"Aggressive" "Reactive" -- Either way, this book looks good...

She's definitely not afraid to leave the house--I think, and I just realized this today on our walk -- she's afraid of walking when it's getting dark. She's more on guard then. Today we walked by several people and she didn't pay them any mind and actually listened to the clicker and sat. When she did get a little "rushy" during one part of our walk, I stopped and had her sit and I pet her and spoke to her quietly for awhile, and then she got up and began walking normally again, and was attentive to me. We were in front of a home where someone was washing his car, and I told her to sit and she did, after looking at him! YAY!
 
So--clue #1...Dweezil doesn't really like to walk at night/when it's getting dark. I guess at this time, random people and dogs would be extra scary if it seems that they're coming out of nowhere. So I think for now we'll walk in the mornings when she's comfortable.
 
Oh, also, she was better about the pulling today. I did not pull back when she began to pull and rush, I just stopped walking and maybe stepped back a couple steps slowly, and she stopped and sat and looked back at me and waited until I started walking again.
 
No problem with you sounding "sharp" -- you're just being honest and I really appreciate all feedback.

[sm=bravo.gif] Good observations! Keep at it!

Personally, I think you are pushing the dog too far, too fast.  Slow it down. You have the rest of your life to do this. 

The main thing is to develope trust. Your dog needs to trust that you will not put her in situations that she cannot handle.

She does not like the feeling of losing control and going beserk any more than you do.

Every time she goes beserk, her stress cup runneth over.   Her levels will never go down if you continually keep  putting her in these situations.

Truthfully, it sounds as if the dog is going to be fine.  You have had some major breakthroughs....just try to slow it down a bit.

Walk her at "quiet" times then build on that.

Say for instance, the neigborhood is dead at 6 in the morning...walk and work with her then.  When she is handling the surroundings fine, bump her up an hour.  The neighborhood is a bit busier at 7.  Hold that time until she is comfortable, then bump her up to 8, when the neighborhood is a bit more busier....

Do you see where I am going with this?

Also, I would keep her on a familiar path. If the path is only 2 blocks, walk her around and around it.  Then add a 1/4 of a block until she is comfortable. Then another quarter.

Keep us updated as much as possible....about putting your hand on her to calm her...I do this with Zeus.  I just lay my hand firmly on the side of  his neck and sort of bring his head into my leg....this is my way of telling him...don't worry about a thing, I got your back.

 And it does calm him. It lets him know that I am aware (and supportive) of whatever issue he is trying to deal with.

I think one can be supportive without encouraging the fearfulness..

Thanks for the input--after today's success (and I shortened the walk from what we used to do before we started the clicker training), I think it's perfect when there are a few people out, but there aren't a ton of kids walking around and people walking dogs. So, I'm thinking 7am - ish is good. I definitely agree that our walk yesterday was at too busy a time. Today felt wonderful because I felt that she was under control and would respond to me, and if she wasn't, she was calm enough to "bring back to earth" really easily, and she would take the second to look back at me. I was soooo happy that she was looking right at people and then sitting down calmly.
 
About putting my hand on her when she's scared--exactly, I thought that doing so might encourage the fearful behavior, but just like you said, I think it just showed her that I'm there, because she stood up after that and seemed a LOT more at ease even though nothing about our surroundings had changed.
 
We're walking just 2 blocks currently, and though I completely appreciate the feedback, I really feel like this route (provided it's at quiet times during the day -- early morning, or late at night) is definitely not too fast or too much. And we'll stick to this for quite awhile before attempting busier times of the day.
 
Somewhat unrelated -- I've noticed a lot more barking inhibition when people are walking by the house! YAY! She'll maybe let out one bark but when I call her name, she comes running and sits quietly for some cuddling. And when I don't call her name there is a funny, "BARK rrr...." but then an audible *I'm trying not to do this!*
 
This is of course still frustrating, but she's responding so well to all of this. And I've learned that I of course need to be very calm too, because she can sense when I'm nervous about the situation.
 
Thanks everyone!

Great post, JM and so true. There is no rush. I will say this for the fearful dog. Since I believe in letting the dog decide (oh no!) once they DO decided, they can move very fast to another stage.
 
You'll be surprised by that. And once there, if they encounter a minor shake-up, they can bounce back faster than you've ever thought they would.
 
You will be so thrilled. But for now--go slow. Let her decide and you work with what you've got, just like you're doing. No need to flood, force, push, prod, or coax her into anything she hasn't decided to do. It'll come--once you let her decide.

Your dog needs to trust that you will not put her in situations that she cannot handle.

This is the best line of the entire thread. [] 

So, this is where you need to be.  Stay there until she gains confidence.  You are giving her a new experience and habit.  Habit is key here.  As I believe reactivity can also become habitual due to hormone rushes they get during reactivity.  Like an adrenaline junkie.

Walks will take on a new meaning for her.  Once it was reactivity, stress, bad situations, etc.

You have to show her that they don't have to be that way.  That walks can be a peaceful time with my person doing good stuff with me.

When I said too far, too fast...I didn't mean distance wise.  I meant experience wise.  If she is reactiving, she has went too far past her comfort zone.

Once we get the comfort zone, the dog will then develope confidence, in both herself and you. 

Then she will be ready to move forward.  I like nfowlers insight about decision making abilities.  A confident dog can and will make decisions.

I am really impressed with what you are doing and your ability to take and consider all of our critique and suggestions.  That is a true sign of dedication to your dog.  I have total faith that you both will get through this.

So, I'm thinking 7am - ish is good. I definitely agree that our walk yesterday was at too busy a time. Today felt wonderful because I felt that she was under control and would respond to me, and if she wasn't, she was calm enough to "bring back to earth" really easily, and she would take the second to look back at me.

Hi guys...My family and I have noticed odd things that have developed since we began clicker training. While her barking inhibition is finally making its appearance, and while she's warming up to seeing new people and things surely, there are a few things:
 
1. She used to be completely fine with walking around the neighborhood at night. She would bark more often (before the clicker training), but she would gladly walk allllll over the neighborhood (we used to do 2 mile walks at 9pm in the dark). Since we began training ... she will NOT leave the driveway. Yesterday, I decided maybe 9pm would be better than 6-7am because there won't be any joggers, and while it was difficult moving her away from view of the house, she completed a one block walk perfectly, and I was very happy about it! But tonight ... I moved her past the driveway with some coaxing, and she walked ... but only about halfway down the street and then she began pulling back towards the house again. I thought...okay, we'll walk to the other corner (pass the house, walk a few more houses down, then come back) ... but noo...she saw the house and wouldn't budge. I picked her up and we walked  few more minutes and then i put her back down ... but she pulled toward the house again.
 
2. She is really hesitant to approach family members that arrive home ... I've been graduated and don't begin my new job until Monday so I have been home a great deal, and we spend our day in the basement. Around 4, when family members drop by and such, she'll hear them, and bark, but needs to be coaxed up the stairs, when she used to run right up to them. She'll just stand at the bottom of the stairs and bark ... It's like she won't wander very far from me without great convincing.
 
Here's what my mom thinks ... that since she's learning to control her barking, the stuff she was fearful of before, and barked as a result of, are becoming more obvious. And, that she's beginning to cling to me and depend on the clicker (?). I mean I guess it would make sense that the clicker, and I being the only one using it, has established a more "master" "leader" (I don't know what the politically correct way to say it would be, haha) role for myself. I am concerned, though ...
 
Someone help! I feel it would be wrong to STOP the clicking, but these weird quirky things are happening and it's really worrying me.

Hmmmm, I'm a real newbie with clickers and markers, so I'm not sure what to suggest.  However, I would say that if you're out walking and she starts to protest, don't turn back right away or pick her up, because then she wins and she will keep doing it because you do what she wants.  I'm not sure of the best way to get her going forward again because she looks small (if its the dog in your avatar).  I've had this happen with big dogs at the shelter, so I just keep going, no coaxing or soft voices, just silence and moving forward (not pulling or popping the collar), I don't give them the option of stopping or trying to turn back, but they are big dogs so it doesn't hurt them or drag them.

How old is she?  If she is entering adolescence, maybe it's that and not the clicker.

Thanks for the response, Liesje -- until the very end of the walk, I did not turn around, I just kept moving forward. I clicked if she stepped forward with me, and it was only at the end of the walk, when she would NOT move her butt from the ground when she was sitting staring at the house, when I picked her up to show her it's okay if we move a little farther. *sighs*! I couldn't really pull Dweezil, because she is small -- 18lbs (that is her in the picture) ... I tried to, but I was afraid it might hurt her legs to drag even a little bit.
 
She's going to be 2 at the end of October, so I don't think it's adolescence? (isn't she an official adult by now?)
 
I didn't want to force her past what she was comfortable with, but I didn't want to give in right away either, so it was by far the shortest walk we have EVER taken (literally like 3 minutes)... But I need to consider my options, because once I start working, it's either early morning, or sometime after 630. We used to walk around lunchtime, when nobody was out. But my office is far enough away that it's out of the question to come home during lunch, and I don't want my family walking her to mess up the clicking routine...
 
Thank you so much for the response, and let me know if anything else comes to mind, I really appreciate it!

She's going to be 2 at the end of October, so I don't think it's adolescence? (isn't she an official adult by now?)

I think adolescence is like 2-3 years.  I could be wrong, but I don't think it's the same as transitioning out of puppyhood, and some fear issues or behavioral issues can surface.

I thought you said that she was afraid of walking at night?

Doesn't she do better in the day time?

I thought since she had been fine walking at night prior to all this new training that she might be fine (which she was last night) -- when I posted with the observation that she does better when it's light out, we went walking at about 10am ... then I realized, that once I begin working, 10am is not an option. I went out at 630-730am myself the following day, but there are MAAAAAANY people jogging, biking, and walking their dogs. So ... we tried walking at night last night. Last night worked. Tonight bombed. I'm just trying to weigh my options. I cannot walk any earlier than 9pm, because there are lots of people out until then, and noisy children on bikes.

Hmmmm...I see where you'll not want to continue in order to not make it worse.  I wish I had a good idea.  Could it be something with the type of lead/collar?  It seems weird she'd do fine up until now and then throw fits, but there have been some other threads lately of dogs suddenly not walking well then they were fine previously.

Here's what I have to offer:

The leash pulling is one thing, the barking's another.

Re: barking. Dogs bark to "alert the troops" (that's you). The way I decided to handle barking with my dog is to respond to her *every* time she barks. If we're in the living room and she barks out the window, I go look. If it's nothing, I shrug my shoulders and turn away, bored. If it's something, I thank her and check it out. Same goes for if she's in the yard, or on a walk. I respect her barking, until I find out there's nothing there. We don't have a barking problem! After me being *really* consistent with this, she trusts me to come check if something's up. I don't worry about her doing false barking, because my indifferent shrugs taught her to not do nuisance barking.

That barking thing was important to me, because I am being very thoughtful, when I train my dog, to not ask her to supress any of her drives, but rather channel them somehwere good.

It's possible that your dog barks to announce that *she's* got everything under control. The clicker work may have increased her worry about your leadership. If you're interested in working on your relationship with her in terms of leadership dynamics, just say so. I haven't brought it up because you were asking specifically for "click to calm" advice.

I'd like to see you and your dog building confidence. I've been doing a lot of off-leash work with Ixa lately, and it makes us both more confident. We find a fenced area like tennis courts, a parking lot, or athletic field. I let Ixa off leash and work obedience training with her (simple stuff is fine). I also just walk around and let her choose to be with me, and me with her. I know you can't do that everyday, but if you could do it 2-3 times a week, I think it would make a big difference fro you, too.

I also peeked back at the beginning of your thread. What makes you sure she's reactive and not aggressive?

Oh, and you could also try using a verbal marker like "yes" instead of the clicker and see if that helps. I used to use "yay" as a verbal marker.

BTW ... I think you have a smart mom [] ... give her my best! Oh and has your mom ever taken her on a walk? How does she behave with your mom? Same?