OkcPets Magazine January 2022

January/February 2022 • OKC Pets 39 DESENSITIZE This is easier to do when your dog is a puppy, but it’s never too late. The goal is for your dog to start to associate the sound with a different response. Step 1: Practice before mealtime so your dog is hungry. Use a high-value food item such as grilled chicken as a reward. Hold the chicken in your hand so your dog can nibble on it without eating the entire thing. Step 2: Introduce the sound at a distance in a low volume. You can have someone else help you and play the sound on a cell phone, regarding storms, vacuum, or doorbell. If your dog con- tinues to eat the treat while the sound is happening, you are headed in the right direction. If your pup is distracted by the sound and stops eating or barks, then the sound is too loud and or too close. So lower the volume if possible. If you are alone, try asking Alexa, if she lives with you. Step 3: Once your pup starts to ignore the sound and is focused on you, give him a cue word such as “Look” or “Focus.” Instead of giving the food item during the sound, get your dog to focus on you until the sound stops, and then give the reward. Step 4: The idea is for your pup to hear these noises all the time and not be bothered by them. So eventually, you might try playing the sounds during the dog’s mealtime as long as he is ignoring it. Frequency paired with a positive asso- ciation is the key to desensitization. EXERCISE The source of any behavior is energy. It takes energy to bark, lunge, jump, or even lie down. So instead of focusing on the symptom of the problem, start with the root cause. By reducing a dog’s energy level before being faced with a situation that causes him to make bad decisions, take your dog for a long walk or run. TRAIN A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR When your dog is choosing to display one behavior, you can simply teach a new be- havior to replace the old one. For instance, if your dog runs to the door every time a guest arrives, try teaching a sit-and-stay cue. If your dog is in a sit-stay stance, he can’t run to the front door. You can also teach your dog a leave-it cue. This means exactly what it says — I say leave it, you leave it. Dogs need jobs. If you don’t give them jobs you want them to do, they will come up with their own. GIVE CBD CBD can be a valuable resource when it comes to helping dogs with anxiety, joint pain, and other issues. But it’s so new to the market that people have many ques- tions such as: How much should my dog receive? Should I purchase the CBD in a treat or a tincture? What is the difference between full spectrum, broad spectrum, and isolate? The truth is, CBD is so new to the market that it’s like the wild wild West. Here is what I can tell you. If CBD oil dissolves in your dog’s mouth, through the gums, it will bypass the liver and go directly into the bloodstream. This delivery process can provide results in 10 to 20 minutes. If you decide to go with CBD in a treat, it must pass through the liver and slowly dissolve into the dog’s system. This could take 45 to 90 minutes. Full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products have an earthy and some- times bitter taste. It is also difficult for manufacturers to deliver the exact same endocannabinoid in each product with full or broad spectrum. This means your dog could get different responses from the same product, whereas an isolate is consistent from product to product and is specific to addressing a certain behavior or ailment. In the coming year, I will write a full article on CBD for pets, but for now, this should give you a start. The most important approach when it comes to dealing with these behavioral issues is to focus on the root cause of the issue, not the symptoms. If you do this, you will be successful. f Prevention CBD can calm Chip’s anxiety.