Hello...I am after some advice please.  My youngest girl who is just 12 months old was once frightened by a big dog when on a walk. Although her behaviour at shows is lovely (apart from the occasional barking if I leave her crated and go into the ring with the older one) she goes mad when we see another dog out on a walk. If it is even on the opposite side of the road. It is really awful as she does not listen when I try and calm or stop her, I have tried all sorts of things. I end up draging her away very red faced. BUT now the older dog is picking up the habit too. So the other night I had 2 dogs going nuts at this poor yorkie which was walking at the other side of the road minding its own buisiness. They were not growling or aggressive just jumping about, pulling badly on the lead and barking.

We live on a country lane which is very popular for dog walking. Before we had another fence put up they would love to stand and bark at SOME of the dogs that walked by.

Any advice on how I can break this habit. (We have stopped the barking at the gate now as we have another internal fence and they cannot see the dogs walking by)

Thank you

I really sympathise, I have been having this problem too with our new dog aged 7 months. I can only say what is working for me, I am sure others with lots of experience will offer good advice - I usually look out carefully for anything which I suspect might start Freddy off, generally another dog but also things like people on bikes too. I start praising him before he has even noticed whatever it is, because he is quiet. Then if I feel him tense up about to bark I say a loud grumpy 'ah ah' noise. If he does start to bark I stand stock still so he realises the walk will not continue. As soon as he stops barking I start lots of praising and walk on. Sometimes I repeat this so much it gets wearisome but it really does seem to be working for me. Apologies if this is so obvious you have already tried it!

Hi
I too can totally relate to this - my 14mth old is exactly the same. At shows she is an angel, butter wouldn't melt and freindly with all dogs. She walks nicely around the show venue no lunging or barking BUT when out on her daily walk different story. She will bark at other dogs go for cylclists, lone walkers and wants to get at cars when moving. When out with my other dogs she is the same when on a lead but off lead is much better and will go up to other dogs and just sniff, if her mother gets near the other dog then they go into pack mode and can get growly.

I have worked hard on raod walking her on her own and have been constantly correcting her, she has got better but i am always on my guard as she may walk past one person no trouble but then the next we get the lunging barking behaviour, which is embarrassing.

She barks in the car at people or animals she can see but when i take her to shows she is on the front seat (instead of the boot like when she goes for walks with the others) and not a murmur, she curls up and goes to sleep!

Its odd how they behave so differently in different situations. She has been like this for at least 6 months maybe longer.

Thanks for these. I have tried the standing still thing and even blocking her view with my legs talking to her to try and get her attention....nothing ! She does not stop until they have moved away.

It is like it is an extention of our drive and anything walking past gets barked at. Now the other one is doing the same I cannot walk them togther as they are hard to handle when they both start barking. Not much fun......

Squeezy bottle of water a quick squirt at the back of their head usually shocks them enough not to bark.

Hi there,

Is she food or toy orientated? If she is toy orientated buy a 'special out for walks only' toy that you can use to get her attention. It must only be used when out walking otherwise the novelty will wear off. If she is food orientated then use this as an enticement to get her attention using the 'watch me command'.

I have taught all of my dogs the 'watch me' command successfully as I too have/had a dog that used to love barking at others when out on walks. First start by teaching it in the house where you are more likely to get her attention as she is on familiar territory with no distractions. Then move on to the garden and graduate from there once you are happy that the seed has been sown :) Don't walk both of them at the same time until they have each learnt seperately what is expected, as you have seen, when one starts it eggs the other on. Also have you tried clicker training? When taught properly this can work wonders.

HTH

Jo

My little dachshund has the same problem but he barks not only at any dog we see but people as well. My Puppy School trainer has told me to turn & walk the other way but its quite hard to do especially when I have 2 dogs with me & Reggie will insist on turning to look at what he's barking at even if I am marching him off in the other direction.

What breed is your dog?

They are Tibetan Spaniels. Thankfully not big enough to be a frightening but I still worry. They are not guard dogs or yappy but do warn of strangers approaching. When we are on walks it is as if her territory becomes 10 feet around us both! They do not do it at shows (....Apart from Akitas who they seem to dislike after witnessing one kill next doors cat.  COULD THAT BE IT ???)

Reggie what a wounderful name! my fave so far is a staffie called George and a pincer called Stanley, not to be outdone a rottie called Audrey.  Love them

I've got Rotties called Dolly, Daisy and........... Dave! Don't ask OH named him!

I have to admit I have a similar problem with one of mine who was bitten twice when younger.  I just didn't see the second one coming the first attack I knew was coming as the dog in question came at us running and bowled her over.  She is a TT and just a bit bigger than yours and she now growls and barks before we reach oncoming dogs as if to say if you push be I will bite.  Interestingly if she is with any of my other dogs out walking her fear spreads to them and they bark but when they are out with each other not her they don't turn a hair.

She is definitely having some reaction to being scared.  She will also react like this if she sees  fearful dog coming toward her, tail between legs and head down, she is determined to make the first move. 

As with yours there is none of this at shows or in the ring and I am guessing because she is sensing the controlled environment.  Outside in the world she feels unsafe.  They will definitely pick up on aggressive feelings of other dogs or on our own feelings, the more intelligent the breed the more they seem to do it, that's why I wondered what the breed was.  The really saddening thing is that in most cases the dog is picking up on our worries and reacting to it.  Even after years of being 'in dogs', I know I still give off some kind of trigger with this particular dog.

Taking them one at a time and training intensely with treats while out walking sometimes helps, but sadly some dogs will not respond to treats when they have reached a certain distress level then I find the only thing to do is to walk briskly on, at show pace, walk her out of the situation and bring her to a stand and treat. That has worked so far but is not removing the initial - gonna get you before you have change to get me - reaction.  Just got to keep working on it