Clean Run - May 2012 - 73

T H E A G I L I T Y R O A D L E S S T R AV E L E D

COMPETING WITH A SHY DOG
By Susan Klavon

Most handlers seek to avoid shyness in their agility partners. But if the unexpected happens, like your adolescent agility prospect develops shyness, you may wonder if your dog can ever compete. Finding help can be a challenge because few shy agility dog resources are available, many agility instructors lack expertise with shy dogs, and most behavior experts have no agility experience.
Competing with a shy dog is the agility road less traveled. A group of 11 handlers, myself included, have traveled this road with our teammates (four Shetland Sheepdogs, two All-Americans, two Golden Retrievers, an English Springer Spaniel, a Rat Terrier, and a Miniature Australian Shepherd). With these dogs as our guides, let’s take a look at canine shyness and agility. In contrast, behavioral treatment helps shy dogs systematically overcome their negative reactions to triggers. Although techniques vary, there are two underlying principles. With desensitization, the dog is exposed to his triggers at a level that does not cause a reaction (this is called keeping the dog under threshold). Counterconditioning seeks to change the dog’s emotional reaction by pairing the trigger with positive things, usually treats. All these shy agility dogs received behavioral treatment.

OVERVIEW OF SHYNESS
In her book, For the Love of a Dog, behaviorist Patricia McConnell described shyness as “the fear of the unfamiliar.” Shyness usually involves both a genetic predisposition and experience (specifically, lack of socialization or frightening experiences). For shy dogs, specific items or situations are a trigger for a recurrent fear response. Common agility-related triggers for these 11 shy dogs included loud/unusual noises (teeter bang, whistles, horns), strangers (especially men), novel objects (unfamiliar agility equipment), and busy environments. They typically reacted to their triggers by shutting down, becoming clingy, exhibiting fear (e.g., trembling), or trying to hide/escape. None displayed fear-based aggression. Because their triggers are not frightening to us, it’s easy to think that shy dogs should just “get over it.” A handler with this mindset might consider the use of ﬂooding (prolonged, inescapable exposure to triggers until the dog stops acting fearfully). Behaviorists typically advise against flooding because it works only occasionally and often has negative consequences, such as increased fearfulness and loss of trust in the handler.
May 12 | Clean Run

AGILITY FOR THE SHY DOG
While many people believe that agility builds confidence in dogs, the hectic trial environment and the sport’s performance demands can prove overwhelming to a shy dog. To force any dog to compete in agility is unfair. The stakes are especially high for a shy dog that is at risk of going over threshold (experiencing profound negative emotions in the presence of triggers) and developing increased fearfulness. In order to compete, the shy dog certainly has more challenges to overcome than the typical agility prospect. Each shy dog is unique in his triggers, degree of shyness, resiliency, and desire to do agility. Behavioral treatment, positive training, and thoughtful planning can smooth the path to a competitive agility career, but will not guarantee success. Start your journey by accepting that agility competition may not be in the best interests of your shy dog—and be willing to stop. Taking a “let’s see what’s possible” approach removes the pressure of expectations from your dog.
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Clean Run - May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - May 2012