Dog Training for 18month male Labrador in Cork

Anto318

Hi all,

I was wondering if you might be able to help. I have an 18month old male Labrador which needs to be socialised. At the minute, we have him trained to sit, lie down and stay while on the lead with corrections being through the use of a choke chain.

All this training is done in our back garden and he is obedient while out walking through the estate 2/3 times a day also. The problem which I am having is that he is very aggressive towards other dogs and as a result we cannot take him to a park or the beach. All the training and commands which he knows get lost as soon as he sees another dog and really don't want to use the choke chain to stop him.

I really want to be able to take my dog to public places and he does love the beach but it's impossible to take him due to the inability to allow him off the lead and keep him from attacking other dogs.

Does anyone have any advise on how to fix this problem and any recommendations on potential classes in the Cork area which could help?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

boomerang

Ilse Sas is running training classes at Creedon's Doggy Daycare, off the Kinsale Road roundabout. I can't recommend them highly enough and she is great with a reactive dog such as yours. (I know this because I took my own dog to her classes.)

I think it's time to ditch the choke chain as it's aversive and will only make matters worse - your dog will associate the discomfort of the chain with other dogs when he lunges towards them, making him twice as reactive towards other dogs.

Really the only answer is to take the training out of the back garden and out into the real world, closing the distance between your dog and other dogs bit by bit - never getting so close that it's above his threshold where he starts barking and lunging. You need to teach him other behaviours to perform when there are other dogs around - eventually he will associate other dogs being around with the command (such as look at me, or touch my hand with your nose) and the possibility of a treat so his attention will be on you. Once his attention is on you that's half the battle won as it's the sight of the other dog that sparks off the reactive behaviour. Gradually he will learn that other dogs are not a threat - in fact, they signal that something good is about to happen - e.g. a treat, or a ball to be thrown.

It really is a slow process though, I can't stress that enough. You won't transform him overnight and there's no quick fix. Start by taking him to places where you've got lots of space and where you'll only meet a few other dogs, at a distance. You don't want to overwhelm him. The beach on a wet day, during the week. The park, very early in the morning, for example. Stay clear of places where there's a narrow path and you can't move out of the way of other walkers with their dogs. He'll get especially riled up if he has to meet another dog head-on or if you can't put enough distance between you and the other dog.

LisaO

Hi Anto

I fully understand your problem as I too have a lab who reacts negatively to other dogs. We have come a long, long way but even now, at the age of 5, I would not allow him off-lead in an area where he has sight of other dogs. But your boy may be different & respond more quickly to training. We have attended training classes with a number of (APDT) dog trainers. The classes are well worth it, as it allows the trainer to assess your dog in a situation with others & offer immediate advice on how to deal with the behaviours. I must admit sometimes we didn't really participate in the classes but just to have your dog sit & lie quietly with other dogs in close proximity can be huge progress I also had a trainer come to the house for a 1:1 session & found that very helpful. I now use a combination of all the tips & tricks to keep him happy & relaxed on our walks.

As Boomerang suggested the choke chain is probably aggravating the situation. I tried a number of collars & harnesses but find that the Halti or Dogmatic halters work best for us, as I have control of his head so can physically turn him away from another dog if the need arises.

Am also wondering whether he is neutered? Neutering won't solve the problem but it may help.

Finally, have a look at his food as well & check how much protein is in it as too high protein levels can be a trigger for many behavioural problems.

Good Luck