How to desensitize a dog to skateboards?
Wendy Schneider
2025-08-02 03:55:20
Count answers
: 15
To help Beau get over a fear of skateboards, his guardians need to create a Conditioned Emotional Response or CER. Teaching a dog to not be scared of skateboards is all about creating a safe situation where the dog can be exposed to a skateboard in low levels of intensity so it can practice. Once the dog is comfortable with that level, then bumping things up one notch before practicing again is a great way to help a dog get over a fear of skateboards. This approach will allow Beau to gradually become desensitized to the presence of skateboards. Modifying a dog’s behavior take time and practice.
Jailyn King
2025-07-24 07:02:22
Count answers
: 18
Reward the “look at that” moment: Believe it or not, there is probably a brief moment when your dog focuses on the skateboarder but has not yet over-reacted. You can strengthen this moment and build on it through a method called “look at that.”
Click the clicker or say “Yes!” the moment you see your dog focus on the skateboarder.
Start in the shallow end: It’s important to incorporate “desensitization” into your training plan.
Start where your dog can be successful, such as a popular skating spot that you can gradually approach from a distance.
If you start too close, or near skaters going too fast or passing too frequently, you’ll be throwing your dog in the deep end, and it will be more than she (or you) can handle.
Form a positive association: Your dog is probably feeling aroused, excited, frustrated, and maybe scared.
You need to counter that underlying emotion by teaching a more positive association.
This is the easiest part, because the reward you’re using to reinforce the calm behavior is already getting connected in the dog’s mind with the situation.
Make sure it’s a really good one.
Ned Mertz
2025-07-13 08:15:22
Count answers
: 16
To desensitize a dog to skateboards, figure out anything you can do to reduce encountering skateboards unexpectedly, at least during the next few weeks. This might mean simply steering clear of busy streets, and also switching directions the moment you spot one at any distance. You can make a game out of these “U-turns,” tossing treats in the direction you just came from and then running that way with her.
Help the dog become less novelty by finding a recording of the sound of a skateboard online, and playing it at a low volume periodically—ideally during her mealtimes. It’s key that you play it at a low enough level that she isn’t stressed out by the sound. Also, get a skateboard and keep it out in your living room. If you can put treats on it and she’ll go for them, that’s great, but no need to force her to interact with it.
Focus on changing her emotional state before you even think about her behavior. Pair food with the scary thing in order to create a new association. Find a distance she can handle, then feed her something delicious every time she looks at the skateboard. With time, see if the skateboarder can move a little closer without eliciting a reaction from your dog. Engage in this kind of counter conditioning at a distance when the stimulus isn’t overwhelming.
Winifred Kozey
2025-07-13 06:15:52
Count answers
: 21
To get started, make sure you start in a low stimulus area and that your dog has a good understanding of basic commands. You are going to be asking him to listen to your cues and slowly upping the stimulus, so it's important to have some solid groundwork established. When you are ready you are going to need these supplies: Yummy treats, A leash, A skateboard, A friend to help you out, A toy your dog loves. Walk near a skateboarder, don't get too close to them at first. Give him the toy when your dog starts to get nervous and might want to bark, ask him to sit and give him the toy to distract him. Get closer to the skateboarders as he begins to relax and look forward to the toy, start to walk him closer to the skateboarders, each time he starts to tense, ask him to sit and give him the toy. Eventually, you will be able to walk your dog on the same path as the skateboarders, each time one approaches, have your dog sit and give him the toy, by this point, he should be expecting the toy and no longer focused on barking at the skateboarder.
Read also
- Why are dogs reactive to skateboards?
- Can reactivity be trained out of dogs?
- How do I stop my dog reacting to motorbikes?
- Why does my dog hate skateboarders?
- How do I stop my dog from being scared of reactivity?
- Why do dogs hate skateboards so much?
- Is it too late to train my reactive dog?
- Can you ever fix a reactive dog?
- How do you stop a reactive dog from reacting?