Exercising Reactive Dogs Thread

[raineth]

:laugh: oh dear!

[BC Crazy]

It probably is snook :laugh:

[huski]

Haha, I had someone email me from the US asking to book a lesson obviously not realizing we were in Australia. We have had clients come from WA, VIC, QLD etc and even NZ to see Steve. But coming from the US is quite a trip :laugh:

[huski]

Snook it's so great to read some positive updates about Justice. You must feel much better that he is doing well :)

[BC Crazy]

Gee this DVD sounds terrific thus far Snook Sounds like I will have to get a copy.

Funny, Stella didn't like to be handled or touched as a puppy very much at all. I have slowly conditioned her to it. You could see her cringe as a youngster when I'd attempt to stoke her for any length of time. Now she waits in line behind Sonny for her massage every morning :D

[BC Crazy]

Thanks Snook :) I've never had a puppy that didn't like to be handled much like Stella. She would tolerate a pat but anything beyond that you'd see her tense up & turn around looking at me like,'what the hell are you doing'.

I just kept persisting. Daily grooming etc & handling but kept my eye on her though as I wasn't sure if she was going to bite me at that stage. She was pretty aggressive when I first got her, especially around food. She'd fly at me with her teeth bared & hackles up & growling her head off if I walked near her prized chicken wing. She was a real shocker...

So thankful she has made a lot of progress & actually really loves affection now. She even quite enjoys a bath. Put herself in the bath when we get home from the beach & waits for me to come & rinse her off without even being asked. Who would of thought :)

[BC Crazy]

Oh yes Snook. She was more than a handful. Right little bugger to be honest :laugh: Stella is definitely a work in progress.

Thanks for your kindness & support Snook. Much appreciated :)

I've been looking into getting a trainer but haven't had any success thus far.

Also been looking at getting a couple of suitable DVD's to help me become a better handler for Stella. I need to step up for her so I can bring the best out in her cause I know she could be so much more.

Anyway I was thinking of buying a DVD on Prey Drive Training. Normal obedience training is way too slow for her & she loses focus. Was wondering has anyone heard of Neil Sattin, he has a prey drive training DVD & I thought this may suit us. Seems to cover everything I need & in basic terms for folks like me.

Thoughts on this or any other ideas...TIA :)

Edited August 26, 2014 by BC Crazy

[BC Crazy]

Im just feel so sorry for both you & NO I can't believe it either

How bloody terrifying..... his dog isn't aggressive my a#se... sorry but the owners negligance has got me very cranky.

Thankdog you reported it & surprise surprise we have a repeat 'known' offender .

I hope you are both doing OK tonight. Be kind to yourself Snook & give your very brave Justice a huge cuddle from us. He behaved so dam well considering the shocking aggression that was thrust upon him.

Edited August 26, 2014 by BC Crazy

[raineth]

far out! Why do these people never learn!? it just astounds me!

I'm so sorry you and Justice had to go through that, it would have been very scary. You did really well to take photos and get right on to reporting it. Hopefully the council can do something about this guy.

Give Justice some tummy rubs from me.

[huski]

Oh geez Snook I am really sorry to read that hope you are both ok.

[hankdog]

Wow, so much wrong in one place. Who ties a dog to an umbrella, who ties a dog. Actually it's irrelevant whether Justice is aggressive, even aggressive dogs get to walk unmolested.

Good on you for getting yourself together and getting the report done. You may be saving the life of this idiots next victim, imagine if it was an elderly person with a mini poodle next. What if the umbrella had connected someone's head on the way down?

I'm sorry you seem to be going through a bad patch. I hope you and Justicexare in the couch, chocolates and a nice cup of hot chocolate in hand.

[dididog]

Poor Justice that sounds terrible I bloody hate people tethering aggressive dogs, they have no way of controlling what they do when they're out of sight I probably would've been just as shaken up as you but good on you for being able to report this guy.

I've been taking Didi to the park more instead of walking her due to her onlead issues (Judi comes tomorrow! excited but nervous because I can tell there will probably be loads of other things I need to correct) anyway we went yesterday evening and approached a group with one of Didi's usually playmates and a curly coat retriever pup and there was also a border collie that was on lead and Didi walked past it to go to the other dogs and it lunged and growled at her. The owner was all 'that's not how we say hello' in a happy voice and I was just like why are you bringing a reactive dog to a busy offlead dog park and purposely standing with the only group of dogs nearby??? It stayed for a bit longer and was constantly eyeing the pups off and stiffening when they looked they looked like they were come towards it.

Anyway they left and Didi and the curly coat had a huge play and were really good for each other, Didi is such a sweetie with pups/smaller dogs and lies down and sniffs nicely before she starts her crazy puppy play. The owners said their pup was usually very timid around bigger dogs and didn't like to play with them so it was nice to see him bouncing around with Didi. She's a completely different dog offlead around other dogs and will seek out pats and sit down on people's feet looking blissed out while they rub her sides.

Do you think I should write a list of all my concerns down tonight so I don't forget anything during our consult?

Edited August 26, 2014 by Terri S.

[huski]

Terri I would write anything you want to ask down so you don't forget :)

[hankdog]

Also have own and paper handy so you can make notes, there'll be lots of things to remember. Enjoy!

Edited August 26, 2014 by hankdog

[dididog]

Terri I would write anything you want to ask down so you don't forget :)

Will be a pretty long list then :laugh:

Also have own and paper handy so you can make notes, there'll be lots of things to remember. Enjoy!

That's a good idea, I have the impression it might be a bit of an information overload.

[huski]

I don't know how handy this is for training reactive dogs but for me training competition obed there are lots of little things I am always working on. I always make lists of problems I have or areas to work on and I update it constantly.

[dididog]

I don't know how handy this is for training reactive dogs but for me training competition obed there are lots of little things I am always working on. I always make lists of problems I have or areas to work on and I update it constantly.

No that would be really helpful, to track what happened, their reaction, how you managed it and if it worked, how they were after an encounter etc. and also your progress with becoming less reactive.

I did something kind of similar when Didi was much younger, tracking her height and growth and any medical/food issues and there was also some tracking of her socialisation progress and training. Was really good in those first few months where there is so much going on that you've got to work on at once. Might be an idea to start it up again :)

Edited August 26, 2014 by Terri S.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Imagine a room for 12 step counselling...

My name is aka MRB (among other things) and I have (sob) a reactive dog.

She used to be super friendly grovel dog and a fair bit of the time she still is, but other people allow their dogs to rush up at her - and she reacts.

It happened again tonight on the way to the park.

We rounded a corner and there were two dogs in the verge (which is pretty wide) - one of the dogs Frosty knows but doesn't like a lot but they don't hassle each other - a chocolate lab. The other one is the kind of dog we've been having lots of trouble with - a poodle cross spaniel maybe? White curly hair medium sized dog.

So I'm moving Frosty along smartly so she can't get the fixed stare - when this poodle x - gives us the stare and - it is on a loose double lead eg 4m of lead where only 2m is legal here. And it does the rush barking and growling and Frosty tries to have a go.

And the lady holding the poodle x - is so surprised... I think they've met before and her dog jumped Frosty and was extremely nasty... Great.

I'm blocking Frosty until she shows some interest in what I'm doing and then we move along. I'd like to yell abuse at no control lady but if I do that, it sets Frosty off again...

on the up side - we didn't have any problems at the park, including when another choc lab came over to say hi. Phew.

We did have an unrelated problem with a poodle owner who did not want to pick up after his dog, and then when we gave him a bag - he picked up but then left the poop and the spare bag on the ground. Sigh. Got that dog's rego tag with some help of other dog walkers and he's getting reported.

[grumpette]

Oh Snook that is absolute crap. I am so very sorry that you and Justice had a great day out ruined by a dip shit irresponsible aggressive dog owner. I really hope that the council reacts in a manner that gives the stupid owner a severe wake up call.

Good on you for sticking up for Justice and yourself by making a report with supporting evidence.

You sound like you are dealing with the incident extremely well. :D

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

Hi Snook

I think setting things up so Justice is not "rehearsing undesirable behaviours" is a really good idea and this may mean not going near any places there are likely to be dogs off lead, and sticking to places for walks where there is plenty of room to avoid other dogs.

If there is somewhere you can go where you can manage how close the dogs get that would be great but I can't think of anywhere that there are big open spaces that are dogs on lead but don't have idiots who let their dogs off lead eg most of the Adelaide parklands and the bit of West Beach "Shores" next to the German Shepherd club - is dogs on lead but people routinely ignore that.

They're talking about (if they haven't already) making the northern end of Victoria park - dogs on lead - because of all the cycle races and other events they have there - so that might actually be enforced.

Or maybe somewhere that is too dangerous to let a dog off lead like near busy roads. But my dog hates busy roads.