Baby steps...bit long

[CorvusCorax]

Don't know if anyone knows/remembers/cares about the GSD boy's issue with other dogs, but we had a wee bit of a breakthrough today so I thought I'd share.

When we arrived at the club today, he was straining to get to the puppies and generally being a bit of an arse.

One of the members who is a police trainer suggested I put him on a slip lead so I did that and we got to the stage where we were able to walk through the dogs on a loose lead with me checking him whenever he showed 'too much' interest and rewarding when his focus was on me, I was delighted.

However we were having a break, I was chatting to someone, another entire male walked by and he just exploded.
I checked him very sharply and yelled 'NO!' and while it was all under control very quickly, I just felt mortified.

We carried on and got to the stage where we were both relaxed again and by the time we were getting ready to go home I was walking him on a long line with another dog doing agility in the not-too-far distance and repeating the check-and-reward process, and also working on his recall despite the allure of the other dog.

The police bloke says I need to have him under firm control before we can do any one-to-ones in the enclosure, or indeed in public and DON'T JUMP ON ME but he has leant me a prong collar and shown me how to use it.
I will be trying it this week and if it works then we will be a step closer to passing other dogs without WWIII breaking out between me and him.

For the record, I know I have helped create this problem, it was amazing how relaxed he was, when I was.
I used to walk a GSD in my teens whose behaviour was exactly the same and I just ploughed on and didn't let him mess me around, I don't know why my these issues with my own dog are making me behave like a wally who has no idea what to do!

Cheesy biscuits and port if you got this far.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Not going to jump on you for using a prong collar, have a friend who has used a prong collar on her huge GSD male (coincidentally also a sable) and also, shock horror, an electric collar, as he was something of a liability. To digress slightly, I tried the electric collar on my hand and it was really quite innocuous (sp), milder than touching an electric fence. Glad you seem to be getting somewhere. Evie has just started (at 7 months) barking when other dogs are walking towards us when we are out a walk. She is fine at training, plays with everything, it is just this "high noon" type approach. I have just ordered a gencon headcollar, which has been recommended to me, to give me a bit more control, shall see how we progress. You would think she would copy Buffy, who walks past everything without even looking at them, but no she has to have a woof. She is actually the most vocal dog I hve ever had, every time she goes in the garden at night she charges off and has a couple of barks at the rabbits in the wood, stops as soon as I tell her but has to have her say. She is very bright but one of the most challenging dogs I have owned. Just goes to show you are always learning when you have animals.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Thanks MM, I appreciate that - I just feel like a bit of a failure sometimes, but at least we are getting somewhere finally. It was fine when he was small (which is when it should have nipped me in the bud, I know) but he is SO strong, worse than a lot of flippin horses!

This is just a common or garden pinch collar (about 40 years old!)

Wee sister is incredibly vocal too as I may or may not have mentioned in here, she sounds like an air-raid siren at times but we have it sorted now. Just this one thing with the boy, touch wood, and we will be upstanding doggie citizens!