How to desensatize a dog to bikes and kites?

[winter_white_wolf_pup]

My husband and I took our two labrador retrivers 2 year old Beethoven and 1 year old Buddy for a walk yesterday. Buddy is an owner training SDIT (service dog in training) it has been so cold and nasty for a while that we havent really walked the boys much and yesterday it was so nice 74 degrees out that we decided that we would walk the boys along the river and enjoy the afternoon. Well as we were walking we came across two young men flying kites Beethoven suddenly went nuts tugging on his leash which he never does and barking also something he never does when on leash. later we took the boys to the park and there were people on bikes going by and once again Beethoven started barking and tugging on his leash. I know that there are kids in our neighborhood that ride bikes and like to tease the dogs but I would like to know how to correct this behavior before we take our vacation trips this summer. Buddy will be going everywhere we go anyway as he is a service dog in training. Our home state gives SDITs the same rights as a fully trained SD.

 

[Innes]

Basically you need to change the association of bikes and noisy teasing boys - to bikes and calm and reward.

This means, getting a bike and just laying it in a large open area and slowly and calmy walking around it in large circles talkingto your dog all the time in a relaxed and pleased manner, 'good boy' - do not over praise or use excitable tone.

If he is comfortable at a certain distance - decrease the distance of the circles around the bike until he can sit next to it.

Do this by calm praise when HE IS NOT SHOWING SIGNS OF STRESS and when he does show signs of stress - DO NOT SAY ANYTHING but slowly and calmly ignore leash pulling and go back to a larger circle where he was comfortable until he relaxes - when he relaxes again - praise you dog with calm tones and a pat onthe back.

When you can eventually get near to the bike have a favorite toy ready or a sqeaky toy or a food reward. When he gets so close to the bike squeak the toy or give him the food reward and calm praise.

It is important througn all this - not to give excited or over the top praise - we need his adrenaline steady not up and down ok.

So - when he learns that beingnear the bike brings a reward ... throw a toy over the other side of the bike and ask him to fetch - he will either go around it forgetting it as focused on toy - or take the short cut and jump over it.

Do this a number of times and when he is totally comfortable around it ... move him away from the bike and have someone stand the bike up and secure it in a standing position.

Repeat all of the above.


It is important you dont short cut this and start with a standing bike - as it is taller and more imposing stood up but on the floor - just like a lying down dog - it is a submissed, low posture and is less threatening to your dog.

ONce he is fine with a standing bike dont get on the bike but hold your dog on your left hand side on a leash .. (walking to heal)... and push slowly and with no fast movement the bike with your right hand.

This is the same as two dogs walking next to eachother instead of frontal position - which put the dog in challenge / reactive mode ... a dog walking next to another takes the tension out of the meeting or walk ... and is seen as polite behaviour by other dogs.

So walk the dog on left calmly, and the bike on right slowly - do not reward your dog if showing signs of stress or fear - dont pat your dog to 'rassure him' as this rewards his behavoiour in that moment (fear) wait til he relaxes and then pat him and ssay good boy.

Continue to do this until you are sure the dog is not 'eye balling' or wincing away from the object/bike. When he seems confident the bike does not bring negative things with it ..let your dog off the leash without saying a word or looking at your dog (keep it as normal and calm as possible as if its no big deal to release him while you hold the bike) and do not look at him at all - confidently walk forward - and your dog should (if you have basic command of him) follow you as the packleader.

If he doesnt place the bike down get your dog on leash walk him till calm and proceed to stand the bike andwalk again.

If he does follow start changing direction or speeding up the movement of bike being careful not to pamper your dog when you make these changes - let your dog rely on his new found confidence to work it out for himslef that there is no threat.

When comfortable... sit on bike and do not move. Stay there for a few second and get off the bike, and walk as before ...ignoring your dog so he finds for himself there is no threat.

Repeat and stay on bike for longer each time.

Finally you should be able to ride the bike at average speed with him following at this point you can make it fun - so ride the bike and say ''weeeeeee good boy ..come on boy - come ...weeeee' ..big smily face and perhaps even throw a toy to the side ...

When he has seen his leader doing it and having fun - he will not fret with others on a bike.

Do the same for a kite.

Good luck.