Your recommendations please

[Dog-Mum]

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Hi, dogs love walking and my Jessy isn't an exception. However, we have one problem, she barks at other dogs, they react and they bark too. I'm so nervous and emotional about barking. I am confused in this situation and don't know how to act. I know that command words is important to say. What you recommend me?

 

[JoanneF]

This is a common problem and is often based on nervousness.

She likely feels anxious but being on lead, she can't get away so has to put on an even bigger display of 'I'm tough and scary, don't mess with me'.

She will have an invisible radius of space around her where she feels secure . Find out what that is and keep her far enough away from other dogs that she is relaxed. Reward this calm behaviour. Gradually, (expect this to take weeks or months, not days) work on reducing the distance. But - be aware that if your dog has had a stressful episode the stress hormone can stay in the body for up to 48 hours so a distance she was comfortable with the day before might be too close that day. So the safe distance can change, watch her body language. It takes time but it is do-able.

Alongside that you could train a 'watch me'. As your dog looks at you, mark and reward the behaviour. Ask for longer periods of watching. Then if a dog approaches, after you have worked on the distance issue, you can get your dog to focus on you and not the other dog.

 

[Dog-Mum]

Thank you for such detailed recommendation. My appreciations I think that my confusion and nervousness impacts her also. I have to work on myself, but it's not as simple as it seems.

 

[arealhuman]

There are several posts on here with this exact same problem, and the reason I originally joined this forum. It's difficult. We have a rescue dog who we've had for about 17 months now, and he's beginning to be better behaved around other dogs. Training will help. We found ours was better in a field than say, on a street, when in the presence of other dogs. I can only put this down to dogs perceiving streets as tunnels that they can't get out of, whilst a field is obviously more open. It might be an idea to try what @JoanneF says in a field environment to see if that makes a difference. Also, keep offering reassuring words in a friendly tone whilst your dog is near others. Try placing yourself between your dog and other dogs, but be careful not to make your dog feel hemmed in. If he behaves, reward and praise immediately. Whilst ours is better, he will still bark at other dogs. The night before last we took him out, passed a few dogs on the other side of the street and in a field, he was fine. Last night, he saw a couple of dogs and barked quite a lot! Good luck and keep us posted on how you're getting on.

 

[Violet Turner]

Go have a look at the comments on the tread: Tell me your stories of correcting barking on the lead please

 

[Dog-Mum]

I will start working on myself at first, I will consider this recommendation about training and also I will keep observing then. I will inform how it will work )))

 

[arealhuman]

Yes, please keep us updated!