# Fear based reactivity?



## Rusty (Jun 13, 2012)

Begley has always been on the shy/cautious side of things, but he's mostly always been very eager to meet new dogs. When he was a puppy, we went through a phase where he was a bit "impolite" with some new dogs and tended to rush towards them in his excitement to see them. But we worked through that by making him sit calmly and wait for other dogs to approach him, and he got away from that behaviour. However, over the past few months we've had three encounters with other dogs that weren't good: (1) an off-leash dog that I know to be aggressive was running towards us on a walk. I picked Begley up, all 42 pounds of him - I was walking him on leash - and held him facing a vehicle so the other dog couldn't reach Begley. (2) another off-leash dog (what's up with all these poorly trained off-leash dogs???) ran towards us on the sidewalk, baring his teeth and growling at us, and not letting us go by. We turned around and went the other way as the owner said "But he never acts like this!" (3) A BC on a flexi-lead attacked Begley while we were walking (Begley was on a regular leash). The other owner pulled their dog off, but then the BC went after Begley AGAIN! Begley wasn't injured, but it was scary for everyone, I think.

Now, Begley's become a bit reactive with some other dogs. If they're at all yappy/barking, are running towards us, or even approaching him quickly, Begley gets tense, gives a little growl, and starts barking. I'm interpreting this as he's scared and wants the other dogs to back off. So far these other dogs aren't ones that have been attacking (although some of them are obviously showing poor manners and fear-based behaviours of their own). On occasions Begley has gotten close to them, Begley generally figures out that they're okay, and is happy to start playing (he'll start wagging his tail, doing the play bow, etc.) He's fine with dogs he knows. He's also fine at agility class (with about 7 other dogs); he sits calmly with me even with all of the other dogs very nearby, will sniff other dogs politely, and is curious about what they're doing but will focus on me and our "work" when I ask him to. The doggy daycare he goes to one day a week has also said that they've never had a problem with any of his behaviour there (he plays nicely), so I'm thinking that the leash and my nervousness are contributing to the problem.

What I've been doing to try to "fix" the behaviour is to move off to the side of the path/sidewalk (say, 10 - 20 feet away) when we see other dogs coming towards us. I put Begley in a "sit," and am working on getting him to "watch" me. I treat when he maintains the sit and doesn't react as dogs approach and subsequently move away from us. I often will crouch down beside him as he's sitting and give him pats and tell him "good sit!." If there's a dog farther away (say, across the street), I'll either tell him to "leave it" to take his attention away from the other dog and return it to me and we keep walking (treats for focusing on me and not the other dog) or, if he's seeming quite tense or won't move his focus from the other dog, then even at a longer distance I'll have him stop, sit, and watch me. Our "watch" is spotty in these situations -- he'll often glance towards me, but then back to the other dog. Overall, I think this has been working pretty well for us, and at these distances we probably have a 95% success rate in maintaining a "sit" and not barking at other dogs. In some cases I've tried reducing the distance more than I should have, and we've had some set backs.

One day last week we did the "sit and be calm" approach, and another fellow and his dog also did the "sit and be calm." After a minute, I allowed Begley to calmly approach the other calm dog, and he was GREAT! No barking or growling, just some sniffing, then a play bow, and all was good and happy. But then the other day a young GSD puppy came into the doggy daycare building when I was dropping Begley off, and rushed towards Begley (not aggressively, just over-excited). Begley was very barky, although his tail was wagging and he seemed to be kind of putting his front legs down... I wasn't really sure whether it was excited play barking or fearful "keep away" barking.

So, I'm hoping that some of the members here on the forum who have training experience or who have successfully helped work with fear behaviours might chime in on whether my current approach is okay, whether there's things I should be doing differently, etc. Thanks, and sorry for the long post!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I wonder if perhaps you are adding to his anxiety - as you say, dogs are very quick to pick up on our emotions, and a slight tightening of the leash and stiffening of your body may be enough for him to assume an approaching dog is a threat. I walk a terrier who is inclined to aggression towards other dogs - I tried the waiting politely for them to go by with some success, but realised that sometimes she felt trapped, and that it could take quite a while before the other dog was out of her danger zone. What works best for her is for me to get her attention, make sure I am between her and the other dog, and walk her past briskly in as wide a curve as possible, while promising her a treat for good behaviour. Most of the time now she stays relaxed and happy.

But I think Begley sounds perfectly normal - there are some dogs he is wary of, especially rude bouncy puppies and adolescents, but he has good social skills once he is close enough to see that they mean no harm. How old is he? Young enough to still be learning about other dogs? I think I would simply give him a bit more space if he begins to react - turn and walk a few yards in the other direction, then approach the dog again. It would help you to stay relaxed (singing silly songs helps, too, but can get you a bit of a reputation!). If his behaviour really worries you I would find an experienced, reward based trainer to work with you (choose carefully - the wrong trainer could make fearfulness much worse). Someone who can observe both the dog's behaviour and your own would be able to give you really focussed advice and help, and I am sure you would see results very quickly.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I think Begley's reactivity is understandable based on those experiences (and yeah, why do so many people allow poorly trained, ill mannered dogs to be loose?). I also think you are right to want to "fix" this.

fjm is correct that you may unknowingly be transmitting your own anxiety to Begley. Everything we feel goes straight down the leash. You need to truly adjust your inner dharma to be relaxed (if not positive) for Begley's benefit.

You are fortunate that there has been no physical damage done, but I think that dogs who have had these kinds of experiences suffer something rather like PTSD. I am sure that Lily felt that way after a very nasty rottweiler (with death in his mind for sure) went after her back in October at a show. She totally fell apart in the ring and was very nervous around any rottie she saw for weeks and weeks. If you want to read more details they are here. http://www.poodleforum.com/24-performance-agility-obedience-hunting/117681-long-road-ud.html

I would suggest rescue remedy for situations where you are around other dogs. Also I would do some work under controlled circumstances with good stable dogs (ideally somewhat similar in appearance to the problem dogs you have encountered). What you will essentially be doing is counter conditioning Begley by using a well behaved dog to show him it is ok to be around other dogs. It will be similar to what I have talked about in this thread. http://www.poodleforum.com/5-poodle-talk/127761-lily-helped-me-training-another-dog-today.html Please feel free to PM me if you have other specific questions.

Good luck.


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## Rusty (Jun 13, 2012)

Thank you both for the feedback and advice! Begley is nearly 2.5 years old, so still young enough, I think, to change his ways. I think you're right, fjm, that I could be adding to the problem. I try to stay calm, but I know I get anxious about what might happen when other dogs are approaching, and I'm sure Begley picks up on that. I know that one of the cues I give is shortening up on the leash to keep him close to me, to prevent him moving towards other dogs in a way that looks aggressive. I will try physically moving away in the large arc as we're walking in order to keep distance between Begley and other dogs without having to really tighten the leash. I'll also try the song idea and try to do my inner-peace yoga breathing! I'll also look for more opportunities to work with other dogs that I know are safe but aren't already doggy-friends with Begley (since he's good with dogs that he already knows). There's a few dogs we occasionally see on our walks that I think would be good candidates; it's a bit tough in my neighbourhood in the winter to find a lot of counter-conditioning opportunities, as many people quit dog walking in the cold weather (I feel sorry for their poor dogs), and we can go entire walks without encountering other dogs.

Thanks, too, for the positive and constructive feedback! I'm also open to further suggestions, but already feel more confident in my adjusted plan.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Rusty you will make this better with the great attitude you have about things. Lily was just past her 6th birthday when the rottie went after her. Someone I know predicted she was ruined for good for obedience because of what happened. We are working hard to come back and Lily is being very resilient.


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## Carolinek (Apr 2, 2014)

I think given those experiences, his reactivity is understandable, and in his mind, a way to protect himself. My Lily also has fear based reactivity from being a stray who had to fight for her food. Also very understandable. 

I did a lot of the same things you are doing. The key is to keep him below threshold- that point where he goes over the edge. Expose him to triggers but go just far enough where you know he isn't going to react. Then treat the heck out of him while the trigger is there and as soon as the trigger moves away, stop treating. This helps him associate good things with the presence of the scary object. Eventually, you can decrease the distance and move closer to the trigger. This means controlling the environment, which isn't always possible, and I had set backs with her, but in general, it worked.

Feisty Fido by Patricia McConnell is good resource that explains this nicely. I worked with a behaviorist too, but Lily was pretty extreme. But even in the beginning, it wasn't all dogs, and she loved Max right from the start. Here is a link for that book:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Feisty-Fido-Help-Leash-Reactive-Dog/dp/1891767070[/ame]

Another thing that was a huge help was getting the "look" command down, or in your case "watch me." Lily now sees another dog and often will sit in front of me and make eye contact. That allows me to work her through almost any situation. I used a clicker in the beginning, but now all I have to say is "look" and she stops and sits and looks- sometimes I don't even have to say it, she just sees another dog and does it. 

I took her to Pet Smart a lot and worked with getting her closer to other dogs there. It was a good place to control her exposure (most of the time). I would walk to the back of the store on a Saturday when it was busy and see who was in the aisles. Then I would pick where to go to get her close to other dogs, based on how well she was doing. 

Now, Lily takes agility classes with other high energy dogs, some of who have her same tendencies. She's not perfect, and I still need to manage it, but she's pretty darned good. As I read this over, I'm just thinking how proud I am of her and how far she has come.

Hope this helps - good luck with Begley!


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Your dog could be a twin of Sugarfoot. We have the same kind of issues, and he was viciously attacked at 7 months old, needing stitches to repair the damage. (The thread about the attack and its aftermath is here on the forum.)

Now, at 3 years old, Sugarfoot must be carefully managed around other dogs. He is reactive towards high-energy dogs and can kind of tolerate calm, dog-savvy dogs. We compete actively in Agility, and he can deal with being surrounded by dogs, as he stays focused on me and his job.

You're doing all the right things. Please check out the book *Control Unleashed*; I found many of the exercises within invaluable in working with Sugarfoot, especially the "Look at that dog" exercise, in which the dog is rewarded for glancing at the "scary" other dog. 

You can feel good with the progress you've made, and rest assured that you can get past it. Even if you're not going to have the type of dog who can romp freely with other dogs, that's okay. 

Good luck!
--Q


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## Rusty (Jun 13, 2012)

I thought I'd drop by this thread and give an update! We've been working hard with Begley to improve his attitude, and I think it's helping. We've been focusing on taking a wide but forward-moving path around approaching dogs, making sure Begley has lots of space and keeps walking. While moving forward, I make sure that I use tasty treats to reward him for focusing on me instead of the other dog. And I think it's working! It's getting easier to keep Begley from focusing on other dogs, and his body language is staying much more relaxed as we go around them (before, his tail would go up, his ears forward, and he'd be tense... now, his tail is more often than not staying relaxed, he'll focus on me when asked, and will do relaxed things like sniffing or looking away from other dogs). Lately we've been stopping more often to visit dogs that I know are calm and friendly, and Begley's gone back to his happy and friendly wagging and polite greetings. Earlier this week we had a big success (imo)... a other dog was running towards us with his cycling owner on a narrow portion of the path where I couldn't really move too far away, so I kept Begley on the other side of me, asked him to focus on me and my tasty salmon snack, and he completely ignored the dog who was running past us! I was so pleased. 

I know we're not "home free" yet; we've had some setbacks, and we're not at the point yet where I'm confident enough in Begley's behaviour that we can approach and pass unknown dogs without any problems. There was one time we encountered quite a large dog on a narrow path where we couldn't divert, and Begley was a little defensive and barky (happily the other dog was well-mannered and ignored Begley's bad behaviour). Another time some irresponsible person had a whole pack of off-leash dogs (not in an off-leash area!) that rushed Begley even though we'd taken a wide arcing path away from them, and one was quite growly and aggressive towards Begley; I was SO angry, which I'm sure really didn't help Begley, but fortunately Begley didn't seem too phased by the encounter.

So, we'll continue to use the advice in this thread, and will hopefully continue to see progress! As the weather's getting nicer, there are more dogs out and about in our neighbourhood, so more opportunities to practice and improve, too. Thanks again for the good suggestions!

So, things are definitely improving, and I wanted to say thank you for the good advice! I think it's been especially helpful to keep moving/walking instead of stopping and waiting for other dogs to go by.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

It sounds like begley is doing fine. I think you are now more worried than he is about this issue. You sound like a good team!
Eric.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

You are doing wonderfully, and I am very glad to hear of your progress. Eric is right that you do sound like you are still rather worried. Being vigilant and working to keep Begley relaxed and positive will be easier if you can do all that while being relaxed yourself.

Do please give up more updates as you move along.


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

I'm so glad to have found this thread! Im having the same issue with Bentley. 

We walked at a park today and passing another dog he lost it! He wouldn't listen to my command to sit or down, I had to physically put this 48lb boy in a down position til he calmed down. My daughter said the man passing made a gesture to his dog to sit and stay and he did while watching me gain control over Bentley who was acting psychotic! When I got Bentley to relax my daughter said the man said something and the dog went to him ignoring Bentley. I may have been the problem... I should have kept walking... I'm sure I tensed up and tightened his leash. 

After that I decided to only check out the local dog park today as well. When I got there a jack Russell terrier met us at the fence. I was relaxed but hadn't planned on going in. The owners shouted out bring him on in he will be fine! So I relaxed and followed their cue. Bentley was so good! I've never seen him with any dogs and be good! He was wonderful with the humans too! Many dogs came in on the TWO HOURS we were there. I enjoyed so much seeing him socialize with these dogs! How on earth did this happen? He goes nuts on leash when he sees another dog??? 

I'm getting that "Off Leash" book mentioned above and I'll start walking him farther away from oncoming dogs while on leash. Thanks!


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

it does sound like your tension was what was setting bentley off. i believe somewhere else there was a suggestion about working with tension on the leash in various situations to get the dog used to the fact that that tension is not a signal to worry.


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## BentleysMom (Dec 14, 2014)

This is still a work in progress. Of he had a total meltdown on our trip to Galveston. Those seagulls made him go crazy!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Poodles are "bird dogs" and for some, birds trigger their prey drive.
Eric


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Thanks for continuing to update (even though you had a set back). A dog is never a finished product any more than we are. New experiences will offer new challenges and new opportunities to triumph. In addition to Eric's wise comment about birds and bird dogs, it is important to remember that it is hard for many dogs to generalize information and behaviors. The more alien the environment the harder it is for them to make sense of.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Grace's prey drive for birds was a problem for a while. With penguins, black swans, Ibis, 5 kinds of parrot, petrels, plovers, about a hundred kinds of diminutive birds like (superb blue wrens) and seagulls! "NO!! CHASE THE BIRDIES" was a common castigation. Many of these birds on her forrested beach now know her and take very little notice. They see her every day and she is now part of their lives. Grace's prey drive lives on but now a ball is the prey.







These blokes sleep in bushes 3 ft high and are prey to cats.
we have them in Grace's yard. She keeps the cats away.







There are thousands of these they are prey to domestic dogs.








There were many more of these but the NZ fur seals ate them.
Eric


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

BentleysMom said:


> I'm so glad to have found this thread! Im having the same issue with Bentley.
> 
> We walked at a park today and passing another dog he lost it! He wouldn't listen to my command to sit or down, I had to physically put this 48lb boy in a down position til he calmed down. My daughter said the man passing made a gesture to his dog to sit and stay and he did while watching me gain control over Bentley who was acting psychotic! When I got Bentley to relax my daughter said the man said something and the dog went to him ignoring Bentley. I may have been the problem... I should have kept walking... I'm sure I tensed up and tightened his leash.
> 
> ...


Look into leash aggression. Not too unusual but will need attention.
Eric


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Eric thanks for the detour tour of Kangaroo Island's avifauna!

BentleysMom, work on leash at distances that keep your guy below his reactive threshold. Be patient and persistent. This problem can be overcome. Keep us updated.


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