Agree with the advice regarding James O Heare's book (ensure you get the red one for owners, not the yellow or blue one!) and also Claire's information re BAT training. I attended a BAT seminar a few months ago, and was impressed with what I saw. Grisha Stewart has a book out about the method, it's actually rather good as there is a fab artist involved and some quite amusing pictures

If the main problem is lead aggression, you may like to investigate Kim Moeller's book/dvd called "Reactive Rover" which is about leash aggression, as opposed to problems OFF lead

Be careful with what you read and who you listen to, and also with anybody that you might get to help you. You may wish to look at www.apbc.org.uk or www.apdt.co.uk, also possibly www.capbt.co.uk (the latter two are trainers, but some have behavioural interest enough to help). Ensure you work with in the dog's "threshold" which roughly speaking means that the dog is not forced to react - you want him interested, looking, but not on the verge of barking/lunging/biting/"aggressing" as that way he can't learn, because the chemicals in his body at a stressful time may not let him. Dogs learn best when calm, able to think... and when rewarded for appropriate behaviour (rewards can be "functional" (see Grisha and BAT), and also food, praise, games, etc).

Hth a bit
Wys
x

Thanks to all you for the support you are giving me,also I can't thank Claire enough for her advice as these practice's she has advised me to try might be just the ticket he needs to get through this problem. At the moment its blowing a force 10 gale here in Morecambe so apart from a short walk tonight, I will be taking him down to the beach tomorrow morning.
I will keep you all posted of his progress.

Thanks again from the both of us!!

Duncan and Milo

Hi Claire, we took him for a walk along the far end of the promenade just after lunch and I tried the technique you told me, turning him away from on coming dogs then when he calms reward him and you're right it does have some effect. The only downfall is my coat pocket now stinks of hotdog sausage !!lol!!

Speak to you later

!!Cheers!!!

Why fools?

My dogs eat raw turkey (necks and wings) on a very regular basisi.

Milo looks adorable and totally angelic

Indeed - there's a whole section on Dogsey devoted to Raw Feeding. Mine are raw fed, as are many others and there are some great benefits for the dogs.

Doesn't suit everyone of course, and doesn't suit all dogs but for some that have allergies and health issues it's a godsend. My sister started feeding her GSD on raw food about 13-14 years ago when it was all quite a new thing, as nothing else she tried suited her dog. I saw the GSD six months later and couldn't believe the change in her.... not only her skin and coat, but she was also much less hyper.

Sorry for veering off topic!

I have read that book too, and whilst it was an interesting read, it isn't quite a match for the other book suggested

The book really just gives you more detail (and more technical jargon!!) about what methods you can use to make your dog think differently about the stimulus that usually causes him to aggress.

It explains counter conditioning, desensitization etc. The dog agression workbook, along with Click to Calm and the culture clash are probably the best books I have read so far especially with regards to helping with aggression issues..

C&D's advice is great though and over a long period of time this should really continue to work for you.

For my dog who is scared of people this is what I have been doing (it would be similar for dogs)
I use a combined method of:
- Treating her for walking past/looking at people calmly

-Turning back or increasing the distance between my dog and the stimulus so she is at a distance that will not cause a reaction

- Analyzing each situation - ie if there is a person that is in her comfort zone (ie woman with a dog) I will walk closer past them than someone who is not (ie a man carrying a big bag or children). This would be the same - ie you would walk furthur away from a dog which is over excited, barking etc than a dog who is older, calm and well mannered.

- Making sure I do not put her in a situation that provokes the behavior. 1) this stops the dog practising the behavior 2) Changes their perception of dogs/people 3)Makes them trust you that you will not put them in a situation that makes them uncomfortable.

All these points have surprised me, in all the years I have had dogs this is the first time I've heard of it. What I thought and please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a toxin in uncooked turkey that can seriously affect the dogs gut? I could be wrong and its more than likely that I am.
When we adopted Milo he had just finished a course of antibiotics for eating the turkey.

Dexter does a similar thing when on lead and encountering other on lead dogs. He goes mad with excitement and starts lunging, barking and generally going beserk.

I have found these things helped:

1 - teach and then practise the 'watch me'. Start at home, use a high value treat. Then move into the garden, where there are a few distractions. Gradually start doing it when out on walks and finally when there are dogs approaching.

Your dog cannot watch you AND go mad at approaching dogs


2 - stay relaxed! it's really hard, I know, and those of us with reactive dogs probably tend to tighten the leash a bit as other dogs approach. If we can manage not to do this, and stay very calm, it helps to keep the dog calm.

3- Keep on walking when other dogs on leash are around. This is something our trainer taught me: don't slow down, don't pause, don't stop, don't even look at an approaching dog. Just keep on walking at the same pace and don't let your dog make you stop.


4 - a well fitting headcollar, as my dog is big and very strong. I walked him for months using one of these and it enabled me to stop him going too mad AND to then reward him for calmer behaviour.


Hope this helps a little bit.

Thanks for the advice and I know this will really help.I'm using the "Gentle head leader collar" as I have been working to get him to walk to heel and he's doing this very well.
Claire has also offered the same techniques as you and some exercise to steer him away from becoming nervous and aggressive.
Since joining Dogsy you all have been very helpful, I know somethings went a bit over top and I'm sorry for that, you have all been very kind. With Milo his problem has come part of the package but we don't care we adore him no matter what. At home you could not ask for a more obedient dog, he responds to commands brilliantly. Its just this problem when on the lead that we have to tackle, I know its going to take time, but we are here for the long haul.

Well if there is my dogs must be immune to it! I have fed raw for over 10 years.

Turkey is actually high in tryptophan a precursor of serotonin (makes people and dogs feel good) and so is often fed for that purpose amongst others.