dog and peple reactive rescue dog

[K9kvr]

I adopted a blue heeler recsue back in May 2016 who was guessed to be less than a year old. Sophie was vetted to be good with people and dogs in the rescue family for 5 weeks, but her history is unknown. Sophie is fine with us and very loving, but the second day I had her, she barked, lunged, and growled at my neighbors from my fence and on leash. She is very territorial in the yard and house, and goes from 0-10 towards other dogs when on leash. When anyone comes to my house, Sophie goes to her safe room. To say the least, I was overwhelmed by Sophie's reactivity since my last ACD was raised interacting with people and dogs in many social and recreational situations. 5 weeks after getting Sophie, I started working privately with a trainer who basically teaches the stuff in Emma Parson's book Teaching the Reactive Dog Class and follows Suzanne Clothier's RCT. Sophie is on 20 mg of prozac daily because she is very hyperactive and high energy, and like a kid with ADHD and no impulse control. Sophie is able to attend doggie day care occasionally and likes playing with other dogs. She was evaluated by the staff and while initially wary and barking at them, settles down ,licks them and is friendly. More recently, I have also taken Sophie to a dog park with my friend and his dog. She plays with other dogs and ignores the people when she is off leash in the fenced area. As soon as she is on leash, she is very reactive to both people and dogs. Although she was riding in the car ok the past 7 months , she started barking with high anxiety the past 2 weeks. Previously I took her to friends' houses in the mountains (2-4 hr rides) where she was a free range dog for the weekend, played with their dogs, and ignored my friends-no barking, lunging, growling.

Just so you know, I raised my previous red heeler from 8 weeks of age and she died in April at almost 14 years old. That dog went with me everywhere camping, hiking, canoeing, and caving. So I am experienced with the breed and know their challenges. My new dog Sophie's anxiety and reactivity breaks my heart. My trainer is mad at me because she says taking Sophie to doggie day care and the dog park will ultimately make her reactivity worse. Am I wrong? Sophie loves to play with other dogs when off leash. The leash seems to make a big difference to her behavior so am I sabotaging the training to tolerize her to triggers by letting her play off leash with other dogs? She is very high energy and needs to run with the pack. Daily long walks are not sufficient exercise to calm her body or brain. I would say her reactivity to people and dogs while on leash is worse since she has played with dogs off leash. Sophie tolerates my friends, on their turf or neutral territory, in small doses of 1-2 people. I have to use a muzzle at my vet who has experience with reactive dogs. Sophie and I go in by a side door to avoid the waiting room and she is not shut into an exam room-the door stays open and Sophie usually can clam down in a short time, but the vet does not totally trust her not to bite. Sophie has not bitten anyone since I have owned her, although she nose-tapped a couple of male friends in the leg.

I sort of understand how the leash adversely affects Sophie's behavior because she cannot get away from what makes her anxious-so it is up to me not to put her in those situations. I don't understand how she is fine with dogs off leash yet goes 0-10 toward them when on leash. Is this her lack of impulse control, that she is throwing a doggie temper tantrum and wants something NOW. Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated. I am getting very discouraged with my lack of progress in teaching Sophie to ignore her triggers. It is my training failure.

Shari

[emmabeth]

I would be saying the same as your trainer - IF going to park and daycare involves being on the leash and her practicing her reactive behaviour then yes it will be prolonging the problem and possibly making it worse.

Also running with other dogs is enjoyable and tiring.. in the same way that taking the kids to Disneyland is enjoyable and tiring... fun, but its high octane, high stress activity and those stress hormones that build up, take DAYS to drop back down and all the time shes 'up' shes much MORE likely to be reactive as shes far closer to her threshold.

Can I ask, do you have her on a collar and lead, or on a harness and lead, and, have you had her checked over by a dog massage person (refered by a vet ideally) becuase so many reactive dogs are reactive on lead because in fact, they are in pain. Dogs that lunge into collars and have a habit of doing this almost certainly have soft tissue damage and muscle problems and pain from that and this just makes the problem worse.

For in the car - crate her so she can't see out, this should stop her reacting and getting wound up whilst in there. You may need to teach her to cope with being crated first though, do not just shut her in a crate and let her get on with it or that too will make her worse.