The fear of harsh and loud sounds has become widespread among dogs of all breeds in recent decades. The sound of a firecracker exploding leads the dog into a state of panic. The consequences of such a fright can be very sad, for example, a dog escaping from its owner wherever they look. In addition, without proper adjustment, this kind of fear tends to grow and worsen over time, which will bring many difficult minutes to the owners of the dog. Any dog without mental pathologies can be weaned from fear, but such a correction requires clear actions, time and patience from the owner.
It is necessary
- - firecrackers;
- - delicacy;
- - leash and collar.
Instructions
Step 1
Accustoming your dog to stressful situations should be started gradually, in no case plunging him into a strong and sudden fright. If your dog has a fear of firecrackers exploding, use the Excessive Irritation method. To implement it, you need to independently create situations controlled by you in which the dog shows signs of panic.
Step 2
Bring a helper with you on a regular basis when you go out with your dog. In this case, the dog must be on a leash. While you are walking the dog, the assistant at a certain distance from you should fire a firecracker. It is very important to correctly calculate the very first distance for a shot. The sound of the audible popping should not exceed the level of normal street noise around the dog, but at the same time it should be clearly distinguishable.
Step 3
During the entire walk, about 30-40 minutes, the assistant must make at least 3 shots from the same distance. Your actions at the moment while walking the dog are extremely important. A dog, hearing a weakened, but frightening sound, will begin to show anxiety.
Step 4
At the moment, you are required to show all your willpower and not let emotions splash out - ignore the nervous behavior of the animal and distract her by playing together or jogging. If the dog has become too agitated and does not respond to your attempts to draw its attention, then the sound was too strong for the first time. You should stop trying to teach that day. And after a few days, you need to start all over again, but with a walk at a greater distance from the place of the shot.
Step 5
If the dog is easily distracted and turns his attention from the scary clap to your actions, praise the dog and positively reinforce such behavior - give him a treat. Likewise, by ignoring the nervousness and reinforcing a calm post-shot state, control the remaining two firecrackers of the walk.
Step 6
Reducing the distance to the frightening sound should only be done if at the current distance the dog does not react at all to the sound. At the slightest alertness or even the dog's attention to the sound, you should continue walking with shots at the same distance. The psyche of each dog is individual and the time of its weaning from fear will depend on many factors. Therefore, only careful observation of the animal can determine when the dog is ready to move on to the next stage of correction.
Step 7
In the next step, you must shorten the distance from the place where you walk with the dog to the place where the firecrackers explode. In all situations of manifested fear, clearly follow the rules described above. In a similar way, gradually you will finish correcting the dog's fear, when it will calmly perceive the blasts of a firecracker at a distance of 4-5 meters.
Step 8
In severe situations of panic in the dog, or if you feel that the situation is getting out of your control during the correction process, immediately show the dog to the dog handler. He will be able to assess the condition of the dog, perhaps he will see your mistakes when working with her and help you get out of a crisis situation.
