Help With Poorly Socialised Dog

[CrazyCresties]

I'm after some advice and help for myself and Louis, I suspect fear/lead aggression, but am happy to be corrected.

A bit of background info.....

I've had Louis for about a year now, previous to that he had been in a foster home for a few months after being handed over (along with two other cresties) to the rescue group. His age is unknown - thought to be around 5. It's believed he spent his early years in a crate and certainly not walked or socialised.

Back in the UK we lived in the middle of no-where, walks out with the dogs were either in empty forests or deserted beaches, so didn't really come across many other dogs, just my pack of four who got on fine together.

I had a group of friends with spaniels, who we would meet up with and go for forest walks, usually about 15 dogs in total all off leash, and Louis was fine on these walks, rummaging around with the spaniels in the undergrowth. I also took him with me on a 'gundog' weekend that I took my cocker to, and he was fine with the dogs there.

Any form of dog training/behaviourist was very thin on the ground where we lived, but I took Louis to some basic obedience classes and he did ok with the other dogs there when on lead. When let off lead he was ok but when they came bounding up to him he would 'rush' at them for a couple of time until he settled down and then would be ok.

His problem is when we are on the beach and dogs are coming in the opposite direction, I put him on the lead as I know if the dogs comes running up to him he will rush in first with a nip - which is not acceptable, and also I don't know how the 'strange' dog will react to his behaviour. However, when he is on the lead all he wants to do is to get to the free running dog and 'get in first' before it can do anything to him. He turns into a hyper little monster!

He came out of quarantine on thursday, and we've been for a couple of park walks and he's been ok with dogs coming towards him on the path.....a bit anxious, but not too bad. Yesterday we went to the dog beach and he was a nightmare! Any time a dog came toward us I had to keep him close to me and steer him away from the other dog otherwise they'd be getting a nip.

I'm planning on getting him to some obedience classes soon, but was looking for advice on how to deal with this behaviour. He's not a vicious dog, he's a poorly socialised, scared dog. He doesn't go in looking for a fight, he tries to get in with one nip and then runs off. But I want him to be able to relax on walks when on lead, and for him not to be constantly looking for the next dog that is going to 'kill him' in his eyes. I have tried diverting his attention with treats but he's not interested in them in this situation.

I'm hoping the more I get him out to places like dog beaches, the more he will get used to it and calm down, but any advice on how to help deal with his behaviour would be very much appreciated

Thanks in advance

Tanya

[corvus]

Have a read about Behavioural Adjustment Training (BAT for short). Here's a rundown: http://ahimsadogtraining.com/blog/bat/

[CrazyCresties]

Ok, thanks Corvus I've had a quick skim through and it looks like sensible stuff, I'll go and have a proper read of it in a bit . The trouble is being new to the area I don't have any 'willing volunteers' yet to act as decoys

[Mas1981]

PM Zayder Asher I know she does dog training and behaviour consultations.

[CrazyCresties]

Louis has a behaviourist coming on Wednesday - so lets hope this will be the start of a more relaxed boy out on walks :D

[Rusky]

I would be letting him settle in with you guys after a month in quarantine, let him get to know you again and to feel safe before mass socialisation like a dog free area where other dogs can run up to him. Take him to on lead areas where other dogs are controlled by their handlers. Start in a park and eventually move to a dog club ( call them ) ask if you can just sit and reward from a distance, short bursts of just 15 mins or so. Build it up, don't push him, he has had a bit of a starnge time lately with air travel and quarantine.