Thanks Betty.....I think so to but I must admit that I am welcoming the day when I will look back on this past year and the one to come like a vague memory and smile as the pictures will pass behind my eyes lol...... Every little successes confirm that I made the right choice when I decided not to give up and takle each battle one at the time.

Like Willie said, Once most of the work will be done with Ziva I will be able to say that I am an experienced dog owner if not trainer LOL....that makes me laugh each time she says that.

Thank you for the compliment ..... I think so too that she is a pretty gal but yet I look at her with mama's eyes

A short update;

Ziva is doing very well in the soccer field for obedience...she even ignores the flock of pigeon near by. The Down, Stand and Sit are very good once I am beside her so today I decided to test them and see if she had an understanding of the verbal command. So I stood facing her and she complied to them 3....twice lol....We did that in our both sessions and she did.

The recall is much better. I used to have two leashes of 2 meters each attached to each other and would not drop them from my hand....yesterday, on the Stay and the Stay/Recall, I started to drop the leashes on the ground and backed up a few feet. And she did as asked....she comes trotting to me on recall and sits once in front of me. Today I got a 6 meters longe and did the same and she complied. The recall in the garden is also much better....95%....even with the little brat puffy dog at the fence.

She got her first kong toy today, I put cheese in it....I went to retreive it and she did not show any signs of agression....so I added cheese in it and gave it back.

The greeting with people is better but yet not where it should be....I need more visitors lol

The meeting with dogs on our walks is not as bad...as in she doesn't drag me or walk backward anymore but if I would not resist on the leash she would go.....some dogs are worst than others for some reasons.

2 weeks back the gate of the Jack Ass Russel was open....I did not see it until it was to late....we got attacked by it....Thank Goodness I had my ski pole with me and gave it 2 good wacks....it came twice at us.....Now Ziva who could walk in front of that gate without pulling and looking at me is now reluctant as soon as we get a few feet from it.....I encourage her to follow.....she does but as soon that the Jack hits the gate and barks now she growls and have this deep growl/bark.....she pulls towards it.....Any suggestions on this? Mind you I don't take that route every time we walk....but I do 1 on 3 so I can work on it again and hopefully will be back where we were.

Thanks in advance and enjoy what is left of your day.

oops....she just brought me back her kong....yup, it is empty lol

A couple of suggestions.
On the recall, don't call her every time you go out from her or she could very well start anticipating you calling her and start breaking sits or downs. Go back to her 7-8 times out of ten an reward for holding position.
Don't add to much time or distance and never add time, distraction and distance at the same time. Be random with both. The dog's inner clock is better then yours and if you consistently call the dog at the same time or distance, again, they can start to anticipate the command. That anticipation is not the dog's fault. It's the handlers. Random, Random, Random!
On proofing the sit or down command, turn sideways to her and even turn your back to her when you give the command. You'd be surprised at how commands can be situational in a dog's mind. Again, consider time and distance when these commands are solid with the distraction of your changed body position. Time, distance, distraction but never all at the same time in training. Random, Random, Random!

With the other dog.
Do you have any contact with the owner? Let them know that the dog is getting out. If they get sassy about it just tell them if it continues you will use pepper spray. Just be careful of wind direction.

Thanks Bob for reminding me about anticipation, thing I have read recently in the marker training ebook. I do however random the time of the stay and do not call her always from a stay I often ask her to stay and go back to her and mark the stay. I did asked the command my back turned when she would not comply after I said "NOO" and she would sometimes do it before I would count till 5 and went back beside her. I do ask her to sit for exemple and walk away from her walking forward not walking backward facing her and she stays......I will try different things. random, random, random lol......I am very careful not to add distance, distraction and time all at once.....got that very clear.

As for the dog....I thought to go to them....then I got thinking....they have 2 golden lab (older dogs) as well.....I used to say "hello" to the people when they were there as I passed by and they never answered me....and one day as I was telling Ziva "LOOK" as we were passing by the man was mocking me......their neighbor was out one day and he started to talk to me and explained how anoying the dogs were and he got no positive respond from their owners when he went to see them......so I am not sure what to do.......and pepper spray is illegal here, you can't find it anywhere and can get in trouble using it......I have to probably take my courage in both hands and knock on their door and explain about Ziva being a puppy (even being huge) and that she could become dog agressive herself if attacked by a dog (even as small as their Jack)....and that their dog could get hit by a car in the process to cross the street to get to us for we are always on the other side of the road when we walk in front of their gate. But I can see they look at me with that look when we go by they think that I am at fault and should not walk in front of their house as it is MY dog that causes the chaos not THEIRS.

Solange...two alternatives to pepper spray: Spray aerosol mouth freshener (I once used that on the suggestion of a trainer for a barking dog) or just a plain old-fashioned water pistol filled with water. What a great job you are doing with Ziva !

Thanks on all counts Marj

It sounds like the people are aholes and your not going to get anywhere with them.
I would first talk to the local PD, Constable, home owners assoc, whoever may have some power in that neighborhood. If nothing else it will let them be aware your having trouble.
Ask them what options you have and how much you can do to "discourage" the dogs from coming after you.
If or when something does happen it's not coming out of the blue.

I thought of writing them a letter, actually I wrote it the day of the incident with a cc to the city hall but never sent it .....that is how works the bureaucracy here....writing to the mayor.... he would be the one sending the PD.....

thanks for the suggestion.

 Quote: Bob Scott

It sounds like the people are aholes and your not going to get anywhere with them.
I would first talk to the local PD, Constable, home owners assoc, whoever may have some power in that neighborhood. If nothing else it will let them be aware your having trouble.
Ask them what options you have and how much you can do to "discourage" the dogs from coming after you.
If or when something does happen it's not coming out of the blue.

I'm a huge fan of a paper trail too. And phone pictures with date stamps.