Collie Reactivity .

[deka]

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Sorry to butt in, will make my own thread if necessary, my BC is random when she sees dogs small dogs she is fine with unless they start barking and/or pull on their leads at which she will bark and basically lunge left and right around me, this is even when dogs are on other side of road and she also begins biting and pulling her leash.

Bigger dogs are more random sometimes she just looks when walking, sometimes she does nothing at all, but if she ever sees an German Shepherd she goes crazy even if it's wagging it's tail and standing still and not threatening at all, I think this is because a neighbour who lives in a house behind me has 2 of them and they often bark at random hours including during the night for up to 10 minutes on average but 20 at most and can do this sometimes more than once in a hour other days not at all.

One time she was pulling her lead when she saw a friendly one on a walk and somehow undid the clip and then ran up to the dog but didn't attack it, just circled it, didn't show teeth it seemed purely she wanted to herd it.

Outside of me standing and holding lead and distracting her when she sees certain breeds I don't know what else to do, when she is at dogsitter she must feel safer as there is big dogs there and at most she backs off if one sniffs her but then runs and plays with them off lead.

 

[JoanneF]

I have moved your thread from the one it was in, as these are two different dogs and so the solutions may not be the same.

Collies can be quite intimidating to other dogs. The stare and the herding behaviour upsets a lot of dogs and in turn, their body language may turn defensive and the situation can escalate.

Please read the thread I linked in the other thread, it isn't about distracting her - if you were afraid of snakes and knew one was in the room, no amount of distraction will work. You need to change her emotional response to the other dog, so starting sooner and further away, in a controlled environment.

 

[deka]

It is difficult to narrow down, at best guess gender plays a part as pre spaying which was around 18 months ago she was friendlier with male dogs and a bit quieter around female dogs, now the opposite seems true plus even then she used to submit i.e lie down and if dog got close roll on her stomach.

For the guide part for smaller breeds bulldogs and mastiffs etc do seem to make her more nervous, she had a curious nature and even dogs she is nervous around she seems to want to go up to and have a friendly reaction so seems to be contradictory,

With German Shepherds they can be far away and on other side of road and she reacts and they could be ignoring her if they even know shes there.

By distraction I meant to do things like give her a treat or a toy when I know there's a breed she is more likely to react to so she doesn't react when it passes and has better associations.

 

[JoanneF]

To be honest, I feel like this has been going on for so long I've lost track of what you have and haven't done.

I really think a few sessions with a good behaviourist would be invaluable. They can observe you and your interactions with your dog, and make suggestions based on exactly what they are seeing. Yes, it will cost a little, but you have years ahead of you with this dog so it would be money well spent.

If you want to say roughly what area you live in, we can perhaps help you find someone.

 

[deka]

Is this in relation to her reactivity or her health issues?

I took her to a trainer twice when she was younger, behaviour wise she isn't that bad she is controllable for the most part when she reacts to dogs and stops as quickly as she starts, as soon as the other dog passes by once the adrenaline goes down she walks on as if nothing happened and on the rest of the walk shes well behaved, if a kid comes up to her she lies down and lets the kid pet her and rub her stomach.

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[JoanneF]

Her reactivity. But I'm getting conflicting messages -

she will bark and basically lunge left and right around me, this is even when dogs are on other side of road and she also begins biting and pulling her leash.

behaviour wise she isn't that bad she is controllable for the most part

 

[deka]

She barks gets reactive around all German Shepherds, other dogs shes more random often just gives the odd stare and stands still whilst they pass be that on the other side of road or same,

I want to lower the risk of her reacting and the randomness of it, there's things that are more likely to set her off i.e breed and dog size but not always the case.

 

[JoanneF]

I want to lower the risk of her reacting and the randomness of it,

In that case, I think you'd find the support of a behaviourist very helpful. If you'd like to share roughly where you live we may be able to help you find someone.

And please try to prevent her from staring. That could make the other dog defensive and could cause the behaviour to escalate.