ARGH! One step forwards, two back....Troublesome GSD update!

Kellys Heroes

Kellys Heroes

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Where do I even start.
I am feeling so disheartened by Roxy's behaviour again today, when we were doing so well! :(

We've been making her 'wait' when we open doors to stop her rushing through and back to basics like ignoring her when we first enter the house etc etc.
We've been 'large circling' towards dogs and walking in the same direction as them and she's been doing really well I was so pleased with her.

She went to hydro with Misty on Saturday to play with the GSDs there (very, VERY unreactive!) and after an initial gobby reaction, she started to play and played for ages! She IS capable of being nice! :o and I even got pictures to prove it! :eek:

Today, we set out and from the off, she was a complete @rse. I just tried to carry on as normal, normal commands, normal behaviour. Came past the first person - she barked and barked. She barked at EVERY person, lunged at three (this is a new thing I was so, so mortified) I didn't know how to react at that so I just jerked her lead, made her sit as best I could and said NO. We were sat down ourselves at the time and the first guy she went mad at had a full fluorescent orange suit on so I could understand that (in no way acceptable, but understandable) but the others...:confused::confused::confused:

She started spinning round like a loon on the way home and wouldn't heel no matter how many times I turned back!!
Got back inside and her behaviour carried on, it was just this defiant new Roxy today saying I don't really care! She barked constantly so she earned herself 15 minutes in her bed, calming down. Since then, she's been better.

We've got a family party tomorrow night so we are thinking that the best way to tackle lots of new people would be to crate her in a quiet area until she has calmed down and then let her out - luckily all the guests are 'dog-savvy' and will treat her as we ask.

Please tell me that this is just one of her bad days! I'm feeling like a complete and utter let down! I'm trying my best to show this dog leadership and teach her how to behave like a family dog, but it just seems to be so up and down.
K x

ETA we're just looking at getting a muzzle for her now. Better to be safe than sorry and my mum is nervous walking her. :(

Just to prove she can be sociable in the right mood...!!

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How long have you had her now?

I would say it's probably just a bad day and don't dwell on it too much, just think onwards and upwards! I thinkmy dog is essentially the same. When we got her the Dogs Trust told us all about her reactiveness with other dogs on the lead. What they didn't know about was that she was like this with people and doesn't like strangers etc (they didn't have her in there long enough to have discovered that!).

She can be a PAIN I admit and sometimes tests my patience BUT she is actually better now than she was a few months ago. She is essentially nervous not aggressive but people obviously don't know that as she makes out she's the big "I am" and she will get on her hind legs etc if she feels threatened. Off lead she is fine which looks the case with yours but mine is still suspicious of strange people.

I would just perservere and continue as you are. Positive thinking and all that. I have to say, now I know my dog now I have resorted to being a bit harsher with her now and she gets a telling off (ie "NO!") as she understands what that word means now (she obviously didn't before) and she seems to take heed!

I guess it's about finding what works for you and her. You will get there, she's only young so she will improve I am sure.
 
Thanks ladyt - recall is still a long work in progress :o she's allowed off lead when we are in enclosed areas and preferably private land (that was the hydrotherapy guys' land - he has been fantastic) as we know ourselves that she is not yet obedient enough to listen to us should anyone distract her. We've had her for 6 months now and at home except for the occasional slip-up with manners, she's perfect.

Just taken her out again - with the hosepipe attachment (:oshe likes the hosepipe.....!) and she has been much better - I adopted a positive attitude and the first time she barked, I walked away and we went a different route. The hosepipe and a "sshhhh" noise worked for a while until she got bored of that - so we deduced that maybe we need a bag of cheese/biscuits/liver/dog chocolate etc etc and a squeaky and bubbles and all the things she likes so she doesn't know what she's going to get as a treat/distraction....maybe that will work and stop her getting bored? :confused:

She walked through a big gang of hoodies - not a grumble. Walked past one guy - ballistic.

On the whole, much better tonight. I just can't work her out and I've taken a step back, rather than tackling the issue, I'm just trying to remove her and myself from it as quickly and calmly as possible.

Sounds positive ladyt I am certain that we will get a huge improvement in time its just so up and down from day to day!

K x
 
Sounds like she has a nerve issue with the barking and spinning TBH, in terms of she cracks when pressure is applied - pressure coming from you unwittingly/environmental pressures, which is to be expceted, given her start in life - and you need to be aware of how and when she is coming under pressure. I would try and get to a training class or get a trainer out who can help you spot the triggers and advise you in terms of whether you can crack it totally or just manage it.
You can of course do it on your own, but some things need a bit more help and there is no harm in asking for it.
 
Don't be too disheartened! All behavioural issues take time to sort out and you never see a constant progress - it's perfectly normal to have bad days when behaviour regresses.

As an added idea have you tried a DAP difuser/colar to see if that helps? Also I read a recommendation on another thread recently about a new doggy version of the Cool, Calm and Collected supplement by Equifeast that might be worth a try.
 
She is a large dog,my friend has taken on a dog the same as yours and things amounted to her out of the blue biting a delivery driver through fear agression,she literally barks at everything and things just got gradually worse and she became very unpredictable,she did the whole lunging at people,spinning in circles etc.She has had to seek help from a behaviourist which i recommend you do too,they often will give some free advice over the phone.
 
We have looked into a training class, which of course we will be taking up - its recommended by the same bloke who does the hydro and his dogs are used there as 'stooges' for any reactive dogs which join the class, I think it will be so good for her. We just didn't want to throw far too much at her at first - we did try a training class in the first month she was home but she was just an absolute nightmare to handle.

She's been out again today on the field for her training (with me) and she was fab - did everything asked of her, had a play, came back, worked, had a play etc, the only thing (including people, birds, dogs) she didn't like was a Springer flying round and a big, burly guy with a pressure washer :o been out again tonight on the roads and she didn't leave heel the whole way. Today we had cheese/liver/biscuits/squeaky toy and it seemed to keep her attention better.

I did have a comment off someone she barked at - "I'd keep that away from kids" and whilst I can totally understand it, I didn't see the need - I almost said "of course, after all its kids who've helped make her like this by the way they treated her!" I must have looked completely stupid :rolleyes: But that's my rant for the day! :p

We've ordered a muzzle for her, better to be safe than sorry. I think our plan now is to keep up the exercise (I'm going to get right after my parents and make sure they're giving her as much exercise as she needs! I think that was part of the problem yesterday - I'm a matter of weeks of being finished totally at uni and home for the summer and I can't wait), do some basic training with her and get her into that training class.

We will certainly look into some sort of calmer for her too, it didn't make a jot of difference to our last GSD but I've heard its different for all dogs? We tried Tranquility Gold in her feed but it didn't seem to make any difference.
K x
 
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