Miss Collie - who's training who?!

[Karran]

I've been using the "look at me" method with Miss Collie so we can walk nicely on a lead without reacting. We can now walk past moving traffic, joggers, cyclists and other dogs kicking off without us having a meltdown or resorting to bribery.
We have the agreement that if something REALLY worries her (I can tell when she's worried as she glances as it and then at me for the treat/reassurance) or if she spooks but manages to control herself to settle instantly she can still have a treat or verbal reward depending on the situation.

This morning I was walking her back from the park in the dark and I was aware that she kept glancing behind me, I wasn't concentrating enough though on her follow up and she clearly got fed up of me ignoring her and nose bumped my hand to remind me of the arrangement just before I jumped out of my skin as a boy on an escooter (a definite HUGE trigger point) whizzed past us on the pavement.
She sat, sighed at me and gave me a look which clearly said "I was telling you he was coming!"

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I've followed your journey with Miss Collie since the beginning and it's a joy to hear of the progress she has made!

My GSD in my avatar was also reactive to a lot of things when she was younger, she has been able to overcome just about all of them but still does the nudging of my hand with her nose to remind me that she deserves lavish praise for walking past previous triggers.