JRT doesn't like other dogs.

Assassin saphir

My 9mth old Jrt has gotten into the habit of whimpering very loudly at other dogs when we are out walking. It starts with whimpering then moves to barking and lunging. I've tried avoiding getting into this situation by watching ahead for other dogs, distraction techniques or changing direction but he won't stop until the other dog is gone. This is embarrassing when I see him doing this as I feel people think he is a bad dog. He is trained on the usual techniques leave it, sit etc but will not respond to my commands when he gets in this situation. Obviously I need to correct this behaviour fairly quickly as he has already got in one fight when the other dog broke his leash to get at mine.
I don't know if it is caused my fear or aggression. He was bitten by a large dog whenhe was younger on a walk but I immediately took him back out and used positive reinforcement to teach him that he doesn't need to be scared on walks.
He is fine with an old female lab that lives nearby so maybe its just a male thing. Can anyone help? Thanks

DBB

Try as I might, I can't think of a way to adequately advise you on what to do here via a discussion forum. It is almost certainly fear your youngster is feeling, but in typical terrier style, fear manifests itself as aggression. So, in other words, the aggression is a symptom of the underlying emotion.
Because you need to deal with the underlying emotion, and not treat just the symptoms (as pretty much all unqualified behaviourists do), you're getting into pretty applied stuff, and tbh I've never seen this being adequately addressed via this medium. Every dog is different, and needs to have individual needs addressed, rather than there being a cure-all approach. Nobody can achieve the former without seeing the dog, and taking everything in his particular environment into account.
In other words, I'd strongly suggest getting a behaviourist in, taking care not to employ a self-titled cowboy. You would be amazed at the difference it makes when you have someone who knows what they're at, showing you what to do, and results can he achieved pretty fast... Without any slapping, shouting, e-collars, or any of that stuff.
The problem is still relatively new, so a good time to act, and in the process you should learn even more than you already know about your dog!

fatmammycat

OP, does your dog have a distance where he is comfortable from other dogs? If -on the off chance you don't/can't- get a behaviourist, you can work within your dogs comfort zone, his threshold.
Let him see a dog, if he's calm, reward, if he starts to get tense, let him move back out to his comfort zone, reward the calm behaviour again, get closer, reward calm behavior, but allow your dog an out when he gets tense and so on. It takes time, and a lot of practice, but I did this with my own dog when he was younger and a little 'anxious' about other dogs ( although to be fair, his was not fear so much as frustration, I imagine fear is a little harder to curb) and within a few weeks he was SO much better when he saw other dogs and now on a lead ( 15 months) is virtually bomb proof- to the extent that he will ignore other dogs barking at him in close proximity.

Best of luck.

kylith

I second DBB; terriers do tend to react aggressively when they're afraid.

It does get better; mine went from highly on-edge whenever another dog was in sight, and now we can pass other dogs on the footpath because she's learned that I will protect her from other dogs. These days when she sees an approaching dog she automatically stops and takes a position at my heel on the opposite side to the other dog because she's learned that this is how other dogs are avoided. We still have problems with overly friendly off-lead dogs, and with people who are oblivious to the fact that you have moved your dogs as far away as possible and keep allowing their dog full stretch of the lead.

Bikerguy

well i have 2 JRT's --therefore i will recomend you socialization with friendly breeds - preferable alrge dogs - they can earn trust and confidence. i recommend Border collie or labrador. my 2 sweetees love big dogs and the "chasing" game. it takes some time but eventualy the fear will be gone. its a long process but first of all you have to relax. dogs cant talk but they can feel. if your dog feels you not being relaxed he knows that something is not right and you are giving him wrong impuls. so start with yourself and slowly work on your dog. its easy. very easy. as mentioned reward good behaviore and ignore bad. jsut dont try to force him or punish him for anything. If you are around balbriggan area i can meet you with my dogs. i used my older dog (male) as therapy dog before he is calm, small and very easy going. and he will show your buddy how to behave.

kylith

I find that Border Collies can be a divisive issue. For dog-reactive dogs they way a BC drops their head and stalks seems to be classed as an aggressive, hunting stance and reacted to accordingly. There are few breeds that Tegan reacts badly to, as opposed to reacting badly to specific dogs, but collies are one of them.

In my experience large, staid dogs are great, but they need to be totally unreactive to the 'trainee' dog. A dog that's overly friendly or playful can cause more stress than it cures.