![\"Santa-eop2\"](\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File%3ASanta-eop2.jpg\")
<\/a>Imagine you’re a small child.\u00a0 You’ve heard the following all your young life:<\/p>\n1. Don’t take Candy from Strangers<\/p>\n
2. Don’t talk to Strangers<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
One day you go to the mall.\u00a0 Everything is different; garlands and bells are all over the place.\u00a0 Everything is out of place and weird music blares instead of lulling muzak.<\/p>\n
Then… trusted adults urge you to go with a person looking like Peter Pan (that guy steals children!).\u00a0 He\/she leads you to a man in obvious disguise – that beard is SO FAKE (and maybe he smells a little like stale cigarettes and\/or booze).\u00a0 Then… he offers presents!!!<\/p>\n
Your reaction?\u00a0 Much like many other children during their first picture with Santa Claus.\u00a0 Full on crying.\u00a0 This guy is terrifying!<\/p>\n
After a year or two, what happens?\u00a0 Mall dressing, and Santa Claus are precursors to what?\u00a0 Some of your favourite things; Grandma and Grandpa coming to visit, the food; or, more likely, boat loads of presents.\u00a0 Santa Claus predicts Christmas.\u00a0 Seeing this man has now turned your feelings from abject terror to the warm fuzzies.<\/p>\n
Now you just have to worry about those clowns….<\/p>\n
Santa Claus for Dogs<\/h4>\n
Classical (counter)Conditioning and Desensitization are important in dealing with fear or otherwise upset dogs.\u00a0 Diminishing upsetting emotions often eliminates “bad” behaviour in these dogs.\u00a0 Unlike suppressing the behaviour; akin to smacking a child when they are on Santa’s knee crying.\u00a0 They might stop crying, but isn’t going to make them feel any better about Santa — now Santa may mean abuse, or that fear might transfer to the person who slapped them, or candy, or muzak…..<\/p>\n
Fear is hard to eliminate.\u00a0 Time and high magnitude positive associations are required.\u00a0 People with fear of insects are constantly bombarded with insects; kids are only bombarded with Santa Claus once a year.\u00a0 Insects are creepy crawly and icky with no redeeming qualities (don’t bother trying to convince someone afraid of bugs of all their benefits).\u00a0 Santa Claus, although a strange man in disguise tempting children with goodies, brings exactly that – goodies, presents, chocolate and\/or family.<\/p>\n
To turn garbage trucks into Santa Claus, you could ask the truck to stop and let the dog rummage in the garbage; not a good idea on so many levels.\u00a0 So we<\/em> play Santa Claus.\u00a0\u00a0 Distant garbage truck noise and visibility are like decorations; not scary, but present.\u00a0 Close proximity to the garbage truck?\u00a0 Entering the gates of Hades.\u00a0 Rearrange things so noise and visibility means a flow of chicken\/steak\/stinky cheese starts (Here comes Santa Claus!)\u00a0 — “maybe this thing isn’t so bad if it means a smorgasbord.”\u00a0 Garbage trucks will mean Santa Claus (with enough repetitions and careful timing).<\/p>\n Simple sits and other basic obedience behaviours could be considered preschool or Kindergarten level (1 or 2 out of 10).\u00a0 Some basic impulse control exercises – stay, wait, leave it –\u00a0 might be grade school.\u00a0 Complex tricks, sports or other activities may be high school or even university level.\u00a0 Dealing with emotions can easily be PhD level (9+ out of 10).<\/p>\n Living with fear can’t be pleasant.\u00a0 Modifying fear is\u00a0 best attempted under the care (or help) of competent, skilled and steady nerved professionals.\u00a0 Make sure your trainer understands how a dogs upsetting emotions may be affecting their behaviour.\u00a0 Fixing the emotion (fear of Santa Claus) can lessen the behaviour (crying).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Santa Claus and kids Imagine you’re a small child.\u00a0 You’ve heard the following all your young life: 1. Don’t take Candy from Strangers 2. Don’t talk to Strangers One day you go to the mall.\u00a0 Everything is different; garlands and bells are all over the place.\u00a0 Everything is out of place and weird music … Continue reading Santa Claus<\/span> Difficulty of Santa Claus<\/h4>\n