the 30' line is for the park, on the street he's on a 4' leash.

how can i make sure no dogs get near him? i do try my best but i can't catch them in time every time. there will be times (and have been) where dogs walk up on us and he sees them before i do.

and how do i keep him from people? i won't have enough sidewalks, there are always people walking on the streets, even at night. besides, he doesn't bark at all people, it's 1 in 100 (and not lately, lately he hasn't barked at all), so why even try to distance him from all people (and i can't even if i try)



Mod note: The reactivity topic and everything except the beginner-marker-training protocol has moved to http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33741#383989

Edited by Connie Sutherland (10/09/2013 08:48 PM)
Edit reason: mod note about moved topic

I'm taller than my dogs. I can see a lot farther ahead. When I'm desensitizing a dog, I am calmly scanning at all times. I'm looking ahead for other dogs. For weeks (maybe months) when I start this work, there is nothing distracting me from the route ahead and what we are about to encounter.

This is critically important.


As far as other people go, I'm moving briskly, and so is the dog. The reactive dog has a job, and that job is marching right along. He has no time to focus on, sniff at, and react to a person passing the other way.

Desensitizing means that you are on the job (with a calm and in-charge demeanor) at all times. It means that if you see fit to calmly change direction, you do it.


I'm thinking that a lot of reading on the desensitizing threads will be eye-opening.

It will be positive for you, too, because so many people on this board have dialed back the reactivity to a manageable level using desensitizing techniques.


If you would like me to hunt up more threads tomorrow, I will be happy to. Working with reactive dogs is something I do a lot of. (And I'm not the only one here.) This work is so worthwhile --- I can't overemphasize it.

Giving the dog a fallback behavior and every other part of desensitizing means that you engage with the dog. If you start this work at home, indoors, you will have a foundation to build on outside where all the excitement happens.



Edited to add:

You see, there's that "engagement" word again. This doesn't just happen. And for me, this starts where there is zero distraction.

To a reactive dog, other dogs are the ultimate distraction.



Edited by Connie Sutherland (10/09/2013 04:58 PM)
Edit reason: ETA

What if that 1 out of a hundred is the one he bites? What if the loose dog you didn't see attacks your dog?

I understand what you're saying Natalie, but I'm trying to tell you that its important enough for you to make some changes in how you do things and the way you think with him. Drive him to the park and keep him at a distance for now. Don't walk him on sidewalks with other people for right now. You need to think in terms of pre-empting a lot of things while you work on some training with him.

Well put .... better than my post:

 Quote: steve strom

What if that 1 out of a hundred is the one he bites? What if the loose dog you didn't see attacks your dog?

I understand what you're saying Natalie, but I'm trying to tell you that its important enough for you to make some changes in how you do things and the way you think with him. Drive him to the park and keep him at a distance for now. Don't walk him on sidewalks with other people for right now. You need to think in terms of pre-empting a lot of things while you work on some training with him.

Hey Natalie, what kind of dog is this? How is he with your family? Your kids? Does he want to chase them or does he startle when they run around?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

I'm taller than my dogs. I can see a lot farther ahead. When I'm desensitizing a dog, I am calmly scanning at all times. I'm looking ahead for other dogs. For weeks (maybe months) when I start this work, there is nothing distracting me from the route ahead and what we are about to encounter.

This is critically important.


As far as other people go, I'm moving briskly, and so is the dog. The reactive dog has a job, and that job is marching right along. He has no time to focus on, sniff at, and react to a person passing the other way.

Desensitizing means that you are on the job (with a calm and in-charge demeanor) at all times. It means that if you see fit to calmly change direction, you do it.


I'm thinking that a lot of reading on the desensitizing threads will be eye-opening.

It will be positive for you, too, because so many people on this board have dialed back the reactivity to a manageable level using desensitizing techniques.


If you would like me to hunt up more threads tomorrow, I will be happy to. Working with reactive dogs is something I do a lot of. (And I'm not the only one here.) This work is so worthwhile --- I can't overemphasize it.

Giving the dog a fallback behavior and every other part of desensitizing means that you engage with the dog. If you start this work at home, indoors, you will have a foundation to build on outside where all the excitement happens.



Edited to add:

You see, there's that "engagement" word again. This doesn't just happen. And for me, this starts where there is zero distraction.

To a reactive dog, other dogs are the ultimate distraction.

yeah, he's not allowed to sniff people and i'm usually between him and people. so then i shouldn't try avoiding them, right?

dogs is a different story, he reacts EVERY time.
i do my best trying to avoid the dogs but there have been times where i didnt see dogs walk up on us, usually when we turn the corner.
And i'm sure there will be more times like that no matter how careful i am. what if there are dogs walking from 2 directions?

when that happens i make a quick uturn and walk fast away. i can't believe that you guys are able to avoid EVERY single dog EVERY single time.


as far as the threads, i'm reading them now, got a bunch of good pointers, i think all of them came from your posts lol

and i did see you say more than once that it's very rewarding. i believe that.
when i realized that he wasn't barking at the people he used to bark at i was ELATED.
the way he is now with dogs i can't imagine there will ever be a day that he will ignore a dog.
but if that day comes i'm going to be extremely happy.




Mod note: The reactivity topic and everything except the beginner-marker-training protocol has moved to http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33741#383989

Edited by Connie Sutherland (10/09/2013 08:49 PM)
Edit reason: mod note about moved topic

 Quote: steve strom

What if that 1 out of a hundred is the one he bites? What if the loose dog you didn't see attacks your dog?

I understand what you're saying Natalie, but I'm trying to tell you that its important enough for you to make some changes in how you do things and the way you think with him. Drive him to the park and keep him at a distance for now. Don't walk him on sidewalks with other people for right now. You need to think in terms of pre-empting a lot of things while you work on some training with him.

how will he bite? i don't let him get close to the other dog. or the people.

i think we are misunderstanding each other. i'm saying that sometimes i don't see the other dog before he does and he goes into the barking and lunging mode.

i still make the uturn and walk away, they never come close to each other. all i'm saying is that i didn't catch it in time for him to not bark and reinforced his behavior.

How will he bite??? He has teeth, that's how. What do you think the lunging is about?

 Quote:

i don't let him get close to the other dog. or the people.

I thought you said you couldn't do that?

 Quote: steve strom

Hey Natalie, what kind of dog is this? How is he with your family? Your kids? Does he want to chase them or does he startle when they run around?

german shepherd. it's only me and my 18 year old daughter. hes very good with both of us, at home we have no problems except the cats.

he's very attached to me, goes into this hysteria, crying and jumping around all over the place and on me when i come in even if i left for a minute. probably some separation anxiety there because this is not healthy behavior in my opinion.
i'm trying to work on it, ignore him when i leave and when i come home.


i really don't have problems with him at home. or maybe i do and i just don't realize that they're problems

 Quote: steve strom

How will he bite??? He has teeth, that's how. What do you think the lunging is about?

he's not close enough to bite is what i'm saying. thank you, i know he bites with teeth.

also, i know this is a long thread but i did say that he's not aggressive to dogs, if i let him go EVERY TIME he will go and play.

a trainer that saw him said he's just too excited to get to the dog.

anyway, back to the question. how will he bite? he's not close enough to bite.




Mod note: The reactivity topic and everything except the beginner-marker-training protocol has moved to http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33741#383989

Edited by Connie Sutherland (10/09/2013 08:49 PM)
Edit reason: mod note about moved topic