Order Matters

There is one detail that makes or breaks counter-conditioning: the trigger must come first, then the food.

Trigger appears, then treats flow. Always that order. If you start feeding before the dog notices anything, the trigger never gets a chance to predict the good stuff — and the brain learns nothing.

Think of it as cause and effect: the dog must see the scary thing cause the chicken to appear. Reverse the order and you are just feeding a snack.