I was wondering if anyone had any good tips with dealing with a dog reactive dog.
I have a 15mo rottie bitch that is VERY reactive to high energy excited dogs. Small dogs REALLY set her off but she reacts to bigger dogs too. her grandmother was/is reactive to high energy nervous dogs too. Her mother, brother and uncle are not.
I have been working with her around these dogs trying to desensitize her to them. I have tried distracting and re-focusing and disciplining. So far nothing has done much good.
She has a dominant streak that is not displayed with my pack at home. She is low dog on the totem pole and spends most of her time with her nose shoved down someones throat licking their tonsils. She is insecure as well.
I am sure all of that plays a role in her behavior. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I want her to be neutral to strange dogs and to not lock and load on them. if the dog is calm and quiet she is fine around them.

 Quote: Patti Neelans

... I have been working with her around these dogs trying to desensitize her to them. I have tried distracting and re-focusing and disciplining. So far nothing has done much good.

How? Details. There are many recent threads on this topic, too, but if you detail your methods here, you'll get experienced help. Your goals make total sense, so let's fine-tune your m.o.

She is ALWAYS on a long (or leash) when we are out.
When i redirect I get her attention by goosing her in the rear or touching her and then using food or play. She does ok but will immediately turn and lock back on the dog.

For discipline/desensitizing I work around the outside of the dog park. While dogs are running around I move and walk trying to keep her focused on me, popping her with the leash/collar when she starts to become too focused.

When she got really out of control over a small, hyper (out of control) terrier I put her in a submissive position on her side and had the owner with the out of control terrier stay near by, walk around us etc until she finally caved in and relaxed. It took at least 15-20 min to accomplish this. But it seemd to only work temporarily. Maybe I need to work that angle more?

I have yet to try the e-collar as I am not quite sure of the timing although I do have a gal nearby that is very proficient with the collar and I have thought of contacting her.

As I said at home she is UBER submissive with everyone else in my pack. She does have VERY high prey drive.

Check out the book "Control Unleashed". It was written for reactive dogs in an agility context, but has many great training techniques for reactive dogs in general.

Mara, have you tried any of the techniques on a dog and what was the result? Can you give a brief idea of what kind of techniques they are? Thanks!

 Quote: patti neelans

When i redirect I get her attention by goosing her in the rear or touching her and then using food or play. She does ok but will immediately turn and lock back on the dog.

Have you tried having her hold eye contact for longer periods of time before she gets the treat?

I taught Casey to "Watch me!" by holding a treat right in front of MY nose, and as she looks at the treat, she gets it. Then I'd make her hold the look slightly longer each time... a half second, then a second, then two, and so on.

Perhaps doing this will help keep her focus on you, and not looking at the other dogs.

Just an idea that worked for me.

You came to the right place, by the way. Folks here have been very helpful to me in the past, and I'm sure the collective wisdom of the forum will get you going in the right direction.

Good luck.

I have heard of that book. i think my agility trainer has it. maybe I need to get it.
Yes I have tried the eye contact. It works for a short period with her. She is not super food motivated. She likes the play/toy thing better so my friend and I are working on her with that.

I'd probably be working with desensitizing the dog a lot more at the edge of her "circle of influence."

I don't want this to even come up:

QUOTE: "When she got really out of control over a small, hyper (out of control) terrier I put her in a submissive position on her side and had the owner with the out of control terrier stay near by, walk around us etc until she finally caved in and relaxed. It took at least 15-20 min to accomplish this. But it seemd to only work temporarily. Maybe I need to work that angle more?"

I wouldn't.

I'd scope out the walk ahead, the area where we're headed, and I'd calmly and unemotionally change directions.

This:

QUOTE: "When i redirect I get her attention by goosing her in the rear or touching her and then using food or play. She does ok but will immediately turn and lock back on the dog."

just tells me that for the stage we are at, I have allowed the dog to focus waaay too much on the distracting dog before getting my dog's focus and attention on me.

Nuts and bolts: I would be doing very upbeat basic ob with the best rewards possible for the individual dog. Does the dog live for the tug? Then that's in my pocket. Is bacon in the dog's dreams? Then my bait bag is full o' bacon. And we are just at the edge of that circle of influence (or non-reactivity), with a helper, if possible, following my instructions as to what to do and how far away to be with a distraction-dog. (If no helper, I would be on the other side of a fenced area containing distraction-dogs, far enough away for the distraction-dogs to melt into background noise. Only gradually, over time, would we venture closer.)

I'd remember too that the bigger the distraction the dog ignores to focus on me, the bigger and better the reward, up to and including a party with a food jackpot (or whatever your dog loves).

This kind of work, no matter how long or how tedious it may seem when reading it, is going to pay off forever.

Same goes for any distraction that amps up my dog.

In other words, I am seeing this as nothing more than a super-high-level distraction, and I am proofing for it, in exactly the same way that I proof for any distraction.

JMO.

Good tips Connie. She is a VERY sweet dog in so many ways. The dog reactivness is her biggest shortcoming.

 Quote: Patti Neelans

Good tips Connie. She is a VERY sweet dog in so many ways. The dog reactivness is her biggest shortcoming.

You can do this. Perfection may not be attainable, but management is.

I have a senior rescue from two summers ago, and he is now at the point where he just sneers condescendingly at a yappy dog and marches on past.

He improved steadily over the months and years. He used to be a nut-case, barking so hard that his feet left the ground.