How Best to Socialize an Unsocialized Dog (4iC)

FourIsCompany

She kept picking on this big male Shepherd/Doberman mix of all things.

Timing. What were you doing when she showed the first signs of being picking on? You maybe let it escalate too much, first sign of "rudeness" is redirection right away

Tire her out is a good move, maybe you should start with smaller and calmer dogs, avoid dog parks, thats like playing "russian rulette", start with dogs from friends that you know how they react towards other dogs

Last resource: baby gates first between the 2 dogs, once they get used to each other then the baby gates are gone

You're right. I didn't catch it until it was too late.

It's not really necessary that she learn to get along with these dogs because the classes I'm taking her to are ON-leash all the time. So, I think I'll redirect my focus to concentrating on her paying attention to me and ignoring the other dogs. I will start on that today.

I do have to say, though, that the dog she was picking on is a VERY balanced dog. I've known him for a while and he's mellow and very good, but he will not take crap from a pretty little GSD.

The classes I'll be taking her to are AT this dog park, so I can't very well avoid it. But I can avoid her running loose in there with other dogs. 

Thank you!  

Well, for starters, I would not do it by taking classes at a dog park with lots of other dogs around.  I'd start slowly, with fewer dogs around, and use techniques such as you would find in Ali Brown's "Scaredy Dog", or Emma Parsons' "Click to Calm".  Next, I would try a so called "Feisty Fido" or "Growlies" class, if you can find one.  Those classes do include, eventually, off leash work, but your dog is not simply allowed to haunt another dog with no purpose in mind - and most times, all the dogs are muzzled at least initially, for this work - so all are kept safe. 

Then, I'd progress gradually, always under the threshold where she reacts.  Every time you let her "practice" being a snit to other dogs (probably because she's afraid - best defense being a good offense) then you are sending a message that you will not save her, and her behavior is ok.  What you allow, you teach.  So, better to adopt a systematic protocol of desensitization and counterconditioning.  JMHO. 

the best way is to find a few people with well-behaved, highly socialized "helper" dogs and arrange careful one-on-one times with them. Stay out of the dog park. In class she should be learning to IGNORE other dogs, not interact with them.

I appreciate your advice. I live in a small town 3 hours away from ANY other dog stuff, unfortunately. This is the only dog club here and the only CGC dog class and it's held in this dog park. The good thing is that the classes are on-leash and other dogs aren't admitted at class time.

I am going to start today with desensitization and eventually I hope to take her inside the park, on-leash and continue training there before the real classes even start, April 10.

spiritdogs

Every time you let her "practice" being a snit to other dogs (probably because she's afraid - best defense being a good offense) then you are sending a message that you will not save her, and her behavior is ok. 

Absolutely. That's why it's so important I get a plan in place before I go a second time. These guys learn much too easily.

It's ok if she doesn't want to play with other dogs - she just can't be allowed to pick fights...  right?

If that is the goal - I would just work work work on "leave it" and "come" and I would allow only the very shortest interactions with other dogs, and call her away every time before she has time to pick a fight.  The more times she meets and greets (however briefly) another dog with nothing bad happening the more that will become her default...  If you start with dogs you know to be well adjusted and normal, this shouldn't be too hard because they will not create a problem (they would probably only react to her if she gets snarky). 

Even though your class won't involve her being off leash with other dogs - you probably want to be able to let her be off leash around other dogs - so I would work on this either way...  If you watch her closely, she probably gives some signals right before she snarks - try to catch her right then and redirect...

schleide

It's ok if she doesn't want to play with other dogs - she just can't be allowed to pick fights...  right?

Right.   And I am going to work on her being completely socialized, I just have a specific, short-term goal for this class.

On the off-chance that anyone is following this thread, I took her down to the dog park area of town today and walked her around the block, where there happen to be dogs fenced in yards. A perfect opportunity. We worked on basic obedience commands and heel and after about 5 minutes, she was like, "What barking dogs"? So, she was totally ignoring them. I will keep doing this and work toward walking right by the fenced dogs. We were across the small residential street. Hopefully, there will be some dogs at the dog park during some of our visits.

But I have very high hopes that this is going to work. Thanks for the suggestions!  

 Lily was unsocialized too. I bought Click to Calm and Control Unleashed and have been working the exercises in each book. Also, I'm taking her every where I can. I've been doing a mix of desensatising (sp) by rewarding her for remaining calm around dogs and people (on leash), I've been redirecting her anxiety by making her perform a trick that she enjoys and is comfortable with (touch) and working on a really solid leave it and recall. Those 2 commands together are priceless off leash imo and REALLY come in handy with both of my aussies. They both can get worked up and can over whelm dogs so having a rock solid leave it followed by a recall (with a big reward) defuses situations before they get out of control.

FourIsCompany

schleide

It's ok if she doesn't want to play with other dogs - she just can't be allowed to pick fights...  right?

 

Right.   And I am going to work on her being completely socialized, I just have a specific, short-term goal for this class.

On the off-chance that anyone is following this thread, I took her down to the dog park area of town today and walked her around the block, where there happen to be dogs fenced in yards. A perfect opportunity. We worked on basic obedience commands and heel and after about 5 minutes, she was like, "What barking dogs"? So, she was totally ignoring them. I will keep doing this and work toward walking right by the fenced dogs. We were across the small residential street. Hopefully, there will be some dogs at the dog park during some of our visits.

But I have very high hopes that this is going to work. Thanks for the suggestions!  

One thing you could do is get friendly with some of the other dog owners in the class and maybe have socialization off leash with those dogs after class....

 Great idea, Christina! Thank you!

 I'm a CGC evaluator.  All she'll have to do to pass is to be ok with another dog in a "sit" about two feet away from her.  I find that handlers can usually get their smart dogs to do that by the time the class is done. 

With the GSD's the hardest exercise is usually the supervised separation - just don't worry so much about the dog to dog stuff that you let that one come hit you in the butt LOL - if she's iffy about that, start now leaving her with strangers while you are out of sight.

Oh, Jeez, I forgot all about that one. You're right. Cara and Mia were perfect with that (and everything else). I can leave B'asia alone or with our other dogs just fine, but she has never been left with strangers... I will start practicing now. Thank you! Anything else I might be forgetting? LOL

Hi there! Long time no see! :-)

Here's what I've got to offer from my personal, albeit limited experience with my own and others' dogs:

Whether you give the dog a neck poke, ask him to sit, give him a cookie, whatever ... the intervention must happen the moment the dog fixates and stiffens, that's really the only moment that has any meaning. If the dog has already begun to respond (snarl, charge, snap, growl, incite, etc), then you've already missed the teaching moment - the dog has already decided which way to go. You want to short circuit that.

One benefit in having the dog sit in a known stress situation, is that you can get yourself positioned next to (instead of behind) the dog, so that you can observe him more clearly. You can also experiment with how you move in relation to your dog, so that you are having the point of view you need to be on top of the moment.

Socialization and play dates are great, but be on duty (and relaxed a the same time, lol) so that the socialization provides opportunities to break the bad habit, not cement it.

 
Cheers!
 

Ixas_girl

Whether you give the dog a neck poke, ask him to sit, give him a cookie, whatever ... the intervention must happen the moment the dog fixates and stiffens, that's really the only moment that has any meaning. If the dog has already begun to respond (snarl, charge, snap, growl, incite, etc), then you've already missed the teaching moment - the dog has already decided which way to go. You want to short circuit that.

No, not when it is a display of aggression and in a public setting such as a dog park.  The intervention has to be get control of the dog and the dog leaves the park.  For the advise to work and be safe, the setting has to be more controlled and the other dog's behavior response has to be well known.