I've dealt with this problem for the better part of the last two years. It helps if you remember that it takes a loooong time to sort out. After almost two years, I still deal with the occasional outburst, though they are infrequent, of very short duration and lack intensity.

 Quote: patti neelans

...i redirect I get her attention by goosing her in the rear or touching her.....

For discipline/desensitizing I work around the outside of the dog park. While dogs are running around I move and walk trying to keep her focused on me, popping her with the leash/collar when she starts to become too focused.

Both of these techniques would have caused my dog to redirect on me. In fact, at one point it was so bad that if we encountered some idiot with their dog off-leash, my (entirely not aggressive) dog would turn around and nail me, completely out of his mind and unaware of what he was doing. After walking two miles home bleeding, I ultimately chose to use a basket muzzle for my own safety.

 Quote: connie sutherland

Nuts and bolts: I would be doing very upbeat basic ob with the best rewards possible for the individual dog. Does the dog live for the tug? Then that's in my pocket. Is bacon in the dog's dreams? Then my bait bag is full o' bacon. And we are just at the edge of that circle of influence (or non-reactivity), with a helper, if possible, following my instructions as to what to do and how far away to be with a distraction-dog. (If no helper, I would be on the other side of a fenced area containing distraction-dogs, far enough away for the distraction-dogs to melt into background noise. Only gradually, over time, would we venture closer.)

I'd remember too that the bigger the distraction the dog ignores to focus on me, the bigger and better the reward, up to and including a party with a food jackpot (or whatever your dog loves).

This kind of work, no matter how long or how tedious it may seem when reading it, is going to pay off forever.

Same goes for any distraction that amps up my dog.

In other words, I am seeing this as nothing more than a super-high-level distraction, and I am proofing for it, in exactly the same way that I proof for any distraction.

From Connie's keyboard to God's ears

In addition to being somewhat traumatized, I was embarrassed by my dog's behavior. I have a fair amount of experience, this dog was bred by me, and still here I was dealing with a behavior I had never seen before in one of my dogs. I bought "Control Unleashed", "Click to Calm", "In Focus", etc. looking for a magic formula, but it really is as simple as laid out by Connie. My dog's reactivity was so extreme at times I felt like it would never change, but it did. It just takes a lot of time, consistency and patience.

The simple techniques Connie shared worked wonders on my dog. There were weeks that it felt like I made no progress at all, but when I look at where we were, and at how pleasant my dog is now, all the time was worth it. The basic premise of building tolerance to distractions is a great way to go, and can carry over into any behaviour you'd like to teach your dog. It doesn't need to be complicated at all, it just takes time.

That is true - there is no magic bullet. I liked about Control Unleashed because it gave me ideas on how to go about desentsitizing and hope that it was possible. But I still had to implement them consistantly and take baby steps.

I had a dog who was very dog reactive. Some people in one obedience club wanted us thrown out. In her youth, she was not very foody and it was difficult to redirect. In that case, she did get more compulsion type training. We worked and worked. I went to all sorts of classes and made my trips to dog heavy places. All this resulted in her understanding of her obedience duty and a desensitization to the other dogs. She was always more reactive than some, but became completely reliable around other dogs. When a new dog would come around, she was sure to announce it but the other behaviors were gone. She went on to beat all the dogs in the obedience club where she was dogger non grata! This did take time, but once that excitability got channeled into obedience behavior she was flashy and correct. I don't think this work changed who the dog was at the core, but the behaviors became very livable.

In the end, I wouldn't have taken the world for my dog. Perhaps because of the work we had in together, we ended up inseperable. A less reactive dog would not have been so much work, but what would I have learned? I am grateful for the lessons now.

 Quote: Carla Simmons

In the end, I wouldn't have taken the world for my dog. Perhaps because of the work we had in together, we ended up inseperable. A less reactive dog would not have been so much work, but what would I have learned? I am grateful for the lessons now.

It's funny, but I feel the same about my fellow. He was (and continues to be) so much work, but our relationship is so much stronger for it. Now I can look back with gratitude for the opportunity to learn things that only this experience could teach me. I think all trainers should have at least one reactive dog in their lives

First I have to address Randy. I am confused by your remarks. Are you insinuating that I am a bad breeder? I took your comments kind of as a dig at me as both an owner and a breeder. If I took That wrong i appologize. If I didn't I would like to address those remarks. Please respond.

On another note. I took Flayre out to an agility trial today. I first took her into a pen where I could run her off leash and expended her excess energy. I then walked her around the rings where dogs were warming up and running. She never locked on anyone and was easy to re-focus onto me. I was VERY pleased with her. At one point she was about 30-40 ft away from a larger dog who was having a pretty aggressive tug game with it's owner. It was growling and shaking the tug. She looked, but when I told her to leave it and said her name she immediately looked at me and held eye contact.
I think expending her excess energy first helped her to be more successful and experience more rewards. We are going back out tomorrow and I am going to repeat what I did and see if I can get similar results. Overall it was a very good day with her.

Jeeez,
I've wandered into that site again.

Must be too early in the morning.

Mr. Allen,

A few suggestions and an observation.

Home earlier.

A good night's sleep.

Coffee earlier.

Greet the day. Breathe. Think good thoughts.

Brevity is indeed the source of wit.

Good night's sleep is easier when a puppy isn't in the house.

No time for coffee when said pup needs to get out at five in the morning.

I was thinking good thoughts before this thread grabbed my attention.

Sorry I was about as brief as I could be with only a half a cup of coffee in me.

Brief works for me. I got the gist.

Flayre had another good day today. I once again expended her energy and she had absolutely no negative dog reactiveness at all. She was able to walk calmly and quietly around all kinds of excited dogs.
Even after resting for more than an hour I got her back out again and she still remained calm and obedient. I know we still have a LOT of work to do, but expending that extra energy BEFORE exposing her to what sets her off seems to work. She was able to get a lot of positive rewards for being oh so good.
It's an angle I will continue to work with her. Hope this can help others reading this read. i guess as the old saying goes a tired dog is a good dog!