🎥 Counter-Conditioning in the Park with My Fear-Reactive Dog 🐾
Here’s what I’m doing—and why:
🔹 I work near park entrances, cafés & paths – Dogs are more likely to be on lead – Easier to control distance and keep my dog under threshold – High traffic = more learning opportunities
🔹 Trigger appears = treats flow – Dog in sight? I feed. – Dog disappears? Treats stop. – No commands, no pressure—just learning through association
🔹 I throw treats on the ground – Keeps Blue aware of his surroundings – Encourages natural processing without locking into me
🔹 I don’t ask for a sit or any obedience – This isn’t about behaviour—it’s about emotion – Sitting can make a fearful dog feel trapped – Suppressing reactivity isn’t the same as healing it – Obedience doesn’t equal calm
🔹 Summary: I’m not asking Blue to do anything. I’m helping him feel differently. This is emotional work—not performance training.
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