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Walking reactive dogs

75 replies

Cheerfulmarybrown · 16/03/2016 16:32

I know a few of us have the reactive dogs there are some good pointers in this article on how to enjoy walking them

Enjoyable walks with reactive dogs

OP posts:
Meeep · 19/03/2016 13:14

Place marking...

ExitPursuedByABear · 19/03/2016 14:59

I was told that my dog thinks I'm his bitch and he's protecting me Hmm

tabulahrasa · 19/03/2016 15:16

Oh I've been told that he's overprotective and that dogs are supposed to be a man's best friend, not some woman's pampered pet and if I just let him off the lead he'd be fine...

Because you know, not having a penis, well known for causing aggressive behaviour in your dogs Confused

But people come out with all sorts of random things, he'll be fine, mines is a bitch...once I even got a tirade of abuse for crossing the road to avoid someone's dogs, apparently he was really upset that I didn't let mine meet his chihuahuas...

I've been asked several times if I've considered a shock collar Sad as if more pain would improve the situation. Hmm

Mostly though I get muttered comments about how I shouldn't walk a dog like that and theirs was only being friendly...as if it's friendly to run up to and jump on top of a dog giving every back off signal it possibly can.

RosieandSW · 19/03/2016 15:53

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cheerfulmary · 19/03/2016 16:42

I am sure we have all tried some behavioral changing methods but here are a few that you could try (sorry if I you already know this!)

Harnesses are great for walking reactive dogs. One with a D ring at the chest is great (if you do tense up it is less of an issue for the dog if they are wearing a harness to the lead on the collar)

Some dogs and owners may also feel happier using a head collar with the harness. I do on one of my dogs. I walk him from the harness but know if I need to I can gently turn his head to avoid very tricky situations.

Do not walk on a head collar alone as this can cause different stress to a reactive dog and cause neck injuries.

"Look Dog" is a great thing to try - you may need a huge space to do this, you may even need to start with a toy dog but it is a great skill to have. In a distance that your dog can look at dog without reacting click and treat. Keep doing this and you will find your dog at a distance will turn to you when they see a dog. By making them look at the dog it puts your dog in control. Many people do look at me eg the owner but this actually increases stress. Imagine if you are scared and people say don't look whatever you do don't look - the thing your are frightened of becomes much scarier in you head. Do practice this as look dog can get you out of many tricky situations if the default setting for your dog is to turn to you when they see a dog.

"Lets go" is another great asset. Practice in a calm place. Have your dog on a lead and the idea is you turn away quickly and the dog will follow you. The best way though is to slide you hand down the lead as you say lets go. You will find it makes the dog turn quicker and smoother and the dog will be close to your side. So remember you must slide your hands down the lead to the dogs head as you turn and say lets go - this is brilliant for getting out of tricky situations and your dogs will love it - a bit like a controlled chase.

I muzzle train all my dogs, not only the reactive ones, for many reasons. It builds up a lot of trust in a dog and owner if they are happy to wear a muzzle and the dogs love the training. I use a plastic large jug to start with. Click and treat the dog looking at the jug which I am holding. Gradually ask for the dog to push their head into the jug. Once they will happily put their head into a jug you can try any object, by the time you do this will a muzzle it will be easy.

I also crate train all my dogs but especially the reactive ones - they need to be able to chill out totally, it can be hard for them to understand and feel relaxed. If they are crate trained you can teach total relaxation. Also if you take the crate with you the dogs will be relaxed in strange situations. For me a great moment was when reactive boy was asleep in his crate with dogs barking around him.

Don't ever worry about just using coping or distraction strategies. If a dog is too close across the road and your dog will react drop treats on the floor to side track your dog and also change your dogs body language to the other dogs.

Always always reward calm behaviour, even if it is in the home or not in a trigger situation. Give it a name we have "good chill" Over time you can ask your dog to chill and he will find it easier to do this if he used to doing it.

Boundary games are also good for reactive dogs - this teaches them that sometimes it is ok to wait, chill and not instantly react. So maybe use a flirt pole or make them wait before your play tug, or release them from their bed etc

Sorry I have gone on

cheerfulmary · 19/03/2016 16:47

Oh I forgot the another great thing to teach is a nose touch.

Get your dog to touch your hand I use a clicker usually put my palm out to your dog and they will go to sniff it click and treat . The idea is to have the dog touch your palm quite firmly with their nose.

If your dog can do this you can ask for a touch in any situation, and this will allow you to turn your dog quickly from a trigger situation.

tabulahrasa · 19/03/2016 16:55

I do indeed know all that, but I don't often give out tips because I'm mostly just at avoid and wrestle if I can't point, lol.

One that was good earlier on though...

What's this?

A really high value treat and you don't just give them it, you use it to get past triggers by making a huge fuss of, what's this? Ooh, what I have I got, etc. in your best high pitched excitable voice and 'hide' it on the ground, preferably under a blade of grass or something then start with the next one as soon as they have it.

You look like a numpty but it's better than your dog reacting Smile

starjumper · 19/03/2016 16:56

Can you link to a D ring harness you recommend please?

tabulahrasa · 19/03/2016 17:13

If you look for front fastening harness you'll find them, I've currently got a ruffwear front range, xtra dog ones were ok as well.

A lot of people recommend perfect fit or mekuti - though I didn't get the mekuti as I also use his harness to lift him in and out of the car and I wanted something sturdier.

I use it with an kumfi dogalter headcollar as it fits under a muzzle and that way I have his entire front end if needed, though when walking normally I can just use the end of the lead attached to the harness and because it's a double ended lead when it's really quiet I can use all 6 foot of it fastened to the back of the harness only and he's got a bit more room for wandering.

cheerfulmary · 19/03/2016 17:27

These are not front fastening but have a d ring to attach the lead to, so it is easier to redirect the whole dogs body

perfect fit the one I would recommend as it has a clip so does not have to go over the dogs head so great for head shy dogs

mekuti harness

Never use a harness that has a bar across the chest - these are known to cause skeleton issues for the dogs and damage their necks eg a hurtta harness.

starjumper · 19/03/2016 17:28

Oh interesting... Thankyou.

starjumper · 19/03/2016 17:31

I have a perfect fit harness. Will consider an alternative. I also have a head collar but never used it.

tabulahrasa · 19/03/2016 17:32

They're not front fastening IMO either in that the harnesses don't fasten there - but that seems to be the words you want for google Smile

I assume the fastening bit is fastening the lead rather than the harness.

I don't bother about mine having things going on over his head though...well I'd be a bit stuffed if he was headshy given I've just said I walk him in a headcollar and muzzled as well, lol

starjumper · 19/03/2016 17:33

The perfect fit I have doesn't have a front ring though

RosieandSW · 19/03/2016 17:37

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Greyhorses · 19/03/2016 17:41

I'm currently debating whether to risk the beach tomorrow with mine Blush

I walk in a gentle leader and it gives more control. I also muzzle if a dog or person is likley to approach because I don't want to have to put her to sleep if some uncontrolled dog or child gets too close. I can control her but not other people. Sometimes I don't get the issue with muzzling, it's safer for my dog knowing she can't cause harm to anyone so it relaxes me more than anything.

My behaviouralist said its all fear based and i have seen improvements with BAT, squeezy cheese and avoidance of anything remotely scary. I have also started to teach touch as something for her to do other than go crazy!

I do get annoyed about all of the dominant dog rubbish, I thought that was thrown out a long time ago yet I still get dominance or submission advice from people, even trainers (not mine thankfully!) Apparently she is not submissive enough which is rubbish, she is terrified not aggressive.

My other dog is very well behaved with no training so I have no idea what went wrong with this one!

tabulahrasa · 19/03/2016 17:43

"The perfect fit I have doesn't have a front ring though"

If I remember right you add it on as an option when you order it?

That kong link seems over complicated...it's pretty much a case of stick food in, give it to dog.

samandcj · 19/03/2016 18:01

We have just started using a flirt pole. My rescue collie doesn't play - I don't think she had seen a ball before!. The flirt pole allows her to follow her instincts (hunting) yet "play" with me. She is learning to wait - when she wants to chase and to give . I have started to use it before a walk to get rid of some of her energy. Its great to see her not only focused on the lure but also on me.
NB I also have a (NR) flatcoat who thinks it is the most ridiculous thing he has ever seen ....so I guess it wouldn't work for all breeds??

cheerfulmary · 19/03/2016 18:30

Breeds do play differently so you may find your flat coat would prefer to have a different end to the flirt pole maybe rabbit skin. Also some dogs like it to flick in the air others prefer it to run the ground. However boundary games will be different for each dog so what is easy for one may be hard for others so you will need to alter for each dog. One of my dogs biggest motivater is a brush so asking for a down or calm before he is allowed to chase the brush is his hardest boundary game. Others boundary games may be around food.

Yep D ring is a option with the perfect fit harnesses so you need to add it if you order with d ring on 20cm for example

RosieandSW · 21/03/2016 02:12

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Springermum1350 · 21/03/2016 05:49

Rosieandsw. You did nothing wrong. I get lulled into that kind of feeling. Did it the other day and like you was on the floor. Raffles liked to make me feel like I am the perfect dog walker one min and then bam..... He sees something and he goes.

Sometimes he will walk past normal things that he reacts to just to tease me I swear he does and just when u think I'm getting somewhere...... Nope back to square one.

Greyhorses · 21/03/2016 08:02

Hi SW
She actually wasn't as bad as we expected, she walked past 80% of people without reaction or a small reaction. She did react a few times at first but it was mainly barking and not lunging so we were really pleased with her, she also enjoyed some fish and chips which im sure made her feel better Smile

I also don't think you did anything wrong, reactive dogs can be so unpredictable. Mine can go from 0-100 in no time at all and has lunged into the road and also at random things before, things she has passed a million times before Confused
It's always fear based and I can never predict what will scare her and what won't so I am generally scanning ahead just incase.
I have to walk her in a headcollar just incase she does go as she is a german shepherd and I am only 5ft tall (and have a second GSD in my other hand!) so she can easily pull me over without it! She walks nicely to heel but its the unpredictability that's a problem!

RosieandSW · 25/03/2016 00:53

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Greyhorses · 25/03/2016 08:40

SW it does get better honestly. To me it's become more of a new normal now and dosent stress me out as much. Im so used to dodging people that it's become second nature now! I would consider some type of harness or headcollar to stop her hurting you as much?

I used a good behaviouralist who basically told me that something like this is very hard if not impossible to correct and it's more about management than fixing the problem.
I have used BAT training for many months but sadly you can't change personality or genetics. Lots of shepherds have a nervous streak and it means it only takes something small to tip them over the edge. They are also very much one person or family dogs, mine love family and are indifferent to everyone else which the general public find hard to accept.

My dog hates being pushed to make friends and is much happier to just avoid the situation alltogether, but others are different! Yours sounds similar to mine, all mouth and then does not actually know what to do when she gets to the target. Mine is fine with other dogs she knows already but never strangers. It's fear based for us, she dosent know how to react so reacts inappropriately and then she gets told off by the other dog which reinforces the problem. It started off being slightly worried and progressed to aggression over time due to many negative experiences.

A lack of socialisation is something that we can't go back and undo sadly Sad

RosieandSW · 26/03/2016 17:27

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