Walking Past Feral Dogs

[blacklabrador]

Ok that should be titled "Walking MY feral dogs past other feral dogs"

My lab girl gets a bit over reactive when we walk past dogs behind fences that bark at us. It has been a problem ever since she stayed in a boarding kennel last year (not sure how it came about).

When a dog starts barking she growls and then goes mental - barking and jumping and twisting in the air to get off the lead - wanting to go toward the dog that is barking. If there is an opportunity for her to get to the dog - once she reaches it it's all wagging tails and wanting to play.

Tonight I took her for a walk and was determined to try to get this under control. The first time a dog started she growled and I immediately said "No" and grabbed her by the collar and put my hand around her muzzle while I told her off. It worked - she listened and we kept walking - she got lots of praise. It happened a second time and I did the same again it worked. Third time was a fence that has FOUR DOGS who are allowed to run up and down barking. It's always a problem. This time I couldn't calm her - she actually broke the lead and ran over - again wagging her tail and zooming up and down the fenceline with excitement once she got there.

I am having difficulty interpreting this behaviour - as she seems so aggressive initially yet seems to only have the intention of playing once she reaches the dog. She is a dog that is very well socialised and shown twice a fortnight.

It's a difficult situation to control her as I usually have the Crestie or the Boston on lead while walking too.

I need good, sound advice with this situation. Nasty responses will be told where to go

NB the lead was a Crazy Clarkes one - I won't be using that type again.

[blacklabrador]

ETA She is also walked on a flat collar. I haven't tried check chains or anything else.

[Gamby]

Hi Blacklabrador

Is there anyway you can avoid walking past those dogs that are rushing the fence?

I would first try and break the behaviour. Your dog is probably waiting for the chance to have fun by meeting those dogs each day you take it for a walk.

I have the same problem and now I walk on the other side of the road and reward reward reward my dog when he takes no notice of the dog at the fence.

He is getting to the stage now that he is slowly forgetting about the dog across the road.

I would be interested in why the dog shows the bahaviour too.

Good Luck

[blacklabrador]

I could avoid it - but I would prefer to cure the behaviour so we can walk in areas that I don't know. Yeah I tried walking on the other side of the street - these particular dogs still bark.

[Rusky]

It is hard and there is no easy quick fix but saying 'No' and giving her attention is reinforcing the behaviour. It sounds like she is a wonderful happy friendly dog. I must say that in a kennel situation with a dog running free and the other caged is a really happy time for the dogs I see. It is a

'look at me, wheeeeeeeee zooooomie wheeeeee bark'

it is fun.

I am not sure if maybe there is somewhere else you could walk for your comfort to break the cycle whilst doing your usual obedience training and having the dog focus on you.

It is too much for your poor dog, can you walk past one she won't worry about, then give masses of praise and turn around and increase dog exposure daily? I mean when your dog is absolutely not worrying about the first barking dog then move on to the next, desensitisation?

Another idea, walk past these dogs without your dog see if their reaction just to you is the same, see what the reaction is if you are over the road, gauge the place where they start to bark at you then you can turn before the barking gets bad and praise your dog for not barking at the initial woofing session. have your dog sit and stay and focus on you with food, any attention to the other dogs goes unrewarded but you must set your dog up to win the reward by making sure it is very early woofing time from behind the fence.

[blacklabrador]

I don't praise her until she has walked a few metres ignoring them. Each time I had jumped on her saying "NO" the moment she pricked up her ears to start. Once she calmed and walked on a few metres she was praised.

[KOE]

A friend of mine who actually is a 7 lab owner was given a zapper to try out when she bought a bark collar. It lets out a noise that only dogs can hear and they shut up immediatly. While I was at her house with my dogs her labs were barking so she pointed it in their direction hers shutup and mine ran to me giving her dirty looks I do not know how it works but dogs do not like it. If you are interested I can ring her and ask her what it is called and where she obtained it from.

[blacklabrador]

Thanks Isaviz. First I will try a halti or a check chain. If that doesn't work I will be back for more suggestions

[cowanbree]

No trainer here but I did have a similar problem and solved it. I always walk in a choker and when she was going through a stage of going off at dogs behind fences I would deliberately heel her past known dogs (that definitely couldn’t get out) and the minute I felt her attention start to leave me I would do a very sharp right turn. This was before she started going off and made her focus exclusively on me. It didn’t take long at all before we could walk right past those dogs in perfect heel position.

[Erny]

A friend of mine who actually is a 7 lab owner was given a zapper to try out when she bought a bark collar. It lets out a noise that only dogs can hear and they shut up immediatly. While I was at her house with my dogs her labs were barking so she pointed it in their direction hers shutup and mine ran to me giving her dirty looks I do not know how it works but dogs do not like it. If you are interested I can ring her and ask her what it is called and where she obtained it from.

I think you might be talking about an "Ultrasonic Dogtrainer" ????

It looks something like a remote control that one might have for a garage door etc. Except when you activate it, it emits a high frequency sound.

I have 'experimented' with one that I have. It sometimes works to momentarily silence a barking dog, but I found the effect is somewhat short lived and I carry doubts that it would work with a dog that is highly aroused.

The other matter you need to take into consideration - just because you are pointing it at a particular dog, doesn't mean that others in the vicinity are not affected by it. If there is any discomfort that dogs feel as a result of the very high frequency pitch, the OP's dog is going to receive that too.

BL - IMO your training goal should be that your dog turns to you/is too engaged on you to be so perturbed as to react to the dogs behind the fence. This would involve a program of building up drive and working in it; incrementally making progress towards the dogs behind the fence, but stopping just short of the point where your dog shows the VERY FIRST EARLY signs of reactivity and returning home. Bit by bit, progressing closer and closer until you can eventually pass. This will include crossing the street for the sake of distance. Naturally, your dog receives HIGH reward for the non-reactivity (eg. prey drive satisfaction).

[PAX]

I think you would have to leave the Crestie and the Boston at home until you fixed this problem with the Lab.

Sorry to make you walk more BL .

[baileykira]

have you spoken to the people who own the other dogs maybe you could arrange to meet them on neutral ground and let the dogs sniff at each other and get used to each others scent or inform them that you walk every day say at 11am so that they can discipline their dogs or offer some words whilst you obviously discipline your dog but i do believe if the dogs were actually to meet the novelty would be taken away.you could also try to distract your dog with its favourite toy or i hate to say it appeal to its supreme currency FOOD!!!!! to reinforce when it does as you wish.

[hjd]

.

Edited May 3, 2006 by hjd

[blacklabrador]

I think you would have to leave the Crestie and the Boston at home until you fixed this problem with the Lab.

Sorry to make you walk more BL .

no you're right - and that was my plan until they're sorted. The others can get away with little walks and doing zoomies in the back yard anyway

I am going to try the halti first.

[blacklabrador]

OK I didn't get a chance to buy a halti today (can't find my old one)

But the good news is that a check chain WORKED A TREAT!!!!

I took her out and the first dog she barked at (which was about five houses away and not barking at her) I checked her and gave a big "NOOOO" and she required no more than that on any dog barking or cat running away etc etc. I didn't take her past the bad house as suggested - we will just work on the less provoking targets for a while.

She also walked much more nicely on a loose lead :cool: It was an absolute joy. She can come on a walk with me any day :D

Thank you for all your advice - I shoulda tried the check chain before I posted ;)

[Erny]

... the good news is that a check chain WORKED A TREAT!!!!

I took her out and the first dog she barked at (which was about five houses away and not barking at her) I checked her and gave a big "NOOOO" and she required no more than that on any dog barking or cat running away etc etc. I didn't take her past the bad house as suggested - we will just work on the less provoking targets for a while.

She also walked much more nicely on a loose lead :cool: It was an absolute joy. She can come on a walk with me any day :D

The great part about this, BL, is that the message from the check chain was CLEAR. Which means you would have had many more opportunities to subsequently praise her for good behaviour. Which in turn builds up on that 'good behaviour' and the snow ball rolls in the right direction. ;)

No one on the net would have been able to properly and responsibly advise you to correct your dog ..... because we haven't had the opportunity to observe her 'in action' to determine as to whether this was an appropriate action for that dog. But yes, you have seen the advantages of appropriately including aversives in training. Just don't forget to give her HIGH reward for her newfound good behaviour, especially in the presence of triggering stimuli.

I am glad it worked for you with her.

[blacklabrador]

Oh yeah I was walking along chattering away constantly about what good girl she is and how well behaved she is.... and how she is gonna kick some labrador ass in the showring on the weekend... etc etc..

Whenever I'd stop talking she'd turn her head and touch my leg with her nose - "Come on Mum keep it up" God she's a gorgeous girl :cool:

*the neighbourhood must think I am nuts* :D

ETA The whole walk was just so much more pleasant - she might not enjoy the check chain - but she will enjoy the walks and being walked more often!

[TangerineDream]

Have had to do the same with Tango - there's a dog who lives down the side of a lane that we walk down...as soon as it rushes at the fence yelling its head off, I send Tango into obedience mode, we heel, sit, stand, about turn and fast pace (controlled at heel) right past this distraction and I work hard to keep his attention on me 100% - he gets praised right the way through this as soon as he is focussed on me.....now it only takes a gentle reminder while walking down that path, and the dog is still screaming and shouting, but Tango will focus on my for the length of this dog's yard (almost totally ignoring the racket going on right next to him). Always done on a check chain. Lump of cheese at the end never hurts either :cool:

[Erny]

Whenever I'd stop talking she'd turn her head and touch my leg with her nose - "Come on Mum keep it up"

And THAT is the BEST time to increase your praise and her reward. This way, you'll be encouraging her to look towards YOU and you can build focus and utilise this 'skill' at other times when needed. :D

*the neighbourhood must think I am nuts* ;)

Maybe, but you'll have the best dog on the block. :cool:

The whole walk was just so much more pleasant - she might not enjoy the check chain - but she will enjoy the walks and being walked more often!

Used fairly, I find dogs don't pair the chain with dislike. In my experience dogs more often become quite excited to see their chain come out of the cupboard. Don't forget - chains mean 'good' things to the dog as well. Speaking personally, and I know it is not the case for ALL dogs, but overall, I find headcollars more disliked by dogs (compared to ch. chains) because the head collar, whether in use or not, is ALWAYS there across their faces, something they (generally speaking) don't like, but learn to tolerate (and even then, some don't).

... she is gonna kick some labrador ass in the showring on the weekend...

Hope she does! Good luck!

Edited April 26, 2006 by Erny

[wolf82]

I have a similar problem with my critter.

We walk past Feral dogs or dogs that charge the fence and he doesnt bark or try to lunge, he just goes stiff and stares at them and refuses to walk, his ears prick forward and thats him, hes a statue.

Im not sure what he would do if the other dog got out of the fence, or vice versa (eg not on a lead etc) but i have some pretty feral dogs in my area.