How do I switch off the obsession?

[Elwood]

That's really funny Ruth!

Thanks Ruth.

Suzy

[GentleLake]

I'll only let him off when the beach is empty or only has dogs he knows and loves there.

 

If he's still fearful and anxious -- and from your "Trauma" post that would seem to be the current state of affairs -- I really don't think you should be taking him to those places he has negative associations with at all, leashed or not.

 

Where's that banging-your-head-against-a-brick-wall icon Liz P used to use?

[CptJack]

So.

 

I have a reactive dog. A fear reactive, traumatized dog. She used to be pretty bad. And a lot of the common stuff seemed to be about building positive associations and breaking negative ones and continuing to socialize the dog and -

 

You know the best two things I ever did or her?

Meds - which you already know - and *taking her nowhere for months*. Once these dogs develop a pattern of behavior, even if it's based on negative emotion, it's really hard to break. They're smart. They're obsessive. They're routine oriented. They noticed cues and triggers. Once your dog has decided the way to respond in a location or to a dog in a location is with fear and aggression you're not going to stop that with 'lie down' or 'cookies' NEARLY as easily and quickly as you are just by keeping them away from those things for a while. Work in another location. Work with different dogs. Give your dog a chance to decompress and CHILL. You will radically reduce the amount of work it takes AND cut down the time it takes to accomplish something AND you won't be freaking your dog out in the meantime.

 

Just like 'sometimes, SOMETIMES, they throw the ball' can reinforce a dog, SOMETIMES , just SOMETIMES, something scaring happening can reinforce the dog to be afraid for longer.

Reduce the odds of negative experiences as much as you can. Seriously.

[Elwood]

Elwood hasn't shown any fear or anxiety for weeks now.

I am doing those things Captn Jack.

I think some have taken my words out of context.

 

the only routine we have regarding our walks is that he gets 2 a day. We don't always do the same times or places. Sometimes he is allowed off leash sometimes we just walk. This is working. His behaviours are changing.

 

Gentle lake he doesn't show any anxiety when the beach is empty or has a few friends there.

[teresaserrano]

I get your recent understanding that, if your dog corrects another dog for rudeness, well, the other dog WAS being rude. I share that view. I think it's nothing to blame our dog for. I still leash Tess everytime another dog aproaches, for both of them's protection. That way, I can keep her from biting if she decides she hates the other dog, but more important, I can control the other dog's aproach much better, by stepping in front of Tess and telling him to go take a hike. She feels I'm in charge and she doesn't have to react.

 

There's a couple diferences between our dogs though. She's not dog reactive. She will completely ignore a dog three steps away from her, barking and lunging and the end of his leash. She has zero reaction, no anxiety, no agressiveness. She ignores him. IF the dog is allowed to take two more steps and invande her space, she might as well decide she loves him and wants to play, or she hates him and wants to flatten him to the ground, taking off some of his fur in the process. I know her well enough to know well in advance which she is thinking about, and avoid any interaction if the latter is true. I don't want her rehearsing the behaviour.

 

If she was showing anxiety and stress at the mere sight of some dogs, I would be handling it differently. I believe a certain amount of stress is important in everybody's life so one learns how to deal with it, but certain amounts of stress, of certain tipes, are very very detrimental, and a stressed dog can't learn or progress. I try to put her only in situations where she can learn things that comform to my goals about her actions in a humans world.

 

She does get a got amount of off leash play with loads of different dogs (one at a time). I just try to read the circumstances as best as I can and always keep a good degree of control. I am good at reading her, and not bad at reading other dogs, and I use that to my advantage.

 

But you seem to already know this, and doing right by your dog. We are always learning when it comes to dogs. Different species and all that, much of it inevitably remains a mistery, so now and then we will make mistakes. That's all right. We learn and move on, doing better.

[WickAndArtoo]

I have two special needs dogs... One who is (excitement/frustration- not fear aggressive based) reactive to people and dogs, and a timid dog who has an excitement threshold so low that if you praise him too excitedly he starts barking out of control from how happy he gets... So far the fiancé (I love him dearly) is the hardest to "train" and our biggest setback... He also happens to be both of the dogs favorite person in the world because he is so fun to play with... So we settle for extra training and hope for the best

 

Ps Elwood I like the idea of training them to pick up the dirty clothes and putting them in the hamper! And it would be two fold... The dogs would ALWAYS have a job to do

[CptJack]

Molly's primary job since she was about four months old has been pulling laundry out of the dryer for me to fold and since about a year old/being tall enough throwing the dirty stuff into the washer. It's fantastic.

[WickAndArtoo]

Molly's primary job since she was about four months old has been pulling laundry out of the dryer for me to fold and since about a year old/being tall enough throwing the dirty stuff into the washer. It's fantastic.

That is so cool! What a good girl

[Cass C]

Molly's primary job since she was about four months old has been pulling laundry out of the dryer for me to fold and since about a year old/being tall enough throwing the dirty stuff into the washer. It's fantastic.

Lyka does this too and LOVES it! She'd rather do her 'chores' than agility or freestyle any day!

[Elwood]

I love that idea of helping with the laundry. I'll start teaching him how to do this on our next laundry day.

 

We have been practicing tricks in between throws of the frisbee or ball on the beach and he has now had no attacks for 2 months now, even tho there are lots of tourists dogs around. He is even starting to engage with other working dogs to say hello.

He has even said hello to 2 X big American staffys, which was impressive since he had always reacted to that breed after being attacked by them.

I have also had another BC spend a lot of time with him and that has been helping him rehabilitate, they play well together and she shows him that socialising with other dogs is a safe thing to do.

[chrisandgabe]

I don't mean to keep beating a dead horse here, but I think it's pretty risky to be continuing to put him in situations that might end in a fight or attack. By continuing to go to the beach with tourist dogs around, which has been an issue and caused problems in the past, you are leaving the door open to another fight, another attack, another issue which sets you back a great deal in helping Elwood feel safe.

Were these "big American staffys" dogs you knew and knew were completely bomb-proof with other dogs? So you knew without a shadow of a doubt that if your dog started acting negatively towards them they would just ignore it and walk away? I'm not sure it's possible to know this 100% with any dog. What kind of control did you have over this meet and greet?

 

If there's a dog you know he has good interactions with, I'd start with LOTS of good interactions with that dog, and slowly expand with dogs you know have a pretty good chance of having good, positive interactions with. I'd be really cautious with unknown dogs.

[GentleLake]

I don't mean to keep beating a dead horse here, but I think it's pretty risky to be continuing to put him in situations that might end in a fight or attack.

 

I agree . . . but that advice has been given over and over and is obviously falling on deaf ears.

 

I just hope the dog doesn't suffer as a result.

[CptJack]

Yeah, this really makes me sad.

 

It also makes me feel guilty for posting pictures and success of Molly with dogs, so I want to clear this up right now:

These are known dogs, owned by known people. They're very, beyond all doubts, bomb proof dogs. One in particular - the only one seen off leash with her - has been used for this sort of experience most of his life. He is *ten*. He doesn't fight for toys, he doesn't respond to nastiness, he just walks away. His owner is incredibly savvy.

 

When Molly's around other dogs, even FRIENDLY but overwhelmingly enthusiastic dogs she would consider troublesome, no interaction is allowed to happen.

 

I'm glad you've had no problems so far, but please, please, realize you have a BC. You do not have a lab. Sooner or later, even if there is no outright aggressive 'attack first' situation happens, your dog is going to take offense at something the other dog does. It's going to be happily rude, or rough, and your dog isn't going to like it - and the older he gets hte more likely that becomes. Or your dog is going to hard stare and try to control the movement of the other dog that you don't know and *it* isn't going to like *that*, and it's going to object, and the older your dog gets the more likely that becomes.

You are taking a lot of risk here for. No benefit. I promise you, your dog does not need 'doggy friends'.

[D'Elle]

Please listen to the above posts. You are putting your dog and other dogs and yourself and other people at risk. Why are you doing this if you care about your dog?

[Medical guy]

Hi I have owned 2 very wonderful BCs one from puppy to grave. I am a medical scientist-  and I work as an academic researcher in a medical school. I don’t agree with anti-psychotic meds for dogs- especially anti anxiety drugs which have not been trialled on dogs, only humans. Dogs brains are very different and just becaise your dog appears quieter does not mean he isn’t experiencing unpleasant side effects and unnatural Dogs can’t self report 

 

My advice is lay off the drugs and exercise more. Our BC runs 5 -12 K with me 5 times a week in open country, gets company all day except the odd hour a couple of times a week, and always has a minimum 2.5 hours walks per day. I don’t do agility but have heard collies love it.

Sorry but IMHO if you can’t give your BC adequate stimulation you shouldn’t have this breed. If you are having to use drugs to calm your dog then you should change not drug your dog to suit your needs.