Quote: dawna provancial

I hope so because he's so good while he's carting.

I think there is a great chance that carting could probably fix the reactivity problem.

Today he "practiced" ignoring a big distraction for him. The more he "practices" this good behavior, the better the chance that it will become his default behavior for those situations. I fully see him one day going for walks and ignoring other dog's. The carting behavior will bleed into his everyday life in other situations, IMO.

It's your job, though, to set him up for success. Don't move too fast with the distractions. For example, he ignored the calm leashed dog, but that doesn't mean he could walk along with the other dog beside him. Just take baby steps, and you'll be well on your way to helping him fix some or all of this reactivity.:smile:

I am yet to out exercise Jethro, but I can keep him busy following directions. Tonight he was going off at every scent on the evening breeze so I started putting him into Downs, as in, walk 1/3 of a block, Jethro Down! Treat treat Good Dog... Okay! Over and over again, until he finally settled down and we could walk the rest of the way home without him huffing and snuffing at every little thing. And he is getting really good at going into a Down under higher levels of distraction. So bonus' alround!

Sounds like someone may be in heat in the neighborhood.

 Quote: Betty Landercasp

Sounds like someone may be in heat in the neighborhood.

It's possible knowing my neighborhood.
But would that set off a nuetered male as Hobbes was fixed after I got him as he was a shelter dog so I forced to. Granted he was estimated to be 8/9 months when it was done, and was trying to hump or pee on everything in sight which thankfully he doesn't anymore. I suppose anything is possible.

Just got back from a walk with Hobbes carrying a lightly weighted backpack and I'm pumped because it seems to have the same effect on him as carting. That intense tunnel vision sort of focus that doesn't seem to notice anything else. He ignored all of the dogs we walked by except one that was walking with it's person leash toward us. So while Hobbes was still calm I guided him into a nearby parking lot to keep a little space between us and had him go through some quick OB work to devert his attention as well as to get out of the other dog's path. Hobbes only tried to look at the strange dog a couple of times which I corrected with "NO" and a tap with the e-collar. Then he actually did a first which to voluntarily give me eye contact like "What do I do then?" which was richly rewarded. However he remained calm the entire time the other dog walked by. I considered the experiment a success and will continue with it until his probelms are solved. However is there something that I could sew on the new backpack when I get it or drape on his carting harness so people will not try to pet him when he's busy? I thought would be obvious he was on the clock so to speak but it seems that's not the case as I've had to turn down multiple requests to pet him. Apperently a focused dog is a people magnet.

"In training; please do not pet."

I don't have that "persistent human" problem any more. LOL

I have become a MASTER at keeping right on trucking while I smile and say "Sorry, no; thank you, though!" over my shoulder. That is, there is no time or opportunity for engagement or discussion.

In a "stuck" situation (waiting for a "cross" light, for example), I have no problem putting myself between the dog and the human.