Pet Lovers

[Annabellethecat66]

@SaRina Like I said, I don't have a dog but my daughters do.  My youngest daughter adopted a dog almost a year ago and it was a nightmare!  The dog was untrainable.

Supposedly, the dog came from a trainer.  My daughter (in Denver) would call me several times a day in tears that the dog had chewed her arm, etc.

I spent a fortune sending this dog to different trainers, etc.  Finally, my daughter's friend came to stay (and see the dog).  This young lady (the friend) adopts Pit Bulls and trains them, etc.

You can't have a Pit Bull in Colorado so we knew my daughter's dog wasn't a pit bull wanted this friend to evaluate the dog and see what she thought.

After just two days she told my daughter, you don't have what it takes to control the dog.  Give the dog back to the trainer.

My daughter did and she heard (from the trainer) who knows if it is for real, that the dog was adopted by a family with 2 children and is doing great.  Hope so for the sake of the dog.  I'd say (swear to you) I must have spent well over $2,500 on training the dog and etc.  So it's not like we didn't try.

My daughter was devestated!  Suddenly, about 5 months ago she called me and said, "Meet my new baby girl".  She's an amazing dog!  She's smart as a whip and loves everyone (especially my daughter and her boyfriend).  She lays on my daughter's lap (medium size dog).  Sometimes it's a matter of 'fit' too.

Funny (but not) thing about the first dog is that my daughter even before she committed to the dog spent several hours with the dog.  She figured she could control the dog....mistake.

We were lucky that the trainer took the dog back but my guess is that my daughter wasn't the first person to have trouble with the dog.  Who knows!  My daughter finally showed me pictures of her arms and legs (chewed up) terrible....I was so relieved she made up her mind to return the dog!  Just not a good fit.

[Sweetbay magnolia]

That's too bad, @SaRina.

I've had a series of rescues and there have been issues like that.  My current pup is a little "mouthy" and I take it one day at a time.

I sense sometimes that he fears for his survival, and that his trust is hard to (totally) obtain.  We're working on it.

I think it stinks that the other dog owner won't at least once in awhile let you have it, and walk the other way, themselves.  People!  Why we prefer dogs so many times!

[Marp]

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@SaRina wrote:

@CrazyDaisy, I have already tried clicker/reward training from across the street when my dog sees the other dog and stands at attention, ready to bark. I know timing is critical with the reward system and I try to give the reward before any bad behavior. The problem comes when we almost literally run into this dog around a corner. There is zero reaction time for any intervention prior to the bad behavior.

@MalteseMomma, I have already changed our walk time. I spent a lot of time previously either sitting at my window or standing outside in the morning, waiting for this dog so that I could determine its schedule. I was finally able to establish the time, then walked my dog later. This worked well for a while. Now that dog is being walked at my time --- sometimes. So the time is unpredictable. But you're right -- I may have to get up at the crack of dawn to walk my dog, which isn't the safest and he is usually not anxious or ready to go out first thing in the morning.

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@SaRina, is there any distance between where you would stand outside waiting for the dog to pass and where the dog is located? 

If so perhaps you could try putting a bandanna on your dog that has been sprayed with Adaptil D.A.P. and a Thundershirt while keeping him leashed, close to your side as the dog passes.  Let him be aware that the dog is going by but at the same time attempt to keep him focused on you then reward with a treat.

Repeat this once or twice a day until your dog ignores the boxer/pit.  When you reach this point very gradually move closer to where the boxer/pit passes.

This procedure will take a lot of time and effort on your part but if it works would be so worth it.  Just a thought.

[Hodgemom]

What other reaction would you expect from an ignorant pit bull owner??

[Goldenmoher]

I have a 4 year old hound mix dog. He is a sweet boy, gets along with people, but has occasional reactions with dogs when leashed. At other times, he'll stop, sniff, and play if appropriate. There are 2 dogs in our neighborhood that he really reacted to. We would stop and turn around whenever we saw them. The two larger dogs would bark, snarl, pull and try to get to mine. We went through a couple of training classes. My dog played and got along with all the other dogs there and loved playing on the floor with the pit bulls. They were all leashed. The trainer knew my dog's personality, so I explained the "reactive" behavior to her. She was amazed, but didn't have any further direction except to turn around. One day, we'd met another neighbor with her dog and chatted with her for several minutes. The dogs played and acted very well. Further up the hill, there they were.... the villains! My heart was pounding, but encouraged by the recent encounter, I kept going and told Chubs (my dog) that he could do this, we were done tuning around for anyone. The two dogs growled and barked,, mine growled back, but that was it! Since then we've met them and the scenario continues to lessen in intensity. All this to say the dogs do feel our fears and turn around as you are doing to avoid the situation. I do feel for you, and like me, I bet you'll decide we have to share the road, sidewalk, whatever. I hope it gets better for you! @SaRina

[SaRina]

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@Marp wrote:

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@SaRina, is there any distance between where you would stand outside waiting for the dog to pass and where the dog is located? 

If so perhaps you could try putting a bandanna on your dog that has been sprayed with Adaptil D.A.P. and a Thundershirt while keeping him leashed, close to your side as the dog passes.  Let him be aware that the dog is going by but at the same time attempt to keep him focused on you then reward with a treat.

Repeat this once or twice a day until your dog ignores the boxer/pit.  When you reach this point very gradually move closer to where the boxer/pit passes.

This procedure will take a lot of time and effort on your part but if it works would be so worth it.  Just a thought.

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@Marp, I walk my dog for 30-40 minutes on a walk. We can (literally) bump into the other dog anywhere on our route, which varies from day to day.. As I explained, I'm in the city. It's not flat land or wide open space where you can see for any great distance. Of course, you can see across the street, but not around every corner at the end of every block, or around buldings, or hedges. It's kind of like a Pac Man game, if you can picture that -- almost a maze of blocks.

I can try a bandanna and thundershirt as you suggested, but my dog refuses to wear anything. He won't wear a coat in the winter. I wanted him to wear booties for the rain and snow. He just won't. He sits down and won't budge. But I can keep trying.

Like I posted earlier, I have tried clicker/reward training. The clicker to distract him from the other dog, the treat to focus on in my hand. It worked maybe once or twice, but his attention is much more powerful on the other dog than on a treat. Besides, it's not like we can even practice rewards over and over on a regular basis during the day. We do not even see the other dog every day to make this a habitual practice.

I have also tried walking towards the other dog with confidence in my step and with a relatively relaxed leash. We were waiting to cross the street. The other dog appeared on the other side of the street from around the corner. I decided we were not going to turn and walk the other way -- we would continue on our route. My dog went ballistic as we crossed the street and approached the other dog. The light was changing and there was traffic. I could barely drag my dog to the other side of the street in his frenzy. 

[Quse]

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@kelsey17 wrote:

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@Quse wrote:

My male dog did this, but he was big and strong. I walked my dogs on a leash in the road, somewhat rural area, but it's a neighborhood. People who have their dogs in their yards, off leash, would sometimes come charging out at us and fight with my male. If I restrained him, he would attack his sister. And he never forgot. He had problems with these dogs whether they were secure or not and would turn and attack his sister. When he was in this "attack zone", it was like he was in a trance, he wouldn't respond to any command at all..I'd usually have to use physical force to remove him, with the knowledge that I might get injured. Had him clip me a couple of time with his teeth, but not on purpose..I just got too close. He had other issues too, something going on with his toenails that would freak him out and he would just snap for no reason...always lunging at my face. Never actually making contact, but it could be out of nowhere. His sister, same litter, is neurotic (I think it's the breed- 1/2 Australian Shepard 1/2 Siberian Husky) but she never snaps to bite.

I tried every imaginable training, etc...to no avail. I worked with him for over 2 years, always on eggshells when we went out, always wondering if he would hurt someone. We tended to go to remote places, my in laws have a farm and I would walk him there, but I finally got to the point where I thought the only safe way to keep this dog would be 24/7 basket muzzle and pain meds for his toes. I couldn't do it, that was no life for him. I finally made the heart wrenching decision to put him down when he went after the vet during a routine checkup.

All of the dog training I researched said you can deal with a reactive dog this way and that..all of it seemed conflicting. One trainer (the most honest, I think) said that an agressive dog can be managed and that's it...the dog will never be trustworthy and you have to realize that.

One guy that I liked, and some of his techniques did work somewhat for me, was solidk9training dot com. I watched a few of his youtube training sessions and periscope and liked him. Since your dog is so small (and yes, can do damage but not as much as a big dog) I'd check him out. Maybe it will work for you.

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You definately made the right decision.... to me you had more patience then most would have......I definately feel you thinking of others safety DID prevent another person from getting hurt or injured......you did the right thing... a neighbor we had for a couple years said they always got rescues....they had this dog (i believe boxer/pit bull mix) that would growl at certain people (luckily my husband & i weren't growled at).......he could hardly control him and i kept telling my husband "someday" that dog is gonna hurt someone...............eventually it DID............the gentlemen

who had the dogs "wife"..........it attacked her ......luckily it wasn't too bad an attack but they did finally put the dog down...................those people couldn't have been nicer to that dog...but something just snapped in him.................

like i said....good for you.

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Thanks. I know I made the right decision in this case, but it doesn't make me any less sad about it. In fact, it's taken me a year just not to feel deep grief and sick to my stomach every time I think about it. I was involved in husky rescue for a long time. I had a dog that actually bit her breeder in the face (it was 110% the breeder's fault, she should have known better than to do what she did). It's funny, the only other problem I ever had with her was with a woman my mother in law was trying to help. My dog got really weird with her, looking like she would bite....there were cues. I removed her from the situation. I found out later that this woman was very abusive toward her own dog....my girl sensed it. But other than the breeder's face (still can't believe the breeder was that careless), I had the dog from 10 weeks old to 17 years, when she finally passed and not another problem.

The male I had put down was so reactive I never did notice a cue before he snapped. He seemingly went from Mr. Friendly silly boy to Cujo in a split second...and I never really knew what would set him off next. It was the right decision but makes me sad still. I don't think I would've put him down if he was smaller...smaller I think I could manage..but this dog would leap 5 feet into the air and snap at your face.

His sister, who I still have, is a big mushy kissy love. She's seriously so laid back I vacuum around her 😂

[lilypadfrog]

My golden / chow is 10 years old and very submissive to other dogs or people.  Last January a small terrier type dog started to run at her, barking,  this dog was not on a leash.  Even though we were across the street and that terrier did not leave it's yard, my dog lunged at it so hard I was almost pulled off my feet.  My dog has never done that.  Now when we pass that house, still across the street, she will growl (also a first), even when that other dog is nowhere in sight.  And, since that time, she has bitten the groomer twice, did not break his skin, and growled at a neighbor.  The groomer is a big man who told me he will continue to groom her since she has been to him for years.  He felt she just suffered some kind of shock and it will work itself out.  Needless to say, I am going to discuss her change in behavior with the vet.  I, too, don't understand how one dog can stress another so much.

[SaRina]

@lilypadfrog, yes, that sounds very much like what's going on with my dog. Mine is also typically on the submissive side, rolling on his back for belly rubs from perfect strangers! Isn't it upsetting to see them like that? Something "snaps" in their little brains with just one dog and we can't figure out why. I'd be interested to know what your vet says, so please post back if you can. I don't particularly care for our vet practice. There's been a lot of turnover in the staff so it's not like one doc has known my dog for years.

[CrazyDaisy]

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@SaRina wrote:

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@Marp wrote:

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@SaRina, is there any distance between where you would stand outside waiting for the dog to pass and where the dog is located? 

If so perhaps you could try putting a bandanna on your dog that has been sprayed with Adaptil D.A.P. and a Thundershirt while keeping him leashed, close to your side as the dog passes.  Let him be aware that the dog is going by but at the same time attempt to keep him focused on you then reward with a treat.

Repeat this once or twice a day until your dog ignores the boxer/pit.  When you reach this point very gradually move closer to where the boxer/pit passes.

This procedure will take a lot of time and effort on your part but if it works would be so worth it.  Just a thought.

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@Marp, I walk my dog for 30-40 minutes on a walk. We can (literally) bump into the other dog anywhere on our route, which varies from day to day.. As I explained, I'm in the city. It's not flat land or wide open space where you can see for any great distance. Of course, you can see across the street, but not around every corner at the end of every block, or around buldings, or hedges. It's kind of like a Pac Man game, if you can picture that -- almost a maze of blocks.

I can try a bandanna and thundershirt as you suggested, but my dog refuses to wear anything. He won't wear a coat in the winter. I wanted him to wear booties for the rain and snow. He just won't. He sits down and won't budge. But I can keep trying.

Like I posted earlier, I have tried clicker/reward training. The clicker to distract him from the other dog, the treat to focus on in my hand. It worked maybe once or twice, but his attention is much more powerful on the other dog than on a treat. Besides, it's not like we can even practice rewards over and over on a regular basis during the day. We do not even see the other dog every day to make this a habitual practice.

I have also tried walking towards the other dog with confidence in my step and with a relatively relaxed leash. We were waiting to cross the street. The other dog appeared on the other side of the street from around the corner. I decided we were not going to turn and walk the other way -- we would continue on our route. My dog went ballistic as we crossed the street and approached the other dog. The light was changing and there was traffic. I could barely drag my dog to the other side of the street in his frenzy. 

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Clicker training is NOT TO DISTRACT.  The clicker is to be the bridge between the wanted behavior and the reward.  The click, or key word that some use, provided much quicker feedback to the dog that they gave you the correct behavior as well as the knowledge that a reward is coming for that behavior.  If not used properly you could actually be rewarding the behavior you are trying to avoid.