Yet another biting thread

[Giselle]

Oh, he sounds exactly like Ivy. Apparently, this behavior isn't all too uncommon, but it doesn't fall under a singular umbrella term like "aggression" or anything. It's pretty subjective and open to interpretation, but from what I gather and understand is this:
- These dogs are easily aroused/overexcited. They don't have coping skills to deal with the influx of emotion and adrenaline and so take their frustration out through lunging/biting. They are often dog-friendly off leash and rarely, if ever, get in fights off leash. These dogs generally have very very low thresholds.

Because their thresholds are so low and because they don't know how to deal with themselves, we have to teach them. It sounds strict, but you have to lay down the rules from here on out:
1) Enforce NILIF now to bring a solid structure and foundation into the household. Teach "Wait" and teach Taz to reorient back to you after waiting. For example, before you exit the door, have Taz wait. Release him from "wait" with a verbal "okay!", and stand there. Wait until he voluntarily looks back at you. ONLY then will you move forward. Practice this at the door, at the car, at the garden gate, at a store, etc.
2) Teach coping skills: For him, meeting a dog for longer than a few seconds is too much. He just can't emotionally cope with that so he lunges. Instead, turn meetings into positive training sessions. Taz meets dog. Click. Taz returns to you for the treat. Let Taz meet dog again. Click. Taz returns for the treat. Let Taz meet dog again. Click/treat. Repeat. Repeat until Taz views the other dog as a signal to begin this game of meeting and click/treating. Thus, in one game, you teach him to voluntarily meet the other dog and then reorient back to you. The stress of a prolonged greeting melts away!
3) Manage situations better: The owner's body language is CRUCIAL with dogs like Taz. They are often highly sensitive to the environment and to their owners. If you feel Taz getting tense and you make a slight movement, that slight tug on the leash or that slight movement of your hand can set Taz off. Rather, what you want to do is pay more attention to how you control yourself. You do want to be a strong, confident leader. You should be able to diffuse tense situations, not urge them on. So when you see Taz getting into the "red zone" and you see him tensing up, remove yourself and recall him. If you ever find him in your lap and he's getting tense, pick him up and place him in a low-stress environment (i.e. crate). You want to make sure that Taz NEVER gets above this threshold ever again. If he ever lunges from here on out, it is up to you to figure out what his body was saying to you, what you misread, and how you can prevent it. His body is speaking constantly. We just have to learn how to read them better and how to respond more effectively

Hope that helps! If you need visuals of anything I wrote (like the 'wait and reorient') just let me know!

[Ginger's Mom]

2) Teach coping skills: For him, meeting a dog for longer than a few seconds is too much. He just can't emotionally cope with that so he lunges. Instead, turn meetings into positive training sessions. Taz meets dog. Click. Taz returns to you for the treat. Let Taz meet dog again. Click. Taz returns for the treat. Let Taz meet dog again. Click/treat. Repeat. Repeat until Taz views the other dog as a signal to begin this game of meeting and click/treating. Thus, in one game, you teach him to voluntarily meet the other dog and then reorient back to you. The stress of a prolonged greeting melts away!

I actually love this idea. I can see some problems (i.e. my portly Eskie will attmept to knock Taz down and grab whatever I have out of my hand before he even realizes I clicked, lol), but I must admit the theory behind it appeals to me. Will see if I can do some tweaking on this one.

Manage situations better: The owner's body language is CRUCIAL with dogs like Taz. They are often highly sensitive to the environment and to their owners. If you feel Taz getting tense and you make a slight movement, that slight tug on the leash or that slight movement of your hand can set Taz off.

Had to smile at this one. Nancy told me the same thing when I asked her about Ginger's fear of walking around the neighborhood (which by the way has improved greatly). However, in both cases I am not aware of doing anything until after the dogs do; in Taz' case growling and lunging, in Ginger's case sitting down and refusing to move. In both instances I feel I am acting normal not really thinking about what we are doing and find myself reacting to their unexpected behaviors. ON the contrary, when two or more children approach us, I know that I do tense up on Taz' lead, however, as long as there is no rapid movement of feet he is very good about all of them petting him. He makes me feel so proud of him then.

So when you see Taz getting into the "red zone" and you see him tensing up, remove yourself and recall him. If you ever find him in your lap and he's getting tense, pick him up and place him in a low-stress environment (i.e. crate). You want to make sure that Taz NEVER gets above this threshold ever again. If he ever lunges from here on out, it is up to you to figure out what his body was saying to you, what you misread, and how you can prevent it. His body is speaking constantly. We just have to learn how to read them better and how to respond more effectively

I really like the parts I have put in bold, and I am sure that is the key to the whole thing. I can, course make excuses about how I cannot give him all of my attention because I have another dog and neighbors are trying to talk to me, etc. but I don't think you would buy it. I do have a question along those lines, though. How consistant do I need to be? By that I mean, I may be able to take Taz out once a day by himself so that we can work on these things individually. But our other walks will be with Ginger. Would the fact that I am paying closer attention at some times and not others confuse him?

[Giselle]

How consistant do I need to be? By that I mean, I may be able to take Taz out once a day by himself so that we can work on these things individually. But our other walks will be with Ginger. Would the fact that I am paying closer attention at some times and not others confuse him?

Not at all. When I mean pay closer attention, I really mean for you to change the way you look at your dogs. You know how some people say losing weight isn't just a diet; it's a lifestyle change? Fixing Taz's behavior isn't just a quick training session; it's a mentality change. Rather than "Oh no! He lunged. What do I do now?", you will instead think "Hmm...his eyes are getting hard, his muscles are getting tense, and his tail is wagging stiffly. What can I do to reframe or diffuse this situation?"

In both instances I feel I am acting normal not really thinking about what we are doing and find myself reacting to their unexpected behaviors.

From this point on, you are not the reaction. I remember that phrase from Les Choristes, "action-reaction". This is NOT the route you want to take. Rather than waiting for Taz to lunge, you will assess him as soon as you see his triggers (which sounds like young children and strange dogs staring at him). As soon as you see these triggers, you will notice Taz beginning to feel uncomfortable or tense, and you end it there. You can end it by click/treating him and playing the meeting game. You can end it by removing him entirely from the situation. You can tell the kids or dogs to back up. You can recall him to you and leave, etc.

So, yes, initially, you will need one-on-one training sessions with Taz so that you can get a feel for what sets him off, at what point do things set him off, and how you can reframe the situation. When you're walking both dogs, you need not pay so close attention to his every move, but you *do* need to quickly and thoroughly assess him as soon as you see a small child or strange dog approach you.

If you need more ideas of coping skills, just let me know! I love this topic with a passion, and have many tricks up my sleeve