Just having a rant here... I was walking my 14mth old Labrador and she's doing pretty good at loose lead walking but not with distractions..such as people. Anyway someone was ahead and then they stopped to talk and commented asking was she hyperactive or some word, as she was pulling to jump up at the person... whatever it was I just felt upset a bit about this... It was my fault in a sense as I should have moved her away... What do you guys do in this situation...in regard to a person ahead and you know your dog will react? Anyway it's just upsetting as you feel just like your dog's not well behaved in other's eyes... I of course I know she's not perfect...but I can see improvements, although small... Anyway it's just discouraging at the people's lack of understanding... I sometimes feel where I live I haven't meet a lot if people who think as I do, in regard to some ideas in positive training so I feel alone and judged.
I’m sorry you’ve been upset by somebody’s unhelpful comment. If I think that one of mine is in her reactive mood I try to keep my distance from other distractions, including people, even if it means changing route. The downside of this is that it’s removing her from the situation rather than using it for training. If the person is likely to be tolerant, carry on as usual, but use ‘look at me’ to distract her and get her to sit while you stop to talk. It takes time, but with a bit of perseverance (and helpful people, rather than critical ones!) it will help. Don’t be discouraged, just keep flying the banner for positive training!
Thank you..it's nice to have support. It's appreciated. Another thing is I flounder a bit in these situations...
Woody can be like this so I’ve been working really hard at “look” which is LAM. I take every distraction on our walk on public pavements as a training opportunity. At the moment I need to look quite far in advance and have loads of treats but I am seeing improvements which is great. We just now have a problem when someone walking down the street invites him to say hello and he try’s to lick them! As I start the look in advance of people passing they tend to realise I am doing some training so won’t make eye contact with Woody, not always the case. Just keep working at it
Oh I know, isn't annoying? I sometimes wonder who people think they are, making random comments which are unasked for. Especially so when we are working so hard with our young and often rambunctious dogs. Try not to let it bother you, or as you have done, have a vent on here. Remind yourself how much goes right! I don't have any advice to add to that you already have received from @Granca and @AlliumPurpleSensation , I agree about turning it into a training opportunity. It really helps I find. For the times you don't feel up to it can you find somewhere else to walk?
Commiserations on the irritating passers-by, nothing to add on advice (all excellent); hopefully these people are few and far between
I’ve had a not helpful comment before...namely a rather unpleasant man shouting at me from across the road to “Get that dog under control!!” because my dog was excited and over threshold. He was doing no harm to anyone, so that man could just go do one in my opinion! Having a young exuberant dog is not always easy and other inconsiderate people certainly don’t help. I think we just have to dismiss those types of people as ignorant and carry on with the training.
I keep it lighthearted - oh she's a Labrador, they say they don't grow up until they're 8 ha ha...then continue going about your business.
Reminds me of a woman I met at the vets...she couldn't resist coming over for a cuddle (my dog not me ), and he felt exactly the same way, as evidenced by him wanting to devour her face off with his special brand of Labrador Love. She laughed and asked how old, I said nearly two...she said hers at home is 6 and still acts exactly the same way As an aside, I did try to keep him from devouring her face off but he was already from the car ride and then being at the vets, and couldn't believe his luck of someone coming over for a cuddle!
Thank you all for your encouraging and some light hearted...hehe words...ahhhh nice to have comforting words from those who understand Much appreciated!
You’ll notice that everyone on the planet has a better trained dog than yours. I ignore them now. It’s not easy owning one of the smartest and athletic breeds of puppy.
Oh my. This makes it sound like I know what I’m talking about! Really is just my own experiences and all the reading I’ve done since getting Woody. X
Lucius is the same way, he's brilliant on the lead if its somewhere he knows, such as his regular walk. But if he sees another dog or person he goes nuts. Its a shame people cant see the real him, the loveable dog that I know he is. All they see is a loud barky dog who is potentially "Aggressive" (never bitten just barks out of fear sometimes, but we're working on it).
That’s exactly how I feel about Wispa - she’s such a loveable dog. I’m certainly not an expert, but just determined to persevere in trying to encourage her to feel comfortable, less anxious - and prove to other people that she really is wonderful!
Yeah Lucius is slowly getting more comfortable around strangers. It's more difficult when no one approaches him as sometimes he'll bark in excitement, which can put people off. The other day a little boy ran up to him in the petshop and hugged him. His mom was angry at him for petting a strange dog without asking. But Lucius actually enjoyed all the attention.
yep, just the same for me, and a result of all the help I've received from this Forum. And now that Cassie has reached the grand old age of 2 and a bit I look back and think maybe sometimes take your foot off the pedal sometimes, maturity counts for a lot!
During our last visit to the vet there were two young children giving Max loads of attention and it changed the entire experience for him. He was so happy and they handled his excitement really well. I wish there could always be children around when we go to the vet. We live in the countryside and Max does not get to see many other people. The local kids we pass on our walks are scared of him and it is as if he knows because he also does not try to connect with them. I try to explain he is only a puppy but they are still very cautious. We mostly pass farm workers on our walks and they don't really bother to say hello to him. Max does not bother with the sheep and chickens but he is very fascinated with donkeys and we have to always stop for him to just sit and stare at the donkey/s. So I guess Max is not really learning how to interact with other humans and if we should end up walking in a park with people and other dogs Max will go nuts and people with their well trained dogs will probably laugh at the country bumpkin. Probably best we stay put...
ARe you old enough to let your hair go grey? I find people don't talk to me that way anymore. They either think I'm old and wise or old and crazy but either way, I don't get nearly as much unsolicited advice.
I thought of this thread today. I was at the shops minding the pup while my husband popped in to buy a couple of things. A guy was there with a very coiffed poodle. I moved away to give them some space, knowing that my 4 month old gets excited. The guy came over and invited me to introduce Chewie to his dog. So, in the interest of socialization I did. Chewie did what labs do, he bounced around, play bowed, barked and growled with his tail wagging madly. The poodle was cautious but not annoyed. The owner on the other hand started asking me what Chewie's problem was and pulled him away from his dog. His "problem" is that he is a normal puppy. I was really upset. I dont understand how some "dog people" can have such a poor understanding of dog body language.
