & let her know that she was doing awesome.

Sounds like she is doing really well with the c/t training.  It takes time with desensitization training and the key is to stick with it, like you have done.

JackieG

akyramoto82

I was very proud of her & let her know that she was doing awesome.

 

Sounds like she is doing really well with the c/t training.  It takes time with desensitization training and the key is to stick with it, like you have done.

we literally do it everyday, some more exposure than others. And in the beginning I was using super high value treats! hot dogs!!

 Took Zoey to the same appt this week, and to the same street corner, she did GREAT!! she didn't bark at one car!!! it was awesome!!

I C/T her tons! but then walking back to work she went nuts over the school bus that went down the road. LOL So we're definetly getting there. for her its just exposure, anything new she pretty much barks at people, motorcycles, miniture horses etc. 

I played the touch it game when she was afraid of a motorcycle parked outside of work, within seconds she wasn't barking at it, but touching it all over with her nose. So now ANYTHING that is new I have her go touch it. Well objects that it.

 Here's a vid of Zoey working on the car thing last night. Sorry the video is so dark!

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