21/10/2021
You cannot reinforce an emotion only a behaviour.
š¤Think about itā¦
Behaviour and Emotion are two very separate things.
A behaviour is a way your dog acts in response to a stimulus or situation.
An emotion is an involuntary response to a stimulus or situation. This is the result of psychological and physiological changes that influence behaviour.
Emotions do not respond in the same way that behaviour does.
You can reinforce fear by actively doing something that could scare your dog when they are already afraid.
For example:
š«If your dog was sound sensitive and afraid of things like thunder, fireworks, truck/ or bike sounds, vacuum cleaner sounds, children shouting/ screaming etcā¦. by adding something the aversive like a cross face or scolding and shouting at the dog to not be āridiculousā or startle the dog by adding another loud sound, your dog will only continue to be scared and you would then be increasing the experience of fear by adding more fear.
š If you were afraid of heights and I forced you kicking and screaming near the edge of a cliff and told you to stop being ridiculous and get on with it, would that make you less fearful? Would your kicking and screaming behaviour be unacceptable behaviour or are you just trying to protect yourself?
š« If we were on the edge of the cliff and I gently took your hand, and moved you away from the edge and said, āCome on, itās ok, let's go this way so you donāt have to see itā, would that reinforce your fear, or would it make you feel a bit safer which would reduce your fear?
š§ Dogs are not humans, and whilst animals do certainly have emotions, they are not intellectually advanced enough to experience the āhigherā more complex emotions that humanās experience. You do not need to over analyze or over complicate everything your dog does behaviorally. Comforting or distracting your dog when he/ she is genuinely scared can only help them to feel safer.
š¾You can distract your dog from a scary situation with some treats or toys. This can give your dog a moment of relief which can potentially reduce the experience of being scared. By repeating these interactions, you can pair a scary situation with something pleasant. This intern may reduce the emotion of fear.
š„š¤¹āāļøš By using treats, giving your dog affection, or distracting your very scared dog will not make their fear worse! They are a part of your family and comforting your dog when they are seeking reassurance can only help them to maybe feel a bit safer.
š©If you are struggling and donāt know how to help your dog when your dog is behaving in a fearful manner then seek the advice of a force-free, positive reinforcement professional.
