Ideas For How To Stop Barking At People Walking Past The Car?

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Kenzie's doing really well with her reactivity issues while we're out walking.

She's a great car traveller, when she's lying down she just hangs out and I think goes to sleep (she travels in the back of my wagon), if we're moving it's all good and she watches the world go by.

Problem... if we are stopped (at traffic lights) or moving really slowly and someone walks past the car she goes absolutely beserk. I'm not quite sure what to do to stop it! If I'm standing near the back of the car she isn't as bad most of the time. But usually this problem happens when I'm driving - therefore it is difficult for me to do a lot. I try to speak to her if I see she's noticed something but hasn't reacted, will use her bridge word and also will give her a big "hey" to try and get her focus back and calm her down.

To be honest not much of it works! And I think if anything it has gotten worse. I don't know if she has been antagonised while she was in the back of the car and I either didn't see it (when driving) or I wasn't there, so I'm not sure if this is due to "something" happening or if it is just her. Most times it will only happen a few times when we are in the car, but I'd love for it to never happen!!! Plus I think it would be much nicer for her to not have to feel like she needs to do this. When I've seen her from afar and people have gone past sometimes she does it sometimes she doesn't.

So anyway, any ideas on a plan of attack would be most welcomed!!!!

[Erny]

Try an anxiety wrap. I actually use my boy's PJ's for this. I tend to find they do calm him down in some circumstances when his behaviour would be over the top (and when, like the instance you describe, I am not in a position to work with it). What you do need to be mindful of is how warm it is in the car as you don't want to overheat her. This suggestion might not work but if it did it would be the easier of anything that I can think of, off the top of my head. So I'd go for that first. Don't hold your breath though, and I wouldn't be spending a tonne of money to get the real mcoy anxiety wrap .... at least not until you try it. Experiment with a T-shirt which you tie a knot in at the top to make it sit firm.

Also, try a harness restraint. Depends on your dog and the reason for the reactivity, but having too much freedom within the confines of the car doesn't help.

Edited September 21, 2011 by Erny

[Nekhbet]

put her in a crate, for her safety and yours. If she cant see it she may be more willing to settle, especially if you give her food/toy to occupy herself with. Meanwhile I would be working on training while someone else drives, you should not be trying to pay attention to a dog/training and driving for your own safety more then anything else!

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Hmmm, I'm interested in the anxiety wrap idea - thanks! I just had a look on their website and I had heard of them before (but my brain didn't make the connection that I could try it!!). Now just to figure out what size to get her, I think Kmart have super cheap kids stuff so maybe I'll just get a few different sizes to try! But between now and then might go back to using her car harness and attaching her to the cargo barrier (she has been free to have the space behind the cargo barrier, but I get what you're saying about being able to have too much freedom in a little space).

Crate - doesn't fit in the space, and the last soft one she was in she ate out of! We had to move to a hard one!! But there is a cargo barrier between her and I. It is difficult to do the training with someone else driving at the moment as I'm on my own, if there is a time/situation where I can I will.

I also think she's worse when she's with me and it's just her and I in the car. Before Emma died I don't remember her being this bad, but she had Em sitting there with her in the back (I know she did do it a few times but I don't remember it happening to the extent she gets to at some times at the moment). And I know when she travels with one of my friends that she doesn't behave this way (I'm pretty sure my friend has her dogs in the car with her at the time). So I'm wondering if having another dog in the back maybe also has something to do with it, but I'm not in a place to be able to do something about that just at the moment.

[reflex0]

I would use positive reinforcement for this type of behavior.

Set up a 7 days program for the good behavior that you want by marker training.

Day one: Use a clicker or voice to get your dog to associate with marker training.

Do this before your dog eating. Click or say "Yes" Or "Good" then give treat (small treat) for 5 mins. then say "relax" to finished training.

Do it 2-3 time for first day.

Day 2: every time your dog watch you then mark it then reward for 5 mins. (even small turn his head toward you) 2-3 times for day2.

Day 3: parked your car around your house, ask a helper who dog does know him or her to walk around the car. Start from far away as long as your dog does not show fear.

then do the watch me training and ask helper to walk around the car until your dog starts show reaction then ask helper to walk back a bit until the dog focus on you again. (5 mins) If possible 2-3 time per day.

Day 4: do the same as day 3, but getting closer.

Day 5: change location such as local parking area, then do the focus training like day 3. start from far away as well.

Day 6: do the same as day 4.

Day 7: change location, helper and getting closer.

All training before eating. if dog is not interested in food then do not feed dog for one day.

This is slow training, please do not push too fast. If your dog doing really well during the training, then give the dog a jackpot which is a good amount of handful treat at one time and a lots of vocal reward.

hope this training will make your dog reduce fear and focus on you.

[Pretty Miss Emma]

So, I've been making Kenzie wear the coat I bought for Emma to keep warm (good thing it's been cold the last few times we've been in the car!). It's a size too small for Kenzie, so I figured it would be good to try before buying something purpose built like the anxiety jacket. I've also been strapping her in with her car harness and she is attached to somewhat limit her movement around the back of the car.

I don't know if it's all of that that's working or if it is coincidence but she seems to have been much better. Today on the way to and from work there was not a peep out of her!!! Someone walked past the front of the car with an umbrella and she didn't care! On other occasions she has had a bit of a bark but no where near as intense as she has been in the past and not with the same frequency.

So maybe.....!!

[Erny]

Excellent, PME. I hope it isn't just a temporary improvement in her behaviour. Just to add .... if she is calm and relaxed, take the occasional opportunity to tell her she's a good girl. If she's tense (even if she isn't barking or otherwise carrying on) just ignore her.

[corvus]

I'm happy to reward tense behaviour as long as it's better than what I've been getting. It's just shaping. You can shape into a behaviour and you can shape out of it and into something more desirable. I think it pays to be especially careful that you're not going backwards, but otherwise, no biggy. Glad to hear you saw some improvement. I would reward that!

[Erny]

I'm happy to reward tense behaviour as long as it's better than what I've been getting. It's just shaping.

And it can increase the state of arousal the dog is in. Sometimes what you think you are shaping is not what you are really shaping.

ETA: PME - in this event, act calm; yawn; let your body language permiate that you think she's being dumb.

Edited September 29, 2011 by Erny

[corvus]

I'm happy to reward tense behaviour as long as it's better than what I've been getting. It's just shaping.

And it can increase the state of arousal the dog is in.

Well, there's a reason why I stipulated "as long as it's better than what I've been getting". It's hard to increase arousal by rewarding a behaviour that is less intense than what is usual in those circumstances. Doable, but I assume only if you are careless with rewards and use rewards that increase arousal, like tug or rapid fire treats, for example. I don't know who's going to use an arousal-increasing reward in a situation where they want their dog to be more calm.

[Erny]

Regardless of you stipulating "as long as it's better than what I've been getting", I'm just pointing out that I disagree with you in this instance.

[corvus]

You disagree with me in every instance, Erny. I will meet your disagreeance and raise you a "regardless, if you're careful it won't happen".

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Ok you two!!!! You do make me laugh though!

This morning brilliant success again. When people were anywhere near the car I just kept talking to her because she was lying down. And I'm also talking to her when there is no one near the car so she doesn't start to think that if she hears me there must be someone near by. I think we're on to something that's working, so I might consider getting her a real anxiety wrap jacket (does anyone know if they are heavy/light material?? Just wondering in terms of the weather heating up!). She's also been wearing it this morning at work and I do think she is a lot calmer than she has been - or maybe because I think this then I'm emitting good vibes to her and so all round it is working!!

[corvus]

Ok you two!!!! You do make me laugh though!

This morning brilliant success again. When people were anywhere near the car I just kept talking to her because she was lying down. And I'm also talking to her when there is no one near the car so she doesn't start to think that if she hears me there must be someone near by.

Good thinking.

I have a Thundershirt for Erik. It's like a stretchy t-shirt material, but a reasonably thick t-shirt. I don't leave it on him for long periods, so we've never had to think about whether he's too hot. It works really well in some circumstances for Erik, and I'm not sure how I ever lived without it. Just the thing sometimes when he has kind of lost touch and needs anchoring.

[Erny]

You disagree with me in every instance, Erny.

You always start it .

Ok you two!!!! You do make me laugh though!

This morning brilliant success again. When people were anywhere near the car I just kept talking to her because she was lying down. And I'm also talking to her when there is no one near the car so she doesn't start to think that if she hears me there must be someone near by.

That's excellent, PME. Glad to hear things are working for you. It's a start .

Edited September 30, 2011 by Erny