I’m sorry, I have to disagree with that.
You don’t really know that it’s not causing the dog fear any more than I do.
So why use that method when there are other ones? I’m not trying to be a smart-ass. I genuinely don’t understand why anybody would when there are better alternatives.
I’ve always had big dogs, a few of which have been fear aggressive around other dogs. Over the years I learned that watching their body language was a big step to avoiding and stopping any problems.
As soon as I saw the body language change around other dogs I would get their attention usually by using words I knew that made them happy, sometimes by laughing or singing even. (that’s sure an attention-getter, cos I’m no singer! )
Once I had their full attention, I would have them sit and stay until the other dogs passed.
Sometimes, it didn’t work, so I would then turn around, and walk the other way. I will never put my dogs in a position where they’re not comfortable. In my opinion, training/punishing by yanking on a collar at this point is teaching the dog that when he’s close to other dogs his owner will punish him.
Jiggs, my oldest Newfoundland has fear aggression around some dogs. Like Meg’s Chloe he was attacked when he was a pup. Sometimes now he will sit when he sees a dog approaching without a peep from me. He’s a good boy!
Again, I am no expert. But I know what methods I prefer.
Like Mups said, we all have our own way of doing things.
But I ask that you try and be a bit more open-minded about other methods. They work too!
Yes I do know because it works
And it’s not something that one needs to use more than once or twice
In fact I hardly ever need too because dogs learn not because they are afraid
But because they have learnt
Everyone feels fear at some time in their lives both humans and dogs .
It’s like saying when the school bell rings all children will be afraid and are forced by fear to go into class .
I am very open minded so no need for patronising remarks .
I use whatever way I can to make dogs happy and it’s doesn’t take much because they naturally come right for me.
This is why I really get fed up with animal people they think they know it all and want make out that everyone else is mean by comparison .
You have your ways and I am sure they are fine for most dogs
Not so good for a dog that been chained and abused most of its life or run feral on the streets .
Every dog I have had has had a good life with me.
And every dogs that have bitten people come right because I DO have a natural affinity with animals .
I was even told this by a trainer who has won crufts several times and twice with rescue dogs .
This is not boasting it’s just a gift
dogs like me .
So let’s leave it there shall we.
We are all dog lovers but less of the pack dominance if you don’t mind:)
I once met a CM type in the first kennel in which I worked. We had a manger and four kennel maids. When I had been there a while the manager left and a new one arrived.
He carried a piece of hosepipe to hit the dogs, he said because it was hollow it wouldn’t mark them (so the boss wouldn’t know I guess ) :twisted: He also kicked and choked the dogs like CM does.
I didn’t stay long after he came and went to another kennel being unable to work with such a person . I was scared of him too .
Meg, his initials weren’t FP by any chance were they?
Same happened at kennels I worked at too, and like you, I left.
I have often thought that was wrong. I should have stayed and reported him instead. Me leaving didn’t help the dogs did it.
No Mups it wasn’t.
The kennel owner was a wealthy woman who was the director of a big company so not around in the week. She never married and her dogs were her pride and joy. When I had left I wrote to her detailing the abuse ,I heard the manager wasn’t there long after I left.
Ceasr Milan is a strong character but he’s not a bully.
He has a genuine love of dogs that makes him want the best outcome for them .
Remember these are far from being abused and cruelly treated dogs .
On the contrary they are very often the indulged and spoiled pets of rather neurotic owners .
He has to be strong with them because they have got into bad and dangerous habits .
in fact so often as I said before truly abused animals are so often pathetically grateful for being rescued they don’t need all that much training .
They just need love and the rest comes just comes naturally
Some stick to their rescuer like glue never needing to be taught to heel and naturally wanting to please .
Street dogs don’t usually want to fight other dogs they survive by avoiding conflict .
But some dogs are dangerous and damaged .
And these are the dogs for Cesar Milan .
I wasn’t being patronising. I simply asked that you be open-minded about other methods, that most of us use.
I personally am always interested in other ways of training, etc. I’ve made mistakes in the past because of bad information, so like to stay up-to-date.
(Before I get attacked for that, I said I’ve made mistakes, nobody else.)
It’s pointless adding any more.
But I want to thank everybody for adding info I’d not read before.
Here’s to our pups!
My dog doesn’t like squeaky toys; he gets bored with rope toys but he loves rubber balls and teething ring type toys. I look after him, groom him, clean his teeth with a brush and doggy toothpaste, cook chicken and red meat scraps from the local butcher. He loves me, but he won’t walk with me as he prefers hubby to walk him. I think this is because when he was 8 months old I fell over hurting myself badly on the road running through the village. I let go of his lead and he ran off and I couldn’t get up to get him back and there were cars dodging him. I was hysterical. Eventually he came back to me but I think he feels he can’t trust me to take him out. Mind you, a female neighbour took him out once and he wouldn’t walk with her either. She had to pick him up! He doesn’t like dark coloured dogs because a grey lurcher rushed out at him and bit him on a walk with hubby in the dark when he was young. Our vet says things get imprinted on their memories.
Most dogs ( but not all ) will walk with anyone as a walk is not just exercise for a dog but a pleasure it’s how he finds out what is going on in the world like reading the paper or listening to the news .
I think your dog is picking up on your own fears .
Your husband doesn’t have these so the dog goes with him.
Your dog is fearful it likes the stronger presence of your husband .
It appears to have anxiety separation problems from him.
Again I wonder if it is picking up on your own anxieties and worries about him ?
No doubt your neighbour had picked up on these fears too and was subconsciously expecting him to stop.
Dogs are very intuitive and pick up on people’s feelings and body language very easily
You love your dog but you make him feel worried when out.
These tramas are imprinted in your mind not his.
They are not so big that they would have imprinted on his mind to that extent I think your vet is talking for the sake of talking .
I had a dog that had been in the dog rescue for a year being well treated but would not walk / be caught / or basically anything it was so nervous
So of course no one wanted to adopt it.
I took it and made it walk with me and my other dogs who all were happy to see it I had to drag it the first day only and that for only a little way .
Thereafter it ran out with my ‘pack’ as keen as the others.
It had faced it’s fears and only good happened .
The presence of my three amiable big dogs gave it confidence
Ditto being bathed and stroked .
After a few weeks it went back to the dog sanctuary a much happier dog easier and was adopted .
Each dog is different and one must adapt see what works for it.
I sympathise very much with you, when our late Mollie was attacked it took ages for her to trust me to take her out again she was better with my husband but never really got over her fear. We had 11 years of happy walks just one attack caused her problem.
I’m with you on this one, Meg. Did you see the episode where the dog bit him? His final analysis was the dog was “unfit for training” - a lost cause. So he coaxed the family into parting with the dog. He took it with him. Let’s see. He failed. But rather than admit it ……… or far, far worse take the risk that someone else might succeed ………
Again I think because she has picked up on your own fears .
I am always prepared to protect my dogs .
Obviously if they are large they do it themselves but with a small dog you have to keep it out of dangerous situations.
If I know I am likely to meet aggressive dogs I carry a stick and always try and present a calm but strong presence .
I get annoyed with people who fail to control their aggressive dog it’s just so unfair on other people .
Such dogs should not be allowed off the lead in public .
The smell you speak of is only ”territorial”- like pee on a stone. Sharing the odour of your house doesn’t make you “a house”. Dogs aren’t quite that stupid.
Hi Cg I agree with your vet , it is what I call memory associated experiences and I described one in detail in an earlier post number 89.
I appreciate your difficulty with food.
There are some things you can try which may help your situation, you want to aim to get your dog to learn to associate you/the lead with a pleasant experience .
When he has his meal, put on his lead, put the food down where he can see it and walk him to it giving lots of praise and saying ‘good walking’ in a happy voice a phrase you can use in the future to reinforce the same a wanted behavior .
Increase the distance or get someone to walk in front of you with the food again remember to say ‘good walking’.
Put your dog on the lead when you play with him at home with his favourite toys sometimes picking up the lead and letting it go again.
If all goes well progress to putting him on a 6ft training lead in somewhere like a park and play ball again associating a lead with a pleasant experience and reinforcing the wanted behaviour.
Next carry /drive your dog a short way from home and see if he will walk back remember 'good walking ’ if he moves.
I would not try to force him at any time, never be hesitant either always bright and matter of fact.
It will requiring time/patience/consistency to have any effect at all but it may help your little dog
If our dog is insured you may qualify on your insurance for treatment following a referral by your vet to someone like this who will work with you …
Meg the dog knows how to walk
He just doesn’t want to walk with CG.
I have never had to bribe a dog with food to go for a walk .
This is a well fed dog with an owner who cares for him .
He is clearly calling the shots here .
)
. I was scared of him too .