Lana Regressed and more reactive than before.

Lana is quite a nervous dog in some situations. She was terrified of men when I got her and often lunged and barked at passing men. During the dark nights she was worse but I got her trained out of it and was so proud of her, she could walk past a crowd of them standing outside pubs without reacting at all.

Then one night about 6-8 weeks ago some stupid drunken man tried to pet her. We were trapped as his friend was behind us. The guy was staggering across the pavement, leaning down to pat Lana and she was lunging and barking. I asked him to leave her alone which he didn't so ended up shouting if she bites you it's your own fault you stupid ba*tard and turned around. This time his friend moved out the way so we got up the road but the whole way up Lana was looking back and barking.

She was a bit snippy with other dogs when more than one was there but seemed to become more confident once she wasn't so scared of people. I avoid crowds of dogs as she's much better one to one and has dogs she plays with.

A couple of weeks ago she ran up to a man in the park and started barking at him. He wasn't near us and wasn't coming our way. I called her back and she came away but then suddenly went running barking at him again and this time jumped up snatching at his jacket. I shouted at her to come which she did but I was mortified. Okay he was dressed wierdly and not your normal man in the street but that's no reason at all for her to do something like that.

Last week on 3 different days she went for 3 different dogs. The first time was my fault entirely, I don't know where my brain was. We were walking across the bridge and a dog who has in the past barked like mad at Lana was coming across. The owner put the lead on his dog but me, instead of walking back the way we had come or sitting Lana and giving her treats, continued on my way. Don't ask me why. I can't believe how stupid I was.

Lana who was on her harness lunged for the other dog. Normally I can hold her but as I went to wrap the lead another time round my hand she lunged forward, the lead unravelled although I still had hold of it but she dragged me across to the other dog who was only a couple of steps away. There was a lot of noise before I dragged her away but the man said she had nipped his dog in the side. He was very good about it.

Next day another dog, mostly noise and the following day nipped a different dog in the ear which ended up bleeding.

She's started reacting to some men again, the other day one of my sons friends was in the house and her tail was down as she passed him to get to me, she seemed really scared but didn't bark or anything.

I need a dog phychologist or someone as I don't know what's happening with her. I really thought we had got past all her issues, she was turning into a great dog not reacting to things and was much better around other dogs. Now I am keeping her on the lead when there are any dogs in the park and am thinking of just street walking her for a while. I did consider taking her to the vets but there's nothing concrete I can tell him.

My son moved out the flat last week, she was on tinned dog food for a while as our raw supplier let us down. Furniture was moved about as I got a carpet for the livingroom and I wonder if all that has made her insecure again thinking I was going to be moving out too or something

She was in season last September/October and I've been waiting for her to come into season again but as yet there are no signs. I got her in November 2009, she was about 6/7 months old and I had her for 10 months before her first season kicked in.

Apologies for the long post, I've actually cut it down quite a bit from what it was. Any help or ideas of what I should do would be much appreciated. Lana is only my second dog but my first one had no problems or issues so I feel totally inexperienced and am floundering about in the dark here.

Hi, first things first, if you let me know what particular part of Scotland you live in I may be able to refer you to a reputable behaviourist.

Seondly, to avoid any possibility of your dog biting people or dogs, why do you not muzzle her?

Thirdly, why not keep her on a long line if you cannot control her off lead and thus maintain both her safety and that of others?

Fourthly, I think you may have over estimated the level of counter conditioning and desensitisation this dog needs because you believe you had trained it out of her, but this may have only been a superficial fix which, as you have seen, has fallen apart very quickly.

Fifthly, if you DID have the dog on a line AND a muzzle, you would not have to react the way you did, thus INCREASING the level of insecurity and tension in your dog.

Sixthly, and most importantly, NOBODY I know has never done anything stupid, I still often do....... so chin up.

Remember you have had your dog longer than she was anywhere else, therefore get out of the "what she was" mode of thinking and concentrate on "what she is, and what she could be"!

Oh dear, how stressful for you both
Having a reactive dog is a bit like 2 steps forward 3 back sometimes
You have to try and focus on the positives as well, it dosent mean that all the good work you have done is gone now - it just means she wasnt as far along as you quite thought
But you have still done very well to get as far as you have

agree totaly, now you know what she is like for your peace of mind, for her safety and for other dogs safety she needs to be muzzled for now
Make sure you get a good fitting one that she can pant and drink in - and get her used to it slowly with lots of nice positive associations

and yup you would be best to get in a good behaviourist
the APBC might have someone decent in your area

Best of luck and keep us posted, I know you feel rubbish just now but you have come so far I am sure you will be fine with hard work and good help

Try David Ryan, he lives in cumbrian but does travel, there are other members in Scotland, but I think the distance may be the same; look at the APBC site.

Smokeybear thanks for your reply. I have her on a halti now so I can control her better. Got a dogmatic on Saturday but don't like and she can't open her mouth at all so sending it back and have a black dog collar coming. When I've seen dogs in the park the last couple of days I've put her on a long line and walked the other way.

I was wondering if I should get a muzzle for her but wondered what would happen if she went for another dog and they actually fought back for once

You are right that I've not known how much desensitasation she needed. I really thought I'd cracked it which shows how inexperienced I am.

I live in Dunfermline so if anyone knows of anyone good in this area it would be much appreciated. I'll have a look at the APBC site and see who's there.

Ben Mcfuzzylugs thanks for your reply I'll go with what you and Smokeybear say and get a muzzle for now. I was feeling quite chuffed with what I had achieved and this came as quite a shock to me. I was of course making up all sorts of excuses for her in my head of why she went for the other dogs, as it surely couldn't be my dogs fault, but that's all they were, excuses.

I will get a muzzle for her because this morning in the park when I saw a couple of dogs, just before I put Lana on her lead I felt sick at the thought that she might go for them. It's a terrible thing thinking you can't trust your dog.

Thanks again for your replies.

No member of the APBC will see a dog without a vet referral remember.

Yvonne Walker of the Darcgregan Dog Training Centre is a behaviourist, who trained with John Rogerson; she may be able to help you or point you to someone near to you.

HTH

ps the new muzzles from the Company of ANimals look GREAT. Never put your dog in a position where it can attack another dog or be attacked by another, then you will not have to worry about "fighting back" a behaviour that you do NOT want your dog to practice.

Let us know how you are getting on.

Progress with a reactive dog is never a smooth line. You always get setbacks - usually because you`ve been lulled into a false sense of security because your dog is being so good.
Go back to basics - work on calm control and keep her onlead and away from stressful situations.
If you are going to use a Halti, please combine it with a flat collar and the double-ended Halti lead. I find the Halti gives me control in close situations that are unavoidable.

I phoned the local pet shop about muzzles but they don't have any in stock. Have ordered a baskerville muzzle online so hoping it will come soon.

I found a couple of people in/near Edinburgh on the apbc site. I'll go to the vets first and get a referral but will have to save up first. Business is slow so not much money coming in. I'll feel better if she has the muzzle and will keep training her until then and keep her on the lead at all times. I was't sure if I should let her off the lead if she had a muzzle, so thanks for clearing that up. Hopefully it won't be too long until I have the money. Maybe I can scrounge it off someone haha

I'll need to put the names of all my websites on here so you can all go and purchase from me so I can afford to get Lana trained Only joking

Dash if only I hadn't purchased the carpet last week before this kicked off. Never mind, Lana loves it, she lies all over the floor and we can now play with her toys in the house, so money well spent.

I was certainly lulled into a false sense of security ClaireandDaisy She was brilliant and I was so proud of her. I am still proud of her but will be extremely careful now.

I'll try and find walks where there aren't many people or dogs about and keep her onlead all the time.

I have a flat collar on Lana and have the security bit which attaches from the halti to the collar, but I'm thinking that's not what you meant. Right I'll see about a double ended lead which can attach to the halti and the collar. I can't hold her on a normal collar, she's far too strong for me. It's embarassing really as she's not a big dog but appears to be pure muscle. When I think of the skinny dog I picked up it never crossed my mind she would be too strong for me.

Thanks for the reply.

In the interim, perhaps you CAN afford a book that may help you?

"Fight! A practical guide to the treatment of dog to dog aggression" by Jean Donaldson may be of interest.

This does not mean you can tackle the problems by yourself, or in isolation from others because you cannot, but it may give you a better idea of what may be going on and how to avoid potential trigger points.

All of JDs books are good, and because this specifically deals with dog v dog aggression and because it is not written by an author from a breed specific point of view, it is, IMHO, a very useful tool to have in your box.

HTH