bronsoonWA

Staffyluv, I recently went through a similar thing (except Oscar is obsessed with food - he just went fussy for some reason). I stopped offering anything but less than his required amount of kibble for a few days and then I used cooked sausage. This was recommended by our trainer and I liked it because I chose lean ones (10% fat) with no preservatives. After using just sausage for a week as training treats (and a small kibble kong) I introduced liver again and he seemed to like the variety and now he will take anything. I'm not actually sure how this worked but it did. Hankdog, our trainer noticed that once (out of about 50 times) Oscars body language was playful towards another dog behind a fence, but she told me not to pursue it because he has poor social skills and it could easily turn sour and it would set him backwards. But perhaps Jake isn't as socially inept as Oscar! Our behavourist has been on holiday since mid December so we have had a break from training. I also gave Oscar 2 weeks off walks because of the heatwave and a few walks where he was just way over threshold after being charged by an escapee chihauhua. We cross the road went behind a car and then were cornered against someones house Oscar just dropped to the ground in fear. I was furious at the owner who laughed and slowly walked over to retrieve him. Some people just dont get a scared dog will attack if required. We are back into it now and he is doing so much better. When we approach a barking fenced dog (or sometimes just a house where there has been one) instead of pulling apulling with raised hackles and getting ready to bark/lunge he decides we are going to cross the road and avoid. I'm unsure whether to reward this behaviour by cross the road or to lure him past with treats. I have tried both and I am leaning towards asking him to walk passed, as long as he will still accept food. I was proud that he had learnt that we dont bark and lunge at scary dogs, we aviod them. But it seems like to progress further I should ask him to pass them.

I ordered one the other day, should be here soon. I have a feeling that she may continue to just dig a hole and lie in the dirt, but it's worth a try. She is already doing that now and it hasn't been very hot in Perth yet, so I think she may suffer come Jan/Feb.

So glad I found this thread as I spent most of yesterday trying to decide on one for my old girl! I am leaning toward the the polar pads - however the thought of the absorbent crystals concerns me a bit. I will be giving it to her outside while I am at work. My concern is in the slight chance she chews it, I really don't want her swallowing something that is going to swell in her stomach. Especially as I would be gone for 6+ hours. Any thoughts?

I think they are a great idea, but would be even better if they were more common. As the article said, the conversation stater is probably the key, people may approach and ask, instead of just running up and patting. Where did you get the harness from aussielover? I could do with one for my reactive dog that can be read from a distance.

Thanks a lot for the list, i'm looking into them. Interestingly, Patricia McConnell recommends LAT for shy dogs who just want to hide from other dogs, and Look at Me for dogs like Oscar who stiffen up and stare. Since my first post, I have seen improvement. Previously all I did was make a fuss if there is a dog "oh look, how exciting a puppy, yay isn't this fun" and give him some treats. Now I do that combined with finding and respecting his threshold distance which has meant that In the past 5-6 times I have had him out and there did happen to be dogs at some stage, he never had a reaction, just a stare which i responded to with a happy "let's go" and some treats when he looked at me or the new direction. Hankdog, I've been having fun finding novel ways of exercising him too. I've been driving him to local parks at sunrise for runs on the lead and also very early morning plays on playgrounds (on lead). he loves jumping over things and running up the stairs to slides, very good exercise for him. Yesterday I found a fully fenced children's play area which is amazing for him to be off lead. I went at 5:30 am to beat the children - it specifically says no dogs but I walked them first for the 'toilet'. I tried an obstacle type course in the backyard, he wasn't interested. I also tried a flirt pole but he's too weary of the pole being above him. I've also been working on obedience, specifically stay - in 3 days he will sit and wait while his dinner is put on the ground and wont start until i say OK. I'm so proud of him. I can also walk around him in a stay and get about 5 steps away with back turned before he stands up. It just goes to show how much potential they do have, we just need to unlock it.

Thank you Panzer and Snook so much for taking the time to reply. In a nutshell you have fixed my problem which was working out what to work on first. I know it must appear really simple to others. I have read that obedience is the foundation to any behaviour, but I always skipped over those bits thinking he was trained 'enough' just because he sits and comes when called (inside). Also, our behavourist didn't mention any obedience. I had to say he doesn't know what 'leave it' means when she suggested I tell him to 'leave it'. Last night I read and printed Dr Karen Overall's Relaxation protocol, which is basically a 15 day program with what appears to be obedience exercises but it trains the dog to relax and to be able to learn commands with distractions. I have watched a few videos of her on Youtube and I like her style (scientific, nothing is absolute). I know this isn't exactly what you were saying, but I have been really concerned since he was attacked that it was my fault (in his eyes) for not protecting him. Do you think is this an issue I need to 'fix' since I have been continuing to expose him to stressful situations? So far I have bought and read Patricia McConnell's Leader of the pack and I have "Feisty Fido" and "Cautious Canine" on the way. I have also just seen she has one on dog-dog reactivity. Other reading has been on the net and includes online info and youtube videos (i try to only read info provided by people with appropriate qualifications) karen London, Karen Overall, Kathy Sdao. And probably others I can't remember. You are very correct Snook, I am hugely overwhelmed. Sometimes I actually feel quite emotional that I'm not doing enough for him. This I think is actually escalated as I read more, the more I learn the more I realise there is to learn! One of the biggest issues I find is when I read, I understand, but when I try it with him and if it doesn't work I think "well what now, it didn't say what to do if he does xyz". For the record, I intend to enrol in Kathy's Reactive Rover classes, but they're off for the summer so I need an approach for the mean time. Thank you, I think it is the support that is most beneficial.

I have been following this thread for sometime, even before registering! I am experiencing similar problems and would love a bit of guidance. Apologies for the long back story; my question is where to start/what to focus on as I realise I am the weak link here. I have a 2 year old pit bull rescued 8 months ago from a shelter - no back story. He is quite an anxious dog and was frightened of his own shadow when we got him. Now he is much more calm and confident at home and with our other dog - but still quite fearful on walks (tail between legs, ears back unless stopping to listen). 2 months ago during an on leash late night -avoiding other dogs- walk he was attacked by another dog (6 puncture wounds, no stitches) and now he is reactive to all strange dogs (he is very very preoccupied at a distance, he stares and i can't break it) and if they get too close he will growl and lunge. He has also just started barking with hackles up at passing dogs when he has supervised play in our front yard. Now, I have had two private sessions with a dog behaviourist, (Kathy Kopellis McLeod for those in Perth). Which was great for me to learn the basics of counter conditioning. I haven't seen a difference him yet. I actually think he is getting worse; but it may be that I am reading him better and so realising he is at his threshold more often. He is a placid angel inside the house, so calm and very lazy. His basic obedience is OK I am working hard but he can do sit, stay (but only for 2 steps away) and down (but I have to almost touch the ground with my hand) and will willingly do it for kibble or a pat. As soon as we get outside our fence-line, I can't get him to do anything; not even for baked liver/sausage/cheese. I have spent many hours reading everything I can get my 'eyes' on but I'm having trouble taking lessons from inside with no distractions to the next step outside which is seemingly too much. I think I need to teach leave-it and look at me; but I can't get him to do that outside our yard. At the moment I am walking our neighbourhood plying him with liver/cheese when we pass a dog barking behind a fence or on the other side of the street. Most of the time he wont even take food, he just stares. I do a u-turn and pass again with a wider girth or block his sight with my body until the other dog passes as best I can. If we're inside our yard and he barks I just tell him it's time to come inside and he follows. There are lots of things I would love to work on (Look at me on leash, leave-it, sit stay in presence of other dogs, not barking at passing dogs) but I feel very overwhelmed and like I need a starting point.