Author and trainer Jean Donaldson demonstrates installing a conditioned emotional response (CER) to an object. She uses this process to introduce her chow, Buffy, to a new piece of equipment. She shows how she easily conditions Buffy to enjoy wearing her head collar.

The process pairs a new object, in this case the Gentle Leader, with something really wonderful. Donaldson begins with a hungry dog and high value treats. To keep her interested, Donaldson uses several different kinds of treats.

By presenting the Gentle Leader and then producing the cheese, she is creating a Pavlovian response and the dog learns that the head collar predicts something wonderful.

The next step uses targeting, a technique that involves rewarding the dog for touching the object. Buffy has had lots of experience with targeting and happily bumps the Gentle Leader with her nose to receive the reward.

Now that Buffy clearly associates the head collar with wonderful treats, Donaldson begins to feed her through the nose loop. Buffy tries to go around and learns that rewards happen when she puts her nose through the loop.

Allowing the dog to go at their own pace is a key part of the desensitization process. Here Buffy chooses how much pressure she is willing to accept when putting her nose through the nose loop.

Next, Donaldson puts on the neck strap using graduated fits and wonderful treats. Buffy at this point is getting distracted and somewhat sated, and Donaldson takes a break. Waiting a few hours until Buffy is hungrier increases the dog's motivation. Motivation is what allows us to create a conditioned emotional response (CER). Behavior and emotions change when the motivation to receive the reward is greater than anxiety.

The next session is after a few hours rest, and Buffy is noticeably less distracted and more interested in the food rewards. She eagerly picks up where she left off, happily thrusting her nose into the nose loop, and targeting the Gentle Leader. With only two five minute conditioning sessions, Buffy is now happily wearing the Gentle Leader without concern.

Now Donaldson solidifies the connection between the head collar and the wonderful things happening by taking the collar off. She wants it clear to Buffy that the training set-up and the presence of treats are not themselves the predict of rewards. Again presenting the head collar with the rewards teaches Buffy that the object being conditioned, the Gentle Leader, is responsible for good things happening. Donaldson calls this "the pause that refreshes." A few repetitions clarify the association for the dog. Watch as Buffy visible brightens now when she sees the head collar.

Now she's able to use wearing the Gentle Leader as a reward for desirable behavior, and tells Buffy, "If you're good, I'll put the Gentle Leader on!"

Once Buffy is conditioned to wearing the Gentle Leader, it will be used for walks and become associated with that fun activity as well.

Donaldson accustoms Buffy to wearing the neck strap at the correct "one finger" snugness using the same process. She takes the neck strap off each time for adjustment, and rewards the dog when it goes on. While many dogs readily accept the snug fit, Donaldson knows that Buffy will benefit from taking a few minutes to introduce a bit more gradually.

The pay off for taking a few short sessions to create a positive CER is that Buffy not only tolerates wearing her Gentle Leader, but actually likes it.

Professionals who use this process of creating positive CERs know that a few short sessions can avoid problems and benefit the dog.

Donaldson notes that it took more time for Buffy’s morning brush-out than she spent conditioning the dog to enjoy wearing her Gentle Leader, with benefits that will last a lifetime.