Preparing Tait for groups, fireworks

Sometimes, in order to move forward, you must first step back. This has certainly been the case while raising Tait. He's now 6½ months old, and I am enjoying the progress we've made in several areas, a result of stepping back and working on basics.

Looking back on my training notes, it became clear that Tait's occasional growling at strangers and objects started to surface in April and became his common response by May. So resolving this issue became my sole goal.

I took every opportunity, no matter how inconvenient, to take Tait with me. Armed with a Gentle Leader head collar and treats, I may have looked underprepared, but that's the beauty of straightforward desensitization and counter-conditioning - its simplicity. Tait was never scolded or punished when he growled. Instead, he was carefully managed and allowed to look at and experience new people and objects, received plenty of praise when he behaved appropriately, and was denied the opportunity to practice inappropriate behavior. This was accomplished by carefully evaluating his body language for signs of change in behavior, and redirecting his attention back toward me before he carried it out.

The past few weeks have put all of this work to the test. Neighbors have come into close range, and Tait has gone straight up to them and licked and snuggled. Thrust back in among a large group of children, he eagerly accepted treats and affection from all. Most impressive, he had an adventure away from home. While I was out of town for a few days, Tait stayed with a friend and was exposed to children, cats, and a lively labradoodle; he was a friendly presence during a 15-person barbecue. The man of the house was new to him, yet Tait introduced himself by rushing straight into his lap and snuggling for a few minutes. Upon my return, I was pleased and relieved that all went well.

I will continue with Tait's purposeful exposure to new people, places and things, to prevent him from reverting back to inappropriate behavior. But it's also time to once again move forward, and a holiday is fast approaching that requires careful preparation.

The Fourth of July can be most dangerous for dogs. The sounds of popping and whistling fireworks cause many to panic. Some try to escape the noise and end up lost; others drool, pant and generally spend a night fully engrossed in panic. My goal is to prepare Tait so that when the fireworks are set off, he will be calm and unresponsive.

Every day, I subject Tait to various loud noises. First I get him involved in an engaging activity, such as tug-of-war or a cookie hunt. The latter involves scattering many small, tasty treats on the floor, which Tait happily hunts down. Both activities serve as a competing factor when up against a loud noise vying for his attention. At this point, I am using bubble wrap and various plastic and paper bags, which I "pop" at both a distance and up close. Most of the time, Tait continues to tug or hunt for treats, but occasionally he becomes startled and looks at me for direction. My carefully practiced response is to appear relaxed and unaffected. I yawn and stretch, blink slowly and often, and keep my body very loose - all signs the dog can clearly read: nothing to worry about.

We will gradually progress to noises that are louder and scarier. My next step will be providing Tait with the same distractions inside while someone outside begins to bang some pots or a couple of metal food bowls together, or blasts the air horn that I recently purchased for this specific reason. By the time the real celebration begins, I hope to have a dog that takes no interest in the bedlam and behaves normally throughout the night.

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(Lisa Moore's pet-behavior column appears once a month on the Weekly Pet Page. Write to her in care of LifeStyles, The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352.)

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