wallnutbob
New member
@dudette554 It takes time, but pairing seeing another dog/person with looking at you and coming back to your side to get a treat works phenomenally well. It has to be a very high reward treat to divert their attention.
My steps were-
Dog starts barking, we stop and back up to where the dog stops barking. Treat until dog is calmed down by asking for "come here" and "sit". Step forward slowly while treating and stop if dog becomes to aroused. Change route or inch by (whatever the situation allows).
Dog starts barking, I hold my hand in front of their nose with the treat in my fist. Dog pays attention to my fist and licks/bites at to try to get the treat. Walk slowly past the target. Stop every few seconds, ask them to "sit" and treat. Only move forward if the dog is calm.
Continue walking at leisurely pace past target with a relaxed arm/hand holding a treat.
It takes a lot of time and work, but if you're consistent this method will work as I've successfully done this with 2 reactive dogs and am in the middle with two other dogs. It's all about knowing the dogs limit and where the point of no return is (dog has totally lost control and can't be redirected).
My little one now stays beside me the whole time hoping for a treat. The other will walk ahead, but when she sees something she would normally react to, she "bunny hops" back to me to get her treat and walk by me until the other dog or whatever passes. It's very obvious she wants to bark, but she is too busy diverting her attention to my hand for the treat and making her way back to me to get the treat.
My steps were-
Dog starts barking, we stop and back up to where the dog stops barking. Treat until dog is calmed down by asking for "come here" and "sit". Step forward slowly while treating and stop if dog becomes to aroused. Change route or inch by (whatever the situation allows).
Dog starts barking, I hold my hand in front of their nose with the treat in my fist. Dog pays attention to my fist and licks/bites at to try to get the treat. Walk slowly past the target. Stop every few seconds, ask them to "sit" and treat. Only move forward if the dog is calm.
Continue walking at leisurely pace past target with a relaxed arm/hand holding a treat.
It takes a lot of time and work, but if you're consistent this method will work as I've successfully done this with 2 reactive dogs and am in the middle with two other dogs. It's all about knowing the dogs limit and where the point of no return is (dog has totally lost control and can't be redirected).
My little one now stays beside me the whole time hoping for a treat. The other will walk ahead, but when she sees something she would normally react to, she "bunny hops" back to me to get her treat and walk by me until the other dog or whatever passes. It's very obvious she wants to bark, but she is too busy diverting her attention to my hand for the treat and making her way back to me to get the treat.