Hi. We've had Flynn now for 6 months. He's a crossbreed terrier, 2, and a rescue from Dogstrust. Originally picked up as a stray in Ireland. He's neutered and his tail was already docked when he was found.

Flynn is generally good and has been brill with other people, although he seems to bark at old scruffy men. He's learn't some basic commands ok.

We have 3 problems however.

1. As his recall isn't there yet he is very defensive on-lead. He does growl and show teeth at different dogs and if near enough will try to have a go at them. Appreciate that this may be down to the lead situation, but it does get difficult on walks with narrow paths where other dogs are coming. We've been recommended socialisation classes but i'm not sure he might need a 121 session before this??? Any advice appreciated!

2. Next doors dogs! We have a back garden that is slightly raised from next doors. They have two bitch staff/lab crosses. Whenever they are in their garden, or being taken out for a walk Flynn goes crazy. If he's outside he jumps at the wall and barks, when we try to get him in, he either succumbs or shows his teeth at us (although saying 'in' again stops this).

3. Sirens. We had a power surge a couple of weeks ago which set off our (and others') security alarms. The dog didn't particularly like it, obviously. The next day we took him to the local park and when we got near the main road, a couple of police cars went by with the sirens on. Flynn immediately turned around and literally scrambled the half-mile back home. Since then we've struggled even to get him round the block to toilet. However he is fine if we take him in the car somewhere else. How do we get him to ignore the sirens and get him back walking in the local park?

Appreciative of any advice offered...

Cheers
Stu

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Sounds to me like a frightened, nervous dog!

Definitely go for the socialising classes - find a good trainer/psychologist who runs them. They will assess very quickly whether to mix him straight away or not. If he is socialised in the group, at least it will be in a controlled situation, and you can assess how he is without his lead.

Hello,

Seems like you have your work cut out for you.

Assuming you know nothing about the situation the dog was in before he could have come from a remote farm with no sirens or other dogs where he was beaten by a scruffy old man.

The underlying issue IMHO is to build the bond and confidence with you. So when the police cars whiz by you get the dog to sit and focus on you and only you. Example of what you can achieve with training.

You say he is good with other people but this is the dog relating to those people directly not through you - the dog does not look to you for permission/approval to carry out an action. So when he barks at the sirens other dogs he sees etc it's his choice.

There is a training technique that involves you bringing your dog behind and alongside another dog (stooge with their dog on lead also) the idea is that your dog can smell the other dog and get used to the smell of the other dog before getting closer and see that the other dog is no threat. Both walkers walk in a large circuit, follow the outline of a football pitch for example. If your dog gets barky you just veer off and do a small (10-20 yard) circle before coming back on track.

As you get closer reward calm state, if he gets excited you control him by turning away. The objective is to walk up behind then along side the other dog and remain aware of the other dog but not excited or barky.

It will not happen in 5 minutes - expect to take some time to allow your dog to understand barking means he gets taken away from the other dog.

For the garden situation you might put the dog on an indoor lead (like a normal walking lead but shorter with no hand-hold loop) so that the dog is free to roam in the house and garden (no loop does not get caught on anything) but when the next door dogs distract him and he barks you stand in front of your dog and own the situation while your assistant holds the lead not pulling the dog back, but stopping the dog bypassing you to continue his barking. When he understands that you own the situation with the other dogs and he is calm and seated you can reward him.

Use whatever is your "quiet" word - I suggest a sharp Tchhhhhhhsss!

The fact that your dogs shows teeth at you is not good, a lot more bonding is required. If you don't like the "master of the pack" theories and this post will attract the nay-sayers in floods, just consider that you need to bribe your way to master status by being the provider of treats. The master gives food on the master's terms.

That he responds to the "in" is great, suggests that you are on the right track.


Easier to do the garden training as it's at home compared to the outdoor circuits, but to build that bond and understanding that you are in control some indoor "wait" training with his focus on your face with the bribe of a smelly treat in your hand or delayed "find it". EG "Wait, wait.............. where's the ball?" You get the idea?

So when outdoors and you see the blues & twos coming you get him to sit and focus on your face, "Look at me.... sit....... stay...... good boy!"

You might want to try introducing the distraction of a loud TV during your indoor stay training, a remote control to mute the sound or pause a DVD with police cars on it. Reward the calm - Tchhhhssss! the noise.

HTH

Excellent suggestion!

A lot of dogs become defensive on lead, as they cannot exercise flight (run away) or avoidence it can also hamper body signalling so they feel disadvantaged. That then leaves fight, look scary and hope the other dog goes away, Trouble is it works, the other dogs removed or you remove him, so it becomes a learned behaviour its rewarded. So its repeated.
Socialisation classes could well help as you are meeting dogs in a controlled situation, unlike on a walk you dont know when one will pop up. Might be an ideas to have a chat to a trainer and see what they suggest Welcome to APDT - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK
should find a training class near you. or E-Mail info@apdt.co.uk
In the meantime the usual practice is to start work at a distance from other dogs at first that he is comfortable with. Pre teach the watch me command, by getting to sit or either standing OK. Hold a treat up in a position he has to look into your face, when he makes eye contact or looks at you, "watch me"
quickly and treat him. You can build up the time between the watch me and the before giving the treat too. Once that is realiable then try it at a distance with dogs outside. You need to time it so he doesnt get into the behaviour, places where you can get a distance and at quieter times is best so there is not lots of dogs everywhere. Get his attention and rapid fire treats, or better still for this one the cheese spread in tubes, as after you squeeze some, they usually become engrossed, trying to get more. The iddea is that he focuses on you not the dog, rewards start, dog passes treats stop
so he learns dogs=good things not a threat. As he gets better then you close the distances, until he can actually be introduced to calm non reactive dogs to start off with. Its certainly some ground work you can start. I would track down and have a chat to a trainer though too.

One thing that has worked with mine when they bark and someone is in the garden, was to walk out there look round unconcerned, say good boy/girl for teling me and walk back in again totally unconcerned. As I say works on mine so may be worth a go. Or you can could work on recall first when no one is around, but plant into his head, that every time he comes he gets his favourite treat, If you can get it so its a conditioned response, and he knows he is getting rewarded for coming, then try that the minute he starts to bark and really gets into the behaviour. Then keep him for a few minutes until calm again before letting him out, repeat if you have too. Lastly you could the minute he barks bring him in, let him out when his calm after a few minutes, minute he barks, back in again and keep repeating it. If he loves the garden, he should soon realise that barking means he doesnt stay out there if hes quiet he doesnt get taken in.


The best thing to do would be to desensitize him to the sound, you can buy special CDS Sound Therapy 4 Pets – Treatment CDs, Pet Publications & More is one place. Although as its only sirens ideally if you have something with a siren on and can tape it that would obviously be a cheaper way.
The idea is that you start to play the sound at barely audible level, when the dog is doing something relaxing or pleasureable, ie eating his dinner, chewing a chew, doing some training, playing a game with you. When he ignores it, over time you very gradually turn it up. Only when he ignores it and stays relaxed do you turn it up more. You do it over lots of sessions. At the dogs pace. The idea is he learns to ignore it, and as its always done when there is a fun, or relaxing or rewarding thing going on they make a good association with the sound.

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