Hi There,

I have a question for everyone! (It's a bit of a long post!) I am Shelly's mum writing on behalf of Shelly, because this is becoming quite a problem.

I walk Shelly every day mostly, and always use a halter on her as she would walk me! I have noticed that when we go for a walk and there are other dogs around, she acts like she has never seen another dog. She jumps up and down, spins around, barks, whinges, growls and keeps looking back at the other dog until they have passed. This nearly trips me over as she gets tangled around her self. When the other dog is about to pass, Shelly tries to take off (with a lot of strength!) like she wants to sniff or play with the other dog. She is uncontrollable until the other dog dissapears. This happens with every dog we pass.

I have tried many things. I carry a squirt bottle with me and squirt her every time she is uncontrollable. She ends up with a wet head and this does nothing as she is so focused on the other dog! I also have tried sitting her while the other dog passes, but this also does nothing. I speak to her in a firm voice "no" and keep walking, pulling her halter closed which closes her mouth as I go if she continues. I give her a light rap on the nose if all else fails, which it usually does! Even this fails! Due to this I walk her just after lunch as there are not many dogs around at this time.I would like to walk her at different times of the day as to not get her used to a routine.

Shelly is about 10 months old so she is still very young, but is quite used to going on walks as I trained her as soon as I could. She is also very protective of me and the house and will growl/ bark at new people if they get close and she does not know them.

Any help would be appreciated!

Shelly's Mum.

Enroll in a class if possible. Shelly needs to be socialized. Places like Petsmart and Petco offer regular classes. Try Cesar's way! You've got a computer...check him out! We aren't born knowing how to do these things. You need a regular, consistent, workable way to deal with Shelly on walks. 

hi there,

thanks for that. i thought thats what her problem was, that she has not been socilized enough. i will check it out!! i agree, its all about finding one way and sticking with it. many thanks!

shelly and laila.

Hi, Emma here.  My mom suggested I write this since I'm worse than that with other dogs...

Whenever Mom takes me, she uses a cinch collar (not a choke collar, it won't choke me but only tightens enough to remind me I'm on a leash).  She says this is because as a dog I'm used to using my bodyweight to PULL and with a harness I have more strength to pull with.  She found my cinch collar at PetSmart.  It's mostly a web collar with part chain.

One of my least favorite commands is "cower."  And that's because I have to be in a submissive position until I relax and get released.  She uses her hands almost like a dog's mouth to "nip" my neck, shoulder and mouth to refocus me as she firmly tells me "cower."  Mom doesn't yell at me, because she knows that yelling makes me more hyper.  I have to sit, then lay down over onto my side and I'm not allowed back up until I am relaxed and not focused on anything but Mom.  It is SO HARD because she doesn't know these other dogs and I need to make sure that they don't try anything funny!  Mom says that when we are out on a walk that I have to trust HER to make choices to keep us safe.  Well, she's the boss and she lets me know it.

If you have trouble focusing on your Mom during your walk, try practicing "cower" before you leave the house, then again before you leave the yard.  Halfway through the walk, if you haven't encountered any other dogs, then cower again, just to make sure you remember that your Mom is the one in charge.  We tried to avoid pets for the first few days until I got the cower command down pretty good. 

I hope this helps!  Mom used to teach training classes at Petco when she worked there as a Grooming Salon Manager... 

Barks, Emmalou

hey there, thanks so much for your post!

im laila (shelly's mum) writing on behalf of shelly for this one. yes, my girl is very protective of me and i know thats only what she is doing. she does not know these other dogs either and does not know if they will attack or not, or be friendly, so i guess she is getting in first by wanting to sniff them out and take off over to them just to be sure. lol i do grip slightly around the back of her neck like a mother dog would but i will definalty try the new command 'cower' with shelly as she picks up commands quickly. this will be good to get her focusing on me and not the other dogs. i know with time this will come. i was also thinking about using this kind of chain on her too, as at the moment i use a halter as walking her with out would be impossible. (for being the runt of the litter, she is so strong!!) the halter is fine for walking, but does nothing to controll her around other dogs! so i will definatly try the chain and the command 'cower' and see how we go! thanks so much!!!

laila and shelly

I have a suggestion!  I would get her attention off of the other dog and on to you!  Association of Pet Dog Trainer's REsource Book calls it abandonment training.  My training is slightly modified because many of the people I have to help are not in a position where they can run very far away [I live on a military base and in an apartment complex] and our contact with other dogs is sporadic, at best. 

So,I use a 6' leash, and when the dog becomes aggessive, I say some word or owrds, for my own GSD I use, Ugh Oh! and turn and walk away fast.  When the dog's head turns and looks at you (why have you just reversed and run away) I give a treat (food or play reward)!  Takes time and patience, but keep doing that until your dog will allow you closer and closer to other dogs without you having to "run" away.

If you can find someone to help you, you can use two leashes, one 4-6' and the other 15-20'.  Attach both to the collar.  have the other person hold the long leash.  When your dog exhibits aggression, say loudly, "Oh NO!" or "Bye!" [fillin your word here... mine is "Uh Oh!"], toss the end of the lead at the dog so it lightly hits his side, and run away.  Preferably out of sight.  Repeat until the dog gets it that if he is aggressive, you leave.  Shouldn't take too long.  couple of times.  The more attached he is to you, the faster it works.

Good luck!

Annie

Trainer in Germany

www.painlessdogtraining.com

hi there annie,

this is shellys mum. thanks for your reply. at present im teaching shelly "look at me." this is where i have a treat in one hand and hold both arms out to either side of me. i say to shelly "look at me" and she has to look at me until i tell her she can have the treat. it took her a little while, but as soon as i put the treat in my hand and hold my arms out to the side of me she knows. i also rarley have to use a treat, sometimes i say look at me and she holds my gaze. i will definatly try what you suggested. it sounds great!! she already is getting the hang of look at me, so i could say when we see another dog "uh oh" and then "look at me" while walking away really fast, giving her the treat while she is looking at me and walking away. many thanks!!

laila and shelly

That's a good beginning.  I use "Watch Me" in a similar vein.  I find it hard to do both... can't walk and chew gum so to speak.  Anything that will teach her that the other dog is not the focus is good.  Make sure that you have not only verbal but physical control when you are working her in a specific training pattern.

Also, teaching her things like "stop" or "down" on a recall will condition her to obey even when moving.  A really long "such" line (the long flat leashes SAR dogs are trained with) is great if you need to tie it off to remind her of "stay" and "down" when doing a recall, etc.  I use one on my big Shepherd often.  She can be a little bit of a wild thing.