Training Discs

I've been advised to get some training discs to interrupt Takara's aggression. If I throw them on the floor, the noise will distract her and I can reward the break in aggression (it's not really bad but she snaps when close to dogs in enclosed spaces) as she looks to see what the noise was.

I thought it was worth a try because she won't listen to me when she's in the middle of a rant at another dog.

Hopefully, with the training I'm doing now, I won't need them anyway because I'm able to take her out of the situation before she feels the need to snap, but just in case...

My question is, how loud are these things? She's afraid of the pet corrector spray so I won't use it, would she be afraid of these?

Do I definitely need to get a manual? (I can order them cheaper without) I understand all the distraction techniques etc but is there anything in the manual I would need to read?

I don't want to make her more afraid of other dogs hence my reluctance to use the pet corrector spray so if these are very loud and offensive to a relatively skittish dog I don't really want to be using them...

Any ideas?

I personally think a few pebbles or stones in a small plastic drink bottle or similar item is just as affective, and cheaper, you wouldn't need to throw it down just shake it, and if it's too noisy it's not a waste of money, or a big bunch of old keys, unfortunatly these things were too noisy for Jack and just frightened him more! , hope this helps

I use these training discs with Sam to get him to keep to heel which works pretty well and also to get him to leave things which has been the most successful. The booklet tells you exactly what to do and there is an exercise that you do prior to attempting everything else so it probably would be quite handy to have. However I could scan it and send it to you if you wanted.

Personally I have not found it works to distract him from going for other dogs though. He is so intent on looking at the dog approaching that discs (or me) mean nothing to him. But that is my dog.

Incidentally...what is it that you are doing to stop your dog from snapping? It sounds like it might help me. Would be grateful for your help.

They are not very loud at all and I don't think they would frighten your dog just make her look round.

Training Discs can be a good tool to use to distract a dog from unwanted behaviour......BUT NEVER with aggression problems, the trouble with any form of aggression, is, if any negative tool /action is used to distract a dog away from the subject of his/her aggression, he/she may associate the noise of the discs with the object of his/her aggression.

So for instance , if you have a dog that gets aggressive on the lead, with another dog, you use the discs, to try an distract him, the noise of the discs may, fuel his aggression, simple because he is hearing "a sound" seconds before he becomes aggressive. so he will learn that to associate that noise with his behaviour.

Training Discs are OK for things like, jumping up at people, and minor unwanted behaviour .

if you read the instructions on the pack, I am sure it advices not to be used with aggression.

Right, that's interesting. I only tried it the once and as it made no impression I didn't try again. I was going to squirt him with a water pistol the next time he goes for a dog on the lead. Do you think that would be sensible? If not what would you suggest? I have had some success with getting him to stop going for dogs offlead using the water pistol.

Thanks Jackbox,

That was exactly my reason for asking. I didn't know how negative they were and I would not like to associate anything negative with the aggression.

elmac, a water pistol is definitely not a good idea in my opinion - as Jackbox says, if your dog associates the squirt of water with other dogs rather than it's own behaviour, it can fuel the aggression.

I've managed to watch Takara closely and observe the signals she gives off.
As with most dogs, she gives off minute signals to say she's uncomfortable. Things that you probably wouldn't notice unless you looked for it specifically.
She raises her hackles at first but that doesn't mean the aggression is about to start, she moves her face to the side to say 'I'm not a threat' but she won't go into a low submissive posture in case she does need to defend herself.

However, there is a tiny change in her behaviour before she begins to snap and I can't really explain it. As soon as I see it I praise her and walk on calmly. This is our first step - we will start to just walk a little further and then approach again when she's more comfortable with it.

Eventually I hope to be able to teach her to sit by my side when she's not comfortable with a situation so that I can then remove her before she starts to snap.

It depends how your dog reacts, is it from a distance or only on meeting dogs?

Again - thanks Jackbox, that was all I wanted to know!
CLMG - we have used the rattle bottle before for lead walking (had to stop when I got Eddy and he nearly pooped himself) but I wouldn't want to frighten other dogs as the proximity is quite close when the aggression occurs.

there is also the problem that the discs could potentially scare the other dog and make the whole thing a really bad association for them.

yeah that was part of my reason for asking how offnsive they were

Lottie I have the discs and manual and if you pm your address i will send you them. We do not use them with Fudge. I bought them but decided not to use them as she is sound phobic.

not at all offensive for some dogs, but with others, enough for them not to ever go near a dalmatian again. My point is, you know your own dog, but not the dog she goes up to.