Problem while walking

[mulroony]

I plan to take Shelby and Jackson to get thier CGC test in a few months, and I know they will do fine with all but one of the stages: the one with the other dog around. If we are anywhere and there is another dog around if I do not let them go over and meet the other dog they get very upset. Jackson will just pull on his leash and usually Shelby too, but sometimes she goes nuts. (The pulling on the leash is a big deal because combined they weigh only a little less then me, and if I am walking both alone it takes a lot of work to control them) Once they get introduced they will be fine and I can take them off leash and play, and they will not go over to the dog, or if they do when I call them they immediatly stop and return. They have been friendly with every dog they met, even when the other dog was agressive to them. (neighbor's untrained pit )

Has anyone else had this problem and found some way to correct it? I am working on heel w/ success, but they are not 100% by any means. I am sure they will address this in the class I am signing up for, but I just wanted to get a head start since I have a lot more free time now then I will in a couple months. Thanks

[Carrie]

Don't worry. I betcha anything when you go in the "classroom" situation, the dogs will realize this is "work time" and we need to behave. It's just amazing. Lyric has one more CGC class....test next Tues. I was so worried because he has been acting dog aggressive big time. When I entered the first class, he was the perfect gentleman. Now, what I thought was dog aggression turns out (trainers opinion...and now I think I see that too) is a protection thing. He doesn't hate all dogs. It's when we're on a walk and there are no dogs and then all of a sudden, there's a dog. But in class with lots of dogs, he is just fine. Once in a while, he strains at the leash because he wants to go see a dog, but he's not acting feisty. I just pull him back, say "leave it" and have him sit. He's getting better. And when we do the exercise where we walk right past another dog and it's handler, he just minds his manners great...doesn't pay any attention. But Lyric has this incredible "work ethic," I call it. And it might be partly his breed. They all seem to get it eventually.

And I think the class has helped Lyric do better outside of the class. He is improving when we see dogs out on the street.

He was socialized up the ying yang as a pup too.....obedience puppy class, puppy agility. But he developed this "protection" behavior when we're out and about fairly recently. We're just getting things under control now.
So, your dog can learn to be around other dogs and mind his manners too. Your trainer will help you.

[mulroony]

Thanks for the encouragement. I am sure she will do fine in the class too. What is the test situation like? Would there be a chance for her to meet this dog before hand?

[elegy]

lots and lots of exposure and desensitizing.

one of my dogs is very very dog reactive. it took her a very long time to get to the point where she could be reasonable around other dogs. i got her out around them as much as possible with a lot of rewarding her for being calm and a lot of working on attention.

i'd take them out alone and try to find an environment where you can get close enough to other dogs to catch them just when they start to get excited but before they go nuts. ask for a different behavior to distract them, and reward the heck out of it. lather, rinse, repeat.

luce passed her cgc test with no problem. it just took a lot of work.

[flyndog]

The evaluator can let the dogs meet before the test. But, it's the evaluator's option and not something you should count on. The dog has to show only a mild interest in the test dog. Can't go over to the other dog or strain on the leash to get to the other dog. Go to www.AKC.org, click on Events, and select CGC. You can read about the test so you will know what to expect. Most dogs do just fine. Don't worry. You'll have fun.
Kit

[mulroony]

Thanks again for the tips, we will be working on it. I just need to find a place nearby me that a lot of people bring their dogs. (A lot of the dogs in my area hardly leave the home, the lucky ones get a walk a day)

But yesterday Shelby and I had a very successful training day. I was able to tell her stay, only once, turn my back to her, run the width of a soccer field, and then turn around, wait, and she would not come until called! We did this 7 times and 5 times she came right to me and the other 2 she only got minorly distracted, but got back to me. Now to work on getting her to stay when I go out of sight.