Is your dog walker acting specifically on your instructions not to correct this behavior? Or they just don't know how to deal with it?
If it's the later, I'd find another dog walker, he/she doesn't know enough to trust my dog to them.

As to your problem with the dog; I'd work hard on the ob away from distractions until I was sure it knew them. Then I'd go on line and buy a good pinch collar. After I recieved my collar, I'd go for a walk and the first time the little brat acted out would be the beginning of the last time it'd happen.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

 Quote: sarah ward

Jenn,
You described her as a dominant dog, and territorial. Could you explain in a bit more detail what you see in her behavior that makes you think of her in those terms?

And how much basic obedience have you done/do you do with her? Does she know and respond to commands like "Watch me"? You mentioned "treat training" - do you mean marker training?

Is she the only dog in your house? Does she have any other dog "friends" that she sees regularly and doesn't react to?

Just trying to get a more detailed picture.

Hi Sarah

To answer your questions, some examples of her being territorial include, like when someone is petting her, and another dog comes near (this is only after she has been introduced to the dog and is no longer reacting to it), she will growl at the other dog. she will growl at the cat if it gets too close to her, she will growl at my parents dog, if i am sitting with her and he comes over. things like that. she will bark at the door. when we were driving home from a long road trip once, my aunt was driving, i was in the passenger seat, and she literally STOOD on me the entire time watching out the window as if "protecting".

re: basic obedience, she knows basic commands, sit, stay, down, wait, and watch. i just taught her a little "shake" and "roll over"! when i mean treat training, i mean i use this to basically distract her, and do a "find it" if a dog is near, or to do "watch" hold the treat up and make her watch me as we are walking to get her to walk next to me. the trainer also showed us how to get the dog to "check it out" (meaning looka t the other dog) and if she doesn't react, she gets treats, etc. this really only works if we can station ourselves in a spot for a while without other dogs coming up behind us or anything like that.

she is the only dog i have here, and i did have some friends with dogs, one in particular that she got along with GREAT. when she first met the dogs she was very reactive to them, but over time, as she got to know the dogs (i would take her to their house, and eventually took her to their house 1 day a week, they ran a small day care there with their dogs). anyway, the one dog she got along with really well came and stayed with us for a week, and no fights, they loved eachother. she loves this dog! for some reason! i wish she like other dogs like she does him. but anyway, sadly these friends of mine moved, and we can no longer see them.

 Quote: randy allen

Is your dog walker acting specifically on your instructions not to correct this behavior? Or they just don't know how to deal with it?
If it's the later, I'd find another dog walker, he/she doesn't know enough to trust my dog to them.

As to your problem with the dog; I'd work hard on the ob away from distractions until I was sure it knew them. Then I'd go on line and buy a good pinch collar. After I recieved my collar, I'd go for a walk and the first time the little brat acted out would be the beginning of the last time it'd happen.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

Hi Randy,

I have never and do not expect my dog walker to train my dog. I ask him to take her out for 15 mins so she can have a potty break, and just try to manage her behavior. I have given him many suggestions as how I act when I am with her, but do not expect him to do much of anything, since he is not there to train her, he is there to take her to the bathroom.

honestly i am worried about something like a pinch collar making her more aggravated.

 Quote: jenn verrier

honestly i am worried about something like a pinch collar making her more aggravated.

You are probably right. Prongs make many reactive dogs redirect. Even though she is small (therefore unlikely to inflict any major damage should she come up the leash), you probably don't want to start a war with her.

I have a similar problem to yours and the prongs only have made it worse.

 Quote: Angela Burrell

 Quote: jenn verrier

honestly i am worried about something like a pinch collar making her more aggravated.

You are probably right. Prongs make many reactive dogs redirect. Even though she is small (therefore unlikely to inflict any major damage should she come up the leash), you probably don't want to start a war with her.

I have a similar problem to yours and the prongs only have made it worse.

my dog has definitely turned on me in the heat of a few of her episodes when i have aggravated her, or done something like tried to put her in a sit. she was defintiely guilty after the fact, but i know better now to aggravate her further in these episodes...

I honestly don't think they do it on purpose or know what they are doing when this happens. It is pure reaction. That is why it's probably best not to use a prong, as it increases drive/anxiety in these kinds of situations.

A properly fitted prong collar would help with pulling if this is a general problem without other dogs being around to set her off. A prong collar has the great advantage of being self-correcting (dog pulls, collar exerts uncomfortable pressure, dog stops pulling, pressure immediately eases. Dog works out connection PDQ).

BUT Angela is right - administering a prong collar correction (such as a firm leash pop) when the dog is agitated by a strange dog approaching could just wind her up further (the dog, not Angela). Especially given that terrier propensity to get wound up for whatever reason.

 Quote: jenn verrier

To answer your questions, some examples of her being territorial include, like when someone is petting her, and another dog comes near (this is only after she has been introduced to the dog and is no longer reacting to it), she will growl at the other dog. she will growl at the cat if it gets too close to her, she will growl at my parents dog, if i am sitting with her and he comes over. things like that. she will bark at the door. when we were driving home from a long road trip once, my aunt was driving, i was in the passenger seat, and she literally STOOD on me the entire time watching out the window as if "protecting".

None of this sounds like a dominant or very territorial dog. Could be she is fearful of other dogs (or even cats) approaching her. Or she's being a brat and guarding you as her resource (don't confuse this with "protecting" you - it means rather that the dog sees you as a valued item - source of petting or other comforts - and is trying to keep you all for itself). The looking out of the window on the car drive may have been just, well, looking out of the window. Terriers are alert and curious dogs and love to watch things - my Airedale mutt Buzz recently stared out of the car window at the passing scenery all the way through Wyoming. That's 350 miles.

 Quote: sarah ward

 Quote: jenn verrier

To answer your questions, some examples of her being territorial include, like when someone is petting her, and another dog comes near (this is only after she has been introduced to the dog and is no longer reacting to it), she will growl at the other dog. she will growl at the cat if it gets too close to her, she will growl at my parents dog, if i am sitting with her and he comes over. things like that. she will bark at the door. when we were driving home from a long road trip once, my aunt was driving, i was in the passenger seat, and she literally STOOD on me the entire time watching out the window as if "protecting".

None of this sounds like a dominant or very territorial dog. Could be she is fearful of other dogs (or even cats) approaching her. Or she's being a brat and guarding you as her resource (don't confuse this with "protecting" you - it means rather that the dog sees you as a valued item - source of petting or other comforts - and is trying to keep you all for itself). The looking out of the window on the car drive may have been just, well, looking out of the window. Terriers are alert and curious dogs and love to watch things - my Airedale mutt Buzz recently stared out of the car window at the passing scenery all the way through Wyoming. That's 350 miles.

Hi Sarah,

I definitely don't think she is afraid of my parents dog, or the cat. i don't get that feeling from it at all. especially when she is getting attention, and another dog comes by, she will go after it... seems kind of territorial to me/dominance. Oh when the little pup who was staying with us, she would get into humpy mode a few times.. lol. i always thought that was a sign of dominance? another instance, is when for example i used to let her on the furniture (i've been really trying to change this lately to see if it will make a difference). There was a couple times when I would try to move her or something and she would even growl at me! she just has a little attitude about her that makes me think that about her i guess?

Jenn,
"Humpy mode"is a sign that the dog is trying to establish dominance over another, yes, but that doesn't mean you have a truly dominant dog. Dogs encountering another dog try various behaviors to establish who is first in the pecking order. I have seen even very soft and submissive dogs do it with a strange dog they thought they could be #1 over.

It does sound like your dog has some bratty attitude around the house, yes. What do you do when she growls at you?

Without seeing the dog, I am having trouble figuring out whether the screaming and lunging at other dogs is a fear response arising from a previous bad experience, or whether she's just acting out. Sounds like you are too. You said you worked with a trainer - what were his/her observations on this?