Exercising Reactive Dogs Thread

[Two Best Dogs!]

Poor Kenz

[Two Best Dogs!]

Argh I'm so cranky, we were doing FINE in class - in close quarters with other dogs, accidentally bumped into one but brushed it off with a wag, some driveby distance sniffs at the new dogs while walking, all a-ok! Dropping in close quarters, minimal startling, not breaking when dogs recalled past...

And after class we're hanging around as organised to practice some more intense sniff-greetings between Thistle and a young kelpie, the trainer-being-trained is having explained to her what to do about a person-reactive dog (that's us, we're being used as the example. all good stuff about no eye contact, no directly approaching etc etc)

when we're blindsided by offlead mini Schnauzer types! THREE OF THEM! They were spread across two owners - two ran past Thistle, about 1.5-2 m distance and had her break her sit/pull a bit. She fixated while those dogs were having a sniff session but I got her into a sit and was working her attention back to me because the third one was wandering 1m behind us, so we had no way to just walk off! Well Thistle noticed the third one and stood tensely again and my trainer was telling the people off and to recall their dogs.

THE OWNER POSITIONED THEMSELVES IN LINE BEHIND US WHEN RECALLING THEIR DOGS SO THE DOGS WOULD RUN OUR WAY. Thankfully the dogs had shit recall and ignored them, and I think it was because owners kid at a different angle was also calling them and then third owner was calling their dog and we were trapped in the middle of this horrible triangle of shitty recalls with offlead dogs and Thistle was just getting more and more worked up

Eventually did a "f*** this" because there's no way I could get Thistle's attention and broke out of the triangle and through kid's recall because figured one dog is better than the other two. I had to drag thistle a bit then she'd come along (praise!) then she'd freeze again so I'd have to drag then she'd come along and about 4-5 metres we were back to safe distance and she somewhat focussed on me and we went to the middle of the field where lady with DA GSD was hanging next to the kelpie. One of the owners finally recalled their 2 minis and leashed them, other one remained unleashed.

Then! while waiting (since not going to do sniffs while kelpie is crated!) the offlead mini started meandering towards us again and the owner is doing nothing! After the trainer had told her to get her dog to leave us along! Mini nearly made it half the field to us before our trainer told miss f***ing inconsiderate that her dog is approaching us again, which made her recall but again, no lead.

Which is, what the f***, have some goddamn respect and leave us alone. We moved half the field away, that's more than enough. Thistle was being so great and good and chill until she got worked up because some person is f***ing lazy and lets their dog with shit recall off lead. Stop being inconsiderate f***s and either teach your dog recall or f***ing LEASH IT. We deserve to be here too, we're obeying the rules and considerate of the other dogs.

We decided to go for the kelpie sniffs since thistle was calmer when the stupid lady finally f***ing recalled her mini. We did 3 "pretend walking past in the street" where the dogs sniffed noses/sides of head then moved on. They were great, although thistle was tense during the act of sniffing, her tail gave a tiny wag and she was relaxed when moving away.

But i'm still so f***ing pissed at the inconsiderate off lead owners. Especially the one who wouldn't f***ing leash her dog, I suspect it may be the one that has interrupted class before because "we thought we were far enough away".

selfish, inconsiderate person.

and I hate how THEM breaking laws and having an uncontrolled dog makes us somehow out to be the bad guy because their offlead dog is running around my dog and ignoring recalls and upsetting my dog so much she can't listen.

Ruined a perfectly good day otherwise.

[Tassie]

Bummer, Thistle .. though it sounds like she came through like a trooper.

So was this still on club grounds in club time? If so, you need to write an official letter to the club, explaining the training your trainer was getting set up to do, and that your trainer had requested the loose dogs be put on lead. Just so it can go on record, and other instructors can be alerted.

Our club has a rule that club dogs can only be off leash with the specific approval of instructors on training days.

[Two Best Dogs!]

I've been angry-cleaning all day, this house will be spotless and all the dog stuff i've been meaning to install for months installed.

I know it's all minor but Thistle went way over threshold and kept pulling/lunging or freezing, and I had my dog bag and it was hot and just all around unpleasant! Just after one of the new girls had done complimenting us It's just so upsetting when we've gone nearly a month without problems!

Then I can't even vent at the owners because I'm too busy redircting/rewarding and it makes us look bad when she was being really good right up until then!

Unfortunately Tassie, the club has permission (or rents out???) the local park from the council so it's not club land. Most people were gone by then, just me and the trainers and a couple of others who left just before the minis got me caught in their recall Bermuda triangle of stress

I think if it was just one we'd have been right, but 3!

Edited December 6, 2015 by Thistle the dog

[Tassie]

Oh, I feel for you. My main club is on a sports oval, with a walking track and council open space and another oval around. So we do occasionally get randoms. The other club I go to sometimes is now a fenced dog park when not being rented by the club. T's wise to be out of there by noon when classes end, as the dog park users are straight in.

So yes .. just chalk it up to bad luck and thoughtless and clueless owners. From reading your account, it does seem that you and Thistle did a good job in the circumstances, so try not to feel too disheartened.

[ness]

Thistle that sucks. I hate the fact you can't keep people away from public space. I just drove to the school to walk the dogs since its finally got a bit cooler only to turn up to the street which leads to the school and find the man with the staffie just about to enter the school grounds. I drove my girls home as I wasn't about to risk if he decided to let it off a lead.

[ness]

sounds like somebody is denying the attack ever happened. Don't know exactly what is going on but regardless it doesn't change my very lame dog .

[ness]

I don't know what they are saying - hopefully the Ranger investigating things will follow up tomorrow. He was sick today so I only spoke with the person who is in charge of all of them and she offered that as an explanation as to why I hadn't heard anything yet.

[Two Best Dogs!]

How horrible

[ness]

Given the other owner was no where near close to the dog when it attacked and given the previous history I am suspecting he has gone into defensive mode. I only told it like it happened and even to the extent of emphasizing the damage was more likely due to the body mass of the dog rather than a bite wound although I said the physio found evidence of fluid pockets/bruising over the area where the dog made contact which was evidence of bite contact. The guy would have been a good 75m or so from where the dog actually made contact. Happy to get a stat dec signed and he doesn't know my occupation either :laugh:. The only pity is if the council had been able to act a little sooner I may have been able to locate a witness but now school has finished for the year not going to happen.

Edited December 10, 2015 by ness

[Two Best Dogs!]

Thistle sniffed many dogs today, it was pretty intense but she was pretty good (if very stiff/tense with the two "strange" dogs who started last week and tried to jump on the tiny JRT...). She even refused to sniff and walked right past a couple of dogs in a "yeah whatever" kind of way XD

My query is, she gave one of the labs muzzle licks? Then I think she tried to do a socially-awkward play bow but I was mid walking away so it was aborted.

But why does she lick the muzzle? This was one lick, DOL's very own Didi gets graced with lots of licks (and I redirect as I can see how annoying that can get for the dogs...)

But pretty happy, there was a bbq afterwards and she chilled under a table at only slightly more distance than the other dogs (and also all the other shade spots were taken...) - and one of the offlead dogs from last week walked through the bbq and past us but Thistle just stayed in her drop and it thankfully didn't approach us (may have been giving the lady the dirty eye the entire time though)

No classes for 4 weeks now I really hope we don't back slide. And I'm trying not to overload her with socialising as she's still quite a bit worried about ppl and dogs. Bayed at a lot of ppl today but I was lenient on account of the BBQ and just appreciated her not trying to bolt.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Thistle the dog

[Two Best Dogs!]

I kind of wish they'd do BBQ more often, can practice social situations safely with the knowledge that some 5 or 6 trainers are walking around supervising/letting ppl know when a dog is needing attention. Cause we get sloppy outside of class? And I can't keep an eye on every person and dog :/

A few ppl have suggested appeasement and that sounds likely I guess. A "please don't hurt me and maybe we can play?" lick maybe? I'll try to make note of it next time we practice with Didi (who will hopefully get her into good doggie habits! Like not jumping on little ones!)

Edited December 13, 2015 by Thistle the dog

[JulesP]

I wouldn't be bothered with licking. I would probably stop excessive licking.

There are dog schools around that do everyday situation type training.

[Two Best Dogs!]

Ooh could you pm then to me Jules?

We do things like "walking in the street past other dogs waking/dropping/pretend cafe situations" and I think advanced even switches amendable dogs between trainers. But BBQ with the yummy smells and different noises was new so we were encouraged to hang around

I feel a bit obsessive analysing every new dog reaction to see if i should encourage or discourage X-X glad no one seems to think it's a bad thing

Edited December 14, 2015 by Thistle the dog

[JulesP]

I couldn't find the one I had seen before. I had rejected it as not serious enough, lol. They are usually privately run though rather than a club that is affiliated with the VCA.

[Two Best Dogs!]

Ah well, we'll take what we get and just try to manage social things when they happen (aka manage the people around us hahah)

[JulesP]

I think Eastern Companion Dog Training is one of them. Looking at their FB page they had a pony at their last session :laugh:

[Simply Grand]

Yep Thistle, I'd suggest (although hard without seeing) that the dog Thistle licked was giving off "I am an assertive/dominant dog but I am happy to deal with dogs who recognize that" vibes. I say that because my girl Quinn, being the confident, bossy bitch that she is often gets lip licks from dogs that do have good dog/dog interaction awareness but are a little unsure.

I've posted before about how Quinn is a very assertive dog who does not tolerate really rude dog behaviour and will react to aggression towards her or my other dogs, but she is very tolerant and appropriate with fearful dogs/puppies/boisterous but respond to doggy body language type dogs. When she gets the mouth licking she will generally stand there for a bit, move her head around to try and avoid it once it gets annoying and eventually walk away. She probably won't play with those dogs but won't tell them off either and if we see them regularly they generally become on of her "friend" dogs.

[Two Best Dogs!]

Thanks SG

The dog is pretty steady and calm, completely flipped my views on labs and gorgeous to boot. She's had no issues with any dogs that I've noticed and seems the patient sort.

She's not desexed if that affects any. Part of the customs breeding program. Only a year old.

Dunno about thistles dog interpreting skills but unsure definately fits the bill! I'm hoping with time and confidence her overly stiff and tense sniffs will loosen up. I can see how smaller dogs might find the looming intimidating!

Dog behaviour is baffling XD

[Canisbellum]

As part of my training program from Steve Courtney there is a program entitled "The Behaviour Interuptor" I wont go into detail as its his livelihood but I belatedly started implementing it yesterday and after less than an hour with Jonah and Jesse all I can say is wow. They were both on lead and very interested in a boxer on the other side of the road and I employed it and was nearly run over as they both instantly spun around to pay attention to me.

Still early days but I see great potential