Dog Owner Chat v4

[Marley.&.Me]

Has anyone tried this food? Thinks about switching Oppie to this of it’s any good.

[moonkin]

i have two dogs, a red heeler/catahoula mix and an australian shepherd / great pyrenees. the heeler is my step father’s and he’s wonderful at listening, obedience etc but lord... my 8 month old aussie mix is the worst. no matter what you try or what different route you take, she will not listen to a single word. i’ve been the main caretaker of her and i’ve tried to train her since day one with all the advice i could get and find online. the only thing she’s surprised me at is sticking around us when we go to the farm for long walks, but then again our seven year old dog has been taught that so she just follows him.

maybe the people on here have a similar situation or new advice? I’ve tried toys, and treats etc and even though she loves both individually, when it comes to focusing and doing something for a reward, it’s like she just shuts her hearing off.

i figured, maybe it was just cause she was a puppy or her breed. or maybe both is just a huge horrible combo. i’m just sticking to the hope that when she’s a bit older, she’ll listen more and maybe then i can do something with her lol

some days i feel like we got the faulty one of the litter haha

[juicebox!]

@marchant - well, is there a chance she is deaf? there is also a possible chance she is still going through a teenage phase. and are you consistent with training?

[northy.]

its vida's 14th birthday so sorry not sorry for the spam, i'll post my favourite photos as a mix of pics and links.
she got 4 squeaky toys and a birthday cake.
henry the staffy came over for the party, him and flynn reallly get along haha.


very happy girl, sooo manyyyy squeakiesss!


i love this one haha


CHEEEEEZZZEEE BURGGGERRRR


this sums up their friendship tbh, my camera's battery was about to die so it didn't want to do sports mode haha.


thanks for the cake!

who'd think she is 14?!

and a kiss 4 u

she looks so happy omg

henry!

what do you mean i've already had cake, i totally haven't, henry ate my slice! *whilst eating henry's slice*

@the people who are suprised that she's mostly collie

hey flynn, look what i've got for you! are we gonna do a cute picture of you eating it or... oh okay, you're just going to inhale it, that works too

[anubis.]

i could use some help training my dog!
my dog is 3 or 4 years old. i got him at a local shelter. he looks like he has some basenji in him, short fur, large ears etc. as well as a very high prey drive (chases squirrels, anything you throw he instantly will chase it, also has a problem with people on bikes, skateboards etc.). he has a crap ton of energy, i usually play fetch with him for atleast 1 hour a day, 3 times a day, then the occasional training session (learning new tricks, practicing old ones, playing tug o war or hide and seek). he is a super, super smart dog but he has some major problems which hinder him going places like dog parks.

when i walk him, he always has his tail held super high, almost curled over his back, and is always on edge. i try to calm him down with treats, taking breaks, asking for a sit or down but he never seems 100% focused on me, even if it is a high-quality treat or his favorite, cheese. if there is a dog approaching, he starts to pant very fast or if he wasn't panting will start to pant, starts to pull towards the dog, his hackles go up, tail too. he growls, whines, barks etc. as well. but he has never attacked another dog. i'm just afraid because he is so up in dogs faces there is going to be a day where another dog snaps at him because he is being too aggressive and there is a fight. anyway, i just want to figure out if there is way to calm him down, or have him not be so dominant and up in your face kind of when meeting dogs. i know he is a very fearful dog as well, and has a lot of anxiety (which i would assume why he acts this way). the vet never mentioned going on anxiety meds, but i think it may help him because he is always on edge, even when home. he is a super friendly dog, loves to cuddle and total lapdop, i think he just has a hard time controlling himself and is super quick to react. with people, he is at first very scared,
if people walk in, he always barks, hides behind the couch with tail low and hackles always raised. sometimes though he goes at people, like a charge,
but always has his tail wagging low and has never bit anyone, so i think that is fear based as well. he is a shelter dog, so there is no telling what he has gone through.
i would like to take him places like the dog park, or out to eat, but he just get so easily overstimulated, i don't want to risk him biting someone or some dog on accident because he is too crazed, or him just ruining it if we go out to eat and he can't just lie down and relax. my grandmother's dog is about 3 years old, poodle type mix. she is super friendly and nice, submissive, always just sits under the table if we go out to eat. she has had no training, and is actually from the same shelter as my dog.

so basically, does anyone have any experience with reactive dogs? or may help me help him? also any tools i can use to help call him back if he gets loose? he has gotten out a few times, and we were barely able to catch him. a friend of mind has collars on his dogs,
so when they don't listen when he calls he can make the collars vibrate, and if they are in danger and need to come back immediately, zap. i was wondering if i should get him one of those. i don't want to take him somewhere and he breaks away, or gets out again and get hit by a car, because we live next to a very busy street.

[Imzadi83]

i have two dogs, a red heeler/catahoula mix and an australian shepherd / great pyrenees. the heeler is my step father’s and he’s wonderful at listening, obedience etc but lord... my 8 month old aussie mix is the worst. no matter what you try or what different route you take, she will not listen to a single word. i’ve been the main caretaker of her and i’ve tried to train her since day one with all the advice i could get and find online. the only thing she’s surprised me at is sticking around us when we go to the farm for long walks, but then again our seven year old dog has been taught that so she just follows him.

maybe the people on here have a similar situation or new advice? I’ve tried toys, and treats etc and even though she loves both individually, when it comes to focusing and doing something for a reward, it’s like she just shuts her hearing off.

i figured, maybe it was just cause she was a puppy or her breed. or maybe both is just a huge horrible combo. i’m just sticking to the hope that when she’s a bit older, she’ll listen more and maybe then i can do something with her lol

some days i feel like we got the faulty one of the litter haha

I agree on having her hearing checked.

Try tiring her out before you work with her on training will help her stay focuses. Work on attention games, and maybe up the value of your rewards. Don't forget environmental rewards, if she likes running around the yard off leash, only allow that after she does something for you like offering attention, sitting, etc.

Since she follows the other dog, use that. Train them together. If she sees the other dog getting rewarded for obedience perhaps she'll follow suit.

Here's some tutorials that may help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJSGda3b3wA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTSuPk2Ccjo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POM8wwnRSk4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFhtFt6Qy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEpmEh2prnM


@ryan ross. - Happy Birthday Vida!!!!!

[Imzadi83]

i could use some help training my dog!
my dog is 3 or 4 years old. i got him at a local shelter. he looks like he has some basenji in him, short fur, large ears etc. as well as a very high prey drive (chases squirrels, anything you throw he instantly will chase it, also has a problem with people on bikes, skateboards etc.). he has a crap ton of energy, i usually play fetch with him for atleast 1 hour a day, 3 times a day, then the occasional training session (learning new tricks, practicing old ones, playing tug o war or hide and seek). he is a super, super smart dog but he has some major problems which hinder him going places like dog parks.

when i walk him, he always has his tail held super high, almost curled over his back, and is always on edge. i try to calm him down with treats, taking breaks, asking for a sit or down but he never seems 100% focused on me, even if it is a high-quality treat or his favorite, cheese. if there is a dog approaching, he starts to pant very fast or if he wasn't panting will start to pant, starts to pull towards the dog, his hackles go up, tail too. he growls, whines, barks etc. as well. but he has never attacked another dog. i'm just afraid because he is so up in dogs faces there is going to be a day where another dog snaps at him because he is being too aggressive and there is a fight. anyway, i just want to figure out if there is way to calm him down, or have him not be so dominant and up in your face kind of when meeting dogs. i know he is a very fearful dog as well, and has a lot of anxiety (which i would assume why he acts this way). the vet never mentioned going on anxiety meds, but i think it may help him because he is always on edge, even when home. he is a super friendly dog, loves to cuddle and total lapdop, i think he just has a hard time controlling himself and is super quick to react. with people, he is at first very scared,
if people walk in, he always barks, hides behind the couch with tail low and hackles always raised. sometimes though he goes at people, like a charge,
but always has his tail wagging low and has never bit anyone, so i think that is fear based as well. he is a shelter dog, so there is no telling what he has gone through.
i would like to take him places like the dog park, or out to eat, but he just get so easily overstimulated, i don't want to risk him biting someone or some dog on accident because he is too crazed, or him just ruining it if we go out to eat and he can't just lie down and relax. my grandmother's dog is about 3 years old, poodle type mix. she is super friendly and nice, submissive, always just sits under the table if we go out to eat. she has had no training, and is actually from the same shelter as my dog.

so basically, does anyone have any experience with reactive dogs? or may help me help him? also any tools i can use to help call him back if he gets loose? he has gotten out a few times, and we were barely able to catch him. a friend of mind has collars on his dogs,
so when they don't listen when he calls he can make the collars vibrate, and if they are in danger and need to come back immediately, zap. i was wondering if i should get him one of those. i don't want to take him somewhere and he breaks away, or gets out again and get hit by a car, because we live next to a very busy street.

Please do not use a shock collar on your dog. They are very dangerous, especially for fearful/reactive dogs. He could easily become more fearful/reactive with the use of a shock collar. Even if this causes him to not react to other dogs he will still be fearful of them. He could learn to suppress signs of his anxiety but will still be anxious. This will make him more dangerous not less because you will no longer have the warning before he bites.

If you can afford it I would recommend finding a positive reinforcement trainer who does reactive dog classes. Or if you can afford for the trainer to come to you even better. This is going to be a much better investment of your money then a shock collar.

Before you work with him wear him out as much as you can so that he can more easily focus on you. Work in non-distracting environments until he shows a lot of success then slowly move to more stimulating environments. Try other rewards including other foods, toys, environmental, praise, petting, etc. Only feed him his food with puzzle toys or hand it out during training, get rid of the bowl. If you need to, feed him later so he is hungrier during a session.

Use counter conditioning to teach him that other dogs are good things. Keep your dog under threshold as much as possible. If he gets over threshold and reacts use "Let's Go!" to move him calmly away from what he is reacting to.

Teach "Let's go." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-L2qtD7MQ
Calm Treat Deliveries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM2xyrQ-414
Counter Conditioning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9I1vir3xyg
Counter Conditioning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PhqFdaNduo
Counter Conditioning http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/fear-of-dogs-and-new-people
Counter Conditioning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMLrYaoxNOs

I know it's a lot of information to go through. Take your time and keep training sessions short (five minutes is a great session length), a few short sessions is going to have better results then one long session.

There are also many calming products on the market, Thunder Shirts, Spirit Essences, calming collars, diffusers, sprays, treats, etc. that may help your dog. I'll link to a few to give you an idea of what's out there. There is no guarantee that they will help though, and they won't be a cure by themselves.

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/solutions/by-species/for-dogs/
http://www.thundershirt.com/
https://www.calmingcollars.com/
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/sentry-calming-collar-for-dogs
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs?rrec=true
http://heavy.com/pets/2015/03/best-dog-anxiety-medication-seperation-thundershirt/
http://www.petzlife.com/catalog/eaze.html

I have a ThunderShirt for Chloe, but haven't used it enough to know if it works. My holistic vet made a spirit essence for her when we first adopted her to help her settle into her new home and that did seem to help her adjust. I've used the @ease calming gel, it seemed to help a tiny bit. Again, nothing is a substitute for training though.

[Angelus Gaston]

i could use some help training my dog!
my dog is 3 or 4 years old. i got him at a local shelter. he looks like he has some basenji in him, short fur, large ears etc. as well as a very high prey drive (chases squirrels, anything you throw he instantly will chase it, also has a problem with people on bikes, skateboards etc.). he has a crap ton of energy, i usually play fetch with him for atleast 1 hour a day, 3 times a day, then the occasional training session (learning new tricks, practicing old ones, playing tug o war or hide and seek). he is a super, super smart dog but he has some major problems which hinder him going places like dog parks.

when i walk him, he always has his tail held super high, almost curled over his back, and is always on edge. i try to calm him down with treats, taking breaks, asking for a sit or down but he never seems 100% focused on me, even if it is a high-quality treat or his favorite, cheese. if there is a dog approaching, he starts to pant very fast or if he wasn't panting will start to pant, starts to pull towards the dog, his hackles go up, tail too. he growls, whines, barks etc. as well. but he has never attacked another dog. i'm just afraid because he is so up in dogs faces there is going to be a day where another dog snaps at him because he is being too aggressive and there is a fight. anyway, i just want to figure out if there is way to calm him down, or have him not be so dominant and up in your face kind of when meeting dogs. i know he is a very fearful dog as well, and has a lot of anxiety (which i would assume why he acts this way). the vet never mentioned going on anxiety meds, but i think it may help him because he is always on edge, even when home. he is a super friendly dog, loves to cuddle and total lapdop, i think he just has a hard time controlling himself and is super quick to react. with people, he is at first very scared,
if people walk in, he always barks, hides behind the couch with tail low and hackles always raised. sometimes though he goes at people, like a charge,
but always has his tail wagging low and has never bit anyone, so i think that is fear based as well. he is a shelter dog, so there is no telling what he has gone through.
i would like to take him places like the dog park, or out to eat, but he just get so easily overstimulated, i don't want to risk him biting someone or some dog on accident because he is too crazed, or him just ruining it if we go out to eat and he can't just lie down and relax. my grandmother's dog is about 3 years old, poodle type mix. she is super friendly and nice, submissive, always just sits under the table if we go out to eat. she has had no training, and is actually from the same shelter as my dog.

so basically, does anyone have any experience with reactive dogs? or may help me help him? also any tools i can use to help call him back if he gets loose? he has gotten out a few times, and we were barely able to catch him. a friend of mind has collars on his dogs,
so when they don't listen when he calls he can make the collars vibrate, and if they are in danger and need to come back immediately, zap. i was wondering if i should get him one of those. i don't want to take him somewhere and he breaks away, or gets out again and get hit by a car, because we live next to a very busy street.

No dont use a shock collar on a fearful or anxious dog as it can make it worse. I would look at a trainer who uses positive reinforcement training as with any rescue you don't know the past history or the breeding. They can also help you understand the body language.

But don't use any kind of negative equipment as it can just make the situation worse and stop him showing the signs he is showing which can be dangerous if he decided to attack.

[moonkin]

@marchant - well, is there a chance she is deaf? there is also a possible chance she is still going through a teenage phase. and are you consistent with training?

i have two dogs, a red heeler/catahoula mix and an australian shepherd / great pyrenees. the heeler is my step father’s and he’s wonderful at listening, obedience etc but lord... my 8 month old aussie mix is the worst. no matter what you try or what different route you take, she will not listen to a single word. i’ve been the main caretaker of her and i’ve tried to train her since day one with all the advice i could get and find online. the only thing she’s surprised me at is sticking around us when we go to the farm for long walks, but then again our seven year old dog has been taught that so she just follows him.

maybe the people on here have a similar situation or new advice? I’ve tried toys, and treats etc and even though she loves both individually, when it comes to focusing and doing something for a reward, it’s like she just shuts her hearing off.

i figured, maybe it was just cause she was a puppy or her breed. or maybe both is just a huge horrible combo. i’m just sticking to the hope that when she’s a bit older, she’ll listen more and maybe then i can do something with her lol

some days i feel like we got the faulty one of the litter haha

I agree on having her hearing checked.

Try tiring her out before you work with her on training will help her stay focuses. Work on attention games, and maybe up the value of your rewards. Don't forget environmental rewards, if she likes running around the yard off leash, only allow that after she does something for you like offering attention, sitting, etc.

Since she follows the other dog, use that. Train them together. If she sees the other dog getting rewarded for obedience perhaps she'll follow suit.

Here's some tutorials that may help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJSGda3b3wA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTSuPk2Ccjo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POM8wwnRSk4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFhtFt6Qy6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEpmEh2prnM

Yeah, she’s not deaf since we’ve checked for that already and keep up her vet visits. I believe it’s still the teenage phase too but yeah thank you for the help and I’ll definitely just train them together. He does things right off as soon as you command him so hopefully she’ll learn from that. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before lol

[juicebox!]

@anubis - im afraid theres no way to make your dog ever 100% okay with being around dogs. i have a doberman and theyre known to be same-sex aggressive and rocky is no exception. one thing that helped a ton is impulse control and leave it. while most dogs get reactive when other dogs are on leashes - rocky is the complete opposite. if a dog is offleash, i make sure rocky is close to me and that the dog stays far away enough from me and if it gets near ill say “GET HOME!” and stuff. rocky will lunge, bark, growl, hyperfocus, etc. on offleash dogs. they make me anxious and they make him anxious. so i dont take any chances. i completely avoid them the best i can. its one of his worst triggers and i have no control over an offleash dog. now when dogs are onleash, walking without barking or growling hes a DREAM. he might look at them or sometimes even bark back but never aggressive and i can easily get his attention. rocky does hate when dogs get in his face though. so i worked on his impulse control. leaving things when dropped, waiting for things, waiting to be allowed to do things, sitting before getting things, etc. this has worked tremendously. i would definitely recommend it to anybody whose dog has any aggression issues. the last thing you want is your dog to attack. you want to be able to get your dog out of the situation before they even have time to think about it. if a dog is all up in rocky’s face it isnt an immediate BITE and attack. its an ‘oh ill growl’ and ill move him behind me and the issue is mostly resolved.

do not pet or give him treats when he is anxious. youre rewarding this behavior. if a child is crying and you give them a cookie they learn that everytime they cry they get a cookie. work on focus and leave it. he can sit and focus - he gets a treat! he barks and growls - nope, no treat. do NOT reward behaviors you dont want. you may think youre calming him by petting him and you might be but it’s mostly just rewarding him.

also i would recommend a tracker! it can track your dog through bluetooth. you attack it to their collar and bam, all done now. as for catching him, thats tricky. again impulse control would work to teach him he has to wait before getting anything or going anywhere. work on recall a lot. dont ever let him offleash is an unfenced area if he doesnt have a reliable recall. make sure to always reward him if he comes. even if he just ran loose through the neighbor, knocked over a kid and grabbed a chicken when he comes home you dont punish him. you say “yes, good boy!!” they need to want to come home.