Distractions

[Giselle]

What you need to do now is this:

1) Counter-condition. Because I don't know your dog's past, I can give you two theories as for why she's acting so aggressively towards other dogs (her trigger). Either she has a very strong negative association with other dogs, perhaps due to prior experiences, or she is actually dog friendly but cannot control herself and so displays her arousal through barking/charging/lunging, etc. The second one is most common on leash and is often dubbed "leash aggression" or "leash reactive". Whatever the reason, you need to change her attitude towards the trigger. Instead of "OMG STRANGE DOG BARK BARK BARK!!!", you need her to think "Oh, it's just another dog. No big deal; I'd rather focus on Mom". To do so, you need to counter-condition the trigger. Food is the single most simplest way to counter-condition a dog.

2) Desensitize. Once you counter-condition your dog to the trigger, you have to increase the frequency and the proximity of the trigger. In other words, move closer to the strange dog. However, if you move too close too fast, she will cross her threshold and aggress. If you do this, you will essentially reinforce the bad behavior. So, from this point on, do whatever is in your power to prevent her from aggressing: if you have to put a babygate at the front door, do it. If you have to block her with your body, do it. If you have to pick her up, do it. If you have to walk in another direction, do it. You can't let her aggress. Aggression is self-reinforcing. The more you allow the dog to aggress, the more ingrained the behavior becomes.

Now, how do you actually USE these two concepts? Here's an extremely simplified outine:

- Say you and your dog are on a walk and you see a dog. STOP. Is your dog already growling? If so, take 10 steps back. Turn around to look at the dog again. Your dog is probably staring at the other dog by now, but is she responsive? FYI, this is called gauging your dog's threshold. Knowing your dog's threshold is very important, so always be aware of it!
- Once you're under your dog's threshold (in other words, the dog is responding), immediately click/treat. She should turn to you for the treat. But after you treat, she'll look at the dog again. That's fine; that's normal. Click/treat. Eventually, if you c/t many times and allow her to look at the dog after the treating, she'll learn to ignore the other dog. She *chooses* to look at you. This is the basis of a very popular game called "Look at That!". Essentially, if you reward the dog for looking at the trigger, the dog then views the trigger as a game vs. a reason to aggress. Thus, the dog chooses to play with YOU vs. focusing on the trigger.
- Over time, you move closer = desensitize.

That's the gist of it! If you have questions, post here or PM me. Aggression/reactivity is my passion

[boricuajenny5]

Amaya has been to training when she was just a pup. I put her in the puppy basics classes at Petsmart. She didn't show this behavior back then. She doesn't have any regular contact with other dogs and I'm thinking she is so excited that she doesnt know how to act. I've tried putting my body in front of her but she sits and looks around me or tries to get through my legs. I'll keep moving left and right to block her and she keeps trying, still barking. She sits because she knows she is not allowed to go outside unless she sits calmly by the door.

In the past the dog was just walking by the front of the house and I would keep her away from the door until the dog was gone. She would still run to the door with excitement after sitting and being quiet and therefore being allowed to return. I could try the click and treat again in public. In the past she has just ignored me and again tried to get around me when I block her. I would love to make a game out of this. Maybe I could say "Dog" when she spots it then give her a treat? She stares at the dog for a bit before she starts barking. She only bark when the dog comes closer or starts going away.

I printed all this out to make sure I get it right. I have not tried that collar. I think it would be a good distraction because she wouldnt expect it.

[Giselle]

Actually, I would hesitate to use a citronella collar in this case. In fact, I would highly discourage it. The citronella collar's purpose is to punish the dog for barking. In this case, this is bad for two reasons: 1) By punishing the barking, you're only suppressing the symptoms. To fix aggressive tendencies, you need to fix the cause of the problem, not the symptoms. 2) By punishing the barking, you're punishing all warnings of an attack. Barking and growling are normal dog warnings. Warnings are GOOD; they tell us, "Hey! Something isn't right; I need to back off/change something/whatever". If you punish the warning, the dog can eventually learn to skip growling/biting and go straight for biting. I've seen this many times, and it's disturbing and unnecessary. Dogs who do not warn before they bite are infinitely more dangerous than dog who DO growl and bark before they bite.

In the past she has just ignored me and again tried to get around me when I block her.

Of course! All dog reactive/aggressive dogs would rather look at the trigger than focus on you. That's what the "Look at That" game is for. It's to teach the dog that she CAN look at the trigger. In fact, the trigger becomes a game to play with Mom. Thus, the dog can look at the trigger and focus on Mom at the same time. Novel idea, eh?

I would love to make a game out of this. Maybe I could say "Dog" when she spots it then give her a treat? She stares at the dog for a bit before she starts barking. She only bark when the dog comes closer or starts going away.

Yes! Saying "Dog" right when she spots it and then treating her is EXACTLY what I recommend I would actually do something like "Dog!">click>treat. Repeat. However, don't let her stare. She can glance at the dog and use it as a game to play with you, but, if she's staring, that means she's over her threshold and she needs to move farther away from the dog. Hope that helps you!

[boricuajenny5]

We started practicing our click/treat training last night. Once she knew I had the clicker in my pocket she was focused and ready. We practiced "Watch Me". I want her to be able to get her attention off a dog and look at me instead so we are going to practice that before we hit up our local pet store for more practice.

Thanks for the great tips! Keep them coming

[Giselle]

Sounds like a good start!

Keep in mind, you are NOT forbidding her to look at the other dog. If she breaks the "Watch Me", that's okay. Immediately start playing "Look at that!" with the trigger. In other words, this is the time to use the "Dog">click>treat method. Repeat this over and over again. Letting her glimpse back and forth between you and the trigger makes her care less and less about the other dog. At that point, you can resume your "Watch Me". Two birds with one stone