Anyone have much advice for things that have worked for a reactive dog?
Notes:
16ish month old cockapoo.
He's tended to get super hyper and the attempts for organized socializing were marginal. Did puppy obedience classes when he was 10ish weeks old. He did OK but but would get too worked up and during 'social time' had to be pulled due to playing too hard.
Started out OK on walks, a bit excited but no big deal, eventually at some point started getting reactive/lunging/growling as other dogs approached. My fault was letting it go too long as most people would just say 'oh he's just being a puppy' even though I didn't feel like it. He walks loose leash very well overall.
We took him to an individual behavioralist who is more 'no nonsense' compared to the puppy school, and she pointed some things out to rework on training/routine etc. that helped a bit although at the last session she recommended melatonin and came out with the 'each dog is different' when it took like 40 minutes to get him to calm down enough to proceed with actual training.
He's not terribly food motivated so treating/association isn't all that effective so things like recall training have been so-so (still working on it).
We did get in at a boarding spot that has been great at slowly introducing him to calmer dogs and he's grown to do very well there for socializing. But it's off leash, with lots of time to get acquainted and with workers who monitor behaviors.
He's generally great if we see people on the trail, and doesn't pay much attention if there's no dog.
TL/DR:
Still some issues:
--gets pent up and barky if a neighbor/friend comes over and greetings aren't great as he's too jumpy/nippy but at least not aggressively. When he's in the 'zone' it's difficult to get him to snap out of it for a sit/stay etc. for better manners.
--still reactive on trail if we're meeting other dogs. If I can get him off trail and do a 'sit/stay' he's generally fine and will just watch them go by. I try to go to spaces that aren't a narrower trail to avoid seeing other dogs but some times it's unavoidable and also avoiding completely doesn't present learning/training opportunities. I took him to a dog park recently and just stood at the gate on leash as dogs came and went with their owners and he actually did very well.
My question: Is it worth going back to that park and walking him on leash to desensitize him even if he gets reactive or does this make it worse? Any other tricks that have worked? I don't want to pay for more training; with other aspects going well, specifically he needs work on simply walking by other dogs and trainers tend to milk the session.
Thanks.
Notes:
16ish month old cockapoo.
He's tended to get super hyper and the attempts for organized socializing were marginal. Did puppy obedience classes when he was 10ish weeks old. He did OK but but would get too worked up and during 'social time' had to be pulled due to playing too hard.
Started out OK on walks, a bit excited but no big deal, eventually at some point started getting reactive/lunging/growling as other dogs approached. My fault was letting it go too long as most people would just say 'oh he's just being a puppy' even though I didn't feel like it. He walks loose leash very well overall.
We took him to an individual behavioralist who is more 'no nonsense' compared to the puppy school, and she pointed some things out to rework on training/routine etc. that helped a bit although at the last session she recommended melatonin and came out with the 'each dog is different' when it took like 40 minutes to get him to calm down enough to proceed with actual training.
He's not terribly food motivated so treating/association isn't all that effective so things like recall training have been so-so (still working on it).
We did get in at a boarding spot that has been great at slowly introducing him to calmer dogs and he's grown to do very well there for socializing. But it's off leash, with lots of time to get acquainted and with workers who monitor behaviors.
He's generally great if we see people on the trail, and doesn't pay much attention if there's no dog.
TL/DR:
Still some issues:
--gets pent up and barky if a neighbor/friend comes over and greetings aren't great as he's too jumpy/nippy but at least not aggressively. When he's in the 'zone' it's difficult to get him to snap out of it for a sit/stay etc. for better manners.
--still reactive on trail if we're meeting other dogs. If I can get him off trail and do a 'sit/stay' he's generally fine and will just watch them go by. I try to go to spaces that aren't a narrower trail to avoid seeing other dogs but some times it's unavoidable and also avoiding completely doesn't present learning/training opportunities. I took him to a dog park recently and just stood at the gate on leash as dogs came and went with their owners and he actually did very well.
My question: Is it worth going back to that park and walking him on leash to desensitize him even if he gets reactive or does this make it worse? Any other tricks that have worked? I don't want to pay for more training; with other aspects going well, specifically he needs work on simply walking by other dogs and trainers tend to milk the session.
Thanks.
