# Vent: Denied Reactive Dog Training



## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

The facility I train at offers a Control Unleashed class. The instructors use the methods outlined in the book by the same name. The class was going on at the same time as my class, so I got to see what it was about, and they spent a long time teaching the dogs to be calm - lots of mat work, etc.

Maybe there is something similar close to you?


----------



## Selli-Belle (Jan 28, 2009)

BriGuy said:


> The facility I train at offers a Control Unleashed class. The instructors use the methods outlined in the book by the same name. The class was going on at the same time as my class, so I got to see what it was about, and they spent a long time teaching the dogs to be calm - lots of mat work, etc.
> 
> Maybe there is something similar close to you?


BriGuy, I was just going to mention the same thing.


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

You might be pleasantly surprised with the results from an obedience class. Penny didn't have very many admirers in the beginning...my adults kids actually didn't like her; she was so obnoxious. All the things you mentioned PLUS the peeing. 

We took a bunch of classes over her first 3 years; right up to the class where they started to teach handling in obedience competitions. 

It did wonders for her. She was always excited and exhibited the same behaviors but it taught her an "off" switch, which comes in handy. 

I suggest you give it a try when he's back on his feet. I think you might be pleasantly surprised. It did take 5 years or so for her to become Our Penny.


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Don't look for a 'trainer', look for a certified canine behaviorist who uses positive reinforcement. Get a one on one consultation/assessment, and work from there. It is very important to understand your dog's behavior, reactivity can be over excitement (lack of self control) or fear based, and is not 'unique' to certain breeds or backgrounds. It is extremely important to get the right kind of help through a reward based program, to teach your dog what you want him TO do, in those situations.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

A lot of people misuse the term reactive as a euphemism for aggressive. It sounds like this is what the trainer who contacted you is doing. I really wish they would stop that, because there are many many other forms of being reactive and people have completely ruined is connotation.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Thanks so much you guys!!!! I felt so exasperated his morning. Some days I am embarrassed to own Bear because I am "that" owner and I want him to be the best he can be. Its very hard to determine his triggers. He was 100% calm at the vets for over an hour but a basket case two days before. 

I've learnt a great deal about doggy body language in the months I have had Bear, but I don't think I know enough. 

I thought the reactive class would be a great way to go. I think I'll get that book and check it out, then enroll in 1 general obedience class and see how it goes. In the mean time, since he hasn't been cleared for training yet - work positively on the issue at home. 

For Bear, I think he is easily excitable, which is most likely a lack of self control it's disheartening to think that, given how much I've worked on his impulse control. Maybe he just didn't generalize that the same techniques apply to more than food and us. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Jen - honestly, I would want to get into obedience classes and stick with them for the next year or so. While you are working on obedience (heeling, stays, comes, etc), you will find that Bear will calm down and become easier to manage. 

I would not want to do reactive classes with my dog - on the basis that (to me) reactive would be those dogs who lunge at other dogs snarling and so forth. That is not your issue with Bear. And I would not want to expose a young dog to those behaviors. If Bear is going through the same thing as Bertie, he might be going through a mini fear stage right now or later. 

And fwiw - I'm going through the same stage with Bertie. A friend of mine offered me some prime crating space next to her dogs, but I assured her that I wanted a crate that was off to the side, because I was bringing the golden tornado in. Bertie was an overpowering ball of energy from the long drive to the show, the overnight stay at the hotel, and lack of suitable free exercise the next day. He's used to a big house and yard to run around in... and I saw what a huge difference having a big house and yard is as far as defusing all that energy.


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

Thanks Megora!!!

I hate being that owner. The one with the dog that is pulling and barking and I'm digging my heels in trying to slow him down. And I am NOT a light woman. All while saying, "he's just excited. I'm so sorry."

I think I need a better way to refocus him. This morning on our 5 minute walk, we ran into a woman and he wanted to pull and bark. So I turned him around and walked the other way. It seemed to work to get him focused back on the task. I had him tight against my side in his gentle leader so he couldn't turn his head around and focus on the person. 

I appreciate your input. Bertie is the golden tornado and Bear is the black cyclone. Maybe that's how they should dress for Halloween. Teehee. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

My 13 month old Gabby barks at situations that scare her... For example, we had a client appreciation day yesterday at work, and had a donkey and mini horse...she had never seen those before, so she barked. On occasion, she will bark at a bigger dog like a Newfie, Great Dane,etc. I do not think of that as reactive. I think that is her reaction to a scary situation. I generally ignore her when she does it and she ultimately decides what was scary isn't. She is certainly not aggressive. And up here, some trainers use reactive instead of aggressive.... I will change direction, etc to redirect her brain...


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I love my gentle leader...


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I feel you Jen. When I first got Ky I called every place within 50 miles since I didn't think at that point it was a good idea to take her to each place. EVERY one of them turned us down for classes WITHOUT even meeting her.
I can't even tell you how many times I heard "An abused Akita is a time bomb, put her down".

That's when I gave up on all of the "professionals" and decided to train her myself. If they had met her and then made a decision I could have lived with it (but not agreed with it) but they don't even bother.

It's a crying shame what the world of "dog trainers" has become. Good luck ♥
/end rant


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I feel for you, too. When Penny was a few months old...towards a year old...I was walking her and she saw some kids. OMG...I grabbed the leash but was in the gravel next to the road on the side of a ditch. It was like being on ball bearing...down I went and then DRAGGED towards the kids...and I'm not a small person either! Tore my jeans, bloodied my knee, kids scared to death because a dog is charging them.

She never got within 50 feet but they didn't know she would stop. She was a monster. It got a lot better but I still knew when to hold the leash with both hands. Amazing how that girl could dig in to get to her objective!

We took a Saturday afternoon class with her; with most of the same participants as the previous classes and a different teacher. We'd been in classes for about a year so everybody 'knew' Penny..except for the teacher. Well, apparently Saturdays were Penny's down days, not like during the evening classes when she was all wound up. I couldn't get her to step it up and be brisk. The teacher told me "C'mon, get Penny excited". The whole class howled...they chorused "Oh no, you DO NOT want Penny excited!'

She has a rep!


----------



## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

You guys have really encouraged me. I feel confident, now, that extended socialization and refreshing and working on new obedience traits is our key. 

We had another episode today, in our evening walk. As soon as we hit the curb, he was barking up a storm... but there was no one around! The only thing is that a dog was cooped up in a car somewhere and was barking off and on. I was able to settle him almost immediately, though he kept trying to pull. Silly boy thinks he's ready for off-leash romping already. We're going to keep working on this, and building on his foundation. Because we had a great socialization when he was a pup (nothing like Yogi's, but decent. ) 

One step at a time... man is that my motto or what?!


----------

