Dog protecting yard - always over threshold

[Alyson]

Hi there,

 

I have a 4 year old Australian Shepherd that loses his mind pulling on the leash and barking at dogs and people walking by the yard.  He has even been in a couple fights with dogs, protecting the yard.  No matter the distance (we have 3 acres so fence isn't an option but he's not off leash outside), he barks nonstop until they're out of sight- same goes if he sees them through a window.  I can't find a way to work with him under threshold and I can't control him on leash.  When he sees a dog, his focus is 100% on them and I can't distract him with treats or any commands.  It's like a switch gets flicked in his head.  

How do I train him under threshold if distance doesn't make a difference for him?  He's doing great with the brain training, but he's a different dog when something passes by the yard.  

Thanks!

Alyson

[Adrienne]

Hi Alyson, 

Welcome to the forums.

There is always a way to get a dog under threshold, but in some cases gaining that 'sweet spot' where he's capable of taking treats and cognitively function can be challenging. Sometimes, we need to get really creative and in some severe cases we may need the intervention of a veterinary behaviorist who can prescribe anti-anxiety drugs that can lower the threshold enough for behavior modification to "take."

Here are a few ideas that come to mind in hopes of lowering the threshold:

-Consider health. As the saying goes, a healthy mind in a healthy body. Any time we want to work on behavior modification we need to consider health conditions that may lower a dog's threshold. For example, if your dog is in pain, consider that this may cause him to react more than if he has no pain. Consider as well that a recent study has shown that dogs who are suffering from skin allergies may be more likely to manifest behavioral problems. Make sure your dog gets restful deep sleep (where your dog dreams and his body twitches).

-Lay a Foundation of Trust. If you recently rescued your dog, it may be important to first lay a foundation of trust. Give your dog some time to de-compress. In general, newly rescued dogs take up to 3 months to settle in and start feeling more relaxed. Many newly re-homed dogs often have loads of stress hormones circulating their bodies and all the changes may cause them to be more likely to react and be more difficult to be under threshold. 

-Provide Distance.  Many dogs are calmer when the trigger is at a certain distance. You will therefore have to gauge the distance that works best for your dog. For some dogs, the distance may be 200 feet, for others it may be 600. I know you said you have land, but have you ever tried even a mile or more from where may not even make out whether what he sees moving is a dog or person or something else? That can be a starting point. 

-Offer less intense forms. If possible, expose your dog to less intense forms of the trigger.  If your dog reacts at dogs/people walking by the yard,  you can try to practice 'Look at That" from the window as a starting point put this time using something the blocks a bit of view such as placing some film on the windows or something that blocks view a bit  to produce a less intense response in your dog. Start with your dog at a distance from the window. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

-Block the Visuals. Placing a sort of barrier that reduces the sight of whatever triggers your dog may help too. In this case, you may find it helpful working behind a hedge, a  wood trellis, a play pen panel. 

-Use More Salient Treats. Invest in the highest values treats you can and that your dog is super eager to have. Many have success using low-sodium sliced hot dogs, string cheese or cut up beef liver. If your dog has food allergies or a sensitive tummy, ask your vet for advice. 

-Use a calm stimulus dog. If you have friend with a calm dog who can walk back and forth by your property line or can afford a dog trainer who owns a calm stimulus dog, this may be the best option as this offers you the advantage of practicing set-ups in a controlled environment.

-Use Fake Stimulus Stooge Dogs. These are furry, large dog-size stuffed animals meant to resemble dogs. There are many different breeds featured. Present the dog at a distance with his butt facing your dog for a less confrontational encounter. Practice as if the dog was real. I have a fake Rottweiler I have been using for years to practice with before my guests dogs were allowed to see my real Rottweilers. 

-The Use of Calming Aids. Some types of calming aids may help lower the threshold. Some dog owners have had success using calming aids for dogs such as Anxiety wraps, Thunder shirts, Rescue Remedy, treats with L- theanine etc. 

-Prescription Medications from your vet. The goal of prescription meds is to calm the dog enough to allow the dog's cognitive functions to work and for the dog to be sub-threshold when implementing behavior modification. Medications may take some time to work. For example, fluoxetine can take a few weeks to fully kick in. It may also take a bit to find the ideal dose and type of drug to find that sweet spot where the dog is aware of the trigger yet comfortable enough to take treats and start learning.

-Use tools that give you more control. A well-fitted front attachment harness ( Easy Walk harness, Walk your dog with love harness, Balance harness, Sensible harness, Freedom harness) can help you gain better control of your dog and increase your confidence. Make sure your dog is conditioned well to wearing it by creating positive associations. 

-Manage the environment: Avoid situations your dog cannot handle. Your aim is for trust and confidence to grow so go slowly at your dog's pace. As the saying goes 'slow and steady wins the race." Avoid exposure to people walking by and dogs unless you are doing behavior modification presenting these triggers with your dog under threshold. This may mean bringing your dog out after you have scanned the environment to ascertain nobody is around, bringing your dog back in when you notice a trigger approaching ahead of time. Here is how to train a fluent turn.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/

This prevents your dog from rehearsing the undesirable behavior and also prevents your dog's stress from going high gear. If we allow this to happen, there won't be enough time for him to relax should another dog/person come his way.

Behavior change takes the time, and the longer your dog has rehearsed the behavior, the longer it tends to take. Then out of nowhere, one day out of the blue, you'll notice that your efforts start kicking in as you realize your dog is reacting to half of what he would have reacted to a year ago.

Here are some links on behavior modification. 

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/exposure-therapy/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/

I hope this helps!

Best,

Adrienne 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. Owners can be prone to redirected bites when a dog is fearful and overly aroused by the presence of triggers. If your dog is reactive/aggressive towards triggers, play it safe and consult with a dog behavior professional for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification.