Exercising Reactive Dogs Thread

[raineth]

Having small dogs is very eye opening- your margin for error is just so small.

It really came home to me when Del was attacked. The force that the dog launched onto her with and way it grabbed her around the neck and shook, I don't think a little dog would have survived that attack

[Cosmolo]

Same for us- we had two dogs attack our ACD x and she was badly injured. Had that been our JRT he wouldn't be here.

[hankdog]

Interesting because I worry about it the other way around, how much damage Jake will do if one of the little guys gets to him. I'm pretty good at kicking them away, (another skill for the CV) but we got rushed by a hefty cattle dog and it was scary realizing if I kicked it my foot might not come back in good nick.

[helen]

Raineth, I had to say you have such good taste, three of my favourite dogs - of course Brittanys won for me but I love Spinones and Smooth Collies too. I find Spinone faces way too cute :-)

Sounds like Jake is really learning how to work the system hankdog

It's interesting hearing people's plans for future dogs. OH and I have decided that the loose dog problem is so bad here that we won't be getting another dog(puppy) as long as we are still in this area. I just think the risk of it becoming reactive due to scary incidents would be too high.

That being said, we wouldn't be getting another pup while we still have Dig and Del anyway.

But our plans are for a Pedigree next time, mainly because I want a puppy rather than an older dog and I am planning on eventually being able to have one at work with me, so predictability is very important. So far are shortlist is Italian Spinone, Brittany, and possibly smooth collie (depends on how barky they are even with training).

Maybe it is because I have small dogs? Fergus isn't at all reactive however I still worry about him when I see an off leash GSD in prey drive running towards us! Maybe ill just get a big dog next time - not reactive, but could put up a fight if they needed to.

ETA: Lucy is reactive only to dogs that don't respond to her very appropriate "please give me some space" signals. She was a gem today - she knew to stand behind me and not say a peep!

Megan, I often think about how much more terrifying it would be to have a smaller dog. No wonder some people with the small dogs are too worried to walk them at all. I think how stressful it is with mine when we have those aggressive encounters, even though I know their size affords them some protection; not from getting hurt, but certainly from getting badly hurt or killed.

[raineth]

Thanks Helen! Well I looked into Brittany's after enjoying seeing the photos of yours :) Then I thought they could certainly fit the bill for what I'm after in the next dog.

I love really love the Spins, and they are probably our first bet (even have Italian names picked out )

But as they are just so rare here with about one litter every five years from what I can work out, I certainly have to be prepared that I might not be able to get one. Brittany's certainly wouldn't be a hard second choice to make!

Sorry, a bit off track everyone.

[megan_]

Dreaming about our next non-reactive dog is not off track!

I am lucky that I have Fergus too, to even things out. That said, he is submissive so if Lucy put on a big show he does too, and then realises he is being a pork-chop.

After almost 2 years on the waiting list, Lucy has been accepted into the foundation program at our agility school (IMO the best one in the state) so she is starting this week. Poor Fergs doesn't get to train for 2 months because it clashes with his class. I suspect there will be a big tantrum when he gets put in the crate and Lucy gets to have fun. It will be her at the ripe old age of 6/7, with a bunch of pups, most of whom have been specifically bred for performance.

[raineth]

Dreaming about our next non-reactive dog is not off track!

I am lucky that I have Fergus too, to even things out. That said, he is submissive so if Lucy put on a big show he does too, and then realises he is being a pork-chop.

haha Fergus you funny fellow!

Yeah Digby isn't reactive and it is nice to have that easier dog.

After almost 2 years on the waiting list, Lucy has been accepted into the foundation program at our agility school (IMO the best one in the state) so she is starting this week. Poor Fergs doesn't get to train for 2 months because it clashes with his class. I suspect there will be a big tantrum when he gets put in the crate and Lucy gets to have fun. It will be her at the ripe old age of 6/7, with a bunch of pups, most of whom have been specifically bred for performance.

Go Lucy! You show the young'uns how its done!

Megan, Del has a tanty when we take Digby our for a walk without her too. She is not a barker, she yodels her protest :laugh:

[hankdog]

Lucy's going to be a mature age student????. Raineth when Jake chucks a tanty he screams, can be heard two blocks away.

I spent the afternoon with 10 vizslas the other day, the breeder actually offered me a pup when Hank passed but I thought they weren't cuddly dogs. My mistake, they were taking it in turns to climb in my lap. I think given my age and knees I'll go small though. Fate will decide.

[raineth]

Lucy's going to be a mature age student. Raineth when Jake chucks a tanty he screams, can be heard two blocks away.

I spent the afternoon with 10 vizslas the other day, the breeder actually offered me a pup when Hank passed but I thought they weren't cuddly dogs. My mistake, they were taking it in turns to climb in my lap. I think given my age and knees I'll go small though. Fate will decide.

oh Jake lol!

awww that would have been nice spending some time with those Viz's. They are lovely dogs. I remember I used to read a blog about a Vizsla called "Dennis's Diary of Destruction" it was very funny :laugh:

here's the link actually, incase anyone is interested http://dennisthevizsla.wordpress.com/

[BC Crazy]

Hankdog, Jake sounds so much like Stella at times. When she throws a tanti or gets a fright she screams so loudly you can hear her several blocks away as well.

You wonder how they could generate so much volume. Stella isn't a big dog but blimey she can be so loud :laugh: Luckily, with maturity it doesn't seem to happen quite as often.

When she was a puppy, oh boy, say if I took Sonny out without her, you'd could hear her for miles

Edited August 6, 2013 by BC Crazy

[raineth]

How are all our gorgeous balls of reactivity going?

Miss Del and I got chased by a cow the other day! Makes a change from being chased by others' dogs that's for sure!

[BC Crazy]

How are all our gorgeous balls of reactivity going?

Miss Del and I got chased by a cow the other day! Makes a change from being chased by others' dogs that's for sure!

Oh god that would of been very funny raineth, NOT!! Maybe in reflection but not at the time I reckon. Geez, I could just imagine

me in that situation with my 2. They would both be trying to herd it with me on the other end of the leash :laugh:

Hope you got on OK & didn't get hurt.

I am having the day from hell with my girl today as they have been jack hammering next door since 7 am this morning Stella is beside herself.

So we have been out all morning & just come home. Thunder shirt, meds. Inside with a meaty bone atm

Edited August 13, 2013 by BC Crazy

[raineth]

Oh no BC Crazy! That would be enough to drive any living creature to distraction! I hope they finish the job quickly, especially for Stella's sake.

We go for a big run down a dirt road every sunday, and all the cows chase us along the fence line as we go; but this time as we were running past the second lot, I realised... Hang on... that one's not behind the fence ! :laugh:

It wasn't too scary though, he wasn't chasing us in a "grind your bones to make my bread" kind of way. He just wanted us to move on I think.

[teekay]

I've been trying to pluck up the courage to take Luka to be desexed but after the last disastrous trip to the vets I am scared.

We tried to do a relaxed visit last week, just a pop in and lots of treats, like I did before his yearly vaccinations but he was obviously worried as we got near the vets so I didn't push it. We just hung around out the front for a while with me throwing treats on the ground. We'll try again this week. I wish the vets was nearer so i could pop by every day. Beginning to wish I had just got him desexed at 6 months. We wouldn't have had a problem then

[teekay]

Oh no BC Crazy! That would be enough to drive any living creature to distraction! I hope they finish the job quickly, especially for Stella's sake.

We go for a big run down a dirt road every sunday, and all the cows chase us along the fence line as we go; but this time as we were running past the second lot, I realised... Hang on... that one's not behind the fence ! :laugh:

It wasn't too scary though, he wasn't chasing us in a "grind your bones to make my bread" kind of way. He just wanted us to move on I think.

And moooooooove on you did :laugh: Sorry couldn't resist

[teekay]

How are all our gorgeous balls of reactivity going?

Miss Del and I got chased by a cow the other day! Makes a change from being chased by others' dogs that's for sure!

Oh god that would of been very funny raineth, NOT!! Maybe in reflection but not at the time I reckon. Geez, I could just imagine

me in that situation with my 2. They would both be trying to herd it with me on the other end of the leash :laugh:

Hope you got on OK & didn't get hurt.

I am having the day from hell with my girl today as they have been jack hammering next door since 7 am this morning Stella is beside herself.

So we have been out all morning & just come home. Thunder shirt, meds. Inside with a meaty bone atm

I sympathise BC, we've had men working on next doors garden for weeks now. Mostly Luka hasn't been too bad but sometimes he will go off at them. I must admit, though, If it wasn't bad for him to get worked up I would be tempted to just let him bark at them because the idiots have decided to raise their garden so they are easily head and shoulders above our 6 foot fence.

[hankdog]

A cow, hooley Dooley!! I'm slightly envious you live where you can be chased by cows but no, couldn't cope with that.

Jake just had his first obedience lesson. It's at a kennel where I used to take Hank so I've avoided going there. He started psyching himself up as soon as I packed his training bag. Barked all the way there, barked at his trainer when she came to the car!! She suggested we just walk around the paddock away from the kennels and after about ten minutes he was settled enough to roll over and play dead. We then went into a big shed and took him off lead. He was quite relaxed and had a sniff of everything. Came when called and did his tricks even managing to "go to sleep." The plan is to do obedience and have a go on some agility equipment and then hopefully he'll be so relaxed and under control and super obedient that if he sees a dog he will behave appropriately. I'm not too worried when or if that day comes, I'm looking forward to going out with him and learning about obedience. The dog thing will just happen when it happens.

[raineth]

Oh no BC Crazy! That would be enough to drive any living creature to distraction! I hope they finish the job quickly, especially for Stella's sake.

We go for a big run down a dirt road every sunday, and all the cows chase us along the fence line as we go; but this time as we were running past the second lot, I realised... Hang on... that one's not behind the fence ! :laugh:

It wasn't too scary though, he wasn't chasing us in a "grind your bones to make my bread" kind of way. He just wanted us to move on I think.

And moooooooove on you did :laugh: Sorry couldn't resist

:D

How annoying about those damn neighbours! What are they thinking!?

How is the muzzle training going teekay? Do you think it could be worth taking him to a different clinic where he doesn't already have negative associations for his desexing?

A cow, hooley Dooley!! I'm slightly envious you live where you can be chased by cows but no, couldn't cope with that.

Jake just had his first obedience lesson. It's at a kennel where I used to take Hank so I've avoided going there. He started psyching himself up as soon as I packed his training bag. Barked all the way there, barked at his trainer when she came to the car!! She suggested we just walk around the paddock away from the kennels and after about ten minutes he was settled enough to roll over and play dead. We then went into a big shed and took him off lead. He was quite relaxed and had a sniff of everything. Came when called and did his tricks even managing to "go to sleep." The plan is to do obedience and have a go on some agility equipment and then hopefully he'll be so relaxed and under control and super obedient that if he sees a dog he will behave appropriately. I'm not too worried when or if that day comes, I'm looking forward to going out with him and learning about obedience. The dog thing will just happen when it happens.

That sounds like a really positive start HD! I bet he and you both are going to love it, especially the agility :)

[BC Crazy]

Hankdog, Jake's done very well for his first time sounds like a great plan you have for Jake & very much what I have in mind for Stella. I will have to take it very slowly though too as

she barks & carries on at approaching dogs at times.

Well they are back next door with their jack hammers again today, been at it since 7am this morning. We have been at the beach all morning & am happy to report Stella is coping a lot better than yesterday with

all the noise etc The whole ground is shruddering at times as well which is pretty scary. I have her Thunder shirt on but haven't had to give her extra meds as yet. Very proud of my girl all things considered

atm :)

[hankdog]

I think I'd steal the meds myself after 2 days of jackhammering! Poor Stella but maybe it'll help create resilience is what I try think whenever bad stuff happens. I think Jake enjoyed himself yesterday, I had left his training bag outside and when I picked it up this afternoon he raced off to the car.