What Is Desensitization and Counterconditioning?

Desensitization and counterconditioning are two training methods that may help your dog overcome reactivity and negative feelings toward certain people، animals، or other triggers. If your dog is exhibiting fear or anxiety، it is important to develop a plan that is consistent1 and based on proven methods2 to retrain your dog's thought processes and reactions.

What Is Desensitization?

One of the most commonly recommended ways to help your dog overcome their fears is to utilize a training technique called desensitization. Desensitization is a behavioral modification process that exposes your dog to their fears in a very slow، low-level way that increases over time in order to teach them not to react negatively.

Desensitization helps your dog learn that the thing they're afraid of has no reason to be feared. If your dog was once sensitive to an object، noise، or person، desensitization training will make that stimulus seem unimportant or just like any other thing your dog isn't afraid of. Desensitization training is often used in conjunction with counterconditioning training.

What Is Counterconditioning?

Counterconditioning is a training technique that is often used alongside desensitization training. If your dog reacts in a negative way to a stimulus، counterconditioning may reverse your dog's reaction from something unwanted to something that is wanted، or from a negative reaction to a positive one.

For example، imagine if every time your dog saw a person walk by the house، they lunged at the window، growled، barked، and scratched up your windowsill. These negative feelings and unwanted behaviors need to be turned into positive feelings and wanted behaviors. Counterconditioning training can make this reversal happen by helping your dog associate the person walking by with a positive or happy experience. Treats، attention، verbal praise، special toys، and other forms of positive reinforcement are used as rewards in this type of behavior modification.