(Part 2) Best products from r/reactivedogs

There is a lot going on here.

The shelter/rescue you adopted from is disreputable, I don’t even need to know which shelter it is to know this. A dog’s behavior can frequently change from shelter to home environments, I am involved in rescue and see it all the time. So the fact that the shelter’s assessment does not reflect the dog at home is not concerning on its own. What makes this shelter disreputable is the fact that they won’t take the dog back. I volunteer with more than one rescue and they all will take back any dog adopted from their own organization at any time, even years later.

If you want to surrender the dog, look at the No Kill Network, it lists no-kill shelters around the U.S. Explain to the shelters near you your situation and mention how the group from which you adopted is now abandoning you. Also mention that you are working on training, but want to know about all your options. A responsible rescue will be happy to help.

You are a month into training, don’t expect real results yet. Dog’s adjust and their own pace and along the the 3-3-3 principle, which is generalization for benchmarks in when a dog adjusts. First three days, then three weeks, then three months.

You are at one month. You are doing the right thing by addressing the problem early, but give it time.

The bites concern me, and you really need to talk with your trainer and your vet. In a trainer, look for an IAABC certified behavorist. IAABC trainers are positive reinforcement.

What kind of leash are you using? What kind of harness.

Ask your trainer for advice on which harness, many have a preferred harness and can show you how to fit it.

I suggest a durable leash no longer than five feet. Ruffwear makes good leashes. With any dog, but especially a reactive dog, you don’t want to just hold the leash, put your hand through the loop so it is on your wrist and you are holding the main “long” portion of the leash. Also look into a wristband, it provides an extra level of security.

Based on my experience training multiple reactive dogs, training a reactive dog is a year or more of work. There is nothing wrong with admitting that it is’t for you.

Other things to consider include talking to your vet about medication or seeing a Veterinary Behaviorists. VBs are different from IAABC behaviorists, IAABC behaviorists are positive reinforcement dog trainers experienced in dog behavior and meet the association’s qualifications. VBs are veterinarians who do extensive post doc work in veterinary behavior, and if they apply to the IAABC and pay dues are granted membership.

Her theory could not be more false! You can totally train with treats and wean off them, but really I don’t see why. If trained correctly you can get fanatic responses without always needing treats. Not just for “tricks”. However, you can use other rewards too like a short game of tug (but this can amp up overly excited dogs more).

Dog park could be ok, but I would go on off times when there are only a few dogs and see how she responds. If it seems like too much, maybe hang out across the parking lot from a pet store or groomers, less action and pretty predictable routes for the dogs.

Edit: As a side thought, the "treat dependency" she's talking about may be more in the line with luring (I still disagree with her whole heartily - all professional training programs and schools use treats/reward based). Luring is showing the treat before the behavior and prompting/leading them into it. This CAN lead to a treat dependency, which is why the cue and behavior should come first, before the treat. Police dogs can be trained with rewards, then perform in the field without or even ignoring treats, so saying that treats always cause dependancy is hogwash.

Check out the wiki for how to find a good trainer, and look for someone who uses positive reinforcement and has some sort of certification (Cpdt-ka,KPA-CTP). Anyone can call themselves a trainer, and I've met so many people who are not qualified. Also get a copy of the book Fired up, frantic and freaked out. Great book, easy to follow and inexpensive.

• Harness - I use the Freedom Harness. I find it more secure than the Easy Walk and I love the option of clipping the leash in the front or back, or both. We use this for walks where we're not likely to see other dogs and when May plays on her long lead.
  
• Head Halter - After trying and rejecting the Gentle Leader and Perfect Pace, we're now using the Halti. It fits better and has more padding than the others. May tolerates it.
  
• Leashes - I use just a plain rope leash with a traffic loop. I tied knots along the length of the leash so I can easily shorten the length. I also have a double ended leash to use with the two clips of the Freedom Harness, but I don't use it that often.
  
• Hands Free Waist Leash - I have two hands free bungee leashes from Ruffwear, a shorter one and a longer one. I love them both!
  
• Long lead - I have this nylon one, it's smooth and easy on the hands. But it gets funky and gross when wet.
  
• Clicker - I have so many clickers but this is my favorite one. I hook it on a wrist strap so I don't drop it when I'm out walking.
  
• Treat Pouch - Somehow I have three treat pouches. This is the one I use most often. It's small but holds a lot, so I can grab treats easily and it doesn't get in the way. A tug on the drawstring keeps the bag closed. To clean it just it turn it inside out to wipe down it.

It’s such an awesome feeling to bring your dog along for you favorite things! It sounds like you had a really good experience.

I run with my dog who is mildly reactive and she does better running. My dog was definitely a puller when I adopted her and I tried several options, but finally settled on a skijoring harness. Running for her is “work time” which she loves, so she’s aloud to pull me and let that desire out (husky mix).

I use this for for running Buddy Pouch
It’s great because it’s small and doesn’t bounce, but holds plenty of treats and poop bags. As far as treating goes, we usually keep running past triggers and I’ll pause and do some simple obedience once we’re past her normal threshold distance. It works well and doesn’t interrupt the run much, but still lets me work with her. Other than that, running is already a great reward for a lot of dogs!

Keep up the good work :)

It does get better and you get better at managing it.

I found two reactive boys. One is still afraid of people but he will now warm up to them if they ignore him and he can "sneak" up and sniff them. He is safe and very sweet, though he'll still bark at first. The other also has neurological issues and will never be safe with anyone outside of his small core group of friends.

They've taught me so much about dogs. The first lesson was to go slow. I didn't realize I was pushing them beyond their comfort zone. I thought because they made one step they were ready for the second. Everything had to be done at their own speed, their own timeline.

I know where every quiet park is within 20 minutes of my house.

I take my dogs to the vet's office every few weeks to be weighed so they are comfortable there.

I had to learn how to manage my expectations. They were never going to be cured. One boy is safe with people but still looks to bolt out of every open door. The other boy will never get that far. I had to accept that I wasn't going to end up with two normal dogs.

I learned that to keep them safe from the world I had to keep the world safe from them. I moved to a house from a condo. I put up a 6' privacy fence. I don't walk them around the neighborhood. I made the yard as escape proof as possible. I have at least a gate and a door between them and outside. If one fails there is an emergency backup.

Everyone who enters my house is given the rules. They are not allowed to go look at the dogs. They know that every door they walk through needs to be closed behind them. They know what to do to protect themselves if there is failure and they are charged by my crazy boy. I used to be embarrassed that he was that way, I didn't want anyone to think less of him. Then I realized he didn't care what anyone thought of him, neither should I.

X-pens are your friend. They allow me to confine my dogs or separate spaces.

https://www.amazon.com/BestPet-Playpen-Exercise-24-Inch-30-Inch/dp/B0036WQFQM

I've learned to think out creative solutions. To think ahead, to not over train.

Since I've turned my house into a safe, no stress zone for my boys they are happy and relaxed. We hardly have to deal with reactions. I never forget it's lurking there, but it doesn't rule my life.

Oh, she sounds just like my 80 lb GSD! He's getting better with the jumping, but it's definitely hard. We just tell him "off!" when he starts to jump, and he doesn't get attention until he's in a sit or at least keeping all 4 paws on the ground, even if he's dancing haha. Also, we put a knee up when he does jump at us, just so we don't get the full force of his lunge. He'll see the leg up and divert to the side, or back down. (I don't kick at him, or push him at all, just put my leg up and he's learned.)

It's definitely frustrating when family and friends don't listen though. When I have people coming to the house, or if we meet friends on a walk, I use the leash and a Halti to stop him from jumping. I always have treats on hand to immediately reward his good behavior greetings too. We've been working with him for about a year and a half (he'll be 2 in October) and he's finally almost kind of getting there. 😏

Alternatively, if you're in Utah we could let the pups wear each other out sometime, lol.

I don't use corrections either. I would rather show the dog what to do rather than what not to do. My dog isn't perfect, but he is a great dog and I am very happy with the results I have gotten from using only positive reinforcement training. My dog and I do agility, rally, nose-work, parkour, and a ton of trick training. Positive reinforcement works it just takes effort and time from the trainer. The best example I can give for what positive reinforcement is to look up Sara Carson and her Super Collies. She only uses positive reinforcement and all of her dogs are amazing and she has a reactive/aggressive dog as well.

My dog has both fear and frustration based reactivity, although they start out looking different, they end in the same result of barking, lunging, etc.

I would refrain from using punishment/corrections to modify a dogs frustration based reactive dogs behavior because you don't want it to turn into fear. Your dog might not make the association that they are getting the punishment because of their behavior and may associate the punishment to seeing other dogs and this can turn into them thinking dogs=punishment so keep away from me!

Look into B.A.T and L.A.T training if you haven't already.

BAT training book by Grisha Stewart is a really good read for BAT training and she has some really good diagrams.

No one's going to be able to make this decision for you over the internet. We have limited information and we'll never actually meet your dog. It's true that some aggressive dogs are candidates for euthanasia but I strongly suggest seeking professional help instead of making this decision on your own. If you can, find a veterinary behaviorist who can meet and assess your dog. There's more information on finding a qualified professional in the wiki.


In the meantime, I suggest taking some steps to manage your dog. At first, it's probably best to keep him away from people he doesn't know well. This means that you don't let people pet him on walks, you put him away from friends come over, etc. In the meantime, take some time to learn about dog body language. Most dogs won't bite "all of sudden." There are lots of ways that dogs communicate that they're uncomfortable but, unfortunately, the warning signs are often subtle. Things like lip licking, the whale eye (when you can see the whites of their eyes,) avoidance behaviors like leaning or looking away can mean that your dog is starting to get stressed out and isn't cool with whatever's going on. It's also a really good thing that your dog growled first. Growling is a crystal clear message that a bite is probably coming next. Respect what the dog is trying to tell you when he growls and stop whatever you're doing (or make the other person stop what they're doing) immediately.


You can keep your dog from even getting to a point where he has to growl, however, by advocating for him. Once you start to understand his likes and dislikes and how he'll communicate them you have to stick up for him. For example, my dog doesn't like when people loom over him or put their face close to his. So, I tell anyone who meet him not to loom over him or put their face close to his. If, for whatever reason, I don't trust a person to follow my instructions (children for example...) they don't get to pet the dog. Knowing your dog well and advocating for him is going to help give him a good quality of life despite his aggression issues. This way he can eventually hang out with your friends but you can avoid problems by intervening if you see trouble brewing; "Okay guys, dog needs to take a break."


Another thing you might want to consider is muzzle training. There's a brand of muzzle called the [baskerville muzzle] (https://www.amazon.com/PetAZ-Muzzles-Silicone-Breathable-Adjustable/dp/B078W686S2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1521915702&sr=8-4&keywords=basket+muzzle) that allows the dog to pant, drink water, and take treats. You can train a dog to happily wear a muzzle by teaching him to associate the muzzle with good things. My dog shoves his face into his muzzle whenever I bring it out because he knows muzzle = peanut butter. There is a huge stigma attached to muzzles which can be hard to overcome but it's a valuable training tool that, when used correctly, can keep your dog out of trouble and the people around him safe.


I know you're in a horrible situation. Having an aggressive dog can really turn your life upside down but you sound like a great owner who really cares.

Edit: a word

I don't mind the novel at all. I think I'm learning (partly from this group) that thinking of dogs as people, even infants, is a mistake. They have a very sophisticated set of senses and different wiring from us. Puppies are puppies and adult dogs are adult dogs. Leah didn't just start teaching--she had to learn about child development and how to structure lesson plans and so on, right?

Someone on here was recommending a 4 hour video on dog behavior, psychology, and senses, but I didn't look it up right away and now can't find it. Something like this might help Leah and your parents, maybe -- https://www.amazon.com/Dogs-Life-Daniel-Zuckerbrot/dp/B071ZGPRPK/ref=sr_1_5?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1539818414&sr=1-5&keywords=dog

We have to understand how our pets see us and the world around them if we want to begin to negotiate conditional surrenders (both ways) haha, i.e., train them and ourselves to work together better and not have conflicts. Your dog has a very good reason (to him) for what he's doing. Whatever it is, you can deal with it better if you understand why. But getting into a class will give him an immediate sense that this is an important thing you need him to learn, and when he sees other dogs getting rewarded for cooperating, he'll get better fast. It doesn't sound like he really has a mean bone in his fluffy little body! If he passed the Toddler Ear Twist Test, I mean!

I hope you have luck with the trainers. In the mean time, I noticed you said your SO is afraid to take him out because of his size. I have a reactive 80+ lb German Shepherd and I'm about a 115 lbs. I understand. A couple of things:

Do you have a secure, front clip harness you can use to control your dog? If not, I would suggest investing in one. It feels a lot more secure vs just using a collar that your dog can slip out of.

I recently started using two leashes to walk my GSD. I have a short bungie leash, like this, which I keep clipped to my hips. You can use a heavy duty carabiner attached to a belt or fanny pack.

Then, I have a second flat leash which has an extra handle at the base of the leash, like this, so I can get a really good grip on my GSD and pull him away if I absolutely have to. I keep the flat leash looped around my wrist, then looped around my thumb like this, close my hand into a fist around the leash and hold it tightly to my stomach.

This has increased my confidence ten fold because I know my dog cannot pull away from me if he's attached my hips, and I can still easily control him using the second handle on the flat leash. The second handle on the flash leash is a blessing for tight areas like hallways or stair wells in the apartment complex (Avoid tugging on his leash if its not necessary, this can make them more anxious).

Other tips:
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Make sure you are playing with your dog inside the apartment as much as possible to reduce his stress, anxiety or tire him out. (Or take him the park and try to really tucker him out) Try to walk him at odd hours (like 5am, 12am) to reduce the chances you will run into things that scare him. This sucks, but it is very important that you avoid stressing him out as much as possible.

Practice your emergency exits. If you are in the hallway and see something scary, you can get away without your dog reacting and stressing out. Start in the apartment with his leash on, and practice saying "Lets go!" in a playful voice, do a u-turn, and playfully run the opposite direction. You might need to use your hands to get your dogs attention or use treats to lure him into a u-turn. You don't want to be tugging on your dog. You want your dog to think this is a fun and exciting game that is way better than facing and barking at whatever scary thing is at the end of the hall or sidewalk.

Instead of just feeding your dog cheese when he sees something scary, try turning it into a game of "Find it!". Again, start by practicing in your apartment, throw a treat a couple feet in front of you and tell your dog to "Find it!". You can start using this outside, when you don't see any distractions. Then, if your dog is far enough away to see a distraction but NOT REACT, you can try playing "Find it!" to distract them and reduce their stress. You can also use "Find it!" to get them to turn around, or throw treats at your feet so you can more easily get their attention.

Right now the goal is to avoid triggers as much as possible so if in doubt, do an emergency exit and try to get your dog out of the situation by doing a playful "Let's go!". You can play "Find it!" when you are far enough away. If your dog notices a trigger but is far enough away that he isn't reacting yet, try playing "Find it!" to distract your dog from the trigger. Always try to set him up for success, don't do it if you know he's gonna do bonkers.

Also, experiment with high value treats or rewards. Does he have a chew bone he really loves? Try bringing on the walk to distract him. Try really smelly, wet treats like hot dogs, liver or chicken.

Hopefully this will help until you maintain the situation until you can get some hands on training with a behaviorist.

Thanks! It was very encouraging. Our discussion made me realize that there IS help out there, and that she doesn't have several of the behavior problems that would probably make me cry on a daily basis!

A few things he suggested (most of which was more obedience based):

• Toys: I normally keep all of Scully's toys out, and she seems to get a bit bored of them. He suggested only introducing one at a time so she doesn't get too desensitized.
  
• "Look at me" is going to be the biggest thing we focus on in our training. Maintaining this eye contact is going to help us in a plethora of scenarios; if she is looking at me and keeping that attention, she isn't reacting to whatever is bothering her.
  
• "Place" and "Release" are also something we are going to go heavy on. I expressed how I can't be in my bedroom with the cat while she is out of the crate - he suggested we work with one of these in the house, ONLY during training. I love this idea, because she isn't going to be allowed unsupervised, out of the crate for quite some time.
  
• Slip leash vs. Harness: This was a bit of a tough sell for me. We have had great success with the Easy Walk - but he only uses a 6ft slip leash in training. I actually already had, which we tried out recently - the pulling was insane. His take is that harnesses actually increase the pulling; we'll see how that goes.
  
  Overall, I like the approach and I'm considering hiring him. He can help us get the obedience basics down first, so she is better set up for success once we see the behaviorist. I'm scheduling her evaluation with the behaviorist in about 4 weeks.
  

Have you looked into a training class? There are many trainers that have classes on mannered walking. Look into positive reinforcement trainers!

Basically you'll want to stop/even turn around every time your dog pulls. Reward the dog for walking next to you. It doesn't take long for them to realize what you want. Read more about loose lead walking.

Equipment is very important -- we use an Easy Walk Harness (you only want front clip harnesses! Back clip harnesses make pulling worse). Also purchase a Matingale Collar. The most secure you can be is to clip the front clip of the harness to the loop of the martingale collar.

Another alternative is to use a Head Halter (halti or gentle leader). When the dog pulls forward the equipment redirects their head so they'll basically turn back.

Harnesses and head halters are the most humane methods you can use. They'll give you added control until the training piece catches up!

​

Best of luck!

We did the same with our ChihMutt (13lbs ish). We took her to our doggie daycare that we used to take our old dog to and she has really done well there. I think the socialization there made a huge difference within the first few weeks. We don't think she was ever socialized with dogs either, and although she is reactive to some dogs, but not all, it's so much better than the first week we got her. If you haven't seen a trainer, I highly recommennd it. Also I really recommend Zak George's videos on Youtube. His approach is calm, positive and easy to replicate. l also recommend Flight or Fight, a Compassionate Guide for Working with Fearful Dogs, I'm currently reading it to help my girl with meeting strangers and their dogs.

I bought it on Amazon They have different sizes but this was best for my window. Be sure to clean the window thoroughly and then be generous when spraying with water. I did it myself but it would definitely be easier with two people. I was worried it would look tacky but it actually looks good. I don’t even think anyone will notice (I live in a condo).