As some of you know, Moe and I decided to hire a dog training for Skyler when we moved to Saint Louis. Skyler is an exceptional lovable dog, but since we moved, she has not been very good at sharing her space with new dogs. Any time a new dog comes into the dog park, she immediately gets in a tiff with them. I thought I'd share with you all some of the tips/rules that the trainer has established for Skyler (and us) to help her sort through her insecurities with new dogs. It is AMAZING how much improvement we have seen already. The change is mostly on our end, but they are awesome tips for any dog owner.
RULES - never to be broken
No HUMPING
No Peeing on other dog's pee spots
No entering dog park without being invited (by me)
No barking at the dog park fence at other dogs
*These rules are designed to teach her that this is not her dog park, but mine and she is just a guest :) Also this means that I have to be up walking beside her the whole time she is outside so I can "correct"/stop bad behavior immediately.
Know your Dog
* Know what your dog is going to do before it does it. This is reading the signs she is telling you.
* Signs of anxiety are foaming at the mouth, shaking or hair rolling, and eyeing/looking back at other dogs
* Warning sign - "freeze" position. Dog do this as a last warning to the other dog to back off.
* Skyler is actually very well socialized (according to our trainer) and gives all the right signals; however, if another dog doesn't read them, that is when a fight breaks out.
Leash walking guidelines...
* Always use gentle leader and have dog food in your pocket for positive reward
* When another dog approaches, watch behavior of other dog
- Look for other dog to be charging ahead (walking owner essentially)
- Tail position (up)
- Owners attentiveness
* Don't let her engage with other dog unless both dogs are showing no signs of anxiety or they know each other
* Put your body in between her body and the other dog so you may need to switch sides you are holding the leash
* Ask her to "watch" you so that she is looking at you and not the other dog when she walks by, reward/entice with dog food so that her attention is 100% on you
* If either dog shows signs of aggression then jerk leash and flip directions immediately (take her by 100% surprise so she doesn't know what happened)
* She should always walk beside or behind you, never let her walk in front of you
* Hand position should be by your side with minimal tension
Dog Fights
* If a a dog fight does occur, ask the other owner if you can both leash your dogs and take a walk. Walking is the most intimate thing a dog can do so this will help alleviate any distress between the two dogs. Take turns which dog is in front so the other dog and walk up and smell the dog from behind. After both have been in the lead and signs of anxiety are diminishing, walk beside each other. Once walk is done, let them go with the leashes attached but dragging on the ground. That way you have control if something does happen, but they are free to roam.
* I was skeptical of this approach but we saw success with the trainer with Hugo, a dog that Skyler had gotten in a fight with numerous times. When Hugo arrived, they were attacking each other through the fence. By the end of the session, they were playing ball together in the park. Moe and I tried this on our own, with our friend's Jack Russell terrier. It worked like a charm!
- Miss J
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