20/10/2026
Counter conditioning and desensitisation have been so misrepresented in social media.
A lot of pet parents think just yummy treats in fearful situations will help the puppy to accept and learn. Well how could they know better because all the 90 second videos on the Internet claim to do so.
In order to build confidence in a puppy to face scary situations together, we have to work on regulating their nervous system. On a daily basis meet their needs and pump their system with happy hormones like endorphins, dopamine and re-introduce the scary thing little by little. Observe their body language and choose a level of exposure where they can recover easily.
It’s like a video game with levels. Be willing to go back a level or two and don’t try to get to level 10 without clearing level 5.
Lily’s family is so amazing in understanding this and her parent tells me, ”…this is just like handling my own neurodivergence, no wonder Lily and me understand each other so well” and I couldn’t agree more.
DM me for 1-1 sessions to create structured solutions for your puppies and dogs.