"Dog In Training" hi-viz jackets?

hkw100 · #1 11-01-12, 03:46 PM

Hi all,

Does anyone know where I could purchase a high-viz jacket for my GSD with "Dog in Training" written on it? Or are these for exclusive use of the police only I wonder!? I can't find one anywhere!

I had a great one-one-one training session today with a dog behaviouralist, who taught me lots of techniques to try and get Diesel to accept other dogs when he is out on the lead (he has on-lead aggression at the moment).

But the training obviously involves "using" other dog walkers to an extent, i.e. to practice the training techniques while we are out on walks and meet strange dogs.

If he had a high viz jacket on with "Dog in Training" written on it, then the dog walkers we meet might be more understanding of what I'm trying to do, when my training technique involves apparently letting my seemingly aggressive GSD approach their pooch (in order that I can then correct his behaviour and teach him how he SHOULD behave).

I often get dodgy looks from other dog walkers (scared of GSDs, usually) and I think they would be more understanding of his behaviour if they knew he was actively "in training" and that I wasn't just some random person walking my apparently badly-behaved dog!

Any tips on where I can get such a jacket would be most appreciated. Thanks.

hkw

LOVEGSD · #2 11-01-12, 03:51 PM

I don't know of anywhere you could buy a jacket with the wording on already, although I've seen a fair few hi-viz dog jackets.....not sure if you could buy a jacket and then find someone who could put the wording on for you??

Shame really cos I'm sure there would be a market for such things and it would certainly make some people a little more understanding when your dogs going mental on the lead...lol

Stuart · #3 11-01-12, 04:16 PM

We sell them with the words `rescue dog in training`

German Shepherd Rescue Scotland Online Store - German Shepherd Embroidery, German Shepherd Bagdes, German Shepherd Mouse Mats, German Shepherd Mugs

kita · #4 11-01-12, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hkw100

But the training obviously involves "using" other dog walkers to an extent, i.e. to practice the training techniques while we are out on walks and meet strange dogs.

If he had a high viz jacket on with "Dog in Training" written on it, then the dog walkers we meet might be more understanding of what I'm trying to do, when my training technique involves apparently letting my seemingly aggressive GSD approach their pooch (in order that I can then correct his behaviour and teach him how he SHOULD behave).

To be honest I would be very wary of doing this with strangers. You don't know how they or their dogs will react and it will damage your training if the person or dog reacts in an aggressive or panicked way. Not all dogs are happy meeting other dogs anyway and some will either fight or run off, both of which will set your training back.

Even if you have a jacket on saying your dog is in training I for one would not be happy letting a GSD who was lunging and barking get near me (or my possibly nervous/aggressive/ill dog).

When you say "in order that I can then correct his behaviour and teach him how he SHOULD behave" what do you mean? How do you 'correct' him?

Is he on lead or off? Are the other dogs on lead or off?

In cases like this you have to be wary of making him feel like other dogs approaching are a threat - if you constantly 'correct' him every time he approaches another dog he could see the other dog as the reason why he is being 'corrected'.

Rather than 'using' other strange dog walkers, could you not join a class? Or go on a group walk where the other walkers know your problems?

Sue

hkw100 · #5 11-01-12, 04:51 PM

I think you misunderstand what I'm doing! But because I didn't explain....

The LAST thing I am doing is letting my dog lunge and bark aggressively at other dogs. We are always on the lead, of course, I would never train any other way! I'm literally only showing him other dogs - we're talking ones that are on a lead 10 or 15 yards yards away or more - and if he starts to bark or lunge, I immediately pull him around and walk away in the opposite direction. This is the "correction," its not a negative correction in a way which will make him wary of other dogs! When he calms down, I turn him around and start walking back towards the dog (still at least 10 yards away!) and repeat the process, until I can get within 5 yards or so of another dog with him in a calm state. This way he learns that if he barks at another dog, he doesn't get to see it or get near it. If he's calm, on the other hand, he gets to get a closer look and even possibly sniff or play, if he is calm enough and the other owner is OK with that.

And we've been going to class every week since he was 12 weeks old. He's nearly two now. You might say that that shows its a bad class, if I still need behavioural help, but we all know that what a dog does in a controlled, familiar class environment is very different from on the outside, in a field or on a busy noisy road for example. :-) The one on one training is "in situ" in real situations, which makes is more useful to me in this instance than a training class which is an unrealistic environment for this particular issue. :-)