What Is Touch Sensitivity and How Do We Address It?
Touch Sensitivity refers to dogs that are overly sensitive to touch and shows signs of aggression or fear when being handled. This is often noticed when putting on or taking off your dog’s collar or leash.
Touch sensitive dogs might show aggressive behavior such as growling, snapping, or biting in response to being touched. They also might shy away from the handler while looking in the opposite direction and slowly licking as a plea to stop touching them. Based on the data we have collected from thousands of dogs over the past two decades, we have found that many dogs that are touch-sensitive also tend to resource guard.
To address this behavior, we use science-based training methods which includes classical conditioning to build positive associations with experiences and positive reinforcement, which rewards dogs to reinforce desired behaviors.
For more information on touch sensitivity, check out this blog written by Dr. Echterling-Savage, which explains the progression of touch sensitivity in puppies.
Benefits of Touch Sensitivity Training
Addressing touch-sensitive behaviors early helps prevent them from worsening as a dog gets older. Our training sessions will allow your dog to go at their own pace, ensuring significant behavioral improvements while accommodating each dog’s unique needs. We provide luxury dog training services, serving Kansas City, Nashville and St. Louis.
Behavior modification training encourages your dog to form positive associations with being handled, which reduces aggressive and fearful reactions, including snapping, growling, or biting. Our trainers conduct a variety of exercises, including mock grooming and veterinary simulations, as well as collar training, equipping both you and your dog with essential tools for success.
Additionally, your dog will learn obedience commands applicable to everyday situations where touch sensitivity previously posed challenges. You should notice progress as early as the first week of training, with touch sensitivity greatly diminished or eliminated within just one month.
Our Touch Sensitivity Behavior Modification Package offers individual virtual sessions with Dr.Echterling-Savage, our resident Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB). Dr.Echterling-Savage is one of only a few Board Certified Behavior Analysts who work in Applied Animal Behavior and one of approximately 50 CAABs in the country. With decades of experience that includes the publication of research papers on canine behavior, Dr. Echterling-Savage’s expertise places her at the forefront of her field, providing consultations that are a truly insightul opportunity for those seeking lie changing results.
Dr. Echterling-Savage will meet with you virtually to discuss your dog’s touch sensitivity behavior, where she will develop a customized training plan that meets your dog’s specific needs. Following your first meeting, Dr. Echterling-Savage will provide ongoing support and troubleshoot touch sensitivity scenarios that ensure constant progress in your dog’s training. This program runs for four weeks for mild cases and six weeks for moderate or severe cases.
The goal of this program is to treat touch sensitivity behaviors by helping your dog build positive associations with being touched and handled, including the following scenarios:
Program Includes:
Our personalized training plan combines proven scientific methods with more than 20 years of hands-on experience treating dogs with touch-sensitivity behaviors.
We use science-based training methods that includes cooperative care, positive reinforcement and classical conditioning. These are used to teach positive associations with being handled.
In this program, your dog train with Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage while staying at their home in Tampa Bay, Florida. Together, they provide a personalized training plan that has been created around your dog’s specific needs.
Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with a Ph.D in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior. With over 20 years of hands-on experience training dogs and addressing complex behavioral challenges, she also mentors and trains Beyond the Dog’s trainers.
Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). He has over 20 years of experience training dogs and treating problem behaviors.
We begin this program by understanding more about your dog’s behavioral history and your training goals. We gather this information through virtual consultations with Dr. Echterling-Savage, combined with assessing your completed “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior” questionnaire.
We can then develop a personalized training plan, and one of our trainers will transport your dog from your home to Tampa Bay, Florida. Your dog’s safety is our priority. During this time, your dog will either fly in the cabin with a trainer or travel in the car with them.
Your dog will then live with Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage at their home in Tampa Bay for four weeks of training. During this time, your dog will be a part of the family, participating in daily routines that include structured training, enrichment, exercise, and downtime.
Training will take place both at their home and across the Tampa Bay area, so that we can address touch sensitivity and obedience training across multiple environments. This includes training at your home, parks, hiking trails, shopping areas, restaurants, dog-friendly beaches, and farmers’ markets.
During the four weeks of training, you will be regularly updated on your dog’s progress and how they are enjoying their retreat. This includes virtual meetings, phone calls, progress reports, and emails to keep you involved and informed throughout the program.
At the end of the four weeks of training, your dog will be brought back home and receive 4.5 hours of return and follow-up lessons. These lessons are important to teach you how to manage all that they have learned during training and how to achieve lasting results, including hands-on coaching to ensure a smooth transition back at your home and local neighborhood.