Amber saw her arch-nemesis this morning and again did really well, sitting on command, not lunging, focusing on me BUT she has a tendency to have what I equate to temper tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants, these are basically her "yelling" at me by yelping, whining, yipping (its all verbal). Because i was focusing on decreasing her reactivity I've pretty much ignored it, trying not to reinforce it. Now that she is doing better with her reactivity I'd like to decrease her verbage and I'm wondering if 1. I should, and 2. how best to go about it. Any thoughts or suggestions.

What's her body language like when she's doing that?
Quite often this type of behaviour can be a stress relief mechanism - like a overflow valve.

Hey Jodi, it sounds like you're doing a great job with Amber. So happy to read about your successes!

As far as the tantrums, I would say 1. Yes, I would be making a plan to stop this.

And 2. Stress, over excitement, a hyper active state, whatever it is, isn't a comfortable state for them and it's good that you’re trying to figure out what’s triggering it.

 Quote: Jodi Moen

I've pretty much ignored it, trying not to reinforce it.

It sounds like you've got the right approach however "pretty much" and "trying" are "kind of" saying that you aren't fully ignoring it and possibly reinforcing it a little bit.

No one likes to be yelled (barked) at but like most unwanted behaviors, I don't look at them as my problem. If she wants to throw the fit, she's the one that's throwing it. It is her problem. It wouldn't change my reaction one way or the other. (Just trying to help you with the ignoring here )

When is she doing this? You've got her redirected, she's sititng, not lunging and focused on you and then what? What starts it and when does she stop? How long does it go on for?

Ideally, you want to catch her right before it's about to start and not give her a chance to escalate.

Maybe a bit more information could help us help you come up with something to get this under control.

If your using markers to reward the dog ignoring the distraction, just extend the time you wait till the dog quiets down. That may take a bit since the dog could now be looking at the "yelling" as the thing your rewarding if the timing is off.

In that situation I'd make the reward a frustration releasing one like tug...but ONLY when she gives you her focus and quiet. I got Logan to stop fixating on this psycho-beagle he wanted a piece of by using tug as a reward.

My dog mouths off too when frustrated, I ignore it and keep walking him around, turning him away from his obsession when he tries to look or go that way....walk towards it when calm. If its another dog, you can't do this obviously (unless you want her to greet it LOL).

So that's why I think when she shows calmness then mark and tug. Otherwise there is no release for the bottled up energy, I don't think I should ask my dog to bottle it up and then not release it.

Just walk away from the dog/engage with her when she stops talking back REWARD! Another thing about that, when you release her make sure you draw her into the tug and engage her, other wise she'll look at the dog instead like "ok you said get it!" Or maybe that's just Logan.

 Quote: Tresa Hendrix

Another thing about that, when you release her make sure you draw her into the tug and engage her, other wise she'll look at the dog instead like "ok you said get it!" Or maybe that's just Logan.

Tucker does that too. There were some birds around the other day (his nemesis!) that he was noticing just a little too hard. So I had him look at me....marked it (Yes) gave him a few pats then said "ok" to release him, and he took that to mean it was ok to chase the birds and took off towards them.

so now I don't give the "ok" as the release in those types of situations...I mark him for looking at me (yes) then say "lets go" as the release and engage him in some play as we walk away.

Her body language is usually sitting, and after I've redirected her from a reactive episode. Her attention is off the dog, she will look around, then make eye contact and start (I'm translating from dog here "You are the meanest mum! I hate you, I want to go after that dog! Why won't you let me go after that dog? You are so mean! You are a meanie!"
Yes, I think I have reinforced it by telling her to stop or enough, which doesn't usually work.

Yep, that exactly what mine does he says "mmmm mm MMMMMMMMMMMM! Arrararrr grrr...ararararmmmmmmmmarar" LOL

So basically, she redirects attention to you and you direct her onto a tug. Eventually, she'll look to release her frustration on the tug with you...then she'll react less to the dog provided the tug coming out means exit from the dog in sight afterwards....what I mean is, after playing tug and the dog is calm you leave sight of the other dog or even during the game. So its: trigger, redirect, frustration-release, calm (not re-trigger). Hope that makes sense.

Thanks CJ, I've really been trying with her.
It can go on for a couple of minutes, then she'll stop. Probably one of the mistakes I'm making is that when she's in the sit and starts I've kept her in the sit, figuring (or more likely afraid) if she gets up and refocuses on the dog then we'll be taking a step backward. I try to reward her after she redirects by giving her something she enjoys, toy, in the car for a ride etc. You're right, I haven't completely ignored it, I have verbally cued her with no or enough (which doesn't do anything).

I'm not sure if I've got it. She sees the dog, I redirect her to sit, she get her reward (usually a toy), then when she starts "yelling" I give the toy again or we leave?