Owners of reactive dogs

DPU

But if someone came by and suggested that instead of walking away in the opposite direction, you go to the spot of least or no reaction and wait there until calm behavior is achieve and then you walk away.  If they further explain that what you did was reinforce the reactivity and further the distance of the reactivity line.  For reactive dogs, it is very important not to forget or give up the least distance reactivity line.  I would respond thank you for that suggestion.

Thank you for the advice, seriously. I did not know I was reinforcing his reactivness.

Today, he's able to have a dog his size walk by him with no problem as long as he's "watching me", and he is able to be across the street from a tiny dog with no problem. We're really working on him "watching me" while a tiny dog passes. IDK why they really bring out the worst in him.

. We're really working on him "watching me" while a tiny dog passes. IDK why they really bring out the worst in him.

Everyone knows tiny dogs are delicious!  

I seriously advice you to get this book: http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB766  It's just a wee, 56 page booklet, so not a huge investment in time will be needed to get to the heart of the techniques.

 

jennyx0023

a lady comes up to Teddi and pretty much shoves her boxer in his face.

This is where my problems usually come up too.  Willow is reactive and I am completely in control of her.  But, what I'm not in control of is other people letting their "friendly" dogs run up to her, jump on her, etc.  I haven't been able to figure it out in five years.  So, the dog is friendly, that means he can do whatever he wants, act rude and obnoxious.  MHO, training is for more than just aggression.

 

Ripley is leash reactive too, but is fine in off leash situations. We're starting with a trainer in a couple weeks, but so far we've had the most success with sitting and waiting out the distraction. I had been turning around too and it wasn't working, but we tried sitting by accident when a neighbor with his dog was passing and wanted to stop and chat, despite my lunging, growling, barking dog. I had him sit and watch me, and by the time the neighbor and I had spoken for a minute, our dogs were actually able to greet normally.

Rex is leash reactive too. I got him when he was 6 months old and he was not socialized at all.  He was scared to death of everyone.  I was alone when I picked him up and we had a 4 hour ride together, so by the time we got home he was firmly bonded with me!  He was terrified of everyone else though.  It took weeks before he would let my teenage daughter near him, and over 3 months before he would even walk near my husband. He is now 17 months old and as friendly as can be. He has been to many obedience, rally and agility classes, he's been shown, and I bring him to my daughter's 4H dog training classes just to keep him socialized.  He still gets very upset if someone walks up to us when on leash, and he's scared of other dogs.  I bring him to Petco and other dog friendly places just to give him new experiences with people and other animals.  I always put him in a sit-stay by my side and I ask people not to reach over his head to pet him or to stare at him.  I have them just let him smell their hand.  Then he will relax and is as friendly and wants to be petted.  With other dogs, if they are quiet and seem friendly he is fine.  If they are aggressive he is behind me instantly. When we go walking on the dog/bike trails I have him sit when bikers or rollarbladers go by and they always, without fail, thank me. He can now sit there and just watch them go by without freaking out.  So it is getting better but it has taken a lot of time.  Personally, I don't care what anyone thinks of how I'm training him to get over his fears.  All I know is that it's working and he is a much happier dog.

 Emma is also leash reactive, and I have a real problem with people mishandling their dogs around her, and also with people giving funny looks or questioning me. I'm *so* buying that vest, though! It'll be *perfect* for her. I love that it's printed ACROSS the vest, instead of a small patch.

 

Emma is a dog who has a job, and she takes it rather seriously. When she's in training "clothes", she is to watch me, regardless of what's going on, and she isn't to leave my side. People can squat and call her and whatever, and she doesn't leave me. It freaks people out. People who have been to the SAME obedience class with us for 4 or 5 weeks still don't get that Emma doesn't want their dogs in her face. Some days.... 

 My dogs are not reactive, but when we are walking I still have them sit and look at me when we pass another dog on leash, bikers, roller bladers or groups of people.  I have only gotten positive responses from the people, either "thank yous" or "they are very well behaved."  As brookcove wrote, think of it as showing off your dogs obedience skills!

BlackLabbie

When we first began training, and I was too close to a dog and Apollo would have a outburst and I would just walk away in the opposite direction without yelling at him or yanking his collar people would look at me like I wasn't in control of him, some people actually said, "Don't let him get away with that" or "You have to show him who's boss". It's difficult enough owning a reactive dog, it just gets to me sometimes how the general public, with no knowledge of your dog, thinks they can butt in. Do any other owners of reactive dogs feel like that?

 

Only everyday of my dog owning kid raising life !!!

I loved having one guy walk up to me with his entourage to scold me for having a slip collar ( choke chain) on my big robust very muscled young male.  He had this group of dog show touristas with him and I had over heard him discussing , incorrectly the different breeds etc.  Then The fool decided to walk up to us. He ID ed my dog correctly yeah 2 points, knew it was a male yippee give him another point... then went on to explain i was "Obviously a new owner" since I did not trust my dog on a buckle collar.    gag!!       By the same token after watching a beloved friend fear walking down the rv steps because her dogs ( my pups) were not behaving as they should I totally re-schooled them !!

Watching a kid pitch a fit in the store jerks my chain like you would not believe!!  But watching a parent manhandle a kid in public about turns me on my head !!    

My dogs have ALL without fail been corrected in public at some time + more than once!! I had one very dog aggressive boy, he was thrown down several times as a puppy to make him "settle " I know how barbaric, but the boy would eat another dog if he thought it was looking at him.  There were no behaviorists around us back then so going with the dominance down was the best I could do.  It took less than 5 times in his whole life to get the point acrossed. He did not threaten or lunge at other dogs anymore, but there was a defiant grumble in his throat all the time.  I could tell him to "Settle" and he would lay quickly down where ever we were, understanding he had to stay there until I gave the release.  Having him do this at the Houston show was a moment of great pride.  5000 dogs everywhere, and I needed to put an arm band on,  he went to his side , head down and flat out.....

Since then there are a ton of new theories about how to correct, how to adjust, train,   ...............sigh ........... on and on and on. I am still using about 75% of my old methods and they still behave wonderfully. Manners are not simply trainedthey are expected. What a difference it has made. I can walk 4 RRs , young, old what ever in a crowded place on a fistfull of leads and not be fearful.

Bonita of Bwana

BlackLabbie

 IDK why they really bring out the worst in him.

Max sometimes reacts the same way and I find I have to keep him on a really sort leash and just keep reminding him "no jumping, small dog, no jumping."  I have a neighbor with a little doxie and if I stop to talk to her, I can get Max to sit there nicely and not leap at the poor old thing.  He's totally squirrel obsessed and I'm not completely sure he knows the difference between a squirrel and a small dog.

Joyce

 Crusher is reactive.  We deal.  He's getting better, but one night on our way to the park he got jumped by a younger female husky, pretty little thing, but ya she mugged him, WHILE HE WAS PEEING!  He about tore her apart.  Actually he just alpha rolled her in a big hurry and made alot of noise, but it scared me and her owner.  BUT her owner had the audacity to scream at me that I needed to be the Alpha and show my dog who was boss and not the other way around....I mean, isn't there some unwritten doggy code that says,"Though shalt not acost peeing dogs"?

I just hissed at him that there were leash laws for a reason...

Candace, I get that ALL the time--somebody's dog does something stupid and Willow tells them off and they get all PO'd at me. 

Yah, something like that happend to my parents dog. He was pooping at the dog park and a dog came up and was jumping all over him wanting to play. Barney air snapped at the dog, and the owner gave me a dirty and said something like, "wow, he's not very friendly". Barney is a happy-go-lucky type dog, but he was poopin!!

 Wow!  I thought it was a rare occurance.   I mean my dogs stop cold and stand there looking off into space like they are embarrassed while the other is doing their business.  After they're done, game on, but nobody plays when somebody's poopin... I thought it really was a dog thing. 

I know, usually they do stay clear of the poopin one...not on this occasion. It was a hyper-active puggle (  ) that jumped on Barney, really the dog was way too excited, over the top excited, to be at the park.

BlackLabbie

It was a hyper-active puggle (  )

OT, sorry, but.. I was at Target the other day, and they had those school folders with pug/beagles on them, as if they're like some actual breed of dog?? I almost projectile vomitted across the store.