leash reactive

[psulle]

My dog is very leash reactive to other dogs. At the dog park off leash she is fine. On leash she acts like Cujo. I recently went to an easy walk harness which makes it easier to walk her with no pulling but now when she see's a dog it's a steady stream of barking. I have tried treats and usinhg her name but the second the treat is gone it's back to barking as long as she can see the dog and there are lots of dogs in my area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[mia]

I would try a "Gentle Leader". Available at Petsmart or Petco. It works like a Miracle. My Golden used to pull and now she walks right at my left leg. No barking, no pulling. When we go she is totally focused on the walk and nothing else.

Good luck.

Mia

[Lee at Delayre]

Be real careful with that type of devise. It has been know to cause damage to the neck if not used properly . It works they way a hackamore does on a horse
It applies pressure to the nose and pulls the head down. This can work fine on a 2000 lb animal but can and has caused major damage to a dogs neck if used
improperly

By giving her a treat when she starts barking only rewards the behavior . I would suggest a private training lesson (s) I had a toy Poodle come in for training
She barked at cars. On the first lesson I had her on a med link choke chain (which realy dose not choke a dog ) and 6 ft leash . Everytime she barked I gave a mild
correction (pulled up on the leach and immediatley released) and said firmly NO QUIET . Witing 20 minutes she would ingore the cars I would ask your Vet if he has a
recomendation for good dog trainer.

[Sarah]

I agree Lee

[psulle]

gentle leaders don't work well on boxers because of there short noses!!

I would try a "Gentle Leader". Available at Petsmart or Petco. It works like a Miracle. My Golden used to pull and now she walks right at my left leg. No barking, no pulling. When we go she is totally focused on the walk and nothing else.

Good luck.

Mia

[psulle]

I agree, no good for a boxer!!

[mia]

Hi psulle,

I didn't know you had a boxer but I guess that would be true with their short muzzle. It works great for my Golden and my daughters German Shepherd. I am going to Google a hackamore, I am not familiar with that.

Mia

[psulle]

It was a dog trainer who told me to treat her to distract her.

[Sarah]

The trainer probably say to let her "smell" the treat to distract her, then when the Boxer gives you their full attention, not focusing on the other dog in this case, then treat her.

I don't like harnesses for larger breeds, for the simple reason is that it gives them the reason to become more aggressive and pull forward. Does your dog know to heel, [walk beside you] or does your boxer walk in front of you? If he doesn't heel, while the harness in on him, and if you have a back yard, I want you to practice walking with him, but you are going to make him move, by walking into him all the time. In other words if your dog is on your right side,[or left] and you are holding on the harness, turn to your right or left and and say move. Keep doing this walking in circles. When he starts moving out of your way, your dog is giving you respect.

When you are out on your walk, when he begins to bark, start doing this exercise walk right into him giving him the command to move, going in circles, until he gives you the attention by giving you direct eye contact. then tell him to sit. When he does that. then give him a treat if you want, or simply say good dog. But he has to give you direct eye contact, and sit.

practice this often in your background.. when training a dog, you must be more determined to get him to do right than he is determined to do wrong, plus you must stay calm and not get frustrated with your dog.

When you discipline or correct your dogs behaviour, do not use their name... They will begin to think their name is not so good, because they got in trouble by you when you use it.

Let us know

[Lee at Delayre]

I am surprised trainer would suggest that but I have seen dog trainers that are not that good or there was a misunderstanding . When a dog dose something wrong any kind of reward in the dogs mind is permission to keep doing what is doing. It may be a distraction but he will just go back to barking and then right away get a reward . I had a customer . Her dog would grab her skirt or pant leg and play tug o war . She would give him a cookie. The way I explained it to her is that if your children shop lifted and when they showed you what the stole you gave them $20 would they continue to steal. Same would apply to a fearful dog. If a dog spooks at something don't say its OK and pat him . You are saying to the dog it is alright to be fearful of this situation. Instead you don't say anything just let him watch the situation until he realizes it is nothing to fear.This applies only to dogs that have normal rational fears not one that not playing with a full deck . The exception to rewarding barking is if you have a yappy dog teaching him to speak on command sometimes will stop chronic barking.