I had a brain fart, long week end mean garage sale.
I went for a new jogging route win a houseing development so we could have some shade. I run into a massive garage sale patch.

So running kids, ballons, free dogs, leashed dogs, traffic and what not.

Dexter was distracted and tried to chase a small kid. I was just fast enough to take a step back ward so he got one sharp correction and was very suprised. I got sh** from spectators, boo hoo.

Harley was prety good as long as no one tried to touch him, yep stupid guy tried to pet him as we jogged by. He got yeld at (the guy not Harley) Harley gave him one mean growl but never moved from my side or lost the pace.

I am pretty happy with the fact that they were both good with the comotion.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound just like me. Sometimes I don't ever think I will make progress with my dog cody. But maybe this time it was time to up the distractions and you normally wouldn't have done it. You were stretched. I always feel as if I let my dogs down. My timing leaves something to be desired too. but you can keep trying, and I know you are trying your best. Its hard to continually be thinking ahead and plan out every distraction before it happens.
I bet you did a better job than you think you did. You will have another opportunity to try again. Don't loose heart. Success will come, hang in there.
Sharon

My bf had a lesson in emotional fitness and timing.
He wanted to see how good Dexter was doing with me. In other words that he would walk with me and not pull, lag behind or stop to sniff when he feels like it.

Dex was a star! But at one point we crossed a big fluffy dog that started to bark and loung at us. Normaly Harley would not even look at such a dog. I thought that Harley was not reactive.

Well he went nuts! Barked, growled, lounged. The bf tryied to get control and give a correction but Harley did not change his mind set. I sat Dexter and grab Harley, quickly put some slack in the leash and pop him hard. He went from killer mode to complete calm ignoring the still wild dog.

The bf was getting mad and anxious and Harley just blow him off. He was pulling very hard on the leash but still could not get Harley's attention.

The other guy was puzzled by the change in Harley and asked if I could show him how to do that trick. It is not a trick it is good leadership.

Jenny latest tread gave me some extra tool to go about suprise event.

More heel work, but this time it was all off lead out in the dark with zero distractions. A few down in motion which he seemed surprised by but followed through with. I need to stop being so lazy and heavily reinforce the position.
Funny thing happened - we were on the levee walking towards a marker stick for some construction they'll be doing soon. Radar saw it plenty of times and even tried to pull it out of the ground, but this time he was staring at my face so hard that he ran into it and screamed like a little girl. He's just fine, but he growled at the stick!

 Quote: SamanthaTopper

When you say 'I was ready for him to try biting me, but he did not' what do you mean? Just a curious mind, nothing meant by it.

Logan is 6 years old, only relatively recently have things pulled together more for me. As a result I am working on myself as a better leader for him. It takes a lot of nerve on my part. What I am getting at is what I meant was biting as in not wanting to submit. Not mauling me or anything, not reactionary out of fear or playful. When he gives that stare, he's not submissive.

Reaction free walk! Yay. It only lasted 3 blocks out, one block over, and three blocks home, but we did it without a single reaction. I had fresh cooked chicken livers in my pouch, and we avoided the high distraction areas.

So evidently Sunday's tracking was just a blip on the screen... Back to a familiar field this morning, with a similar track to what we've been working the past couple of weeks. Four 50-75 ft legs, toe-to-heel randomly baited, with three articles. My girl offered downs on the articles, with good positioning.

Back on the right track!

We've also been doing "au pied" sessions, with exercises designed to polish the heel position and build some attentiveness for the "fuss". Need to remember touch pad sessions. Sadie really loves them.

 Quote: Jenny Arntzen

Reaction free walk! Yay. It only lasted 3 blocks out, one block over, and three blocks home, but we did it without a single reaction. I had fresh cooked chicken livers in my pouch, and we avoided the high distraction areas.

Awesome, that reminds me, I haven't cooked any liver for Logan lately.

I'm adjusting my thinking to improve my timing. What I want from Jethro is an immediate response when I give a command. I don't want to worry about whether the source of distraction is sight, sound or scent. I don't want to worry about whether it is his eyes, his ears, or his nose that is arousing him. I want to watch for signs of arousal and douse them immediately. I want a relaxed dog who looks to me for direction.

I'm also adjusting my thinking to improve my concept of corrections. If I am correcting for arousal, I am making a mistake. I need to be correcting for leadership. I am the leader and you will follow my command (we definitely do not want you in charge, Jethro!).

We had a good walk this morning. Jethro picked up a scent right outside the gate and the moment I saw it I reminded him that I did not want him to follow that scent. He let it go and we didn't have any more problems with scent arousal the rest of the walk.

 Quote: Jenny Arntzen

I'm adjusting my thinking to improve my timing. What I want from Jethro is an immediate response when I give a command. I don't want to worry about whether the source of distraction is sight, sound or scent. I don't want to worry about whether it is his eyes, his ears, or his nose that is arousing him. I want to watch for signs of arousal and douse them immediately. I want a relaxed dog who looks to me for direction.

I'm also adjusting my thinking to improve my concept of corrections. If I am correcting for arousal, I am making a mistake. I need to be correcting for leadership. I am the leader and you will follow my command (we definitely do not want you in charge, Jethro!).

We had a good walk this morning. Jethro picked up a scent right outside the gate and the moment I saw it I reminded him that I did not want him to follow that scent. He let it go and we didn't have any more problems with scent arousal the rest of the walk.

You are right, Jenny, IMHO!

And if Jethro is reading this over your shoulder and saying "oh damn" .... well, too bad for Jethro.

Jethro had his time of being the decision-maker.

What you are saying you want is exactly right!

"What I want from Jethro is an immediate response when I give a command."

Bullet-proof ob is always the goal in all the threads here on desensitizing reactive dogs. Always, under all the methods and explanations, always the aim: automatic ob.