Does anybody have any suggestions how I can get my dogs to understand I will 'protect' them. :-\ At the moment if possible I put myself between them and the big monster but sometimes it isn't easy. Also when the monster is a person who stops to chat I find it difficult to keep them back to begin with. Once they've seen the person they do naturally stay slightly back sitting nicely having a nibble of fish every now and then until we move on. BAT has/is definitely helped. They don't automatically bark at the monsters anymore and Scott especially has started going to more people. ;D. If I could just convince them that Im in charge of the initial meeting they don't need to deal with it I think it would help a lot. No idea how though. :-\
Re: I will protect YOU I find that being in front during walks helps a lot with this (easier said than done) but changing your walk to a game of follow the leader may help as your dog will then see you as the leader who is in charge. Maybe look at techniques/training for achieving this if of course you haven't done this already.
Re: I will protect YOU That is a tricky one. Not sure I have any great suggestions, but probably it really helps when you are calm and confident around strangers/monsters - our dogs pick up so much on our feelings! So if you are feeling anxious about someone approaching because you are wondering how they will react it is bound to run off on them. This is all is so difficult as it does become a bit of a vicious circle, to be sure. I had to deal with this kind of thing a little bit with my previous dog, not so much with other people but with other dogs, which always seemed to be quite aggressive towards mine. I read somewhere that if you hum a tune under your breath when you see the trigger, it will help to relax you, which in turn will help to relax your dog. I'm sure you have already thought of this as I know you have done a lot of research on how to lower your dogs' anxiety, but just thought I would throw it out there just in case.
Re: I will protect YOU I don't know, Jen. It's not something I do with Charlie - occasionally we'll meet something he is wary of, statutes of stone lions were one thing, and I just marched up and put sea biscuits on their paws. That did the trick fine. Oh dear, I'm no help. You're not going to start putting sea biscuits on people and dogs. Although... ;D What's the theory behind this? Maybe we can work it out. Is it that they are currently protecting you? What's behind the "got to deal with it thing"?
Re: I will protect YOU Thanks Kevg i like the follow the leader idea and make it into a game. Your right Lisa i do expect them to react and worry as we approach. I think ive got better as theyve improved. In fact this morning i was disappointed we hadnt met anyone to practise on. Trouble is if I keep a slack lead they will go to the end and tighten it. :-\. I will have to be careful what tune I hum though. You know the song Hey Mickey your so fine like a cheerleader song? For some reason I was singing it the other day and Scott went nuts,wild eyes the works. Could've been my singing. ;D It would be nice to think they are protecting me Julie but I very much doubt it although that's what people say when they get barked at 'aren't they good at protecting you' I smile and agree. : I think its more to do with thinking if they get in there first they can scare away this thing that might try and touch them. : BAT has helped a lot. When they look at me it keeps them by me and then I get my stinky fish out which also helps keep them by me. This works well a lot of the time but they will still be that bit in front. If its somebody they have decided can't be trusted for what ever reason e.g a chap we know who the dogs are usually fine with stopped with us but he had a bike and helmet on so was obviously wrong, they will do all the BAT stuff but still get in front. If that happens its more difficult to control their reaction although it doesn't mean they will over react. Perhaps the answer is to chuck sea biscuits at people they already think I'm going BATty. ;D ;D ;D
Re: I will protect YOU Oh Jen , sorry I cant be any help but am laughing at the picture of Scott going crackers at you singing Hey Mickey , plus the thought of chucking sea biscuits at people , whatever are we like ;D
Re: I will protect YOU [quote author=Jen link=topic=6797.msg92181#msg92181 date=1404062003] Perhaps the answer is to chuck sea biscuits at people they already think I'm going BATty. ;D ;D ;D [/quote] You saying this gave me an idea to suggest.... In Feisty Fido Patricia McConell suggest 2 methods to prevent reactions to other dogs and people..... Look/watch me or an about turn.She also suggests keeping walking throwing tasty treats on the floor if you have to carry on walking but can't break the dogs focus to look at you....how about instead of throwing the sea biscuits at people ;D throw them behind you to get the dogs in the position you are comfortable with...just an idea,you know I am rubbish on this training lark and have to ask,everybody else for help! ;D
Re: I will protect YOU I throw treats - people think I'm mad. Whenever we have to walk passed another dog, and I don't have Charlie's attention (some dogs are more exciting than others, it seems) I throw sea biscuits and say "get the treat! Charlie! get the treat!". So on we dance, in a shower of sea biscuits, playing our little game. It works. Other dog owners often say something slightly sarcastic, or smile sympathetically in a "I used to have to do things like that" kind of way. I think Jen probably needs something more serious though.
Re: I will protect YOU It could work you know in that it would or should grab their attention. Food on the floor can't be left incase the other one gets it. : I could do the BAT bit then if it's somebody I know is likely to stop rather than keep the treats in my hand I could chuck it on the ground which might reduce the impact of the person stopping. This could be one of those nervousness vs excitability issues again. My old lab would do a similar thing, go in front if somebody was coming towards us, but that was because he wanted to greet everyone. I do think Scott especially is rather confused. He loves attention and I think would love these people to pay him attention but then gets scared. Scott will go to someone, let them stroke him then start to bark while still letting them stroke. ??? I guess they don't trust me when it comes to strangers. After all I let the first monster (vet) take them away from me and hurt them every two weeks for the best part of two months . That was three years ago they sure know how to hold a grudge these dogs of mine. [quote author=kateincornwall link=topic=6797.msg92184#msg92184 date=1404064835] Oh Jen , sorry I cant be any help but am laughing at the picture of Scott going crackers at you singing Hey Mickey , plus the thought of chucking sea biscuits at people , whatever are we like ;D [/quote] To be fair my singing has that effect on a lot of people kate not just scott. I can't think why. ;D ;D
Re: I will protect YOU Well, you could give it a try. I started with playing a really silly game, tossing treats in the front room, which got Charlie dizzy with excitement. : And associated "get the treat" with that game. He went a bit nuts the first time I threw treats around outside, but isn't too bad now. It's waaay more exciting than a boring old other dog - mostly, anyway.
Re: I will protect YOU I'm no help at all I'm sorry. Milly is the opposite and wants to talk lick and jump on EVERYONE she meets. Hope you can find a solution.
Re: I will protect YOU [quote author=JulieT link=topic=6797.msg92187#msg92187 date=1404069001] I throw treats - people think I'm mad. Whenever we have to walk passed another dog, and I don't have Charlie's attention (some dogs are more exciting than others, it seems) I throw sea biscuits and say "get the treat! Charlie! get the treat!". So on we dance, in a shower of sea biscuits, playing our little game. It works. Other dog owners often say something slightly sarcastic, or smile sympathetically in a "I used to have to do things like that" kind of way. I think Jen probably needs something more serious though. [/quote] I envision you throwing biscuits about like a flower girl he he
Re: I will protect YOU [quote author=Jen link=topic=6797.msg92181#msg92181 date=1404062003] I will have to be careful what tune I hum though. You know the song Hey Mickey your so fine like a cheerleader song? For some reason I was singing it the other day and Scott went nuts,wild eyes the works. Could've been my singing. ;D [/quote] I gave the singing thing a go today. We did a morning lead walk into town. It's always a bit of a tough walk because all the town dogs are heading for the beach and the cliffs, walking towards us, and the road is long and straight. So Charlie can see dogs coming from a long way away, walking head on, and he has time to work himself up into a "gonna play, gonna play" frenzy. But, it's good practice, so we did it. I decided on "zippity doo dah" - mainly because it's cheery. I changed the words to incorporate "get the treat". Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay My, oh my get the treaty Char-lie! Plenty of seabiscuits heading your way Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay I give you this. Feel free to use, it's not copyright or anything like that. Results: Small nervous looking poodle: largely ignored in favour of staring at me in wonder at the strange noise. 1 point. Two large lunging, growly, barky dogs on lead, with owner on mobile phone, stood still leaning against the sea wall :. Charlie did his usual, "hurry up, mum, we're leaving" and rushed passed, making himself very small and looking unhappy. Ignoring both singing and sea biscuits tossing (he sniffed the biscuits out and gobbled them up on the way back though). 0 points. (although I'm not sure what else I expect Charlie to do here). Two terriers, minor lunging and a couple of yaps in our direction: ignored in favour of the singing sea biscuits! 1 point. Two off lead dogs, walking quietly at heel and ignoring us: mad, lunging, waggy "please play" disgrace, no response to singing or sea biscuits. 0 points. Young black labrador, that he met yesterday on the cliffs, owner walked up to us to say good morning, a nice polite hello, and moved on without problem. No singing or sea biscuits required. In all then, 2/4 (ignoring the young lab), with one extra point for the singing, but that was the surprise value :. Hmm....not sure the singing is worth the additional reinforcement of my neighbours knowing that I'm totally and utterly bonkers.
Re: I will protect YOU Thank you for the song I will try it this afternoon. There is a water board man on the lane clearing the hydrant he will probably need barking at so it will be good practise. Was the small poodle nervous because you were singing ? ;D I think I'm already classed as bonkers by my neighbours and I'm related to most of them : I might as well give them real evidence.
Re: I will protect YOU You are very welcome! ;D ;D ;D I did feel myself relax though, when I started singing, so I was definitely tensed up (I didn't realise that before).
Re: I will protect YOU Mad us ! Innovative in our methods with a slight eccentricity perhaps. Oh ok who am I kidding.
