Hello everyone

I am having problems with my 4yr old Doberman bitch ( literally)

Background

All I know she was given to the RSPCA due to a marital split and was at the RSPCA for 8 months

She is fantastic in the house ,v very obedient and learns tricks in minutes so she isn't thick but when we go out her ears are up and the head is constantly scanning the environment for something to bark at .

When she sees another dog she goes mental and I just cant break her concentration, I have tried food , water in the face , verbal NO , slap across the face = its like I don't exist , If I turn around and walk the other way she looks back even with a halter ?.

She does have some bits missing from her ears and when she is off the lead she just has a sniff ( no barking ) or just barks but does not attack.

Please help as she is a fantastic dog , I just want to enjoy taking her for a walk no dread it.

I am thinking about a collar with a static charge just so I can get her attention , Do they work ?



Many thanks for you help

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

If she pays attention to you int he house when there are no distractions have you tried here in the garden where there are a few distractions and then once you have that nailed try her where there are more distraction?

When you have to take her for a walk, the moment her ears go up then correct her and wait for the ear to go back before moving off again. It will take time but time invested now is time enjoyed later.

If you see another dog when you are out walking, so what! That is what needs to be the thought in your head at the time. "Oh, a dog. So what. I am going this way so it has nothing to do with me" Keep moving and dhe should pick up on this and eventually do the same.

When she is in an escalated behaviour then no food or toy will be enough to calm her down, that is up to you to take control of her. Remove her from the situation, correct her until she stops, whatever needs to be done. It's hard to understand what happens from your words but you do seem to recognise the signs of her getting switched on to what cuses her to snowball to this stage so you need to address it as soon as it starts happening.

Does she have a favourite toy that she plays with around the house i.e. always brings it to you to play with? If so, what happens when you take this outside on your walks and when you can see her just begining to chang eher focus you stop it and then show her the toy and play for a bit as a reward?

Hi Matthew - well done for giving this girl a home. If she has bits out of her ears, there may be something in her history, but you really cannot know.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but from what you have said, you are only going to make things worse - more so if you use an electric collar. Look at it this way. She had nervous aggression. Each time she displays this behaviour, something horrible happens (sprayed with water, slapped etc....) so giving her even more reason to fear it. You need to work the other way. Associate the thing she is fearful of with GOOD things. Starting very slowly at a distance she is comfortable with, you start to treat her. TBH, it really needs someone on the ground not only to explain the method, but ensure you are doing it correctly, because you could end up treating the bad behaviour not the good, and again, making things worse. It can be done, but it will take time, effort and please get experienced help with it, don't try and go alone.

I agree i would definitely get help with your Dobe, my bitch is fearful of other dogs she would bark/lunge, but she has improved dramatically by using the clicker, we got help through our vet using a apdt trainer. also tried everything else....but this seem to work for her, your girl needs to see dogs as a positive experience not a negative as already said. Hard i know, but it can be done :-) good luck with your girl.

Sorry i have to agree with dundee, using an collar is only going to make things worse, i would if it was me is keep walking when she looks at somthing or starts barking dont stop just keep walking telling her no and keep on the move, when you pass and she calms tell her good girl and praise with a treat fighting with her and shouting his only making the matter worse ignor and walk see how you go and please keep us posted good luck, it dose work my little girl is the same its not fear shes just a little bugger some times and my behaviourst as told me this and it as worked a treat, im training myself to become a trainer so please let me no how you go

__________________

I have not read what others have replied as ~I don't wan't to cloud my reply
First - Forget the static charge - it is the worst thing you could do to a nervous dog.
Second I would not slap either - she needs her confidence installing and you are hardly going to do this is she is already spooked then gets a slap.

I would think that something has maybe happened in her previous life - or she has not been socialized properly. I would seriously consider taking the to a dog class where she can get used to other dogs and people initally, and possibly look at seeing a behariouist for advise - where is the UK are you.
The one thing that is important you need to talk and soothe her whilst out and praise her for the positives- no chastising please
regards
DT
now- i'll go see what the others have said

As usual great advice given by Dundee - and to the original poster - welcome by the way!!

What makes you think it is nervous aggression you say she goes mental when she sees another dog but is it with aggresion? Why I say this is as she has been at the rspca 8 months I am presuming this was a kennell enviroment she would have been surrounded by dogs all barking and seeking attention. This sort of enviroment can make the most placid of dogs very dog reactive but not neccessarily in an aggressive way.She could be just extremely frustrated. The RSPCA branch you adopted her from should have a behaviourist you can talk to to give advice and support. Finally please do not consider using one of those static shock collars you can do a lot of harm .

Hi Matthew. I have the same problem. I got 2 adult rescue dogs a year ago. They were street dogs abroad and then kept in kennels until we rescued them. Having 2 has made it more difficult as it's like double trouble. However we have moved on leaps and bounds. One of my dogs is still tempremental though. What sort of collar are you using? I use a half check, this enables me to "snap" the collar and distract them from their fixation - other dogs! If this doesn;t work then "tap" her with your foot on the side of her bum. It is not a kick but a touch to un-fixate her. When her ears start going up and she is looking around, do what the previous person said. Stop and get her calm before you move off. I run with my dogs, this helps with their fixation.

As for the electic collar, I will only use them as a last resort. A year later and I still won't give in to it. I work with a great behaviourist. I would prob advise against going to a regular trainer. I tried it and it is a very stressful for nervous dogs to be staring at each other. They are great for well balanced dogs with no issues.

check out the Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan. His tactics have worked for me. Good luck and well done x

Thanks everyone for all your help so far, I feel this is going to be a slow process.
I have started to stroke her and reassure her when we see another dog and have noticed a very small change in her .
But I still cant break her fixation on looking for other dogs , the taps on the nose and shoulder and rear do nothing its like I never did it.

At the moment I use a choke chain but it does not make her stop pulling when she sees another dog , I will look into a half check ?

The problem I worst on the lead , for instance today she was barking at some cows so I thought go and meet them and let her off the lead ( with the muzzle on ) and she then proceeded to ignore them ?? Also when we see other dogs and the is not tethered she just runs up grumbling - bark and just has a sniff and runs back to me , then if I put her on the lead she kicks off ??