In this series, we look at common dog training terms, to help owners have a better understanding of some of the lingo.
⚠️ Flooding is when a dog is forced into a situation they find scary or overwhelming.
No way out, no choice, no escape.
🕷️ Imagine being afraid of spiders, and someone locks you in a room full of them… would that help you get over it?
It happens more often than you think:
🚗 “He hates the car. If we just keep taking him out — he’ll get over it.”
👨🏼🦱 “She’s scared of people, so we get strangers to feed her.”
🛏 “He cries in the crate, but we just leave him — he needs to learn to settle.”
They may stop reacting, but that doesn’t mean they’re calm. It means they’ve shut down. 🫥
And your bond suffers—because the person they trust most is putting them in situations they find frightening.
Instead of forcing dogs to face their fears, we can gently help them build confidence and trust.
🐾 There’s a better way:
✅ Desensitisation
✅ Counter-conditioning
✅ Trust and choice
Your dog deserves to feel safe during training. 💛
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