| We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. You cannot post as a guest. If you join our community, you will be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, posting and sending personal messages. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free, and once logged in as a member, the adverts will no longer be visible to you. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Xena; Dog Trainer/Behavourist | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: 1 Feb 2012, 11:34 AM (553 Views) | |
| zeiss | 1 Feb 2012, 11:34 AM Post #1 |
|
GSD Puppy
|
Hi everybody I feel so badly and want to do something to correct this situation, I have a large garden over 170 ft long and also use next doors garden, Xena and my other 2 dogs Holly and Toby (jack russels) have fun running round etc, with the chickens and ducks. Xena is my big baby I love her to bits she is my big hankerchief, she has helped me through so much and now I owe it to her to help her as much as I can. If a friend brings a dog into our house and Xena hasnt seen it before she is fantastic she doesnt bother with it however outside is a different story. I need help for Xena she is missing out so much, she is a fantastic in dog obedience upto her Silver, though the awards do not bother me it is more for the socialisation for Xena. Even when I had my full hysterectomy I arranged for Xena with some very good friends to take her dog training, she went although she would not work for them, they said at training school she was like a lost dog, even if hubby went along to watch (he has a bone disease in both of his legs so cannot do training). I have tried everything possible for her in my regime, introducing dogs to her etc, muzzle, dog training for socialisation etc, but we seem to be getting nowhere, walking in park with her doggy friends. In dog training she is good as gold, fantastic off the lead for heel work etc, but with a big but out of the blue she can lunge at another dog, she has never hurt another dog she makes more noise than anything else. I use to run her with her doggy friends in the park off the lead, however if a dog was in the park she didnt know she would chase it, fur up and all, hence the muzzle as I was afraid she could hurt another dog, some people who didnt know Xena would say she should not be on the park, but people who knew her said she had every right to be there and trusted her, I did not want to put the German Shepherd into a bad name or risk bringing on something with Xena if I could avoid it - hence sadly due to people in the park I stopped taking her, I was dreading something horrible happening or getting a warning. We sometimes take her to Tatton Park (large estate park) and let her run and run she loves it, I cannot take her walking much now on the lead as I have succumbed to rheumatoid arthritus at 45. She has and hasnt been socailised - when we were given her as a puppy we went away for our holiday in our caravan, what was suppose to be a week ended up being over a month, my husband became very ill and we ended up stranded in a field in Wales with nobody or no other doggy friends for Xena to play with apart from my other 2 dogs, this is where her fear aggression must stem from I think. When we eventually got home I started dog training with her and socailising her in the park but I think the harm was done with that month. I have tried all sorts of things with Xena, treats, her favourite toy, muzzle, walking her with other dogs this worked until friends just let their dogs run around and Xena still on her lead which made Xena worse as the other dogs would come up to her whilst on the lead and she wanted to be off playing and I thought this could make her worse. We had a dog behavourist turn up at our dog training session and I was eager for their help, they said noise is a thing for Xena in dog training and it is like us going to Alton Towers with the noise, they said I was doing everything correct, using a treat or toy to distract her attention from other dogs and that was it! Does anybody know of a dog trainer who can help me take Xena that further step or can advise - I owe it to Xena. Thank you Jules xxx on behalf of Xena xxx |
![]() |
|
| sal | 1 Feb 2012, 12:32 PM Post #2 |
![]()
GSD Annointed Member
|
Hi jules Well done for working so hard to make life good for your gorgeous girl. Especially with such a painful condition as RA there are a few of us on here with it and naughty dogs to train so it is easily done! Firstly where are you- so someone can suggest a trainer Just because someone is recommended make sure they use kind, reward based methods-I often have very little use of my hands and work with challenging large to giant dogs and haven't felt the need to electrocute them or use a prong collar Secondly behaviour as described needs to be assessed in person but in the mean time work on a 100% recall using high value food like garlic sausage and chicken or a game of tuggy or -on a rope as a reward A watch me command using a toy or high value food rewarding attention every couple of seconds and releasing building it up slowly to a minute A leave command- so that on the command leave the dog immediately comes back to you for high value rewardYour current trainer should be able to help with these Praise and reward for the correct response should be immediate and geared to what ever gets your dog going this let's your dog know how clever you think he is and distracts them from going back for another go. Treats and toys can eventually be done away with for most of the time if wished but keep up the verbal praise You might want to use a long line in the park Get stooge dogs and owners to approach on a curve and both owners treat both dogs Tell your dog before the behaviour starts " oh look at that lovely dog shal we go and make friends?" be positive and let your dog know you are happy for the dog to approach use an Ah ah ah for any negative but focus on praising the positive in a jolly happy way not a nervous high pitch good girl good girl sort of way Edited by sal, 1 Feb 2012, 12:38 PM.
|
![]() |
|
| zeiss | 1 Feb 2012, 04:15 PM Post #3 |
|
GSD Puppy
|
Hi Sal Thank you for responding I am in Sale, Manchester/Cheshire. Xena's recall is very impressive and she does the watch, I use this alot at dog training to get her attention a way from other dogs especailly ones that have moved into our class (we are top class!) and when we do the weaving in and out of the lead, however she will give a very wide birth on dogs (afraid off). I do thnk this is fear agression she has and do wonder if she senses I am not well and she in her own way is trying to protect me from other dogs, my trainer has no issues with her and tells me she is just gobby and tells anybody new to our training group that she is not vicious but I so want her to be off her lead running and playing with other dogs, I blame myself as I was diagnosed last year with aggressive rheumatoid and do spend alot of time being ill with the condition and the medication, keeping her in our very large garden playing with our other 2 dogs and with the chickens and ducks is not the correct answer and know she is missing so much. I know there is a group from here who meet up at Delamere Forest but this is a little too far but something I could think of considering. Luv Jules and of course Xena xx |
![]() |
|
| sal | 1 Feb 2012, 11:03 PM Post #4 |
![]()
GSD Annointed Member
|
Hi jules That's great that she is in the top class at club And your trainer is supportive of you both. What is your main concern- that your dog is missing out in the company of other dogs? Performed as dangerous? Etc Letting her carry a toy may stop some of the gobbyness. Unfortunately people will always hold ignorant view on dog behavioursim shocked at some of the beliefs my dog club members hold about other dogs despite the fact they should know better!! If your recall and watch are truly %100 you should apply that out and about ie my boy Wookie will follow a tennis ball past anything large groups of horse and riders, a rugby team (his Watch/ follow command) his leave command has kept him still as 2 dogs snarled and barked at him and as a mastiff type he could have caused them serious injury... Now If the other 17 could do it.. So basically when you see another dog approach walk by using your watch command until you are clear to stop the lungeing. Call your dog back and reward before his behaviour escalates with a new dog send him back to play and repeat. Hopefully they will get you comfy on some meds soon. I know It takes forever. My life totally changed with humira. Was so much better a d started work as a dog walker and trainer was able to ride my horses again and peel potatos lol funny what we take forgranted. |
![]() |
|
| tanithwheeler | 2 Feb 2012, 01:46 PM Post #5 |
![]()
The only one in the village
|
Great advice from Sal |
![]() |
|
| zeiss | 6 Feb 2012, 11:46 PM Post #6 |
|
GSD Puppy
|
Hi Sal Sorry I havent got back to you to thank you for your advise - technical problems, yes I do think she misses out playing with other dogs, she will welcome dogs into our house no problem even to the point she does not want to know them! but on the park, passing them etc is a different thing. She is fantastic with the "watch" and I use this command at dog training especailly when the dogs are weaving in and out of other dogs and this works well, I have to keep my guard up as she is so quick when she has a go even when I have her full attention, she has been going dog training for nearly 3 years so everybody knows her!! I have tried the watch at the park and also with her favourite toy, tit bits etc, but she just defeats me. I have even had help with other people and their dogs that she doesnt know, from doing the above and after half an hour, I guess I am scared if she does nip another dog and the outcome. I am going to try her again on the flexi lead and start the training again from scratch and see what happens, I feel in a way I have let her down as I have had her as a pup and this is my fault, I know my health and my hubbies have got in the way (I am also a fulltime carer for my hubby), she does have a large garden to roam and play in and plays sometimes with the other 2 dogs we have or the chickens and ducks! but she has does have some doggy friends at the park that she loves to romp with. Failing that we do take her to our local estate park (one where you pay to enter!) we have to make sure we are parked away from other people and make sure no body ventures too far with their dogs and she loves the freedom. If I muzzle her could this make her worse and also she is not spayed, I do not want to breed from her and we are looking at having her spayed this year - could this help to calm her? Sorry to go on and on, like I say she is my big baby, my hankerchief, my pillow, my ............... Thank you Jules xxx |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Training & Behaviour Advice · Next Topic » |















1:35 AM Jul 11








