Lunging and Barking

[Holly's Mum]

Hi everyone

I haven't posted for a while but have been lurking and picking up some useful tips and advice! I have to say that everyone seems really friendly and very willing to offer advice which you don't always get on other forums.

Anyway, I wonder if anyone can help with an issue I am having with Holly. I will try and keep this short!

We have always had a problem with her lunging and barking at other dogs and also sometimes people (although with people it tends to be more pulling desperately to get to them rather than actual lunging). I thought that this might be due to her being undersocialised (we live in a tiny village) and her being fear reactive.

We did consider getting in a behaviourist with stooge dogs, but it is quite expensive (at least £45 per hour, depending on how many stooge dogs are used, plus travelling expenses). Anyway, now the bootsale season has started, in order to get her better socialised we have been taking her along. She has been to three of them so far and the last one she went to, well, she was like a completely different dog - she walked up and down the rows, in amongst the people, sat when told to, didn't pull at all, enjoyed the fussing she got from people, ignored other dogs (of which there were several), and even tolerated kids prodding her and didn't bat an eyelid - in fact I would go as far to say that she seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself. I was really encouraged.

But that same day when we took her on her evening walk, and in subsequent walks, she still lunges, pulls and barks when she sees another dog and/or people.

How do I get her to behave the same way on her walks as she does when at the bootsale?

[Caryll]

Have you tried using a head collar? A halti, or gencon? They'll sometimes help with the lunging.

Also, take some treats out with you & when you see another dog/person, stop, tell her to sit & offer a treat, so that you have her attention. Maybe use the 'watch' command. It'll take you ages to get anywhere, but it may help!

[LOVEGSD]

I would agree with Caryll...xx

[Holly's Mum]

Yes, I did try a Dogmatic but I think Holly must be the only dog in the world who won't wear it!! I introduced it to her over a period of weeks (using loads of treats) to the point where I could get it on her okay, and we could walk around the garden, but when it came to actually going on a walk, she would either sit and refuse to move, or thrash about so much that I was scared she was going to hurt herself, and after several attempts I gave up.

She also knows the look at me command although it could do with improving!

[LOVEGSD]

Then I think you need to really brush up on good lead walking, change direction as soon as she starts to pull and only walk back when she's calm. Keen doing this until she can walk calmly. Either that or you need to move her away from an approaching dog, get her to sit/watch and distract her, this will teach her to be calm around other dogs.

You need to stick to a method to allow it time to work, they are smart dogs and will soon learn....keep us posted.

[Holly's Mum]

That is pretty much what I have been doing and will continue doing.

It's just that I can't understand why she is perfectly calm walking around the bootsale where there are lots of dogs (a lot more than she ever meets on a walk) and she passes them without really even glancing at them, yet she behaves like she does on a walk. To be honest, it's like having two completely different dogs!!

[LOVEGSD]

These things are sent to test us

Maybe you're more relaxed at a boot sale and she picks up on this or perhaps there are so many other distractions going on she's happy to ignore them?

Does she go mental at dogs in the street and at the park? Do you walk to the park? Is she seeing this walk on the street as exciting cos she's going for a walk to the park maybe? Sorry for all the questions, it's hard to give advice when you can't see the dogs body language

[J&J]

LoL

I suspect at the car boot sells she's enjoying the interaction as it's right next to her so if this dogs or person misses her there is one right next to them who might just fuss and say hello... Out on a walk they are the only one about, so she desparate to go and say hello barking to say 'oi I'm here play with me please!'

Whats been suggested are good methods they do take time but do work if you stick with them..

The watch commonde does need just needs practice to build up length of time.. Another distraction technique that I've used once you've accomplished the first part or got them to sit..

It distracting with a game, touch the palm of my hand with your nose to get a treat, once they've got the idea that your hand is effectively their treat target you can start moving around to different position found this excellent with Ellie... As if she tried peeking towards the dog/person I could distract he by moving my hand to divert her gaze..

[kita]

Originally Posted by Holly's Mum

That is pretty much what I have been doing and will continue doing.

It's just that I can't understand why she is perfectly calm walking around the bootsale where there are lots of dogs (a lot more than she ever meets on a walk) and she passes them without really even glancing at them, yet she behaves like she does on a walk. To be honest, it's like having two completely different dogs!!

Do you always go on the same walk?

Try changing the walk area, go somewhere else.

It could be learned behaviour, she knows the walk and the dogs she is going to pass so she is repeating the behaviour that she has always done.

The other thing may be that you are more focused on her and 'working' her more at the car boot sale, on a 'normal' walk maybe you are not as focused on her and 'on top' of her, sometimes when we do something every day we tend to relax more.

Sue

[Holly's Mum]

LOVEGSD: Yes, I think you might be right about the distractions. We don't have a park She gets walked around the farmer's fields and on public footpaths which tend to go across farmer's fields. Sometimes we can go several days and not meet anyone or any other dogs.

J&J: She does love people making a fuss of her and does appear not to understand when people are not interested Touching the palm seems like a good idea. I'll try that.

Kita: Re learned behaviour, I was wondering that myself although we do sometimes change the walk - sometimes we have to if there is another dog about