Barking dog

I believe that you can get an attachment for the collar which releases a small spray of something when the dog barks. Totally humane sort of thing!

If he is fine off the lead he probably feels 'trapped' when on it. He knows he cannot run away so lungeing and barking at other animals and children is nervous aggression. We had this with one of our Jack Russells and we were advised to stand still and let the lead go slack. You just have to stand there until he stops pulling and relaxes - a pocket full of treats helps. Don't move on until he has had a treat and stop every time he does it. Also, don't make too much eye contact with him as he has to work it out for himself.

He's still young enough to break the habit so Good Luck.

A "sports" drink bottle filled with water. Give him a squish in the face and a firm "no" when he barks/lunges. My dog walking friend had the same problem with her one-year old lurched/afghan cross who is very nervous. She has only had to do it once and he is fine now. By " sports drink" bottle I mean the one with a nozzle.

PS should have added that this dog is a rescue from travellers who I had ill-treated him, he had been run over and had parvovirus- but just 6 months on he has a glossy coat, is friendly and relaxed and goes to dog training classes where has learned to sit, stay, come when called and fetch. Nothing short of a fairy story with a happy ending.

On the subject of dogs I have two grandsons. One is scared of dogs but the younger one loves them. Today, as we were walking back from school he saw a Great Dane and took his gloves off. When I asked why, he said it was because he was 'going to stroke the doggie'. I told him that he had to ask the owner if it was ok to do so, which he did and was given permission [I'd spoken to her before and knew the dog was nice]. He stroked it and it then licked his nose. He was so excited; the dog was bigger than him. I drummed it into him that he must never do that without asking first though [and there are certain breeds that I wouldn't have allowed that at all].

Many thanks for your help. I have tried distraction using treats, but he was then promptly sick !! He was pulling on his lead which is a harness not a collar lead so it wasn't that he was choking himself, just besides himself with anxiety. The water bottle might do the trick. The trainer suggests that I just turn round and walk the other way when I see another dog until we get him better trained at looking at me when I give the command. Means we have some walks that are just round and round in circles !!! Any other suggestion most welcome

Granny1951 if you have a trainer involved I would stick with whatever they suggest and give it a fair trial, although I can see how frustrating it must be to have walks that go round in circles! I would be very wary of trying anything else as I think the dog may become overwhelmed or confused and consistency is the key. A bit like toddlers!

It's good that you have a trainer Granny1951, by 3 I expect this behaviour has been practiced and is well established.

I share my life with a 2 year old reactive dog, so I do sympathise. Mine was my first puppy in over 40 years of rescue dogs. My cunning plan included finding a trusted breeder, seeing my pups parents, and starting training classes as soon as his immunisations were complete. Everything went swimmingly until he had a disagreement with a huge german shepherd when both dogs were on lead. He was 12 months at that time, and the lunging and barking behaviour expanded to include children, anything with wheels on it, any dog in the vicinity, balloons and so on.

I've found positive training techniques more effective than aversive. We had a very anxious reactive lurcher join our dog training group recently. His history sounds similar to the one Soutra outlined earlier. Using aversive techniques would have heightened his anxiety. Good luck

Yes I think positive training is soooo much better than aversive. He has been through enough without adding to it.

I have a cairn who took a dislike to a couple of dogs we met on our walk and he will try to fight if he gets the chance. So the way I have dealt with it and it has been successful with one dog - and still in training with the other as we don't see it so often - is to put him on the lead - yours is obviously on the lead, and with treats make him sit and praise him like mad giving him tiny bits of treats as the dog walks by. The first dog has been so successful that Duncan now no longer goes on the lead and I just tell him how utterly brilliant he is and give him a treat -the other dog we don't see so much so it is still work in progress, but making him sit does help to give you control. This will take time but patience, patience ,patience is the key!

It might be a good idea to have a word with your trainer about a change of collar? Dogs that pull can lean into a harness and use it as support when they are lunging forward. A half check collar or a head collar might improve his behaviour.

I agree with merlotgran. Sled dogs wear harnesses !

Yes, good point merlotgran. Dogs need to learn to walk on a collar - mine walk always on my left and to heel. Well, that's the plan, the big doodle doesn't always work to plan - work in progress!

Thank you for your suggestions. We have tried several different harnesses/collars and the present one is the one he is least likely to escape from when he is reacting to other dogs etc. My present trainer has been great for teaching me to teach the dog the basic commands (a work in progress!) , but says we have a few more steps to go before he will do a lesson outside. Meanwhile I have to walk Buster. I'll just continue ducking and diving away from dogs and small children - we do some interesting walks sometimes and I am getting to know all the local escape routes !!

Wife said when I have gone she would get another dog .This was 3 years ago we got one over a year ago from the RSPCA. See her about 1 hr at night and she takes him a walk about 4 times on a Saturday and Sunday

I would be very worried Derek!

I don't have a dog and never had one so I don't know their ways. However I really like them and often meet them as I walk through our local woods to the bus stop. What is the correct thing to do when meeting a dog? Should I ignore it? My impulse is always to say hello and pat it if it approaches me but is that OK? Any insights from dog owners welcome. I should say that dogs seem to like me which is nice. I don't want to annoy their owners or upset any training regimes. Also sorry for going off thread!

Good question, Jane10 - if only more people asked it!

If the dog seems interested and approaches you, you can ask the owner if you can greet him. Put your hand down beside you so the dog can sniff it.

Don’t bend over any dog, and don’t stare - keep your own eyes soft and blinky and let the dog approach you rather than the other way round.

If the dog is looking soft and bendy, ears floppy, eyes soft and squinty, wavy tail, lolling tongue, then he’ll probably welcome your approach. If he’s stiff, still, getting taller, staring, ears firm, tail high … then just continue on your walk.

By the time you've worked all that out, the dog will either have you pinned against the wall or be booking himself into Specsavers to cure his squint.

Merlot

good advice but great comment from merlotgran