Advice needed please!

As most of you know I've had problems with Kestral since a puppy with her nervous behavior.

The main issue was regarding her barking at people, which is not as much of an issue as through lots of training she no longer charges up to people and barks at them.
She will still bark at people if they approach her, surprise her or she feels cornered when outdoors, and always if she meets people indoors so there are still lots of outstanding issues to work on.

On top of this she's scared of cars, bikes, bins, printers etc.

I thought this was all enough to deal with but it seems she is now having issues with other dogs too.
It started when an over-zelous GSD puppy would not stop bouncing all over her, ignored her signals and she resorted to snapping.
She now clearly feels her signals of discomfort are not being read and will snap first to protect herself.

She will outright launch herself at dogs that come in the house which is bad enough but on walks now she is looking more and more uncomfortable round dogs.

Since moving to Manchester Kestral has been attacked (and I use the phrase very loosely, but dogs that have lashed out snarling at her) twice. This can't have done anything for her confidence.

A few times now we have met excitable dogs or dogs with poor social skills that have approached her and she has been looking very unsure and slightly raised lips/snappy.

I really do NOT want this developing in to a problem so am looking for advice as to what to do next..

Would a dog socialisation class with stooge dogs for shy dogs be a good idea?
Should I do nothing?
Should I be rewarding good interactions with dogs?

She's feeling pretty settled here now so I don't think that its just a short term thing. I'm just not sure what to do but I need to get her confidence up before I have the same issues with dogs on my hands as I do with people....


The only other difference I have noticed in her is a crazy increase in her activity levels.. I'm not sure whether to put this down to a slightly cooler house, her being fed part raw, being walked twice a day... but I wouldn't imagine its contributing to the behavior with dogs?..

Has she been checked thoroughly by a vet recently? I just ask in case there could possibly be a physiological issue underlying these issues?

Re other dogs:

Do you know anyone with a nice, calm dog that you and Kestral could possibly spend time with?

If you have a good training class in your area, it might be worth calling up for a chat with the instructor and maybe going along to watch a class?

Shes been checked fairly recently, at least around about the time when she first snapped at the GSD a few months ago.. I think it's psychogical rather than physiological!

I don't know any one round here sadly, my cousin has a dog but she's snapped at her after he brought her over.

Slb has kindly offered that we can meet her and there is a potential Dogsey Cheshire walk on so that could be good to meet some nice dogs and we can always walk off if it doesn't work.

I'm a bit loath to do classes as 1)not all dogs are well behaved. 2) she ended up launching herself at all the dogs in an agility class we went to possibly due to stress so I'm not sure putting her in a stressful environment is a good thing for her
An outdoor class might be potentially ok.

Happy if you want to try her out with Kibo?

He's well socialised and walks with lots of different dogs every day. He's also happy to take a telling off from older dogs when he's been too "puppy bouncy" for them and will back off.

There is a mahoosive field ( seriously, it's massive ) less than 10 minutes walk away from my house with the Bollin running around 2 sides of it so Kestral could have a swim too?

I agree that if you do a class an outdoor one might be best. Kestral does sound rather like Dexter; he was overwhelmed by classes and the only one we managed was outdoors, as then I could give us a bit of space from the others and he calmed down a little bit.

I really do empathise with you.

Would a few one-to-one sessions with an experienced trainer or behaviourist be of any help....? I had to do this when I first rehomed Dexter and I did find it really helpful in that the trainer understood Dex very well.

There's a chap in the Dunham Massey area that does 1: 1 and group classes outdoors.

I did have his name somewhere as loads of people around here that I've met have used him for various problems.

I'll try and find his name and number in my pile of " stuff ", but if not, the guy at my local pet shop has it, so I can ask him for you.

So the 6 week trial of thyroxine did nothing to help then?

I cannot recommend Lynda highly enough.

http://dogfriendlytraining.net/

Thanks, I may look in to some, they would be far better than indoor ones where she feels cornered and unsure if people/dogs get too close.
I am considering a trainer especially now I have the new issue of dogs - the trouble is with kestral is I don't think the behaviours will really change until her state of mind does although it would be nice if she could learn alternate responses.

Thanks that could be useful to have to look in to. Don't go out your way but would be great if you come across it.

Sadly not no although I think that was to be expected really.

Thanks I will look in to her and the other contact you gave previously.

Are these in the hundreds of pounds like chirag or a bit more affordable?
It sounds like everyone thinks a trainer is the way to go though so I will look in to it.

Lynda is not expensive but like anything, plumber, gardener, electrician, you get the information on costs up front on the telephone call.

The longer you keep on struggling on your own, the more practised Kestral will become in perfecting her inappropriate strategies and the harder they will be to resolve.

Early intervention is always the method of choice.

You have not progressed with her alone.

We all need the help of others from time to time.