Dog fears air conditioner

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 19, 2006 by Matthew Margolis

Dear Uncle Matty: I have a 5-year-old yellow lab (Dago), and he is afraid of walking down the hall because of the air conditioner noise. We have had the air conditioner for two years, and his fear began about two months ago. I have seated him next to it, petted him and told him, "Good boy, it's OK," and he just shakes like a leaf. I can get him to walk by it with him next to me walking on the opposite side of the air conditioner, but if I am not there, he will whine and whimper until I go get him or until he gets enough courage to creep near it and run past. Any suggestions? -- J.M., Fullerton, Calif.

Dear J.M.: You are right when you refer to this as "his fear," because pet phobias are fear based, and they can manifest at any time for a variety of reasons. "Like what," you ask? Well, noises are big problems for fearful, shy, insecure canines and felines.

This includes noises like thunder, fireworks, automobile and truck sounds, the sound of children yelling while playing, and yes, the sound of a blowing air conditioner in the hall. What is important to note about phobias is that the animal is truly frightened and he lives with this fear.

Another significant phobia is fear of people. This can be something like fear of anyone who is not a member of the family and around the pet all the time. If a dog has only been raised around women, the pet may be afraid of men, and vice versa. Some shy pets are fearful of children.

And then there is the fear of confinement or being left alone. If a dog is fearful and you spend every minute you are home with your pet, then it stands to reason that when you leave, the dog may be afraid. If you confine the dog behind a closed door or in a plastic crate that he can't see out of, then he is bound to have a reaction.

Are there solutions? Can a fearful dog's phobias be prevented or modified? Are there any tools that can help? You'll be surprised. First and foremost, test your dog to see whether he is shy or fearful. You'll find a number of personality tests in the Dog Training Center at unclematty.com. Just click on the Puppy Training section. These tests can be used for older dogs as well. If your dog is aggressive, you may want to do these tests with a qualified trainer. It's a good idea to temperament-test any puppy before bringing him home.

If noises are a problem, reconditioning is often the answer. Get a sound effects CD or audiocassette, or record one yourself like in the case of the air conditioner noise. Then, every day, play the sounds for your pet. The first day -- barely audible. Second day, increase the volume very slightly, and so on until the dog or cat is not so frightened by the noise and tolerates it.

If fear of people in general, or fear of women, men or children to be more specific, is the problem, then you must socialize your pet, exposing the animal to more and more people -- in a safe manner and always on a leash -- and letting the animal's curiosity win out. This is a long process, so don't expect a change right away. If your dog is older and aggressive, you will need to send your dog to a kennel where a qualified trainer can work with your dog every day. You must not try to socialize an aggressive dog.

If fear of confinement or separation anxiety is your problem, you need to confine the dog for some of the time that you are at home. Put your pet in another room and use a wire crate so he can see out on all sides. Don't put him behind closed doors. Let your animal get used to being separated from you even when you are home. It will make the times you are absent much less stressful.

WOOF!

Dog trainer Matthew "Uncle Matty" Margolis is co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and host of the PBS series "WOOF! It's a Dog's Life!" Send your questions to dearuncle.gazette@unclematty.com or by mail to Uncle Matty at P.O. Box 3300, Diamond Springs, CA 95619. Creators Syndicate Inc.