Jump to content
BC Boards

Success at last with my reactive BC


Recommended Posts

A while ago some of you may recallI posted about Elwoods reactive biting after 6 x attacks when he was 8mths.

I had read all of CaesarMilans books,Victoria Stillwell,KarenPryor and had paid over $1500 for 4 different trainers who all specialised in"reactive dog training" and we had tried 2 x obedience classes...this all took 18months to try out each method, with no success.

I even took the advice of some of you to try anti anxiety meds..this made the situation worse.

 

Today we completed out first class (90mins) with a new trainer who uses her own pack of dogs to help with the dogs reactive behaviours.

 

Within minutes Elwood was loose leash walking and was a perfect gentleman during the entire 90 mins...no reactions to puppies, Alsatians barking at him, Rottweilers getting in his face etc. I was amazed.

Next week Kate will teach me how to mimic what she does.

So to all of you who may also have a traumatised dog, don't give up trying to find the method that works for you.

I was so excited I could of peed my pants.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good for you for hanging in there and being diligent trying different avenues. I honestly believe it is so much about the Person that is doing the training than an certain method. When the dog feels like who is at the other end of the leash has everything under control they are likely to relax and think loosing many of those reactive behaviors.

 

I would be interested in a follow up after you with him - if it was easy for you to get the same good behavior as it is for Kate.

I am betting it will not be but sounds like you are on the right tract. Watch less what she actually does and more her overall presence, confidence... when she does it. Ask her to talk through the little cues - point them out as they happen- she sees in the dog that prompt her to do the things she does or says ect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Doggers,

 

Dick Russell invented "open field socialization" where 20 dogs accompanied their masters through a meadow, gaining confidence s they went. As I recall they weren't on leash though maybe some were. Although the leash gives the owner a (sometimes spurious) sense of control it cancels the dog's ability to flee a dangerous situation and may make it more fearful and likely to snap.

 

New dogs are introduced to my pack outdoors and if at all possible offlead.

 

Donald McCaig

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Doggers,

 

Dick Russell invented "open field socialization" where 20 dogs accompanied their masters through a meadow, gaining confidence s they went. As I recall they weren't on leash though maybe some were. Although the leash gives the owner a (sometimes spurious) sense of control it cancels the dog's ability to flee a dangerous situation and may make it more fearful and likely to snap.

 

New dogs are introduced to my pack outdoors and if at all possible offlead.

 

Donald McCaig

 

This!

 

My dog was very fear reactive towards other dogs. First thing I did was get her out of the dog school where we needed to be on leash all the time. I implemented a zero tolerance policy when it came to meeting dogs on leash. It was simply not allowed. I only let her meet other dogs off leash, in very calm, controlled environments, with multiple dogs, and always kept it short and positive.

 

We did that for a couple of months, combined with engage / disengage games, and now we have a completely different dog. Not overly social, just ignores when she doesn't like a dog, and engages a bit more when she does.

 

Congratulations on finding your way to a happy dog.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi all,

 

I understand that everybody has their own opinions regarding training. I am only sharing what I have learned over the past 4 years of reading,using different trainers and studying different methods.

 

I have learned thru my new trainer that every dog responds to different methods...I can certainly agree as Elwood did not respond to the past 4 trainers who all used different methods.

 

I have learned that yes my behaviours are an influence, yet I had no idea that looking confident, keeping a straight back and using an alpha body language was making my boy scared...this will defiantly work for a pit bull or Alsatian .not Elwood.

 

I found it was as simple as keeping my lips parted and brows high (which is hard to do in a tropical environment full of insects and needing to wear sunglasses)and a very loose leash...there is a lot more to it and changing habits learned from people like VICTORIA Stillwell, Caesar Milan etc who were all wrong for Elwood will take a session or 2 for me to correct those subtle differences.

 

Once more sharing "my experience" may be different to yours. Please accept this and not assume to judge what I am sharing.

Personal opinions and experiences are simply just that....personal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah.

 

I suspect in this case most of the skepticism was from fear that these immediate results were FROM dominance based training - not from moving away from it. It's been debunked, scientifically, and it is BAD NEWS for dogs. Some, as you pointed out, can withstand and still learn. Many, especially more sensitive and soft dogs and breeds can not.

 

That said, you're probably not going to have a 100% immediate turn around. Your dog's a living creature, not a toaster, and if it were as easy as rewiring and 'fixing' things in their heads and behavior and having it lead to total change all the time, well. There'd be fewer dog trainers.


That said, with the kind of change you mention in your demeanor and handling for something less harsh, I don't doubt you'll see dramatic improvement and clearly already have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...