I’ll try and keep this as brief as possible :
We adopted ddog from dogs trust, aged 18 months. She’s now 4. Weren’t told of any abuse issues, it was more change in circumstances. Advised that her dog reactivity just needed a bit of work. We’ve not been to a coffee shop since! Her dog reactivity on lead is bad.
I have had a one on one (initially for loose lead walking as that was bad too) in the early days with a behaviourist recommended by DT and a Member of APDT. Wasn’t impressed, just confirmed I was doing everything correctly.
Have also been back to DT for a session with one of their trainers. Again confirmed that I’m doing things correctly re engage/disengage method.
Reading/watching videos I have used the engage/disengage method together with lots of treats. After more than a year I’d still not managed to get her any closer to another dog. A road width is her safe distance and using engage/disengage we can pass. Every walk I’m on alert for any dogs - I hate corners! Walks are not a pleasure for me. I have sustained two injuries due to her reactivity.
More recently, I’ve been working with a trainer recommended by vet nurse and a couple of neighbours. We’ve managed to get her comfortable enough to mix with a group of dogs at the local park and to walk around park with one of his dogs both on lead. The dog group are all off lead and ddog is on lead (we were warned her recall was bad and she has beagle in her so would be off after a scent if off lead. Hope to address this in the future). Ddog is happy to mix with these dogs, pulling me to them when she sees them. We have also started pavement walks with a neighbour and his very calm dog. Ddog takes no notice of this dog, except for sniffing it and is quite happy to walk alongside. I’ve videoed this and shown trainer. He assures me she’s displaying relaxed body language.
During a recent training session in town, we were able to walk past some dogs, ddog sniffed and walked on or totally ignored other dog. But randomly she would react (barking and lunging). No connection with breed of dog/size/colour etc. Pavement walks she’s more reactive and seems to be getting worse not better. Trainer is also confused as sometimes she’s ok (I know about trigger stacking) and sometimes not, more often not nowadays.
She’s on a low protein diet, has nutripaw calming treats. Ddog is walked on a harness as she strangles herself when reacting with a collar. We go to weekly outdoor training, I hire enclosed fields for her to use with a doggy friend and we attend a weekly breed meet where she loves to play with other dogs. She’s an absolute sweet dog, we’re lucky in many respects. Before having her and loving her, I’d not have chosen to adopt her as the reactivity stops us doing all the doggy things DH and me envisaged as part of having a dog.
I’d like to get to a point where we can walk past other dogs with no greeting as long as she doesn’t react.
I also feel sad for her as it must be stressful for her.
I simply cannot afford another behaviourist at this present time. Maybe in the future but I would prefer to use one that’s been recommended by someone. Has anyone got dog behaviourist recommendations for Hampshire please? Has anyone got any advice for me?
Sorry, not so brief after all!!