Slightly reactive GSD - am I training right?

[joshuasloth]

Hi there, I have an 18 month old GSD. She's due to be neutered at the end of this month, she's also a rescue dog, had her since she's 4 months old but she was a street dog. I use a slip lead for street walking (where we're likely to see dogs).

She is slightly lead reactive, I say slightly as some times she's absolutely fine, she has doggy friends who she is great with and gentle with and then I have other times where she's an absolute demon.

I have been looking at her triggers and consider them throughout the walk as they can stack. I know which breeds of dog she 100% has no tolerance for (sheep dogs, she was attacked by one about 9 months ago).

Up until about 7 months ago she was fine, she was wary of sheepdogs but that was it.

Her reactions-
-lunging
-Barking
-heckles going up.

What I am doing.

I stop when she sees a dog coming towards us and give her time. I say 'see the doggy' so she knows I recognise it and will be doing the next steps.

I then get her moving, be it to the opposite road or forward. I say to her 'leave it'

At this if we're on the opposite side of the road she is absolutely fine.

In this situation her heckles remain down.

If we cannot go to the opposite of the road,

I get her into a heel position, however I am holding the lead close to her body (as loosely as I can) this ensures I have full control should she lunge. I also say to the person walking toward that she's not friendly so they can do what they need to do.

We will walk and then if she does lunge I do a very quick/sharp uh uh sound and she usually gets back into line. This also stops her if she should start barking. Her heckles may be up, more often than not they're down though.

However there are times where I physically have to restrain her, body blocking, holding her harness. I don't think this is a good way of doing it though as me being in physical contact with her may be rewarding her?

I also do parallel walking with people who have sheep dogs, I always ask to do this with the owner before hand and say that she can be reactive. Most are fine.

With parallel walking I will walk on the opposite side of the road with the other owner for about a block or two. She will initially bark (no growling though) but her heckles can go up in most of these instances, however within 10 minutes she loses interest and I increase the length of lead she has. I also do the above with her throughout.

Within 5-7 minutes she has lost interest in the dog.

This has been a huge increase as before I was looking at around about 15-20.

My next step with parallel walking is to get closer to the dog, i.e the middle of the road. I'm planning on doing this once her reaction is down to about 4 minutes.

I'd really appreciate any further advice though I want to break this and be able to have her off lead more often (she's only off lead at night in a field/woodland when I know noone will be around).

 

[reslute]

@joshuasloth How do you feel when your dog behaves like this?

 

[joshuasloth]

@reslute I'm not too sure why that's relevant if I'm honest? I do everything to maintain my emotions so that she does not associate any of my reactions as a reward or need to do

 

[chris47]

@joshuasloth In my experience, your emotions play a vital role in your dogs association with other dogs. If you're tense, alert, or afraid, your dog can generally sense it. So she'll also be tense, alert, or be on her guard.

The key to these encouters is to become neutral. Don't make a big fuss out of it, like it's a normal thing. Secure your leash, but keep it relaxed. This helped us a lot in our energy as well. My dog is cautious of other dogs but does not react to them anymore. Although he still needs his at least 3 meters distance from any dog, we are able to walk calmly now.

 

[joshuasloth]

@chris47 Oh yes I have responded to this guy. I should've clarified a few extras with the 'routine'

 

[faithfulfindings]

@joshuasloth Well if you feel uneasy while meeting strangers/dogs and the problematic breeds she will most likely sense it. I guess that´s where this question comes from.

Can you distract her during this encounters or before the encounter begins with treats or something like that? Or is she just focused on the others? Because I would first try to interupt her behaviour before it begins with something positive. Like a set of commands ended with a special treat or toy as reward if done correctly and without reactive behavióur.

 

[joshuasloth]

@faithfulfindings Oh, ok sorry, so basically I should've mentioned in my OP I always say hello to the other owner and try to engage them in small talk so that she can see I am not threatened or tense. I absolutely recognise that when this first came about I definitely acted tense and then through copius amounts of research realised that I was part of the problem. Also usually use a high value treat for these specific situations ( some ham which I specifically take for these situations which she only gets for these situations). Sorry I should've mentioned.

 

[faithfulfindings]

@joshuasloth So she is responsive to your commands in this situations and focuses on you or does it just work shortly and then she gets reactive again?

What would happen if you hold a treat in your hand while you let her lick/nibble on it and another dog passes by within a few meters?

If she doesn´t react and is more food driven than concerned about the other dogs it is only a learning thing and how to behave around other dogs.

If she on the other hand looses interest and goes for the dog it´s another issue

 

[joshuasloth]

@faithfulfindings Sorry for late reply, so 9 times out of 10 the treat works from across the street. If we are walking past a dog you're looking at around about 6-7 times out 10. She is super food driven, the times she fails when close to a dog is when the dog either starts pulling toward her or alternatively barking (unfortunately where I am there seems to be quite a few small breed dogs who just do w.e tf they want because they're so small and cute fml).

I keep her on the opposite side to where the dog is walking, she tends to focus and try to get to the treat, she will look at the other dog the closer we get and generally as long as I state 'leave it' and redirect the treat to her attention we are good.

My issue is mainly for when that completely fails and I am body blocking and physically holding her back from the other dog and all my 'fail safes' fail.

 

[faithfulfindings]

@joshuasloth Well you can try to add a Halti to the training. This is usually an anti pull tool but you can also use it to focus her attention on you. You can use it to turn her away from the other dog to break the focus.

I would suggest that you look for a dog owner with one of these barking dogs and talk to him or her. Simply ask if they would help you with some training so you can address this issue. By walking by your dog multiple times until your dog ignores the other one and focuses on you solely. Everytime this works successfully praise treats and ends of session. Repeat until your dog isn't interested anymore then try to change the training partner to bring in new challenges.