Quote: Dallas Winston

Thanks for taking the time to reply guys, really, really good stuff. Wendy I am working my way through the links and will try and find my dog's 'comfort zone' during our walks over the next week or so.

Let us know. You have some very experienced people helping on this thread.

Keep us posted Dallas.

Tucker was horrible around other dogs when I first got him.
Actually he only had to spot a dog...far off in the distance and he'ld start acting up.

But over time, with time and the help I got here, he's a totally different dog.
He still has no use for other dogs.....but I no longer have to worry that he'll bite first and ask questions later. He just ignores them, and i make sure they don't enter his comfort zone.

Also, Dallas, if you read those desensitizing threads, you'll find that while you'll see results soon, it seems that there is a sort of consensus that several of us felt that steady desensitizing work resulted in a major change in about 18 months.

Of course, this is anecdotal and not a prediction, but I'm adding it so you understand that this is a process that works, but isn't instant.

I find upbeat gradual desensitizing work with a reactive dog to be satisfying, and both a bond- and confidence-builder.

ps...also wanted to ad that the end result might not be a dog that is willing to play and socialize with other dogs on a whim.

Some dogs, wether they are fear aggressive or just plain dog aggressive, never manage to make the transition over to that type of dog.

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

ps...also wanted to ad that the end result might not be a dog that is willing to play and socialize with other dogs on a whim.

Some dogs, wether they are fear aggressive or just plain dog aggressive, never manage to make the transition over to that type of dog.

Absolutely!

And that's fine with me. My goal: a dog who can now ignore/tolerate strange dogs.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

ps...also wanted to ad that the end result might not be a dog that is willing to play and socialize with other dogs on a whim.

Some dogs, wether they are fear aggressive or just plain dog aggressive, never manage to make the transition over to that type of dog.

Absolutely!

And that's fine with me. My goal: a dog who can now ignore/tolerate strange dogs.

Agree 100%
I have no need or desire for any of my dogs to be playful/friendly/social/whatever with other dogs.
They should accept anything I expose them to but "ignore/tolerate" is always my goal.

Yeah.

My mutts don't need 'new best friends.' I expect the four to get along or at least suppress their inclinations in response to my rules. Seems to work.

In some ways, when you introduce your dog to 'new' dogs, you introduce an under appreciated uncertainty. You want your dog to act calm, and in so wanting, you may introduce your anxiety down the leash. You want to bee seen as a competent dog handler with a well trained dog. Appearance.

You may be over managing the situation, and a result can be to introduce a bit of confusion in re your dog's routine comfort zone.

Whew. What did that mean? We all want our dogs to stand out as well behaved and trained, and yet when in a circumstance where there is an unknown, we may over control, and even introduce unnecessary 'correction' to compensate and prepare for an imagined set of circumstances.

Leadership is a two way street, a partnership. If we've worked with our dog, and are confident in the dog's training, we need to exhibit that confidence. Let the other person struggle with their dog because it is, after all, their problem, and you shouldn't manage your dog for the other person's problem.

I figure I set the tone for my mutts and other people's dogs don't know the rules, and in many circumstances, any rules.

Now that was a waste of typing.

I need coffee.

 Quote: Bob Scott

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Wendy Lefebvre

ps...also wanted to ad that the end result might not be a dog that is willing to play and socialize with other dogs on a whim.

Some dogs, wether they are fear aggressive or just plain dog aggressive, never manage to make the transition over to that type of dog.

Absolutely!

And that's fine with me. My goal: a dog who can now ignore/tolerate strange dogs.

Agree 100%
I have no need or desire for any of my dogs to be playful/friendly/social/whatever with other dogs.
They should accept anything I expose them to but "ignore/tolerate" is always my goal.

Same here. Some people say they feel sorry for him because I don't allow him to play with other dogs. These people are the ones that say "just let them work it out on their own!"
Tucker doesn't work things out..lol
I tell them he doesn't need other dogs, as long as I am around, that's all he cares about. We are our own little pack of 2!
And thats how we like it!

bumping to current