# I think I found a trainer for us



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I've been looking for a qualified, good trainer for us for a while. With Bella in the house, all our dynamics have shifted. Plus she has a problem with barking at other dogs and strange people. And Tucker is showing signs of resource guarding. Tess is just Tess but she's getting fragile and I want to be sure she is respected. DD gets impatient with all the dogs and I want someone to train HER a bit. :uhoh:

So I researched training societies and certifications and found a good candidate in SF. I had a good talk with her yesterday. She's not able to help us because of the distance (I was worried about that), but recommended someone highly who is nearby. It's the same person who was recommended highly by the behaviorist at my local SPCA. So I'm going to go with her. I had originally not called her b/c we'd met her a couple times before and my DD found her sort of off-putting. But I told my DD she needed to bite the bullet and work with her. 

But the woman I spoke with yesterday said something that really made my day. I described to her some of the issues we were facing and mentioned some of the training I've been doing at home and elsewhere with them, and she said she wished she could work with me because she could tell I'd be a great client, that I was thoughtful about my dogs, and was already doing good things for them! Really made my day.


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I am so glad to see that you have found a trainer that will work for you. In addition to classes, I am seeking personal help from a trainer. My last private trainer was not a good fit for me and Mercy. I asked my friend from church if there was somebody who could help me with Mercy's manners and she referred me to a trainer that I drive to starting this Saturday morning. Pray that it works out!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I hope she works out for you. It's important to find a good fit, which is why I had originally passed by the initial recommendation to this woman (since my DD didn't take to her).

After I typed up the above post, it hit me how discouraged I've been feeling lately. When the dogs started having persistent issues, I think I started feeling like a failure as a dog mommy...


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Our first session today*

Martina, our trainer, came today for our first session. I think she's going to work out very well. She seems very knowledgeable and insightful about our situation. It turns out she does behavior assessments for our local GR rescue group. 

Her assessment was sobering however. She agrees that Bella is fearful and under socialized. In fact Bella reacted aggressively and barked at her when she moved around. So we have a lot of work to do with Tucker and Bella. Tess has been deemed quite adorable with no issues at all. LOL. 

So we're starting with barking at the door when the doorbell goes off. (They did a demonstration of the necessity for that when Martina arrived. ) In a few weeks, we're going over to her place. She has five dogs, and we're going to test the reactivity of both Tucker and Bella. I think we've got a lot of work to do.


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

"After I typed up the above post, it hit me how discouraged I've been feeling lately. When the dogs started having persistent issues, I think I started feeling like a failure as a dog mommy... "

I am so sorry you were feeling discouraged. I think you are a great dog mommy.  I think every one of us at some point or another get stuck some where and need someone else to evaluate things. Most of the time those new eyes will just spot little things that we can do (small adjustments) or help us to break things down into smaller pieces to make some things work a little easier. No matter how wonderful each dog is as an individual making it all work and run smoothly as a family is not easy. 
I do hope that your family and the trainer end up being a good fit.


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

I just saw your post on the first session. I am glad you do like your trainer. It sounds like she has a plan.  That will give you something to work toward. Again, don't get discouraged. Reward yourself for each and every baby step toward your goal. Each of those steps are as important as the end result.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

Good luck with your trainer. Honestly, I find that unless you've got your head stuck in the sand and think your dog is perfect, there is always some issue to be working on.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Jessie'sGirl said:


> Good luck with your trainer. Honestly, I find that unless you've got your head stuck in the sand and think your dog is perfect, there is always some issue to be working on.


Yes, if for no other reason than they always need reinforcement. What I find discouraging is that although Bella has settled into our home quite well and gets along with all of us, she's so fearful of everyone else that Martina said "she's a bite waiting to happen." So until (if we can) help her gain more confidence, she's just going to have to watched very carefully, and not put into situations that would stress her out. She was completely stressed out with the trainer in the house and exhausted after she left. 

Martina said she could very well end up being the alpha of the dogs once she and Tucker are fully adult, at around two years of age. Although that is sort of funny--I don't think Tucker gets it--I want to make sure she's a more confident, easy-going dog before that happens.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Today we started with Bella's security conditioning*

I took her for a neighborhood walk. I worked with her on loose leash walking but was really working on letting her explore her surroundings to learn that the world is not a scary dangerous place. She did very well. I pulled off the sidewalk a couple times when there were people and/or dogs coming at us, and fed her a stream of treats. She started to lunge once and barked once, but mostly was distracted by taking the treats. We're going to keep that up for a long while I think. She was clearly stressed by it all, although she seemed very trusting of my being on the other end of the leash.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

It is great to have a good trainer to rely on. I know that having a fear reactive dog is stressful for you and the dog but hang in there it does get better.


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## USAFWife74 (Jan 13, 2013)

Good luck with the new trainer! I have a fearful dog, a rescue, and the good news is if your dog is taking treats, that's a good sign! My pup won't have anything to do with treats when she's afraid. She goes catatonic, but she's coming through better and better each day! 


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Feeling discouraged and bummed*

We had two incidents today. Nothing major but they are bothersome nonetheless. 

First, when the dogs were being fed, Tucker went after Bella's food. There was a gate between the dining room and living room that wasn't closed. He backed her away from her bowl which meant she was trapped in her crate. The private trainer wants us to supervise the dogs when they are eating to be sure Tucker doesn't get pushy, but DD forgot and also forgot to close the gate. :doh: Big fail.

Then, at her basic obedience class tonight, Bella went after another dog (no contact--lunge and a bark). While she was still aroused from that, the older of the two trainers walked by, very close to DD and Bella and Bella lunged at her. :no:. The trainer lost it and yelled at my DD who had the leash at that time. As DD took Bella outside, I spoke very calmly to the woman who had yelled and who was starting to speak strongly to me. I said, "You know, she's a student, too." DD was very upset and got into the car. Main trainer had me take over Bella for remainder of the class. The secondary trainer went out to the car and more or less apologized to DD and also delivered a little dog training lecture at the same time. Truthfully, I think she felt bad but didn't want to lose face either. 

The main trainer wants me to use a different collar with Bella. We used a borrowed prong on her for part of the class but I'm not sold on that for her. I'm thinking of using a martingale collar. Basically the trainer wants us to be able to control her quickly if she lunges again. If anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

I'm wondering if we should continue with this class. I've always felt it was too crowded, and for a fear-reactive dog like Bella I think it feels overwhelming and intense. I think I'll call the trainer and see what she suggests. It's just sad. Bella was excited to get there tonight and then it all went south.


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## njoyqd (Oct 20, 2012)

Grrrr!
I hate that happened! So disappointing!
Sounds as though you handled it well.
You always give the best advice and support here. 
FWIW, we used a prong collar with Phoebe. It worked well initially, but makes no difference now. I personally hate the thing.
Keep us posted!
Dale


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

I am sorry to hear the problems you are having with Bella. A fearful dog can be difficult to deal with. From what you described, the group obedience class may be too much for Bella to deal with. We took a class at Petco where there was a tense dog, but it was a small class, so it was easy to keep the dogs and people separated. If the class is too crowded, might be best to give Bella (and you) a break for now. 

All obedience classes we have taken have required that we us the Gentle Leader, but I do not know if that would give you more control.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

njoyqd said:


> Grrrr!
> I hate that happened! So disappointing!
> Sounds as though you handled it well.
> You always give the best advice and support here.
> ...


Thanks for the kind words--that helped! I'm going to call the private trainer and tell her what happened last night. I think it's probably best to take Bella out of that class at this time. We will work on basic stuff at home, perhaps with videos and a book or two.


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## dgmama (Nov 29, 2012)

I agree about it being too much. It's probably best to find a trainer that can work with you and Bella privately. I know how you feel, my boy, Diego, is unsocialized and is pretty reactive to other dogs on walks. We are going to JaneTrains, and just today, Diego kept walking with me while a small dog was chasing us. This woman is the real deal, you could give her a call to talk about everything and see what she suggests. Each half hour is $15.
I really feel for you! It is very depressing when you feel hopeless and can't do anything about it. I didn't think it was possible to train Diego to walk beside me instead of pulling my arm out. He used to be a sled dog! It'll be better once you see progress, I felt so relieved when I did. Like a heavy weight was just lifted off of me. Hang in there!

And have you ever tried the SENSE-ible front clip harness? That's what I use and I love it. It gives me a lot of control. I use the gentle leader when we go somewhere with a lot of distractions. This is only my opinion, but I wouldn't use the prong if I were you. Harnesses are a lot safer. I even bought my other golden a back clip.


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## tania (Dec 22, 2011)

Hi hi!

Oh, there are times that I too feel so lost about what to do when confronted with something new.. like adapting your house, routine, ways etc to a new dog. Hang in there. I always feel, during a bad week, that I don't know what to do, that things will not change.. but then after a month you see how much actually does change when we try new things and we learn so much in the process. :bowl: If I think a year ago when I first got my very first dog I didn't even know breed names! We learn and adapt to make their (and ours) lives enjoyable. 

I am volunteering at the public classes at the sf spca and when we have a medium reactive dog we put visual barriers. Having the trainer yell at the dog or person would never ever be an option. We try to make sure they are below their threshold. If Bella is barking she is over her threshold and my impression is that if she keeps repeating this she will learn that: class situation = scary dogs too near me. I would probably suggest a "reactive rover" kind of class. Or private (that would be my personal choice at this point). 

Also, Grisha Stewart is coming to the bay area soon to give a workshop on BAT.  (so nice!) 

Also: book "Mine" from Jean Donaldson. (ah, you probably know that one.. ). Oh, also to gain confidence, nose work! Sniff!! haha

You are a really really good dog mom!! Taking care of your 3 adorable fluffy balls and adapting to accommodate their histories. You are such a good example!:wavey:

Have a wonderful day!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

So I spoke with Martina, our private trainer, today and told her about Bella lunging at the other dog and at the second trainer during Monday's group class. She completely agrees with me about pulling Bella out of the class for the last two sessions. Ive thought from the beginning that the class is too crowded. Now that I've seen Bella in that setting, plus have a better understanding of her issues, it's the right thing to do. I'll ask the trainer to send me the handouts and I'll work on the stuff at home. too bad, but better for Bella.


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## dgmama (Nov 29, 2012)

I think you'll feel a lot better going to a private trainer instead. We're all hoping it gets better for you! It really does sadden me when I see amazing owners like you discouraged because I feel this way a lot. But the training will progress. Even if there are a few incidents here and there, Bella won't lose the training. I've talked to my trainer so much about this, I always end up thinking once something goes wrong everything's ruined, and that I'm a sucky trainer.

Many hugs to you!


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## turtle66 (Feb 19, 2010)

thanks for your post, Kathleen.
I am kind of going to the same issue myself with my dear almost 4 yo Golden Lilly.
We just hired a private trainer with her submissive - aggressiveness towards other unknown dogs....
Lilly got out (we took her out) of her 'impulse control' class as well, just like your Bella - because of aggressiveness to another dog - a lots of similarities.
Anyway - you are definitely not alone here and I love this forum, because of all the very valuable help and support you find here.

All the best to you and your crew including your new member Bella!

Heike


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Strongly suggest a front clip harness for fearful and reactive dogs, it gives you more control and takes the pressure off the neck should they lunge. You can attach the leash clip to the harness and a flat collar to give even more control. A prong collar is a definite 'wrong' when working with a fearful dog, adding discomfort or possibly pain to the equation should the dog lunge, will most certainly add to the problem by reinforcing to the dog that they have reason to be afraid of 'it'. Avoid using 'corrections' for fearful behavior-( barking, growling, lunging) teaching the dog to stop telling you he is afraid turns off the warning signals - you WANT to know if your dog is not feeling comfortable in any situation.
Working a fearful dog in a crowded classroom has no benefits - a scared dogs NEEDS space - that is what all the noise and lunging is about- to gain more space. They need to be kept at a distance where they can remain calm, in control, and feel safe - while you work on counter conditioning and desensitizing them to their triggers.
Working with a reactive dog - I have one that literally 'explodes' if he is too close to a trigger- is often an adventure in one step forward two steps back, or two forward - one back - focus on each success - no matter how small. Did she look at another dog without 'going off'? Wow that was amazing!! Reward and praise for it!! 
Key to helping a reactive dog is 'down time' - it takes about 48 hours without re-exposure to any triggers - for a dog to 'come down' (return to 'normal' body chemistry) after an high anxiety 'event' that triggers a reaction. If the dog is not given the time to 'chill', the stress continues to build making him more likely and more quick to react to a trigger.
Take heart, it does get better.


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## USAFWife74 (Jan 13, 2013)

We use the easy walk harness for Ellie...she has many triggers and fears, poor thing! She's making great strides every day though!!!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Charliethree said:


> Strongly suggest a front clip harness for fearful and reactive dogs, it gives you more control and takes the pressure off the neck should they lunge. You can attach the leash clip to the harness and a flat collar to give even more control. A prong collar is a definite 'wrong' when working with a fearful dog, adding discomfort or possibly pain to the equation should the dog lunge, will most certainly add to the problem by reinforcing to the dog that they have reason to be afraid of 'it'. Avoid using 'corrections' for fearful behavior-( barking, growling, lunging) teaching the dog to stop telling you he is afraid turns off the warning signals - you WANT to know if your dog is not feeling comfortable in any situation.
> Working a fearful dog in a crowded classroom has no benefits - a scared dogs NEEDS space - that is what all the noise and lunging is about- to gain more space. They need to be kept at a distance where they can remain calm, in control, and feel safe - while you work on counter conditioning and desensitizing them to their triggers.
> Working with a reactive dog - I have one that literally 'explodes' if he is too close to a trigger- is often an adventure in one step forward two steps back, or two forward - one back - focus on each success - no matter how small. Did she look at another dog without 'going off'? Wow that was amazing!! Reward and praise for it!!
> Key to helping a reactive dog is 'down time' - it takes about 48 hours without re-exposure to any triggers - for a dog to 'come down' (return to 'normal' body chemistry) after an high anxiety 'event' that triggers a reaction. If the dog is not given the time to 'chill', the stress continues to build making him more likely and more quick to react to a trigger.
> Take heart, it does get better.


Thanks--this all great information. I didn't realize it took that long for a dog to come down from being aroused. When she did the second lunge at the woman during training, it was just a few minutes after she had lunged at the dog. The trainer walked by, way too close, and she lunged again. I partly blame the trainer because I think she should have been more on the ball than that. 

I have been using a front clip Harness on her. I use one on Tucker and got one for Bella right away. It took her a few times to get used to it but she walks pretty well on it. I was concerned about the prong collar causing more fear in her also, so I think I'll not do that going forward.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

You are right, both trainers should have known better, and respected your dogs space. Though I realize it was an obedience class - safety should be first and foremost on a trainer's agenda and those dogs with problems given the space they needed. 
Bottom line tho, trust your gut, if it doesn't feel right, it likely isn't - you know your dog better than anyone.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Yesterday's visit from a friend*

To deliver Girl Scout cookies--yum! went pretty well. 

We had Bella on leash, and sitting next to DD when they came in. She got aroused and barky pretty fast. They ignored her as requested and went down a hall away from her. Came back after she had calmed down and she started up again. Her son contributed to it by acting scared--he wasn't really but was goofing off, even though his mother chewed him out a bit and told him to knock it off. Argh. 

But a question for those who might have an answer. My little dog Tess is sort of the straw that stirs the drink. She often is the first to bark and the other two follow suit. Bella overreacts and keeps it up because she's truly scared, after the other two have chilled out (which is usually right away--they start wagging and wants pets  ). 

I'm thinking I should put the other two away in a room and let Bella greet strangers alone for a while, to eliminate some of the stimulation. It will be hard on the other two--we have a very small house--but perhaps it would help?


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

I would suggest a bit different approach. Put Bella away when/before someone enters the house, the other dogs will do 'their thing' and settle down. Once the others dogs are settled, and your company is seated, ( the strangers being seated will be less 'threatening' for Bella) bring Bella out on leash. Ask them not to look at (make eye contact with) her or try to pet her if she comes close. Have them offer her a few high value treats from an open hand if she choses to approach. If Bella is too nervous to approach, have them drop/spread the treats on the floor near their feet (put the other dogs away so they don't steal them) again, no eye contact - no trying to touch. This will give Bella a chance to approach on her own, without having to get too close, receive the reward, and move away if she wants to. It is important at this point to allow Bella to choose, whether or not to approach the strangers.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

So I broke down and took the dogs to the dog park today. I decided to give it a try again because Tucker in particular needed some running exercise. I kept Bella on leash the whole time. That's not usually a great thing to do in a dog park but it worked very well. She lunged at a dog once and I held firm, and then she got the message. When dogs came over to us (we positioned ourselves a bit out of the way) and she greeted them nicely, I gave her lots of praise. Then we walked the length of the park with Tucker running circles around us and Tess trotting behind, and she walked nice as pie. I think she felt more like I was in charge and someone was watching over her with the leash on.

Tomorrow I take both Goldens to the trainer's place. She's going to introduce them (separately) to her five dogs to test for reactivity. Then she's going to put both dogs together with the five to watch that behavior. Should be interesting, although nerve-wracking. I'm glad I got excellent references for this woman, because otherwise I'd be even more nervous.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Feeling very discouraged*

We had our second meeting and assessment with our trainer today. We went to her house and she observed Bella with one of her dogs, and Tucker with two, and then the two together interacting with her dogs. 

They both demonstrated their issues for her.  Bella got right in a border collie's face and barked. She stared him down and he barked to tell her to back off and she over-reacted. Martina said she doesn't read dogs well at all--her dog was telling her to back off, and she took it badly. Tucker was doing fine being his goofy happy self until he saw something he wanted--a stick--in the mouth of a tiny 5 lb female. He pounced in front of her, startled her, and took it away. Big bully. 

I felt very discouraged by the time we left. We have a lot of work to do.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

I was once told - you don't always get the dog you want but you do get the dog you need (and needs you). It could not be truer. We adopted Joseph, fear reactive to people and dogs - almost a year ago, after fostering him for almost a year. NO ONE else would give him a chance. It has been an amazing journey with an amazing dog. Not always easy, not always fun, but with time, training, consistency and management he is making progress! We have him in Resolving Reactivity classes and he has totally blown us away with what he CAN do, things that, not so long ago, we didn't dare to dream about.
Hang in there, it does get better, and it is so worth the effort!!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Charliethree said:


> I was once told - you don't always get the dog you want but you do get the dog you need (and needs you). It could not be truer. We adopted Joseph, fear reactive to people and dogs - almost a year ago, after fostering him for almost a year. NO ONE else would give him a chance. It has been an amazing journey with an amazing dog. Not always easy, not always fun, but with time, training, consistency and management he is making progress! We have him in Resolving Reactivity classes and he has totally blown us away with what he CAN do, things that, not so long ago, we didn't dare to dream about.
> Hang in there, it does get better, and it is so worth the effort!!


Thanks. I needed to hear a success story! This little Bella has stolen our hearts. I just want to lead a normal life out in the world with her along.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

*Believe*. Focus on what she can do. It is so easy to get pulled down by what they cannot do, we miss the opportunity to celebrate what they can do.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

A successful day in Golden-land. I took all three dogs to a small dog park that's usually empty. It was today and the dogs got a good 30-40 minute run. They were all quite tired when they got home. 

Both Bella and Tucker listened to me and waited in the car's cargo area until I grabbed their leashes, and walked fairly nicely to the park and back. We are keeping up with keeping on... ! My celebration for the day.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Another good day... The park was empty. Was nice b/c I could bring treats in my pocket and work with the dogs without other dogs climbing on me for a snack. I worked with Bella on recall and with Tucker on retrieving and giving up the ball. Tess just got a few treats for being cute!  I'm really liking this empty park--lots of grass (and some mud), and very sunny in the morning. I do miss chatting up my human friends at the old place though.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Happy to hear you had a good day! I bet your crew had a blast with all that space to themselves!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Training Bella today: We had a good 30-minute walk in the neighborhood. She remains very curious about everything--nothing is mundane to her. She did very well. We practiced loose leash walking, sit, stay, down, and sit-when-we-arrive-at-a-curb. We watched people rearrange their garage, making lots of noise, from across the street, while she got treats. Then we said hi to a friendly Basenji and his owner. That went very well, and the owner gave her a treat. All was well until we got almost home. I think she was tired and bored at this point. She stopped sitting on command. I had to push her butt to the ground a couple times. What do you do when a dog just plain stops doing what she was doing successfully five minutes before? She knew what I wanted--looked straight at me but didn't comply.


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## dgmama (Nov 29, 2012)

My boy used to do this allll the time. My trainer told me it was because he always new there was going to be a treat, so that's when she told me about random reinforcement. It gets them working for the food. I've learned that it's also not good to force them into position. I used to do that too!

The random treating has really helped with me. I can tell Diego anything and he obeys, I have also worked on training from a distance.

One thing I've also learned is to keep training sessions short. I could always tell when Diego was getting bored, so I took it a step back and made it easy for him by showing him the food, and raising it over his head into the sit position.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

For Bella it may have been a case of 'over load' - if a dog is under 'pressure' for too long they can lose the ability to think and 'cope'. If a dog is not well socialized with people and other dogs, it can be assumed that their 'real world' experiences are limited too. Some dogs when they reach 'over load' will become 'hyper' active or will display fast body movements and can't think, some dogs will 'shut down' (can't hear) or 'slow down'. 
Some stress signs to watch for are: panting out of context ie: at the beginning of a walk when the dog is not hot or tired. Tension in the face, lips drawn back, creases at the corners of the mouth, pupils dilated, eyes are open wider. Changes in pace from normal/relaxed, can be faster ie: prancing, or slower, sweating paws are also an indicator.
In Bella's case if/when she stops 'listening' I would suggest a taking a break, and relax - both of you, take her off to the side, drop some treats on the ground, let her eat them, (lowering the head to sniff is calming behavior for a dog), wait for her to sit or lay down before moving on. Keep in mind that our dogs sense how we feel, if they are already stressed and unable to respond to commands and we get frustrated or 'anxious' as well - it is not going to help.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

We had a great training session today with Martina, our trainer. We went to a busy local park and worked on reinforcing Bella's good behavior. There were dogs, kids on bikes, adults exercising--all sorts of things going on. Bella lunged a couple times but most of the time she did great. She did react strongly to little kids on scooters and bikes--to the noise of the machines I think. We have lots of work to do but she's showing that she can do it. She was plenty tired at the end. Charliethree, I think your assessment above is on target. When she's tired she starts to shut down and not respond. I think I will need to carefully time the length of our training sessions and increase them gradually.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Good to hear! Having a reactive dog is like solving a mystery, over time you discover the clues to what works, and what doesn't, what you can repeat and what you shouldn't and in the end - a fabulous finish! The key is 'listening' to what your dog is telling you.
Bless your heart for being so committed to making Bella's life easier!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Today's dog park trip went very well. I went to our old DP yesterday, but there were dogs there I didn't know, so we left. Then it started raining buckets, so we just went home. Today is sunny, so I took the dogs to the "empty" park. It wasn't empty today so we waited for about 15 minutes until the other dogs exited. 

All three dogs did great today. I've been working with Bella on not barking at the fence at every person or dog that goes by. Today she did very well. I had treats and she knew it, and I had a ball and she wanted it.  When she headed toward the fence looking like she was going to bark, I called her and she responded quickly after a longing glance at the passer-by, LOL, but no bark. She clearly understands that the barking is not wanted, but sometimes she just can't stop herself. 

We worked on come, sit and down. Bella and Tucker did great. Tess not so much. She's pretty clear she's cute and small enough to get treats without putting in much effort. :doh: But Bella (and Tucker) have been doing great about waiting in the cargo area until I get hold of their leashes and say "come" and both were very well-behaved at the park. I'm taking Bella out shortly to sit in front of a coffee shop so I can give her treats when strangers walk by. Today I'm feeling encouraged!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Our trip to the shopping area went great! Bella was wound up but didn't bark at anyone. A couple people stopped and talked to her and she was fine. It's the perfect place to take her. There's a lot going on--shops, restaurants, cars, pedestrians--but it's not overwhelming. When the weather is a bit warmer, I'm going to go have lunch with her at an outside table. I took her into the Wash a Pup just to hear the sounds etc. and to get a treat from the counter guy. She seemed pretty anxious in there--its very loud. However, she seemed to enjoy the whole venture, although she was ready to get back into the car after about a half hour.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*Two steps back...*

Today's trip to DP wasn't a big success but neither was it a massive failure. I decided to swing by my old dog park to see if it looked OK to bring the dogs in. It wasn't crowded, so I did. The small dog side was empty so we went in there until some little dogs showed up. Overall Bella did very well. She did bark at a sheepdog at the fence but stopped when I said to. She let a man pet her and sniffed noses and body parts politely with a little dog. At one point though, several dogs got riled up and barking. She reacted with a lot of body tension and barking, so I took them out. We went to the empty dog park across town and I let them run hard. Right now all are snoozing close at hand. 

I was pleased that Bella was OK for most of the time, but she clearly needs more work and will for a while. I'm going to keep away from the busy park for a while and will go back in a few weeks and test her there again.


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## dgmama (Nov 29, 2012)

It sounds like you're doing great with her. It warms my heart to see good dog owners like you who put a whole lot of effort into training. It really can be tiring and exhausting, so just keep at it.  Keep us updated.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*today's expedition*

I took Bella to new a shopping area today for her socialization and desensitization practice. A busy place with all sorts of ethnic restaurants, and lots of new smells and sights. I walked her around and then we paused in a few places with her in a sit so she could watch and listen. The closest she came to barking was when we were in front of the market and several people went by with shopping carts. She started seeming a bit stressed after 15-20 minutes, so we stopped there. But I'm going to take her back there a few times. I think it's a great environment for her to learn about. When she gets a bit bored, we'll move on to something new and different. 

When she's ready to bark, I can hear it start way down deep, and her ruff goes up. Only saw that a couple times, and the rest of the time she was alert and interested and smelling everything. Started walking over to a man but I didn't let her. Got some looks aimed at the two of us that seemed "displeased," I think because of all the food establishments. But I don't care--it's a public plaza and sidewalk. I'm going back! :


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I take Bentley to a mall where dogs are allowed and 99% of the people love it but there's always that one person that gives us the stink eye. We don't care, we just keep walking with our chins held high 

It sounds like Bella is doing really well!


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

*So discouraged today*

We were late leaving the house today, and when we got to the usually empty dog run, there were others there. Bella became quite barky and kept lunging to the end of the leash. So I loaded them up and we went home. I'm thinking of trying a deterrent collar. I bought one with the citronella spray recently but haven't tried it. This situation is a real challenge. We can't go anywhere right now without making sure it will work for Bella.  Love her dearly inside the house. Outside--she's a pain in the patootie.


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

OutWest said:


> Bella became quite barky and kept lunging to the end of the leash...I'm thinking of trying a deterrent collar...


You have to be really careful that she doesn't associate the dogs with giving the correction. That would make the situation 100x worse.

There's a thread on my Dane board that deals with this exact issue. One of the members had a reactive dog and went through a process that worked and explained it step by step. I think she even had a video on it. Took some time, but apparently this method has great results. Let me see if I can find it, (it's been awhile), then I'll post...


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## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Deleted the thread...unless you're a member it won't let you view the whole thread. 

The training is called Abandonment Training. It worked for her dog, but others on the board had mixed outcomes with the training. Trish King from the Marin Humane Society talks about it in the first link and the second link is her website if you have any questions on it, although I'm sure that your trainer knows about it, too. 

http://www.positivelytrained.com/edu_resources/Abandonment_Training.pdf

Home - Canine Behavior Associates - Trish and Tricia


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