Thanks for all the advice. I am now getting that I will have to shift my mindset slightly in what I am expecting from her. One reason that we run into so many dogs at close range is because we live in an apt downtown where more than half the apartments have dogs. As we are coming into the main door there is a high chance that there is going to be a dog coming out. Honestly this environment helped her get over a lot of her anxiety obstacles and I'm very proud of her for how far she has come. At first she didn't want to go up or down the stairs but she had to conquer that if she wanted to go outside. She got desensitized to noises, cars, people, etc which she was never exposed to previously.

I say that because to point out that she can tolerate other dogs to a point. She doesn't react when she hears other dogs barking or walking by the apt door. I have been able to have her sit by my side as we let another dog past in the hallway. I just find a door way and let them pass then we walk in the other direction. She whines sometimes but I praise her when she does well.

I will focus on maintaining Keeva's focus on me while on the walk. I tend to talk to her while we walk. I tell her "this way", "good girl" etc, in hopes of accomplishing this. I will also put more emphasis on "watch me" and using high valued treats.

I usually tell other dog owners no if they want to greet. I have run into dog owners that have their dogs off leash (In the middle of the city!! I find that crazy and annoying because if there's a fight its automatically the pitbull's fault in their eyes). They let their dogs run right up to Keeva. When that has happened Keeva has let the dog sniff while she is sitting but then will react as the dog goes away. That actually brings up another question. What should I do when that happens? I have been relaxing the leash so that she won't pick up on any anxiety that I am feeling but I step on the leash to restrict her movements. Is that right? Should I be shooing the other dog away? If so how should I shoo while still maintaining control of Keeva?

Also, how would you suggest the e-collar play in her training? I watch the "E-collar training for pet owners" video and was going to use the techniques taught on there. Should I change my strategy or use it with the desensitizing techniques?

Thank you for posting the links. I'll be sure to read through them.

I'm not seeing the e-collar for this desensitizing work.

As Tracy said (and I agree), desensitizing is not about corrections for me. Corrections may be administered for failure to comply with a command, but you're not there. And she's been unfairly corrected, IMO (unknowingly, on your part) ..... I'd put it away for now.

About off-leash dogs: I do not give them access to my dog. I step in front of my dog (you will read about the "behind me command" in the links I provided) and calmly but VERY FIRMLY ask the other owner to take their dog away, that my dog is training and not ready for interactions. Period. No discussion, no chatting while trying to control your dog and the two dogs are trying to reach each other. And when I see an off-leash dog, I see it from far away. Again, I'm scanning (calmly) all the time. I have no problem crossing the street, changing directions, or turning around. (This too is in the links provided.) No way would I make my reactive dog submit to sniffing or any accosting at all.

But I'm CALM. My dog gets no feeling down the leash that I'm excited or worried or anxious. My voice is calm and assertive and polite. I remain between them and my dog.

"I will focus on maintaining Keeva's focus on me while on the walk. I tend to talk to her while we walk. I tell her "this way", "good girl" etc, in hopes of accomplishing this. I will also put more emphasis on "watch me" and using high valued treats. "

Start at home. Make the focus command second nature.


"I usually tell other dog owners no if they want to greet. "

Always. No discussion. "Sorry, in training. Thank you though!" and I'm saying that last bit while I'm ALREADY PAST THEM. My dog is not standing there suffering through the discussion.

I think you are doing a lot of things right, BTW. Good on you!

PS

"I have been able to have her sit by my side as we let another dog past in the hallway. I just find a door way and let them pass then we walk in the other direction."

This is particularly skillful. You have given your dog some space and security and also signaled that you want no socializing.

BTW, maybe some day something will happen that your dog makes a dog "friend." That's fine, but it's also completely fine if she doesn't. Dogs are pack animals, and your dog's pack is your household.

They need to tolerate or ignore strange dogs, but they don't need to make nice and greet strange dogs.

JMO!

Do you have any focus exercises that you can suggest to me that I can do in an apt?

I'm going to start praising her when she ignores dogs that are outside the apt and redirecting her if I sense her focusing on the noise too much. Hopefully with enough practice that help to translate that behavior outdoors as well.

First, I want to say that I can't think of a single ob exercise that I don't start inside, with no distractions, including heel and including the release of a fetched item into my hand.

I understand that you aren't really marker training. Do you know how to load (charge) your marker? I ask this because marker work is so confidence-building and so much fun for the dog. Do you have The Power of Training Dogs with Food (the Leerburg DVD)?

I would urge that you consider really learning marker training. I can pretty much promise you that you will never be sorry, and that you will probably never train anything again, in just about any venue, without incorporating markers.


For now:

The look game. Do you know that? I probably wouldn't marker-train it just now because it didn't sound like you had charged your marker or understood the timing. But it's still easy.

Get a tiny odorous high-value reward (a bit of cooked bacon or whatever she loves) and move it around in front of the dog until you have her attention.

Now, when her eyes are fixed on it, slowly move it up to to your eye area. As soon as the dog's eyes meet your eyes, say "good look!" (or any praise that will NOT be using for your marker, so save a word for your marker that you don't use all the time; maybe "yes" would be reserved for your marker and not used now) and give the treat. Recap: use praise that lets you reserve a marker word for later when you get into marker training and need to load (charge) your marker word (unless you use a clicker).

BTW, lots of people do not combine the praise with the name of the command. You might choose just to say an upbeat happy "look" as soon as the dog's eyes meet yours.

(Note: This is not marker training.)

Do this about ten times (tiny rewards!). Then ask her to "look" while the treat is at your side. She'll probably look at the hand with the treat, and then will look at your face to say "WTH?" As soon as she does, praise and reward.

If she doesn't get it yet, back up a bit and redo.

Soon she will be looking into your face when you say "Look."

I have been marker training for years, but I don't think I left anything out. LOL "Look" is a pretty simple game.

But it would be great to get others' input for simple focus work for pre-marker-training.

the behind me command can also be replaced with the "place" position, the dog between your legs, really easy to train.

Don't do it every single time you see another dog though, you don't want your dog to do it unless told to.

But in cases where another dog approaches you when you dont want it, it puts your dog in a position where you would have quicker better control of a bad situation, all you would need to do is quickly squat down to 1 knee over your dog to "cover & hold" him.

As we all know dogs do not meet face to face, they usually want to sniff the other dogs butt. So covering your dogs hind end prevents the other dog access.

Being on one knee also gives you better balance and strength in a situation where you need to hold on to him, bulldogs can be quite strong if they try to bolt in any drive state -- be it prey drive (wanting to play), avoidance (trying to run away), or the worst cases defensive drive or fight drive (aggression).

Also being knelt down over your dog gives you more leash in your hand to smack another dog or slap the leash on the ground in front of dog approaching unwillingly, they will usually hesitate approaching you but use that as a last resort.

Otherwise if your dog is really just a cool chilled out kinda dog, not really interested in other dogs, happy to just watch another dog walk by ... I would just reinforce sit/stay or a calm "nope" (don't move), use a calm voice and sound like it's no big deal just another dog.

And when the other dog leaves or passes by and your dog did good, praise them with big time "good dog" and a scrath on the head, make it a big deal if your dog does good, the more excited/happy you act the more apt your dog is to remember that so the next time it happens he will react the same way, knowing theres a BIG petting reward when its over.


I'm not cruel to animals but I give no respect to other people or their dogs if they are stupid enough to let them just run up to another dog without proper introduction I will certainly put their dog in a bad position.

I generally keep a loop in the end of my leash so I can lasso it over another dogs head and if necessary choke them to the point of restraint.

I try and be nice, but It upsets me that some people think just because their dog is a certain size or breed that they dont feel the need for a leash when as far as I know every state has leash laws with no specifics to size or breed, If I respect the law then I feel everyone should.

Neither of my Rotties are dog aggressive, Fritzi loves to play with other dogs so she sometimes gets excited when she sees one, Tibby really wants nothing to do with another dog, she tries to avoid them but lets them sniff once then gives them the doggie signal, "you had your sniff now go away"


Unless your dog is dom aggressive I wouldn't see the need for an ecollar, you will more than likely make the situation worse for yourself.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/10/2013 09:30 AM)
Edit reason: added paragraphing

OMG.......PARAGRAPHS PLEASE!!!!!

Connie - That game sounds very similar to a game that one of the trainers I was working with taught me. That's how I got her to look at me when I said "watch me". I would have to refresh her on that game. Would you advice switching to look or does it matter?

I want to do marker training. I do not have that DVD as yet but that is next on my list. I was going to buy it earlier but I saw the e-collar and the DVD on sale over Christmas and bought that instead. The rest of my "dog fund" went to her food. She eats better than me lol.

 Quote: Jevon Brookes

Connie - That game sounds very similar to a game that one of the trainers I was working with taught me. That's how I got her to look at me when I said "watch me". I would have to refresh her on that game. Would you advice switching to look or does it matter?

I want to do marker training. I do not have that DVD as yet but that is next on my list. I was going to buy it earlier but I saw the e-collar and the DVD on sale over Christmas and bought that instead. The rest of my "dog fund" went to her food. She eats better than me lol.

Sure, use "watch me. " Slowly and gradually proof for distractions and venue, and don't start proofing until you have it rock solid without any distraction.

Then your first proofing step might be as simple as moving to another room. Then maybe having another person in the room. Make the distractions so gradual that the dog doesn't have a hard time complying. You'll see that gradual proofing is a million times more effective than suddenly asking for compliance while the dog is in a very-high-distraction situation.

Here's an example. Step 20 (or 40 or whatever) of the proofing might be asking her to "watch me" while another dog walks by in your hallway .... a dog she has seen before, and been able to ignore, and who you know will go right on by.