Skye GSD

I thought that training was the most effective way to sort this problem... ie if the training had been good to start with and the handler hadn't skipped steps... they wouldn't be in this situation. Note - that doesn't apply to brain damaged dogs - but a prong collar isn't going to help those to loose lead walking either. So as far as skipping steps are concerned, I think your comments are way off mark here - and being in "this situation" has been incredibly stressful and confidence shattering. Perhaps you could be abit more sensitive when you make thoughtless remarks like this. To BORDERBO: I am so sorry that you had to give up on the dog you loved but think you should comfort yourself in knowing that you gave it your best shot. I also agree wholeheartedly with your reply to the first comment - totally uncalled for. In hindsight we would probably all use different techniques but all we ask is that some people should try walking a mile in our shoes before they judge. I,too, have a high drive/reactive GSD and although an experienced GSD handler, I have never had such a challenge. After doing all the so-called "right/PC" training that is now indoctrinated in to most training clubs, we still looked like a novice handler with an out-of-control dog after 12 months in the club scene. The next 3-4 months I spent in the "wilderness", chastising myself for not being strong enough to control my beloved girl in public with other dogs but had a dog that was brilliant at home. I finally enlisted the help of Steve Courtenay (K9Pro) and the prong collar and I am so thankful I did. After 6 weeks we have improved so much that it is hard to think back to the months we wasted on a flat collar with a non-food/non toy driven dog. Now, instead of looking for escape routes when we see other dogs on our daily walk, I welcome the chance to incorporate the lessons Steve has taught me and Skye and I are becoming the "team" I always knew we could be. Take care BorderBo - I am sure your dog soulmate will be out there.

It is very easy for others to judge a predicament "after the fact" - we all, in hindsight, would probably do lots of things differently in regards to other aspects of our dogs lives but I commend you 100% for the actions you took at the time - we can only hope that the rest of us never have to be in that situation. We are all responsible for our dogs and sometimes we have to make hard decisions regarding the family as a whole - you can look at all the theory in the world but no-one else can walk in your shoes and only you know the history. Big hugs to you and your family - my thoughts are with you.

So sorry for your double loss - RIP precious ones.

its because the training club is on a really inconvenient time for me and they don't allow check chains and I walk my dane with a check chain But otherwise, yes that would be good :p Sounds so familiar and I think very sad - some training clubs today are so insistent on one size fits all that they are missing out on lots of new members. I think your idea is a great one - let us know how you go.

Contact Steve Courtney at K9 Pro - check out his website - I am using one of his programs for exactly the same problem you have and it is working fantastically for us.

Corvus - I am not getting at you in particular. Whatever works for your dog is great and if I could have used the purely positive methods with my dog I would have. What I am trying to say is that those of us that have the hard-nosed/high drive dogs often need to go down other roads and therefore should not be criticised for it. We are, after all, after the same goal - to have a well-mannered friend that is a role model for it's breed.

You're not wrong!!!!!

Exactly what I am doing and coming ahead in leaps and bounds

I love how rewarding liberally equates to... well, I'm not sure what you're claiming, there. A dog that is not treated like a dog, maybe? Although that doesn't make sense because all animals respond to rewards, including dogs. A dog that doesn't respond favourably to confrontational training methods? I am not claiming anything - only that practical experience with all types of behaviour (irrespective of breed) will always win out over theory.

And the more tricks you can have in your bag, the better trainer you become. There is never one standard rule for all and if you close your mind to all other aspects of training, you are not only limiting yourself, you are limiting your best friend.

Love it Nekhbet - keep up the good work! If I could afford to fly some of the theory-based/positive/no consequence writers to WA and let them have my strong-willed/reactive 18mth old GSD for a training session on a flat collar and a bag of treats, they would suck! Training has to be aligned with the dog and handler - not one size fits all.

Probably because she treated it like a dog and didn't become a human vending machine?????

Congratulations Dogperson - hope there are some GSD's for you to play with!!

I am a Kiwi and thought the same thing regarding dingos when I first came here so can understand why people look at them and think they are just wild dogs. Happened to be at wild life park (which we have frequented often with the grandkids and visiting relatives always made a point of spending time at the dingo area) but this time there was one dingo that had stitches literally all over it's body. Spoke with the carer and she told us that this dingo had strayed to another pack and got attacked. We then watched the feeding and this poor dingo was attacked again by it's own pack. I have seen dog fights in my time as a GSD owner but this was entirely different - really scary and I have never been able to go back to the dingo area on later visits. People have to remember that altho' they look like dogs they are feral and when not wary of humans can become even more unpredictable - especially when the pack mentality takes over.

Skye is a fantastic watchdog but her best attribute at the moment is being able to detect any bush cockroach that enters our property - and especially when it is inside . She waits for Mum to arrive with the trusty Baygon spray and we then rest easy again! Although she has been known to eat them as well

Phone Baldivis Vet Hospital and they can give you contact details for Kerry who trains at their facility.

And on a lighter note - the beautiful Skye! How could I give this up!

PS - 55chevy - thanks for seeing my perspective - all most people want is a little encouragement - it goes a longway

My girl was diagnosed by trainers at my local club as aggressive and I spent more time out of the training arena than in it. Only allowed to use a flat collar, it became almost impossible to hold and push treats on to her which did not reach the supposed mark (her mouth) as she just was not interested. Was told about the new reactive dog class and decided to give it a try. Imagine putting ten aggressive/reactive dogs in the same arena and what do you think is going to happen?? A well known behaviourist was also on hand to offer expert advice. Her first words to me were "what is her lineage - she is obviously from working dog lines" and then proceeded to tell me that you cannot make a pet out of a working line GSD - did wonders for my confidence and I am an experienced GSD handler but have never had such a strong-willed pup. The last straw was when the head trainer put me and another older gentleman with a bitch the same age in parallel training lanes and they proceeded to feed off one anothers barking and growling and the wise words from the trainer was "now if these two girls were let go they would kill one another". At the end of the session, it was suggested that I contact the police force and perhaps start again with a more mellow dog!!! I am a pretty tough cookie but I cried all the way home and have never been back. Got myself a new personal trainer who believes in using consequences for negative reactions and after the second training session was able to walk in to his group session with ten other dogs of all breeds and trained for a full hour with no negative reaction from Skye. Even socialised all dogs off lead with no reaction from Skye and I saw then that the aggressive bull**** I had been fed had affected MY handling. We are still not 100% non-reactive but can now walk the streets without the lunging and barking and am really enjoying my headstrong girl. With the negative reactions from the "positive" brigade plus breed specific head trainer and well-known behaviourist it would have been so easy to give up - I am so glad I didn't!

We recently had family move to WA and they stayed with us while job and house hunting. Loved having them but they have a miniature foxie that absolutely hated my GSD on sight. Skye was only 12 months old, foxie was six years old and a spoilt lap dog. She was so ferocious that had it been my GSD that displayed this behaviour she would have been muzzled! Foxie attacked several times and came away with Skye's hair in her mouth and fortunately for the foxie, we were able to redirect Skye each time so there was no bad outcome. If Skye had reacted we would probably have had a seriously injured foxie but it annoys the hell out of me when the bigger dog is blamed for reacting. Skye is now much happier that she has her home back to normal as I am sure the Akita will be!

But because people are using the name "behaviourist" it implies that they are qualified and therefore a step above dog trainers and this is obviously false. I agree that not everyone wants or needs a dog that can heel, sit, drop and stay with the precision required in the obedience ring but these are basic excercises that all dogs should learn to some degree whether it be in a class situation or one-on-one with a trainer. What a lot of people want to hear on these forums is advice from people who have encountered the same problems and how they have faired or solved them. Not a curt "seek the help of a behaviourist".

Very interesting topic. Why is it then that nearly every person who posts on here with a "problem" is advised to seek the help of a behaviourist???????? A qualified trainer who is breed specific or behaviour specific would be far better advice.

So sorry for your loss Moselle - I, too,lost my beautiful GSD Sascha to cancer one year ago and had much the same scenario. Off color on the Thursday, vet on Friday who did the ultrasounds and gave us the prognosis. We took her home for the weekend and she really perked up but by Monday was down and we had to make the decision to PTS as the cancerous tumours were bleeding in to her stomach. She was just on 11 but really broke our hearts. Cannot believe that there are so many of us with the same stories - no warning, no weight loss, running and eating like normal until all of a sudden they are at death's door. Dogs are so stoic - they never complain so we have no idea what is going on with their bodies. Take care and treasure your memories.

The idea is to learn to read the signals your dog gives before your dog gets into the red zone so you can prevent it happening. Proactive rather then reactive. Hi Rebanne - I am well aware of my dog's body language - it was a positive personal trainer who put the front leading harness on my dog and although I found it easier to hold her without getting dragged off my feet at training, it only managed the problem and did not fix it. I can now walk her with a choke chain past barking dogs at a fence with no return barking from Skye and almost 100% attention. I could not do that 3 weeks ago! And, I might add, can control with my voice without using a pop on the lead. My reason for mentioning the front leading harness was merely a suggestion to Rockdog in the interim. I am extremely proactive in my training and take it very seriously - the new methods used in training today have not produced the results that we need - if they had worked, I would still be using them.