Here's a different slant on the same thing: Basic ob is trained at home under no distraction. Distraction and changes of venue are introduced gradually. Other dogs are one of the high-level distractions that are introduced later, outside the dog's reactive zone and only gradually increasing in movement and decreasing in distance. So .... strong basic ob gradually proofed against passersby (human and canine).

Yes Connie, he has a place command. I use it while we are eating, so he stays on the floor near the table and does not beg, or at night at times. I will take time to re-read threads on reactivity. This site is very comprehensive, and I have been gone a long time. My other life has been very very busy lately. And yes, he needs more physical and mental stimulation. He is not a high drive dog, but still lives for the ball and following his nose.

He has to be social, we live in a major city, in a building with other dogs and elevators, and he will meet dogs as we walk. I cannot assume the other dogs will be social without knowing them, and some owners are ignorant or foolish. Most people cannot read dog body language at all.

I agree, he has to accept strangers. If they are not afraid of him, he does not react, and is friendly, but if they are afraid, he sometimes barks. I need to teach him to really "leave it" when I say so.

"Social" ..... still not clear on why he has to do meet-n-greet.

"Socialized" to me means "non-reactive," or even indifferent to. It doesn't mean "tries to party with."

The part about accepting strangers -- what I meant was that you decree who enters your home. You can put him up for the first exciting minutes until you have a solid doorbell routine, but taking the dog outside to meet strangers there is ceding a lot of the running of the pack to the dog. JMO.



" And yes, he needs more physical and mental stimulation."

Never underestimate the power of structured exercise to dial back reactivity, unwanted excitement, and a whole list of undesired behaviors.

Besides taking your position as pack leader, there may not be a more important rule than "a tired dog is a good dog."

"Most people cannot read dog body language at all."

Correct! So I march right on by. My dogs don't have a chance to focus on strange dogs, never mind aim at them, bark, pull ....

And there's also plain old basic ob, where you pull over and allow the others to walk on by while your dog is focused 100% on your ob commands (and you).

None of this starts out "on the road." For me, it all starts in the house, zero distractions, until I have 100% compliance. Only then is a change of venue (and it might just be moving to the yard or another room!) introduced. Then gradual distractions are added. Wherever dogs congregate near your home, I would then work with my dog far enough away not to trigger him. If I could get a helper with a neutral dog, great. Even if I couldn't, "neutral" can be replicated with enough distance.

eta
What others expect is pretty irrelevant to me. A smile, a quick calm "in training right now," and no pausing, no discussion, no interaction, go a long way, as long as you keep on moving.

I don't work on reactivity by flooding the dog; I work on it by slowly desensitizing him.

This is the surest route to future calm meetings with other contained dogs and other humans.

JMO!


Edited by Connie Sutherland (12/22/2010 08:11 PM)
Edit reason: eta

What the heck is a Certified Foundation Style Dog Trainer?

Connie,

I liked your comment on having the greet outside the door. I thought I was avoiding trouble, but you are absolutely right, I am letting him make my choices.

Last night I had him carry his tug back from the park. As we approached the building, we saw a dog leaving that he normally reacts to very strongly. I reduced his behavior to a minor problem by making him focus on the tug. I agree in principle he should listen to me at all times on command, but the tug or ball seems a good tool for him.

After I move (lots of work to do before then) I will have more time to work on him in the home and new building. One thing I have noticed is that there are two exits from the building, and other dog owners keep their dogs separate within the building, so there seems to be an understanding that fences make good neighbors in the dog world.