Any tips for me on how to stop my 2 dogs barking at other dogs approaching them on the lead?

[newbie6]

Hi,

I am new on here and thought I might be able to get some advice.

I have 2 dogs, female labradoodle aged 2 and male labrador, nearly 3. They are both wonderful dogs who are fantastic in every way apart from when we take them on walks. They walk to heal, recall etc so no issues with obedience but for some reason when we have them on the lead and we see other people walking towards us with dogs (especially if they have terrier types), my 2 dogs go berserk. They bark, stand up on their hind legs and generally just totally ignore me. My lab is partially sighted so not sure if this is linked to that but even so, he seems to go from being perfectly calm to crazy barking dog in milliseconds so it is hard to deal with it before it escalates?
At the moment, I am trying to distract mainly my lab (as he does tend to instigate it which then sets off my labradoodle)with biscuits so if I see another dog approaching, I get his attention and let him sniff and lick the biscuit so he doesn't really get a chance to bark at the other dog. I then praise him if he walks past without barking. This seems to be working but I can only do this if I have my husband with me so he can take my other dog as I can't do it if I have the 2 of them myself? If they are off the lead, they will run up to other dogs (only dogs I know though as am too scared if it is a dog I don't know in case they fight) and they have never shown any aggression. When they bark, my lab does sound more frightened/defensive than aggressive. He doesn't bare his teeth or growl and I honestly don't think he would do anything as he is such a friendly dog and loves playing with other dogs but because of his behaviour, I don't want to risk it?
My lab is the main insitigator and I think my labradoodle picks up from him and then joins in but her barks are more excited barks if that makes sense?
Anyway - just wondered if anyone else had this problem and if so, any advice on how to overcome it would be much appreciated. Also - my lab has not been neutered but my vet put him on drugs (chemical castration) to see if it made a difference which it didn't so vet told me getting him neutered would unlikely make any difference.

Hello Newbie6, I could have written your post! I just came back from walking our delinquentdelightful dog. Same problem, she is fine with dogs off lead, but goes demented when she sees another dog and she is on lead. This time hurrying back to avoid the weather saw two dogs she knows, she goes postal, trouble being she whipped around behind me and I lost balance falling, dropping the lead. To add insult to injury, I look up to see not only loads of people have seen me fall, dog is now saying hi to the dogs she looked like she wanted to kill seconds earlier!!

I have tried the usual recommended stuff, but would say high value treats they dont normally get work better, ie sit, a bit of sausage, chicken etc above the nose. Sometimes works sometimes doesnt. The clicker training was a non starter as she seems to get into a "zone" if you see what I mean. We are taking her to see a behaviourist next month, and hopefully this will help. In the meantime I will be perservering with the sit, "quiet" and get a treat route. trouble is I am sure she now realises that barking produces better treats than usual so barks more grrrrr

If its any concilation, this is a really common problem. We've had our rescue lurcher for three months and I've spent that time searching the internet for advice, but it has made me realise the extent of the problem. Mine reacts to some but not all dogs coming towards her on leads as well, she starts with a growl and then its aggressive barking. I seem to have narrowed down how to work out the dogs she is going to react to - its the ones that show any interest in her whatsoever even if its just staring, if a dog is completely ignoring her then she's fine, but if she realises there is any possibility the dog is going to get close to her she reacts. I think this may be due to some trauma in the past, but I'll never know. (she is actually friendly to quiet dogs of any breed)

After several nightmare walks, I've started teaching her the look command - found it on the internet. You teach the dog to look at you, at first in the house with no distraction, then outside with general distractions, and then you have to teach it with dogs around, but not near. When a dog is walking towards you, even if you think your dog is not going to react, you give the look command and hold their attention until the dog is past (this can be while continuing to walk). At first a treat will be required, but hopefully treats can be just ever so often. If they react to the dog then no treat. Soon they are supposed to learn that no reaction equals treat and praise and nothing bad happened when the dog passed (I think this is important for my dog). Now I'm just at the start of this, so not quite sure if its goign to work. One problem I have is every terrier in the neighbourhood, barks like mad when they see my lurcher, and their owners are making no effort whatsoever to prevent this sort of behaviour. So my dog has to learn two things not to instigate the barking and not to react to the barking.

Not quite sure how this will work with two dogs, perhaps if you teach the lab, then the labradoodle will go along with the behaviour as it seems to be the way to get treats and praise. Good luck.

We had the same problem when we got our two rescue boxers.
On seeing another dog the male would jump around, rear up on his back legs and do the most godawful embarrassing yodel noise. The female would jump round and round on her lead. ( I think you can see why their previous owner got rid!)
It took ages to sort.
We started by crossing to the other side of the road and trying to carry on walking, then we crossed over and made them sit till the other dog had gone past.
Then we stayed on the same side of the road and made them sit when another dog goes past (while having a treat in one hand), they soon learnt if they kept their bottom on the floor they got the treat. We also moved the hand that had the treat to distract them.
Our only problem now is if we go to walk past another dog and the other dog barks at ours , then ours are definately up for it, if the other dog doesn't bark then ours will walk past and ignore.
And, like the OP's, at home they are wonderfully well behaved and well mannered and live with two cats.

teanosugar, thats our scenario exactly, except for the yodel! will try your style for a while. She is treat motivated but just shuts up till she gets it then starts again. I am starting to feel like the lady with the mad dog when I walk her and its so not her. Shes a boxer too, she definately reacts to some dogs more than others.

thanks everyone for your replies, don't feel like I'm the only one now :)

will persevere with them both and see how I get on. Will try the 'look' command also so thank you!

x

thewizenedone I've been pulled over by my male boxer, went full on the floor in front of a car (which luckily was going slow enough to stop)!!, dog just pegged it off down the road, luckily I magaged to keep hold of the other one. Needless to say I refuse to take them both out on my own now!
When we take them out and praise them for something the male wont walk forward till he's got a treat now, he looks very indignant if he doesn't get one.
My Dh is definately the boss in their eyes, I'm just the food and fun and games provider.
Still, you've got to love their silly mushed up faces.
I've got a board full of them on pinterest!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/1448335-My-dog-aggressive-terrier-mobbed-by-two-pushy-lab-crosses-How-should-I-have-reacted