I've been working hard with Amber, have switched her to a Starmark collar and she is making some good progress. Her reactive zone has increased by about half, and she is much more able to listen and will focus on me and follow through with her commands. She will bark if we're surprised by another dog but no more lungeing. The last couple of walks we've been on have actually been fun, and I've been able to enjoy our walks. Its really funny that her favorite reward is when I let her walk on a rock wall, don't know what it is about it but she thinks its the coolest thing. Hopefully her progress will continue.

That's great news!! Good for you, must feel really good knowing all the hard work is paying off

Great work, Jodi! Jethro has been making great progress, too. Although he seems to have entered yet another phase of testing and reactivity. The nice thing is that we are able to use what we have learned to date and he is recovering much more quickly when he does have a relapse.

Something I have found useful as a change from clicking and giving treats when he is choosing me instead of outside distractions is having a convenient tug toy in my pocket. He simply loves to jump for the tug and play tug with me as we walk along. This has really helped with getting him more interested in me than distractions, as well as practicing the Give command. It is super helpful for reducing his behaviour of picking up sticks and crap off the ground and it seems the tug activity is deeply satisfying to him. Part of it seems to be being able to use his jaws and teeth in an approved activity (being careful of my hands is part of the game); but also the interaction with me - the give and take, and the structure I provide to the game.

After a relatively short time he has gotten his yah yahs out and is content to continue our walk. I swear we are more synched up in our pace and rhythm of the walk - loose leash, keeping up, sniff breaks, etc.

It is fun to see our work paying off, isn't it?

This is awesome news as I've been following the progress of Amber and Jethro! Shiva has been making progress too (although it does sometimes seem like two steps forward and one back -but hey it's still as step forward!)...it's not bullet proof yet by any means but it's sooo much better. Yesterday outside the vet's (we practice there in the parking lot -controlled dogs -easy to redirect) she was on a down stay and a big senior GSD came out around the corner and sat (didn't see Shiva) -I was able to mark her calmness and encourage her continuation -he ended up passing by probably four feet away and she let this canine gentleman go by without one reaction.
Not to be redundant to the others but seriously I have found it's just raining down obedience and FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS..the ME video on "Training Dogs with Food" has been immensely helpful -especially the parts on engagement -before I digested that tidbit this critical training component was the missing link to our marker work...
Hope Tom with the Golden can see these threads...

Thanks, she not bulletproof either but I feel we no longer have a target on us. I'll definitely try the toy thing, she has a little pup toy thats easy to carry. We have our steps backward too but being considering where she was... hopefully all of our silly pups will continue improving. I'm happy to hear everyone's good news.

oops I mean't her reactive zone has DEcreased by half.

Jodi/Jenny/Kristi -do your pups tug naturally? Shiva seems to have 0 bite reflex (if I'm categorizing that right) ..when she picks up one of the tugs we have and I try to get her to pull back she looks at me like, ".uh, mom? why are you trying to take this from me?" and disengages. One evening last week she actually pulled with me and I was so happy and encouraging...hasn't been a repeat performance though...uh oh -do I need another video? LOL -the Leerburg delivery truck should just back into my driveway! She just may not be a tugger and we'll stick with food...

Amber has a very strong bite reflex, LOVES to tug and is reluctant to disengage, another thing we're working on *sigh*. My last dog Koddie refused to play with a tug or any biting/wrestling type games, he had absolutely no desire for it although if needed he was very protective and would certaintly have bitten.

Yah capone loves tug more than anything in the world I think lol when you try to play fetch he looks at you like "you idiot why do you keep throwing it?!" I want to get him that ball that's on a string from leerburg. I think he'd love it.

I bet someone will have a good idea encouraging a good bite/tug. But if treats work that works too

My koddie was also not food motivated, worked strictly for praise but SOOOOOO smart. He was an interesting story and even though he's been gone close to10 months I am still in love with him.