I’m seeking advice on my Chihuahua-Rat Terrier/Spitz mix, a rescue from Mexico. He’s about 1.5 to 2 years old and showed great progress with positive reinforcement training until a recent incident (this means he was not longer lunging at people, dogs, bicycles, or cars or shivering at an intersection, he was able to travel on train, airplane, bus, car...etc. He was really confident and almost obedient.). Despite all of this, he loved going outside for a walk.
On January 4th, he had a near-miss with an e-scooter (someone who drove on the sidewalk), dramatically increasing his reactivity. He now freezes at the sight or sound of people, vehicles, and especially e-scooters and bicycles. His fear has led to more accidents at home and a general increase in nervosity and hyperactivity. I
I’ve managed some success with short walks to quieter areas, offering high-value treats, and training at the exit door whenever I notice he is more relaxed when we are outside. However, progress is slow, and I’m concerned he’s lost his confidence entirely or is worried about whether he will ever regain it again. We also continue daily indoor training.
Questions:
Has anyone successfully rehabilitated a dog after such a traumatic incident?
What strategies or training methods might you suggest?
Are there specific resources or professionals you would recommend?
I’d really appreciate your insights and stories of similar experiences.
Looking forward to your suggestions and will keep you updated on our progress!
Thank you!
P.D.: I posted this advice-seeking post about a week ago, but it received only one answer, which I highly appreciate. Yet, I wanted to see if someone else has anything that might be helpful to add. So, I remade the post and specified the training methods I use and the type of dog Bolillo is.
On January 4th, he had a near-miss with an e-scooter (someone who drove on the sidewalk), dramatically increasing his reactivity. He now freezes at the sight or sound of people, vehicles, and especially e-scooters and bicycles. His fear has led to more accidents at home and a general increase in nervosity and hyperactivity. I
I’ve managed some success with short walks to quieter areas, offering high-value treats, and training at the exit door whenever I notice he is more relaxed when we are outside. However, progress is slow, and I’m concerned he’s lost his confidence entirely or is worried about whether he will ever regain it again. We also continue daily indoor training.
Questions:
Has anyone successfully rehabilitated a dog after such a traumatic incident?
What strategies or training methods might you suggest?
Are there specific resources or professionals you would recommend?
I’d really appreciate your insights and stories of similar experiences.
Looking forward to your suggestions and will keep you updated on our progress!
Thank you!
P.D.: I posted this advice-seeking post about a week ago, but it received only one answer, which I highly appreciate. Yet, I wanted to see if someone else has anything that might be helpful to add. So, I remade the post and specified the training methods I use and the type of dog Bolillo is.