- This article has been reviewed by a pet health professional. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
Does your dog bark at visitors, get nervous in the car, or become easily frightened by sounds like rain storms? You’re not alone. Using training techniques such as “desensitization” and “counterconditioning,” you can help your dog overcome those feelings and even teach them how to feel calmer around things they find scary.
As Kait Hembree, head of training at GoodPup, explains, desensitization and counterconditioning, often referred to as DSCC, are used to ease stress around common triggers like sounds, other dogs, strangers, cars, bikes, or even grooming.
In this article, we’ll break down what desensitization and counterconditioning mean, how they work, and how you can start using them to help your dog feel safer, more comfortable, and more confident.
Note: If your dog has intense reactions or reacts to multiple triggers, it’s a good idea to work with a professional trainer who practices humane, reward-based training emphasizing positive reinforcement and who has experience with behavior modification. They can help you build a plan catered to your dog’s specific needs and focus on moving at a pace that’s right for them.
What Is Desensitization?
Desensitization is a training technique that helps dogs become less sensitive to things that scare or overwhelm them. “It’s a systematic process of slowly exposing a dog to the stressor, so slowly and so systematically that they never get upset,” explains Hembree.
It works like this: You expose your dog to the thing that triggers them at a very low, manageable level—so low that they continue to feel safe and calm. Over time, you’ll gradually increase the intensity of the stimulus, but the increase is so minimal at every step that your dog never has a big reaction.
This careful exposure teaches your dog a different way to feel, with the goal that eventually they feel this way—calm and safe—at a more normal level of intensity of the trigger.
What desensitization helps with
Desensitization can be a great tool for helping dogs feel more comfortable with:
- Other dogs
- Visitors coming into the home
- Handling and grooming
- Car rides
- Bikes and skateboards
- Specific sounds (like thunder, fireworks, or household noises like the microwave and vacuum)
- Vet visits
What desensitization doesn’t help with
Studies suggest that desensitization only works if you can control the situation well enough to keep your dog below their “threshold,” where they stay relaxed and able to learn. Desensitization likely isn’t the right approach if you can’t manage the intensity of the stressor that’s triggering your dog.
For example, if your dog has a strong response to a specific smell, any amount of it might be too much for them. If there’s no way to reduce the stimulus to a comfortable level for your dog, desensitization training probably isn’t a good fit.
What Is Counterconditioning?
Counterconditioning is a training technique where you actively change the way your dog feels about something that worries or bothers them by introducing a positive element. “You change the emotion already connected to a stimulus by matching the stimulus to something good,” Hembree explains.
It works like this: You pair a scary thing with something your dog loves, like treats or toys, until their emotional response changes from afraid or worried or stressed to content or untroubled, even happy.
For example, imagine you’re afraid of spiders. Using counterconditioning, someone would give you your favorite ice cream while you sat far enough away from a spider that you weren’t worried. Over time, you’d likely start to associate spiders with ice cream—a positive instead of a negative.
Counterconditioning is often used alongside desensitization because they work well together. When you use desensitization to keep the trigger at a level that doesn’t overwhelm your dog while exposing them to something they love, you can change (countercondition) their association to something positive.
When not to use counterconditioning
There are a few cases, however, where it’s better to use only desensitization. For example, with intense emotions such as those often associated with separation anxiety, offering a treat or toy to your dog during your departure can backfire.
In these cases, the intensity of the stress (being left alone) is unable to be controlled. A feeling of safe and calm doesn’t yet exist. When this happens, rather than change how the dog feels, the reward becomes the signal that they are about to be left alone.
For especially tricky situations, working slowly through desensitization without counterconditioning may offer a better path forward for building trust and a stronger bond with your dog.
AnaSha via iStock
How To Use Desensitization and Counterconditioning, Step by Step
Desensitization and counterconditioning will look a little different depending on what kind of trigger or stressor you’re working with—but the general format remains the same.
Desensitization steps
- Identify the trigger.
What specific thing causes your dog to react? (Examples: strangers, cars, nail trims) - Find your dog’s threshold.
Observe your dog and figure out how close, loud, or intense the trigger can be before they start reacting with stress. You’ll need to stay below this level. - Set up controlled exposures.
Arrange for your dog to experience the trigger at the level where they notice it but can remain calm and relaxed. This could mean watching a skateboard across the street instead of nearby, or playing recordings of sounds at the lowest volume setting. - Gradually increase intensity.
Practice at each step, aiming for multiple repetitions of successful calm and relaxed body language before moving forward. When your dog is comfortable at the step you are working on, then move to the next level of intensity of the trigger. This might mean decreasing the distance from the trigger, increasing the volume, or adding duration to the exposure. - Go at your dog’s pace.
If your dog starts to get worried, back up to the last step they were having success with. Remain there for more successful repetitions before trying to move forward again. The goal is zero big reactions the entire time.
Remember to move through this approach of gradual exposures very slowly, always ensuring your dog is comfortable, calm, and relaxed at one step before going to the next.
Counterconditioning steps
- Identify the trigger and a high-value reward.
You’ll need something your dog loves, like a treat or a favorite toy. - Expose your dog to the trigger at a low intensity.
As with desensitization, start where your dog notices but isn’t upset. - Immediately pair the trigger with the reward.
As soon as your dog sees or hears the trigger, give them the treat or start playing with them using their favorite toy. Continue to pair the positive with the trigger the entire time it is present. - Repeat frequently and consistently.
The more your dog learns that the scary thing is connected to something wonderful, the easier it becomes to create a new emotional association with it. - Gradually increase intensity while continuing the reward.
Just like with desensitization, move forward only when your dog is consistently relaxed and happy.
An example of desensitization and counterconditioning
Let’s say your dog is worried about new visitors. First, you might start with your dog separated from the guest. During this time, your dog could be in their safe space enjoying a yummy food toy.
Once the new visitor is settled, you can bring your dog out on a leash, stopping at a distance where they can see and hear the person but remain calm and comfortable. Every time your dog looks toward the person—curious but comfortable—reward them with their favorite treat.
After several successful repetitions, move a few feet closer to the person (desensitization). Repeat the same process with treats (counterconditioning). Continue this process, gradually moving closer and closer to the new person.
Once you are a few feet from the new visitor, if your dog continues to remain curious but calm, have the visitor begin to toss them treats. Eventually, the visitor could ask your dog to perform a skill they are familiar with, such as sit.
Finally, with your dog calm and comfortable, allow them to move about freely while continuing to monitor them for signals of stress.
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How Long Does It Take for Desensitization and Counterconditioning To Work?
According to Hembree, the timeline for seeing results with desensitization and counterconditioning can vary a lot from dog to dog. Some dogs catch on quickly with just a few sessions, while others with more intense emotions or longer histories may need steady, patient work over months or even longer.
Several factors can speed up or slow down the process.
Factors that can make desensitization and counterconditioning work more quickly:
- The stimulus is not very intense for the dog.
- The dog has little or no negative history with the trigger.
- The dog is young and still developing social maturity, so they are more flexible to learning.
- The dog’s natural instincts can be used to your advantage (for example, using food rewards with a food-motivated dog).
Factors that can make desensitization and counterconditioning take longer:
- The dog has a long, deeply rooted history of negative experiences with the trigger.
- The dog is socially mature. It can sometimes be more difficult to implement these training techniques when a dog is past their key socialization period.
Dos
Although desensitization and counterconditioning aren’t always a quick fix, there are some general rules that can make the process smoother and less stressful for both of you. Here’s what to keep in mind as you get started.
Control distance and volume
Always start with the trigger far enough away or quiet enough that your dog notices it but doesn’t react. For example, if your dog barks at bicycles, start at a distance where they can see one go by but stay calm. With sound triggers, start with very low volume. Starting with quiet noise recordings has also proven effective.
Increase difficulty one component at a time
Break things down! A moving object is more intense than a still one. A loud sound is scarier than a quiet one. Try to work on just one element of the trigger at a time. For instance, if your dog is afraid of the vacuum, first work on desensitizing them to it sitting still and turned off before moving on to movement and, finally, sound.
Monitor your dog’s body language
Learn to read your dog’s cues. Are they stressed? Yawning? Licking their lips? Averting their gaze? Pacing? Hiding? Those may be signs that they’re uncomfortable.
“Every individual dog uses a large number and variety of signals to communicate. You have to get to know your dog’s body language first by spending time watching them, as this is the best way to assess what they are communicating,” says Hembree.
Practice daily but keep sessions short and end on a positive
Frequent, short sessions (even just 5 to 10 minutes) tend to work better than long ones. Try to practice daily when you can, and always end with something your dog enjoys, even if that means backing up to an easier step before you wrap up. That way, your dog ends on a win and is more likely to feel good about trying again tomorrow.
Merrimon via iStock
Don’ts
When you’re helping your dog work through their worry or stress, a few common missteps can make things worse instead of better. Here’s what to avoid in order to keep your dog feeling safe and supported along the way.
Flooding
Flooding is throwing your dog into the deep end by forcing them to face their trigger head-on at full intensity, like putting a noise-sensitive dog in the middle of fireworks or bringing a dog that’s scared of strangers to a crowded café.
While it might seem like “they’ll get used to it,” flooding often backfires, increasing the dog’s emotional angst and damaging the trust between you and them along the way.
Continuing training when a dog is over threshold
If your dog is barking, lunging, hiding, or otherwise clearly stressed, they’re over their threshold and no longer in a mental state where learning can happen. In fact, pushing through at that point will only create an association between the dog’s emotional state, the behaviors manifested from it, and the trigger. It’s best to pause, give your dog a break, and try again later with a less intense setup.
Not taking a break when your dog is uncomfortable
Trying to tackle everything at once or advancing too quickly can overwhelm your dog and stall progress. Maybe you’re working on stranger reactivity and decide to try a walk during a busy street festival. That’s a lot!
Hembree says that if you’re not sure if your dog is having a good time, it’s okay to leave. You can always come back later. Down the road, you might be better able to interpret your dog’s signals, and you can try again. She always encourages guardians to advocate for their dogs!
When To Get Help
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you hit a wall with your dog. Maybe their stress or emotional turmoil towards the trigger is just too intense or unsafe. Maybe you’re not sure if you’re making progress, or you’re concerned that you might be making things worse. That’s when it might be time to call in a professional dog trainer.
A certified professional dog trainer or veterinary behaviorist who uses humane, reward-based training methods through positive reinforcement and has experience with behavior modification can be a game changer. These trainers can help dogs address their stress and the emotions they are experiencing using safe, effective techniques. They’ll help teach you how to read your dog’s signals, create a customized training plan, and support you when things get tricky.
Just be sure to find someone with the right background. For example, a puppy class instructor might be knowledgeable, but they may not have the specialized skills needed to work through complex emotions and the behaviors manifested from them. Look for someone who specifically mentions working with reactivity, fear-based behaviors, or anxiety and who believes in training with kindness, not force.
Remember, getting help doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you are advocating for your dog and care enough to give them the best chance to feel safe and happy.
