Can I have some training advice?

[MrsZoidberg]

We have a very reactive GSD. Very badly treated as a puppy. Terrified of life etc. Unfortunately he learnt that attack was the best defense so we have to manage him carefully. I should say that with us, he is the cuddliest, most loyal and obedient dog we've had. We do not walk him in public as he isn't quite ready for this yet, but we do have a 2 acre field that he can race round.

Our problem is that some horses have moved in next door to us and are very curious. Our two girls just put their paws on the wall, have a mutual sniffing session with the horses then they ignore each other. Unfortunately my boy is throwing himself at the wall barking and I'm worried he will manage to jump over. I honestly do not know what he will do if he gets over - and I'm not sure he knows either. So I have to put a stop to this immediately. I'm not usually one for quick fix methods, prefer the slow reward methods, but in this case I need it to be instant.

What I want is to teach him to say hello nicely and then ignore them as the girls do, although I will settle for just the ignoring part. He ignores the cows that border the field on the other side so I'm not sure why the horses are bothering him.

Any pointers on the best way of teaching him this?

Please don't flame me everyone, but this needs a quick fix for the safety of the horses and the dog. You could try one of those dog security line things (don't know name), where the dog will get a little shock if it crosses the line. People with large open gardens use them to stop the dog escaping. The dogs stop trying to cross the line almost immediately, so it isn't cruel. It isn't ideal obviously, but if it keeps your animal and others safe.....

Could you try this (technique I was taught my my trainer & has worked with my dog barking at others)

Put him on the lead on the far side of the field & walk parallel to the horses but quite far back, praising him till he starts barking,then come to a halt with a firm NO /LEAVE IT, choose your phrase but stick to it, praise when he stops, & repeating. If you do this twice a day(tedious though it is ) he should get it quite quickly.

Other suggestions might be better but that's mine! Good luck, it does need sorting.

aaaaaaaargh please do not use the shock technique on an already nervous dog.

This is why:-

You have a nervous reactive dog that is uncertain of something and is already in an emotional state so you shock the dog when he sees the object, in this case horses. His emotional state goes through the roof and your dog is now not only frighten of horses but the field that he is in, the wall that he is near, etc etc. Do not use the shock technique.

I agree that you need to deal with this quickly for the dog and the horses sake. So get a bowlful of the most tasty treats you can find , liver chicken , cheese, hotdog, (or game if the dog prefers toys) and go with the dog on the lead by the horses. Stand at a distance that gets no reaction from the dogs and treat and play make the horses seem like the best thing in the world. Move closer etc and do the same again, if the dog reacts back off a little. You can sort this in an afternoon if you use this method. You will have a confident relaxed happy dog!

You may find he is ok today but forgets tomorrow so again start at a distance and build it up each time he will catch on quickly and this will then be lasting behaviour you dog will be calm in and around the horses in the field - sorted!

Come to think of it - please do not use the shock technique on an already nervous dog or any dog for that matter.

If you use it on a confident dog it will work once or twice but the dog will get used to it and the only way from that point is to increase the shock - It is a horrendous way to treat dogs and is not training them at all.

Please remember that these electric fences with collars can cause very big problems if they don't work. The electric collars are now illegal in Wales and someone has recently been prosecuted for using one. Actual electric fences that you can see, would be better. How close can your dog get before he reacts? Bossy's idea sounds good. Does your dog tug on the lead? We have been taught a technique by a sheepdog trainer which involves reminding the dog that their neck is actually quite sensitive,so that when they pull on the lead it really isn't very nice for them. Lungeing on a line then becomes a silly painful thing to do, and if your dog is lungeing at the horses, he will hopefully think better of it.

Thanks everyone. It's ok, I wouldn't use any harsh methods on him, the poor boy has suffered so much that I couldn't risk him losing trust in us.

Now I know there is an issue, I will manage it so that he cannot get to the horses. They are normally put in the stable at dusk and let out in the morning but last night their bastarding owner left them out in a storm . So when I took my guys out at midnight, I was confident there'd be no issue and was wrong! As it is pitch black (no street lights) I can't always see if the horses are in the field or not so I need to solve this quickly just in case.

Thanks Minimuu, I'll start that tomorrow (horses are already away for tonight - nothing like a bit of routine ).

You may find he is ok today but forgets tomorrow This dog does not have any brain cells in his gorgeous head - a bit nice but dim So I expect him to forget every day for a few days. The good news is he is very obedient so I was able to call him back to the house quite quickly but couldn't get out to him as I had no shoes on.

I couldn't actually tell if this was aggression or excitement - wanting to play with the big doggy I need to see him a couple of times to work it out, but either way I cannot afford for him to get over the wall.

I'm a little concerned about the horses coming our way instead, they are quite large (sorry no experience of horses but they look huge to me), and I swear one could just step over the wall if it wanted to - its higher on their side of the wall.

Sorry for making a bad suggestion. I've never used one of the collars, but a neighbour has one to make sure their dog doesn't get run over. She doesn't turn it on any more as the dog has learnt not to go past a certain point.

Round here if your dog worries livestock, sheep, horses, whatever, it is shot first and asked questions after.