I hadn't realised that so many films

[BiteyShark]

Have phones that have a traditional old fashioned ring until BiteyDog came back from a day at the vets petrified of them .

I can only assume he heard their phone all day and now associates it with being afraid 😭.

Every bloody tv programme seems to have a phone ringing. I was hoping to desensitise him by now as it was quite a few weeks back but they suddenly sound when you don't expect them on the tv.

Just having a rant on here at yet another film I can't watch.

Oh no. You will have to develop a taste for silent movies

Poor BiteyDog.

According to science you have 2 secs to deliver a treat after a conditioned stimulus has appeared for desensitisation to be effective. You will have to quick draw those treats.

Ah maybe I need to be quicker with the treats.

Initially he was so terrified that he would shake and shut down. It is getting better but very slowly and so frustrating to have to police the tv all the time for potential phone calls.

Our dog dislikes the beep made by our new tumble dryer , I’m not sure the 2 second thing works as I have literally sat by the dryer feeding him gravy bones ( his treat of choice) and he’s not improved at all . Today he was in his drying bag when I put it on and that seemed to help so maybe get Biteydog a dry bag or sleeping bag to lay in whilst you watch the tv .

I wonder if your drying bag acts like those thunder shirts?

Annoyingly the usual vets cages are in an area away from reception but this time he would have been very close all day. We always get behavioural issues after a vet intervention like clinginess or hatred of the grooming table but didn't expect this one and DH loves his tv

DH needs to invest in some headphones! Poor Bitey.

@Wolfiefan

DH needs to invest in some headphones! Poor Bitey.

I can just imagine DH's face if I suggest that

I dare you @BiteyShark. Come and tell me how it went.

Our trainer suggested playing the offending sound really, really quietly while our dog eats dinner... and then at increasing volumes until desensitised. And once ok with that, use the treat method. I haven’t started yet though so don’t know if it actually works! Poor Bitey!

God going off on the training tangent - sorry!

It is important that the noise happens and then the treats appear only when the noise is occuring. Noise stops treats stop. Dont feed after the noise has stopped.

So really hard with some noises as they are short or intermittent.

So yep headphones it is

Poor biteydog!

What was he in for?

Could you play a phone ring sound at low volume abd reward him for calm behaviour then gradually increase the volume as he acclimatises and carry on with the counter conditioning reinforcement? There are lots of noise apps.

Also speak to your bet about sileo or Xanax prior to future visits. This sounds unpleasant for both of you

What was he in for?

It was for dental cleaning so just the day but must have been the reception phone as it was immediately after and no other bell sounds trigger it except a traditional phone sound.

I think I will have to make more of an effort to desensitise because phones seems to be bloody everywhere.

I must admit I just accept that he comes home upset from the vets but perhaps I should mention this in our next checkup in case they can give him something if we have to admit him again.

@BiteyShark

What was he in for?

It was for dental cleaning so just the day but must have been the reception phone as it was immediately after and no other bell sounds trigger it except a traditional phone sound.

I think I will have to make more of an effort to desensitise because phones seems to be bloody everywhere.

I must admit I just accept that he comes home upset from the vets but perhaps I should mention this in our next checkup in case they can give him something if we have to admit him again.

Yes definitely have a chat with them. There are ways to address this issue so he's not being continually re-traumatised, poor wee soul

If its any consolation, ddog2 has decided that he is scared of the Mastermind music. He's a bit stressed at the moment (he is an anxious soul, and our current foster puppy is doing all of our his head in) so he's going to have an Adaptil collar back on and then I'll use Alexa to play it at increasing volumes to desensitise him.

@CMOTDibbler

If its any consolation, ddog2 has decided that he is scared of the Mastermind music. He's a bit stressed at the moment (he is an anxious soul, and our current foster puppy is doing all of our his head in) so he's going to have an Adaptil collar back on and then I'll use Alexa to play it at increasing volumes to desensitise him.

It's awful isn't it to see them afraid.

We haven't needed to leave him at the vets in such a long time and I thought the teeth cleaning with minimal handling and sedation/anaesthetic with no overnight stay would have been better in terms of affecting his behaviour afterwards but it shows it is just as traumatic for him as the previous ones have been.

The vets and nurses are lovely with him but as my DH said when brushing his teeth last night 'never again'.

A couple of suggestions:

Get the ring sound on your phone so you can control it and use it as a training session , so hopefully you can desensitise him in a controlled environment so he doesn’t freak when it happens.

And/or watch a film where it is likely but give him a nice distraction at the beginning like a bone.

Poor bitey hope you can solve it.