# Reactive Dogs - How to stop from "charging" and barking at dogs?



## Kay

Sasha is 8 and a half months old. She's very social with people, and usually with dogs. We take her to obedience class and she's fine (except she gets so excited and pulls on the way in there). She goes to the dog park and she's fine; she loves to play with the other dogs.

The problem is when we're at home. We take her to relieve herself in the front yard because we don't have grass in the backyard, and if a dog or person is walking by she goes crazy. She becomes really fixed on them and will charge up to them if she has the chance. I know she isn't aggressive, but she looks scary as she runs up to them barking with her hackles up, and it usually scares the dog and owner. But once she gets over there and sniffs them shes fine. 

She only does this near home, so I'm wondering if she's just being property protective? How can I stop this behavior? I know she won't actually attack them, but I don't want my neighbours afraid that I have a vicious, unsocialized GSD. If anything, I would be more afraid of a dog not appreciating her style of greeting and attacking her :/


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## Whiteshepherds

I would be sure to keep treats in my pocket and when you see someone coming down the street get her attention and start distracting and treating her. If she's normally good with other dogs it shouldn't be hard to eventually get her to let the neighbors walk by without mass chaos. 

If she's a normal 8 month old it should go something like this when you first start. 
Distract, treat, distract, treat...distract...opps...lunge...distract, treat.


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## Ucdcrush

Is she unleashed when she runs up to them? First thing I'd do is put a leash on her, then practice doing things OTHER than charging/fixating when other dogs go by. When she does lunge, she hits the end of the leash and self-corrects.

What you do NOT want to do is start getting tense or doing lots of corrections when she sees the other dogs, that can make the situation worse. If she self corrects, that's fine, it doesn't really add any tension or stress because you are staying calm. But you would try to avoid the self correction by practicing stays, sits, etc. on leash and with tasty treats.

If it only happens at home then it could be challenging unless you can stage other dogs walking past. I'd definitely start with a leash or some other barrier that will prevent her from getting the satisfaction of storming up to a passing dog and sniffing. She can learn that that particular behavior does not result in anything fun, but sitting, staying, hanging back etc. has benefits.


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## jmoney

I just keep walking by, put a little distance between me and them so she can't get the satisfaction of getting what she wants, after a few weeks when we run in the morning she quit doing it, and still only gets to greet another dog if they stop to say hi, and heidi ignores her until I say "greet" which means she may approach and investigate the situation


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## Sirscarecrow

dog socialization courses and walks needed :

Go to those places, does not matter if in Petco, petsmart or with a dog trainer, but go to those places where people bring their dogs with them and sit in a circle and learn what the dog trainer has to say. That way you will eventually calm down, so will your dog then, as well as all other dogs, then they get to know each other.

Probably the main reason why your dog charges other dogs is because the way you react now everytime you see another dog is a mix between panic, being annoyed and having doubts and hoping for the best and then you probably act the wrong way and there your dog goes off again. He feels all of what you feel.

Then i suggest, go walk with other people that have dogs. Preferably walk in a group where people have several dogs alone so it learns being around other dogs is normal.

Do that asap.

Just walking by other dogs ignoring them does help but it would be wiser that your dog if still young, learns to socialize with other dogs to begin with. The ignoring other dogs and just walk by you usualy do if you see the other dog is a race that is not compatible with your dog, or when the other dog is highly a Boss dog, or those tiny small dogs that are scared to death of your dog but got to bark around and bite his ankles to pretend that he is not scared and so forth.

What not to do :

- Carry your dog to another dog that is on the ground or vice versa so they look at each other like some toads not knowing what to do next.

- Make baby noises to the other dog and kneeling, pointing fingers at the other dog and saying what a good buy it is.

- Giving treats to the other dog

- Walking with your dog leashed to the other dog, especially when the other dog is an alpha, so the leashes get all tangled up and both dogs end up with stitches and whoever goes in there to sort the dogs out with a accidental bite in their leg.

- ignoring all other dogs and just walk by every single time. (you do that on certain occasions I mentioned above).

- bringing a bunch of neigbour dogs to your house or garden or vice versa "so they can meet each other" (do not do that if your dog is over a certain age, consult with specialists with how many months they start becoming very territorial.

- bind your dog to a tree and walk to the other dog to pat it and give it a treat.

I have seem all of this happening over and over and over and what I hate the most is the people that carry their dog over and then hold them around their ribcage and slowly hover push them towards your dog.


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## MaggieRoseLee

Some great information is on

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...y/149445-aggression-dominance-other-dogs.html


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## paulag1955

MRL, Shasta does this, too, and I'm wondering what causes it. I just don't see her as being particularly aggressive or dominant. If I had to say anything I'd say fearful, but she will run right up to another dog to greet it. Could it just be over excitement, plain and simple? Even the hackles? (Which, by the way, is hilarious...the combination of long fur, plus the particular color reminds me of a porcupine.)


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## westallkennel

German shepherds were first bred as guard dogs its is instict to protect their home, it is up to you to teach her that people walking on the side walk or road are allowed to be there. Keep her on a leash until she masters control. Get people in your neighborhood to help with training (most people will be willing to help) use treats or toys which ever she like best . When the people approach get her attention feed her small amounts of the treat while the people walk by. If she does not settle with the treats and continues to lung walk her away. As she learns to settle when people walk by start to get her closer if she lunges back up to where she was. the goal is to be able to walk her up to the people and other dogs for greeting. If at any time she slips up take her back the point where she remain calm. It takes time and most of all patients. Good luck.


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## jova1251

Ugh. Heidi is 2 yrs. old and has been charging other dogs since she was 8 mos old. She is not unfriendly, just likes to charge right up to the other dogs face and then lick them. Scares the heck out of the other dog owner.


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## donnamac

Yep...know what you're saying. My dog is fine with people too once he knows they're ok with us. I think it's their natural instinct to protect their pack leader and the perimeter of the property (no matter where you are) at least with my dog it is...he hackles up and charges to the fence line. No matter what I say he won't stop...it's like he's gone deaf in his quest to defend his property/people. It is pretty scary if you don't know them!! Keep trying...I am and he's 5 yrs old now!


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## HecklingGopher

I think its a hard situation to be in. Being young, she may not be really aggressive yet, but I'd be willing to bet that its a dominant behavior. Especially considering that she is on her property, she isn't going to let an intruder on the property. Its in her blood. Using a leash would be the best thing to do IMO. My male would undoubtedly attack another dog without hesitation, so for us, any time we have to pass a dog he will get corrected until he settles down. Its the only thing that works. Try to squash the problem before it actually becomes an issue. Good luck!


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## Hachiak

Hachi does the same, however, with him it is all the time. Whenever he sees or hears a dog he goes crazy, trying to charge at them and barking non-stop. He is taking obedience classes, but it is really hard to train him outside of home. In the class there are only two other dogs and even though he has seen them for the past 4 weeks he still barks at them and won't stop, unless I distract him with something else. While what the trainer taught me in great to keep his attention, whenever he looks at the other dogs he starts again, and I want to teach him that it is okay to be around them, but I don't know how anymore.

When we left him at a boarding place for a day, we also let him do the "dog day care" thing where he plays with other dogs. We went to visit and see from a distance how he reacted to being around the other dogs and even though he didn't bark at them he didn't want to be close to them. He would mostly follow the people around and not the dogs... 

Any ideas?


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## TXlonestar

Brinkley has this problem too. Although he loves other dogs, since he hasn't been instructed how to greet other dogs (in a way He understands) he doesn't know any other way. We are working on this, and the most important thing is if they are not completely calm without you having to yell, jerk on the leash, ect. they don't get to get close to the other dog. He's starting to learn that all the ruckus doesn't get what he wants. 
Keep at it, don't give up, and she'll get it sooner or later.


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## cwmia

*Exercise, exercise.*

Find a friend with a dog or two and go hiking with the dogs. This is how I overcame that situation. I live near the Bruce Trail in Ontario and go hiking/walking regularly. The more hills the better...exercise in a natural setting does wonders for a dogs mind and yours. Keep the dog on a longer leash so it can have some freedom and you are not always nagging it to do things. In fact I don't tell the dog to do anything...I let it sniff , look, listen and think about what's going on around her. Never take your eyes off of your dog and that way you learn to read her body language...you know when someones around the next corner, across the ravine on the next ridge etc. By the time we meet another dog on the trail she's already taken in alot of other "stuff" (for lack of a better word), and she's burned some energy...and so has any other dog (which is usually off lead by now) that we meet on the trail at that point. I always call out hello, in a normal voice to the other person whether I see them or not. This let's my dog know I'm ok with what's coming...remember, I'm the pack leader so this has taken the pressure off her to make a decision about what's coming. I make sure that there is absolutely zero tension on my line when they meet. I keep it fairly short and sweet, you have to read the dogs at this point and then keep moving. I do not praise for the interaction...they are supposed to be civil....but I do praise quietly when she looks at me and follows. Another three hills and we may meet someone else. Anyway, meeting other dogs quickly gets "normal". The other key element is your reaction, body language,voice etc. every single time. You have to be in control, zero anxiety etc. Sorry for the long answer winded. Hope it helps.
cw


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## dogmama

Question: Why do dogs pull on leashes?
Answer: Because people follow.

To the OP - first I wouldn't let the dog pull me anywhere - dog parks, whatever. If he pulls, I stop walking. The minute the leash gets slack, we walk again. Bring lots of patience. Pulling is a dominant behavior and isn't helping your home situation.

To the other posters - if the dog is barking & lunging, distracting with treats & toys COULD be seen as a reward by the dog. I had this with Zack. We did Control Unleashed where we started with the other dog far away. Going for a walk, we might need to cross the street to get distance. He looks at the dog "Good boy!" and gets a treat. Before you know it, your dog is looking at the other dog & then looking at you for the treat. Hey! Dogs are good! Thanks for the cookie, buddy!

Now, we can pass most dogs without getting paid. But, if there is a particularly aggressive dog who is lunging at Zack, Zack turns to me like "Pay Up!"

The whole idea is that the dog DOES look at the distraction but then turns his attention to you. Jerking the dog & getting excited just exacerbates the problem. Pull on the dog, they pull back. The analogy I learned was - if you're really afraid of snakes & somebody put a rattle snake right behind you - you can hear it rattling, but every time you turn to look, you get jerked away - wouldn't you figure out that "snakes = very bad." OTOH, if you saw the snake from a distance & somebody handed you something delicious - maybe snakes might not be so bad after all.

Lastly, Zack has little dog-sniff tolerance. He's good for about five seconds but then he wants to play, which means "I jump on you & you like it." So, he gets about three second sniffs then, "Good boy!" a cookie & we continue on our way. I want every encounter to be a GOOD encounter. That's where a halti is nice - I can control his head with a "good boy" e.g., take it out of the other dog's rear area & we're on our way.

He ain't perfect and I'm not a perfect trainer, but so far, this has worked the best for both of us.


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## MaggieRoseLee

*Be less reactive on a leash!*





 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html

:wub:


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## Khan

Oh god, I feel so relieved that I've found this to read through. I've been to scared to ask on my usual pet forum because they're quite brutal about dogs that aren't under control, I'm glad to see that it's not just my German Shepherd. I did my best to socialise her, took her to dog parks almost every day and she was fine til she hit a certain age, then it just turned to custard.

I found she lunges at other dogs and gets incredibly distracted as we walk past on leash. Have found it quite unnerving because I never know how she is going to react. She feeds off the other dog's energy. If they're excited she'll go crazy, if they're hostile she'll be snappy. If they're calm she's fine. Rearing up on her back legs and looking completely out of control... Ugh. Completely lost my confidence for awhile, ended up buying a halti headcollar for fear she was going to bite someone or another dog and have to be pts... Now that I'm able to cope with it we're dealing with it but for awhile I think I completely gave up and felt like a failure. 

I also notice she really hates when dogs bark at her from their property. She doesn't so much mind the 'hi I'm here' barks, but if the dog snarls, growls, rushes the gate or acts otherwise hostile she's lunging at them, snapping and barking. She's fine if we cross the road and they're nutting off, just if we're quite close to the gate - I'm not sure if she's rising to the challenge and being defensive/protective in reaction to the aggression but I was thinking with the nature of a German Shepherd it would likely be the case?

When I get home from work I'll def be reading through this and trying out some of the advice. I think I'll be able to kill two birds with one stone here.


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## Maxfin

westallkennel said:


> German shepherds were first bred as guard dogs its is instict to protect their home, it is up to you to teach her that people walking on the side walk or road are allowed to be there. Keep her on a leash until she masters control. Get people in your neighborhood to help with training (most people will be willing to help) use treats or toys which ever she like best . When the people approach get her attention feed her small amounts of the treat while the people walk by. If she does not settle with the treats and continues to lung walk her away. As she learns to settle when people walk by start to get her closer if she lunges back up to where she was. the goal is to be able to walk her up to the people and other dogs for greeting. If at any time she slips up take her back the point where she remain calm. It takes time and most of all patients. Good luck.



hi i am afraid you're thinking that GSD were first bred for guard dogs is not really correct ! They were first found in an area of the Alsation mountains and were working as Shepard dogs, hence the name German Sheperd Dog, during the war GSD were found to have such great abilities and inteligence that us British brought them over from Germany to seek for Blitz victims. Of course we coul;dnt call the dogs German at the time so named them after the mountain range, hence Alsations which is really an incorrect name !! Fran


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## muddypaw

jova1251 said:


> Ugh. Heidi is 2 yrs. old and has been charging other dogs since she was 8 mos old. She is not unfriendly, just likes to charge right up to the other dogs face and then lick them. Scares the heck out of the other dog owner.


Yeah, we've been dealing with that too. Shadow is 9 months old and an "only" dog and if she sees another dog on our walks she tries to lunge at them. the only things that help are redirecting her attention to me, or just sitting until the other dog passes by ( but this is hard for her to do).


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## Jess04

My male gsd was pretty bad and still kinda does the whole barking and running up to dogs. He used to lounge even on leash. He is not aggressive but rather is stimulated by the other dogs especially if running. and partly it is my fault he acts like that. If i see another dog and get excited or my anxiety flairs he reacts and nothing stops him. 
He now has alot of obedience under his belt. and what ive found for him that works is if we're walking (he has a nice heel) and there are dogs out, i dont acknowledge the dogs, i keep my eyes forward or down and ive done better at staying calm and tell him "good fuss" and he pays no mind to the other dogs.:happyboogie: 
Im currently doing agility with him and once again i try to ignore the dog and if we arent moving i have him do a few obedience tricks or treat him for sitting still and being quiet. He only whines when the little dogs go ahead of him. but that is something we will continue to work on.


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## dogmama

I love control unleashed. It's similar to the Surprise Party game in the previous posts.

On our walk today, a reactive Border Collie lunged & barked at Zack. Zack snapped his head around, looked at me like, "pay up!"

Note - he had a very bad experience with a BC who chased him around an indoor agility course. BC's have been an issue - especially because they tend to slink down & stare - two threatening moves.

I'm so proud of my boy! I can almost forgive him for eating the cat's food yesterday.


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## Ucdcrush

That is cool. My (formerly) excessively reactive guy does the same thing now.. a dog behind a fence charges up barking, he looks up at me.

I didn't use control unleashed, maybe it's the same principle though -- I just tried to change his association with other dogs to one with food instead of stress and barking. So when we'd see another dog, I'd ask him to / make him turn away from the dog, then reward him with food. Praised him too, which is what I do now when I don't have food.

That approach to me is much better than one where only physical corrections are used to get the dog to ignore something. That just stressed us out.


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## pets4life

your dog is starting to get territorial, sounds normal to me, why not just leash her when she does her business and unleash her at dog parks?

She is what she is she will be a territorial dog that is what gsds are why try to break who she is? My dog is the same way on her property shes EXTREMLY territorial i am not going to let her off leash so she can charge people that is foolish. 

I let her off leash in public where she sweet and calm. Around the house shes a serious guard dog thats her job. As your dog matures you will see more and more of it. Be smart and careful with your dog.

Gsd can be a offleash dog but if you have a territorial one dont do it at your house


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## David Taggart

I had always admired police dogs prancing closely to their handlers. No barks and no excitement, as they were too proud of themselves to notice us. I had always wondered how they were trained and what police dog may feel or think when sees unknown dog or meets unknown men on his territory.
The answer came simple: I should teach my dog to walk besides me without the leash. There should be two commands involved - "Heel" and "Walk", try different paces, let your dog to run forward, then call to walk close, then send him running again, make him turn together wth you left and right, turn round and teach him walking backwards together with you. At any time required your dog should return to you when you say "Heel". Your dog shoud sit if you stopped moving.
Things might come to a pretty pass at first. He will bark and run away, but, gradually, you will see the changes. He will become to know that the result of his misbehaviour will always be his aquired position next to you instead of satisfaction to attack when he challenges somebody. He will be more obedient with time, less interested in people or other dogs whose smell he sents.Treat him with command "Walky!" after the threat had passed.
One little trick: at the beginning I always had a ball in my pocket and flashed it out for my dog in order to turn her eyes to me.


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## David Taggart

*the leash: you shouldn't depend on it!*




Jess04 said:


> My male gsd was pretty bad and still kinda does the whole barking and running up to dogs. He used to lounge even on leash. He is not aggressive but rather is stimulated by the other dogs especially if running. and partly it is my fault he acts like that. If i see another dog and get excited or my anxiety flairs he reacts and nothing stops him.
> He now has alot of obedience under his belt. and what ive found for him that works is if we're walking (he has a nice heel) and there are dogs out, i dont acknowledge the dogs, i keep my eyes forward or down and ive done better at staying calm and tell him "good fuss" and he pays no mind to the other dogs.:happyboogie:
> Im currently doing agility with him and once again i try to ignore the dog and if we arent moving i have him do a few obedience tricks or treat him for sitting still and being quiet. He only whines when the little dogs go ahead of him. but that is something we will continue to work on.


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## Moshamoon

*Same deal for me*

I also have struggled with my lunging gsd. When she gets this way, I do not exist. My voice, food, etc. are out the window. I tried the "stop" technique described in this forum, and it seems to work to calm her a bit (still new to it). Once the other dog is moving away from us, she seems to realize that is it.

She goes from zero to ten in seconds. I don't catch it in time it's so fast. Some have suggested the halty collar. My girl is so sensative to her snout being messed with, I feel she could get hurt. Any thoughts? I have this rolled leather martingale collar (w/ chain) that has worked best so far. 

I have physically turned her around so the other dog could sniff her since she will not allow another dog to sniff her rear. It has made a difference the few times I have tried. Any thoughts on this? I don't want to create another problem. Thanks.

S


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## GSDLearner

*Older, very excited dog*

Hi, I'm brand new to the forum. I've read through the thread, but am going to write out my story in case anyone has specific insight. 

I adopted a 4-year old (neutered a couple of months ago) male GSD about a month ago. He's very lovable, and loves everyone -- people, cats, birds, squirrels, rabbits. He's okay in the dog park. We just started formal training classes.

My problem: when we are walking on leash, and see a dog (and often people), he'll just explode. Even at a distance. It is friendly -- the tail is wagging, and it's been a good result on the rare occasions we actually get to the other dog (and he's made a couple of through-the-fence friends), but he will literally pull me (a pretty big guy) in circles and barks loudly and repeatedly. I'm completely absorbed in trying to get in front of him, getting him to sit. Treats are of no interest. 

No idea if important, but I've wondered if he didn't spend a long time chained in a yard. I've seen chained dogs act similarly.

My question: are there techniques/ideas to deal with this, or is this just something that has to be ground out one walk at a time? I'm thinking of taking him into places that have higher volumes of dogs and people, just to accelerate the process. Sensible or crazy?

Thanks!


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## Cassidy's Mom

GSDLearner said:


> My question: are there techniques/ideas to deal with this, or is this just something that has to be ground out one walk at a time? *I'm thinking of taking him into places that have higher volumes of dogs and people, just to accelerate the process. Sensible or crazy?*


Probably not a good idea. Continuing to put him into situations where he goes over threshold and reacts isn't likely to improve things. The main problem with places that have a lot of people and dogs is that it's difficult to control all the variables. If you can find a place where you have enough distance from the action that he can ignore the people and dogs and focus on you, great. Especially if you an escape route planned out ahead so you can bail if everything goes to poop. It can be hard to find a place like that though, which is why a class for reactive dogs might be a better choice. There will still be other people and dogs, but it's a controlled setting and you'd be working under the guidance of a trainer. 

The good thing is that he sounds more like a frustrated greeter than a fearful dog - many reactive dogs are acting out of fear and stress, and they bark and lunge to make the other dog go away, but others are like yours (and my Keefer), who actually wants to go meet everybody and gets frustrated when he can't. He's a social butterfly off leash, but on leash he can sometimes be barky. He has gotten much better, he was a lot worse when he was younger, but now I can prevent a reaction most of the time. 

How is he in your obedience classes? You might want to talk to the instructor and see if it's something they'll work with you on. Here's an article about some different reasons for reactivity: https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/dog-dog-reactivity-ii-the-basics


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## dogmama

Hard to diagnose over the internet but I agree 100% with Cassidy's mom to keep him out of excitable places for now. You don't want him practicing this behavior. Two things come to mind.
Ask your obedience instructor for guidance.
Get a copy of Control Unleashed. 
You said that he is "okay" in dog parks. Given that he is so excited/reactive (and granted - being leashed can make this worse) I would keep out of dog parks for now. If another reactive dog comes in, you may have trouble.


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## GSDLearner

Thanks, Cassidy's Mom. He's definitely a greeter.

We've only had one class so far, and he was this way there. His excitement ebbed and flowed. The instructors are in favor of staying the course of focus, treats and the clicker.


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## MaggieRoseLee

Great blog with guidance for those reactive dogs! 

Reactive Dog: Foundation Exercises for Your Leash-Reactive Dog | Animal Behavior and Medicine Blog | Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS


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## Vega-gurl

For reactive dogs, or really any dog that just gets over excited about other dogs on leash I would recomend the booklet Feisty fido. It did wonder for myself and Vega, who didn't know how to greet/what to do when she saw other dogs on leash and would either get scared or excited, depending. Its a simple read but very informative and well thought out, plus, its a quick read! 

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414189689&sr=1-1&keywords=feisty+fido[/ame]


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## Moriah

dogmama said:


> Hard to diagnose over the internet but I agree 100% with Cassidy's mom to keep him out of excitable places for now. You don't want him practicing this behavior. Two things come to mind.
> Ask your obedience instructor for guidance.
> *Get a copy of Control Unleashed.*
> You said that he is "okay" in dog parks. Given that he is so excited/reactive (and granted - being leashed can make this worse) I would keep out of dog parks for now. If another reactive dog comes in, you may have trouble.


The books and DVDs of _Control Unleashed_ are wonderfully helpful..My dog was reactive after being attacked in puppy kindergarten, but is much, much better now at 8 months.


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## selzer

If the dog is reactive because it is fearful of the other dog and is trying to get it to go away by barking, lunching, sticking its hackles up, etc, then correcting _can _produce a negative association with dogs and lead to more issues. 

If the dog is maturing and becoming territorial on your property, personally, I would give the dog a verbal and possibly a physical correction, Knock that off!!! And, of course, a dog that cannot be trusted off lead, is not off lead. So that correction can be made, and the dog cannot rush into a neighbor and their pooch. 

A quick, firm correction and quickly moving on, can be more humane than all the dropping treats, and teaching a dog to focus on you. This is because you are not allowing the dog to become entrenched in a bad habit. It is over in an instance and if it is clear, and strong enough to make a decent impression, without being abusive, then the dog is able to enjoy freedom sooner, the neighbors do not look at him like he is a cross between Hannible and Cujo, and the dog learns a boundary, and that you are in charge of that -- he doesn't have to be. 

The problems people have with corrections are almost always more on the human end. If you are squeamish about it, just don't. You won't be able to deal a proper correction with the back up of good leadership. You will deliver an insufficient correction with a background and after math of guilt and apology. 

It is not often helpful to liken dogs to children, but in some ways at some stages they are similar. There is a point in a child's development, when it is beneficial for him to view his parent or parents as a strong protector that is always good and right. As children mature, they will learn that their parents are not all powerful, all knowing, and even all good. But dogs do not need to get to that point. For them, even our mistakes, can be all good, if we pull them off with brilliance in the dog's eyes. 

With children, we reason with them, and we offer choices. With dogs, it's my way or the highway. Their choices are whether they will chew on the antler or the hoof. They do not need to choose whether or not to bother the lady walking along on the sidewalk with her dog. 

Furthermore, the timing of using treats for this sort of thing can also be a problem. If we drop a treat when Frisky starts to notice the other dog and begins his routine, we can actually reinforce the unwanted behaviors, rather than creating an positive association when other dogs are around.


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## MonsterMorgan

my girl just turned 6 months and old constantly wants to play with other dogs at class. Its horrible she barks and screams her head off and has no patience. This turns to frustration and has been lately snapping at the little dogs. But dogs her size or bigger its all play endless play. Trying to figure out how to handle this.


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## selzer

MonsterMorgan said:


> my girl just turned 6 months and old constantly wants to play with other dogs at class. Its horrible she barks and screams her head off and has no patience. This turns to frustration and has been lately snapping at the little dogs. But dogs her size or bigger its all play endless play. Trying to figure out how to handle this.


If sometimes you reinforce her behavior by allowing her to play with the big dogs, then you are going to continue to have problems. Class time is work-time. "Eh! We're working!" Be consistent and do not allow interactions with any-sized dog at class. And, if you are taking her other places where she can go crazy with other dogs, you might want to reconsider that, as it is negatively affecting her ability to contain herself in class and learn what she needs to learn.


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## SuperG

selzer said:


> If the dog is maturing and becoming territorial on your property, personally, I would give the dog a verbal and possibly a physical correction, Knock that off!!!
> 
> A quick, firm correction and quickly moving on, can be more humane than all the dropping treats, and teaching a dog to focus on you.


Would you be an advocate of using an e-collar in this situation??


SuperG


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## selzer

SuperG said:


> Would you be an advocate of using an e-collar in this situation??
> 
> 
> SuperG


I am sure Lou Castle would give you more informed advice on the e-collar, but no, I wouldn't advocate using an e-collar in any situation. I would not want the dog to get shocked out of no where, where he is focusing on another dog. I prefer the correction to come from me, and the dog knows it is coming from me. I am just not a fan of e-collars. 

Here's something somewhat related. When I had the solar-powered electric fence for cattle, sheep, and dogs, hooked up about 18 inches from the ground along my regular fence. The dogs would run up to the fence, put on the brakes, and look where the wire was, and then bark at whatever dog or person was outside the fence. They did not want to get shocked, and avoided that. But at least they could see the wire, and there was no mystery about where it was coming from. The wire was not to prevent barking at the trespassers, nor did it. It was there to prevent the dog from digging under or climbing over the fence, and it did do that.


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## jafo220

I have used an e-collar for reactiveness. It worked quite well. Basically using an "off" command. Cruz was terrible about lunging at cars. I men excessive compulsive full on attack at passing cars. I tried treating etc. to no avail. Basically through time and consistency with an e-collar, he no longer lunges at cars. He doesn't even pay attention to them. He used to focus on them, pick one out and lunge. Every once in a great while he still locks into one but a simple "off" command or sound from me and he unlocks on the car with no problem. It took awhile but we got there. No longer needing a stim.


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## reesey

My newest thing is that I use the leash.. Make it spr short? I sit down so she cant drag me away? and I cover her eyes saying BLINDERS .. this makes her stop barking long enough that I can get her attn even for a second. My girl is 7 months old? im getting a lot of results with this? she had gotten to the point that even hot dogs wouldnt distract her pulling and barking. This was my plan B. Lol


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## Romansmommy

Okay my boy roman is 12 weeks old and lately on walks he either pulls or I have t pull him because he won't move. And does not listen at all when I try to direct him. I'm a newby please help. He's good indoors though he listens and does sit down and shake commands.


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## dre915

Lots of great info here!


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## Chip18

Well apparently I do it the "hard way" but it worked for me the basics are in the first video clip in this link: 

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/5296377-post8.html

I did that first for years with different dogs without issue and then at a rescue event I used a Slip Lead Leash for the first time and I found that a "fantastic tool" myself. Still very few Pro's" teach because my guy "Jeff Gellman" among others finds that it's a tricky skill to teach to others. He would know but it's still what I recommend.

Most of it's use as well as other options can be found here:
Slip Lead leash - Boxer Forum : Boxer Breed Dog Forums

That's where I hang out when I'm not here. 

The dog has to be able to walk well on leash first "before" you can start working on other issues.


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## BadStarter

Dude says hello and thanks all of you wonderful people for making him tick free ?


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## BadStarter

Hey sorry guys, wrong forum. But still, a Hi


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## LuvShepherds

I'm on a mobile and can't get to every page. But if this hasn't been suggested, take her down the block to pee. I had a reactive dog who was fine in someone else's yard, so we got a little walk in every time we went out front. The best advice I got was to completely ignore the other dog and walk by out of reach as if it was no big deal. I didn't talk to the other dog and I didn't stop to let my dog stare. I hate it when other owners stop dead in their tracks and let a reactive dog go nuts on the leash while staring down my dog. Some guy who calls himself a trainer did that in front of my home, when I was trying to get my dog inside. I couldn't get past the dog and they wouldn't leave. I asked him to please move away about ten feet and he said he was training his dog. I told him all he was doing was training him to be aggressive. He still wouldn't move. I had to walk away and then come back after he was gone.


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## HappyGoLucky

Hi. Second post on the forum!  Newbie here.

Wow. Plethora of great advises. 

Maybe folks still read this thread, just wanted to add my two cents.

Training is the key here!

Personality in general is definitely a big factor. My 9 months old male (gonna see if i can add his pic to my profile somewhere after this post) is a very sweet boy. He never barks outside. I got him at 4 month of age and he was such a determined sniffer! He would be walking around me nose to the ground. Now we finished the beginners obedience classes and just last week started novice polishing (or something like that) and will keep going until there are no more courses left for us. Around 1.5y/o we'll start agility I think and if there is nothing left in between, maybe I'll take another course just somewhere else, maybe we'll pick up some new tips and tricks. 
Anyways, as I mentioned, training is a HUGE factor here, especially with gsd's being very intelligent. The more you spend time training him, the more in tune you both will be and the more obedient he will continue to grow. 

- My trainer teaches only positive training without treats - only verbal/physical praises. We did use little bit when working on recall, and it was more for distraction purposes for stay before recalling. Because we care for them so much, they want to repay us in magnified kindness and genuinely want to please you. You just need to be truly happy for their every success, doesn't matter how small it is. When correcting, just use your voice with authority and they learn the difference very quickly between praise and correction. 

- Use his name only for positive experiences (call for play or walk and etc. [Name] food!/come/walk time and etc.). For correction just make some common sound to get his attention (again, when practicing at home or some very calm environment without distractions). The more you do it, the more they will get accustomed to the expected behavior and and will be happy to react to anything coming from you even without you noticing. They are amazing readers of body language too because this is one of the ways they communicate with each other. So make sure you are consistent with what your body does when you give a specific command. Try as best as you can to maintain slightly different body language for different commands whenever possible and/or applicable. They will have another "tool" in addition to hearing your voice for reinforcement of expected behavior when they are very excited and there is a tiny doubt in to obey or do their own thing. Their instincts are very strong and the more reassurance you give them that you want them to do something and it's actually a good and fun thing, they will change in how they act towards others and when you command.

- When I trained mine's name, Bim, I rewarded only when his eyes lock on mine. Slowly increasing the time and then varying how long he looks into my eyes. Now we can comfortably do about 30-40 seconds before he looks away. I'm happy with that for now. Then call his name, wait a little, then give command. And just practice different random sequences of just call their name and reward/name, command, reward and etc. This way he learns that the name is only to get his attention. Also always finish with release, such as ok, alright, free and etc. This way he know he has to wait until released. 
So for example if someone comes towards your house or walks along it and the dog moves - call his name and they will lock on you until released. Especially being a service dog who is trained to attack, it's only on command - in a way release that tells to attack/catch and w/e.
Just LOTS of patience and consistency.

Yikes, post got pretty long. Sorry for the wall of text. I can keep going for hours talking about it).


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