Tips for reactive dog?

[Greyhorses]

I have a very reactive shepherd bitch who is about 10months old.
Everything she does involves lots of shouting/barking/growling and lunging. New people,dogs,carrier bags...anything.
She barks pretty much constantly when out of the house, she growls at people while in the car passing them. She will also bark at strangers when they come to the house.
I walk her past other dogs or people and she will jump and bark trying to get to them.

She is a rescue and had a bad start, I have worked with a behaviouralist extensively since I got her but the distraction techniques aren't working. The aggression is definatley fear based, she is very unsure of how to react but treats etc won't stop her.
She also has 0 social skills, she does not understand that other dogs growling mean they dont want to speak to her.

She is much better off lead when not restrained and can walk with friends dogs happily but I can't trust her to run up to dogs or people so she is always on lead.

She has bitten another dog when it got too close but never a person, although if a person approaches she will cower/growl and then bark if they try and touch her. I always have her on a lead/halti and warn people not to approach her. I don't trust her not to bite again if she was pushed.

She has health issues but nothing that would cause aggression. She has never ever shown any aggression to family or people she has been introduced too over a period of time.

Is there much else I can do? I'm wondering if there's something I have missed somewhere?

I have spent so much on behaviour consults with an adpt and don't seem to be getting very far!

Completely sympathise. My rescue dog is aggressive. We've been to 2 lots of classes and had a behaviourist to little avail. What I realised was it was mainly down to me. I have got into a lot of scrapes since I got him- I live in a community that hates and fears dogs (I'm moving) and I've been so upset and angry about it, he's picked up on it. And I haven't been consistently firm. I'm loads better now but my it's been a steep learning curve.

So in short, think about your behaviour and feelings and work out if they're unwittingly having an impact on your dog. I think also people are unreasonable about dogs barking, it's what they do, and they scrap too. And sniff one another's bottoms. They're dogs not kids.
Cesar Milan I've found helpful too. Hope you make progress soon

I'd rethink the halti for starters, it works by tightening which means that when she's already stressed and tries to get to something, it tightens...which will make it worse.

I use a headcollar so that I have his head when there's a dog around, but I use non tightening ones.

I'd also muzzle her, obviously it prevents biting, but because it does it makes you less on edge (at least that's what I find) and - it's a really obvious sign that she isn't ok to be approached.

I'd also pick your battles, don't try and deal with everything she's reacting against at once - if she's going on a walk where there's lots happening already and then there's a dog...she's already closer to threshold and easier to tip over it.

There's no real reason for her to be mixing with strange dogs for instance or for people to be approaching her.

My dog doesn't meet strangers in my house, he doesn't mix with strange dogs at all and I use a longline or flexi so that he's always on lead, but has a bit more freedom where he'd be offlead if he was ok and I walk him in quiet places at the quietest times I can.

The plan was to work on one issue at a time... however, we've never managed to quite resolve the health problems that cause his behavioural issues, so for me it's mostly about management rather than resolving his issues.

I so sympathise!
Thoughts on a couple of the things I've watched / heard / read while training a slightly reactive rescue dog...
I expect you tried this anyway, but is there a distance at which she can see people or dogs, even in the far distance, but doesn't react or really pay too much attention to them, even 1/2 a mile!!? If so is there anywhere to work with her with treats or toys at this distance and perhaps create more positive associations. A long line might also help her feel less restricted, and allow sniffing around and toy play, but keep you in control should someone enter your comfort zone.
I agree about muzzling if you think a bite is a real possibility. Not just to protect others but its also apparently more likely to be repeated if there is a bite history... if the link works this is a youtube of training to be relaxed about muzzle.
Have you tried a thunder shirt?
And lastly, a large gin and tonic at the end of the fraught hyper-vigilant day!!!

No offence rumred but Cesar Milan is a discredited, cruel, despicable arsehole who uses fear and pain to dominate his dogs. I really wouldn't use him as any kind of guide. At all. Ever.

oh no I hadn't realised he'd been discredited. I liked his calm kind approach and his angle on humans' impact on dogs behaviour. I'll have a look at what's been said but I haven't seen anything negative about him so far.

Start a thread on here about him.

i'll pass on that thanks...

In fairness - the stuff you've mentioned isn't the stuff that he does/says that's controversial.

No that's true. Still best avoided though.