I am a rabid basketball fan, the type that stomps around the room, gesturing violently and occasionally tossing pillows at the TV. My friends have long since learned that my antics, while somewhat embarrassing, are essentially harmless. My dog, on the other hand, is not convinced. 

I am a Carolina fan and have noticed that as the season progresses, Suerte, my lab mix, has become more and more anxious each time the Tar Heels are on the screen. He whines, pants, paces, even sits on top of me. At first I attributed his stress to my overly enthusiastic cheering. Unfortunately, I recently realized that his aversion is not just to my antics but to the noises of basketball games in general. Much like a thunder-phobic dog becomes anxious at the onset of a storm, my dog begins to pace and whine the moment I turn on anygame. Beyond the fact the Suerte is clearly miserable, it is impossible to see the game through 65 pounds of black dog!

I can't be the only one experiencing this. We live in a part of the country where basketball is a religion and erratic play from our beloved ballers can cause even the gentlest soul to scream at the TV. So, in preparation for March Madness, I've started desensitizing my dog to the sounds of basketball.

I first had to find an irresistible treat for Suerte. I chose tiny bits of chicken - simple, delicious and easily accessible. I set the TV to a very low volume, barely audible, and turned to a basketball game. For about 15 seconds, I fed my dog tiny bits of chicken, non-stop, then I turned the TV off. The second I turned off the TV, I stopped feeding treats. This exercise started to shoe Suerte that the sounds of basketball predicted yummy treats instead of an owner who had seemingly lost her mind. As Suerte began to relax and even anticipate the game noises, I gradually increased the volume and practiced the same exercise again and again. Before long, my formerly stressed dog was relaxed and happy, despite the game playing at full volume in the background.

Even though I've made significant progress with Suerte, I'm sure that he will not be able to cope with my outbursts during the next Carolina game. However, I've got a plan in place. During the game, Suerte will be in a room as far from the TV as possible. Instead of getting dinner out of a bowl, I will feed him his kibble (mixed with a little wet food) out of several Kongs. By feeding him out of Kongs, I will prolong dinner time, keeping him happy and busy throughout the game. I will also mist his bedding and collar with Comfort Zone spray, a pheromone that has calming properties, and I will give him a few drops of Rescue Remedy before the game.

This is my plan to help my poor pooch cope with my basketball obsession. Are any of you experiencing similar problems? And if so, how have you dealt with them?

Good luck!

Kat Rooks

Shelter Training Manager