some times i wonder why i bother

[naomi]

had the most stressful walk ever on tue. really nice day so loads of dogs out walking but Coda having an infec had to stay on lead, so whenever a dog came by Coda was rearing up barking had to hold on to a tree so she didnt pull me through mud and she just barked and barked. Went training last night and for whole hr she just barked at other dogs just wanted to go home the trainer has invited us to go on a walk on sun with other problem dogs!!!! i am so stressed with her i just dreaded now taking her out, have been told its a gsd thing that they are gooby and she will grow out of it but when????
Naomi

[wildmoor]

Just keep working at it you will get an escalation period before extinction of the behaviour.
What you really need is a calm docile dog who will ignore her behaviour.

[kita]

Originally Posted by naomi

had the most stressful walk ever on tue. really nice day so loads of dogs out walking but Coda having an infec had to stay on lead, so whenever a dog came by Coda was rearing up barking had to hold on to a tree so she didnt pull me through mud and she just barked and barked. Went training last night and for whole hr she just barked at other dogs just wanted to go home the trainer has invited us to go on a walk on sun with other problem dogs!!!! i am so stressed with her i just dreaded now taking her out, have been told its a gsd thing that they are gooby and she will grow out of it but when????
Naomi

Firstly why did she have to stay on the lead (what sort of infection does she have?)?

If it is anything other dogs can catch then she should not be at training classes.

Maybe if she is feeling unwell she is just wanting to be left alone and does not feel much like training, let alone mixing with other dogs.

I don't see how taking her on a walk with other 'problem' dogs will help - it will probably just make her worse. I would agree with Wildmoor, what you actually need is a calm dog who will ignore her behaviour.

Remember every time she is allowed to practice this behaviour it is reinforcing it (practice makes perfect!!). I would try putting her into a sit and distracting her (use the 'watch me'), try to get in BEFORE she kicks off as once she has started it is difficult to stop her. The 'leave it' is also useful but again only BEFORE she has kicked off.

Sue

[blackdogs]

Originally Posted by naomi

had the most stressful walk ever on tue. really nice day so loads of dogs out walking but Coda having an infec had to stay on lead, so whenever a dog came by Coda was rearing up barking had to hold on to a tree so she didnt pull me through mud and she just barked and barked. Went training last night and for whole hr she just barked at other dogs just wanted to go home the trainer has invited us to go on a walk on sun with other problem dogs!!!! i am so stressed with her i just dreaded now taking her out, have been told its a gsd thing that they are gooby and she will grow out of it but when????
Naomi

Normaly like this if they are a weak temperment or you are not the top dog, it's not a shepherd thing, she will not grow out of it unless you adress the problem,
If you can not hold her properly get a head collar, and work on her leave command, down command
How often has this happened?

I suggest that you do go on the walk on Sunday, you will gain nothing by letting her stress you to such an extent that you fear walking her,.. and it is most certainly not a GSD thing, I am afraid it is down to you not the dog.

Tell the trainer of any infection that might stop you going on the walk on Sunday, but if you can, then go on the walk, and go with a positive attitude, I know it is much easier to say than do, but try hard to go with the intention of enjoying yourself, any fear or stress you have will be transfered to Coda.

When Coda is back home and has used up a little of her energy, start in earnest on those all important commands,..do not let her command you,.. take advice from the trainer on the walk

Stuart

[joyce]

Hello Naomi

I have to agree with Helen on this.
It really annoys me to hear people say it's a "shepherd thing"

She will certainly not grow out of it without correction, We have a 12yr old who when on a lead gets excited (nothing aggressive) when she sees other dogs off lead having fun.. Through Most of her early years we had access straight from our back onto a back field and she was never on a lead, she spent her time running with everyone's dogs. the fault is not hers it is mine.

As for going on a walk with other problem dogs I cant see how that will help at all, apart from maybe helping her to learn more bad habits!!

Do as Helen said get a head collar get the control then progress to the training as Sue's post

How old is Coda ???

Originally Posted by joyce

Hello Naomi

As for going on a walk with other problem dogs I cant see how that will help at all, apart from maybe helping her to learn more bad habits!!

Would not going on the walk help Naomi, and so help calm Coda?, if Coda is calmer he is going to be an easier dog to train, she will have difficulty training an excitable dog that is forever rearing up and wanting to go.
I do agree with the head collar.

Stuart

[Kissy1921]

We took on a rescue dog 4 weeks ago. and she was a cowbag when walking past any other dog on a lead and woofed for england if we went past one in the car on the way to work.

She is calmer now but it was hard work. Everyday when we go into work, my boss has his GSD in a pen outside, and she is basically there to guard the premsises. As soon as my girl saw this other dog, she was lunging, barking, hackles up and trying to drag me over to the pen.

After 2 weeks of constant hard work, she will now walk past the pen and ignore the other dog, and only has the odd relapse which is probably my fault because I trusted that she was fixed. We fixed it by me getting her out of the car, and making her sit, whilst the other dog was yapping at her. She wasnt comfortable with this at first, but soon realised that if she did as she was told she was rewarded.

Then i just took control of her lead, and made her march past, all the time saying 'NO' if I even thought she was going to turn her head away and even look at the other dog.

We adopt the same method in the car, as soon as I see a dog walking, i say NO, and she looks round for it then, and bless her, is now as quiet as a mouse, and once we have driven past i tell her 'Good Girl'.

Our dogs only want to please, and you have to be confident and assertive, any signs of stress your dog will pick up from you, so try to adopt a different attitude, and your dog will react much better.

Good luck

[joyce]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Would not going on the walk help Naomi, and so help calm Coda?, if Coda is calmer he is going to be an easier dog to train, she will have difficulty training an excitable dog that is forever rearing up and wanting to go.
I do agree with the head collar.

Stuart

Morning Stuart

My reservations would be, Naomi's words "other problem dogs" if Coda was going with normal dogs I would fully agree.

The other thing Coda barking for 1 hour at training, what help did she get there???

[joyce]

Originally Posted by Kissy1921

We took on a rescue dog 4 weeks ago. and she was a cowbag when walking past any other dog on a lead and woofed for england if we went past one in the car on the way to work.

She is calmer now but it was hard work. Everyday when we go into work, my boss has his GSD in a pen outside, and she is basically there to guard the premsises. As soon as my girl saw this other dog, she was lunging, barking, hackles up and trying to drag me over to the pen.

After 2 weeks of constant hard work, she will now walk past the pen and ignore the other dog, and only has the odd relapse which is probably my fault because I trusted that she was fixed. We fixed it by me getting her out of the car, and making her sit, whilst the other dog was yapping at her. She wasnt comfortable with this at first, but soon realised that if she did as she was told she was rewarded.

Then i just took control of her lead, and made her march past, all the time saying 'NO' if I even thought she was going to turn her head away and even look at the other dog.

We adopt the same method in the car, as soon as I see a dog walking, i say NO, and she looks round for it then, and bless her, is now as quiet as a mouse, and once we have driven past i tell her 'Good Girl'.

Our dogs only want to please, and you have to be confident and assertive, any signs of stress your dog will pick up from you, so try to adopt a different attitude, and your dog will react much better.

Good luck

Well done Kissy, how lucky she is to have found you