Reactive dog

[LindaMurphy]

I need some help, please!  I have a 20 month old English Toy Terrier who is reactive to nearly everything that moves, bikes, skateboards, scooters and joggers.  Because of his behaviour we have to avoid most parks which is a shame as he loves to play with other dogs.  The training I have done so far is trying to keep him at a distance from the things that move but at time’s it can be hard.  If we can’t avoid bumping into a jogger or bike I will pull to the side of the pavement and ask him to sit and leave, and then treat when there is no reaction, but I have been doing this for over a year now and don’t seem to be making much progress.  Any help would be wonderful.

[Adrienne]

Hi Linda,

Welcome to the forums!

I hear you. Things can get challenging when our dogs are reactive to lots of triggers and we live in an area where we cannot allow for the systematic, exposure necessary for behavior modification to be effective as we would like. You also own a dog breed known for being highly energetic, quick and reactive to movement considering that these dogs were selectively bred to be ratters. 

Since your dog is attracted to movement, I would suggest trying to take a slightly different approach. Rather than asking for a sit and leave which can be difficult when a dog's body is so ready for action, I would suggest providing a more dynamic outlet. For instance, we can try keeping him at a distance and every time he notices as bike, skateboard or joggers, we can try to launch some high-value treats on the ground and encourage him to go on a little treasure hunt to retrieve them, or maybe you can try distracting him with a flirt pole with a little furry squeaky toy attached at the bottom and drop some treats once he grabs it. 

It also helps practicing in a more controlled environment. For example, you can practice several Look at That exercises watching people on bikes, joggers etc. from the comfort of your home behind a window. Even better, you can have some helpers volunteer as your "personal stimuli" and ride a bike, jog back and forth etc. by the window for you while you practice keeping your dog under threshold. You can read more about this method here:

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

Here is a guide on how to keep your dog under threshold:

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

If you don't have access to a window in your home that faces a road, or there aren't many people passing by, you can try simply driving to an area where there are plenty of these distractions and practicing Look at That from your car's window with you sitting in the back seat with him feeding him tasty treats as soon as he notices a trigger. Try your best to park at a distance from such triggers. 

Here are some further tips for keeping your dog under threshold:

1. 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 suffering from skin allergies are more prone to being reactive. Make sure your dog gets restful deep sleep (where your dog dreams and his body twitches).
2. 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. If your dog has a history of stress, he may need what Leslie McDeviit calls a "cortisol vacation."
3. Provide distance. As mentioned, 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.
4. 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 or even between cars.
5. 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.
6. Use 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.
7. Get 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.
8. 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.
9. 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 unless you are doing behavior modification presenting these triggers with your dog under threshold. This may mean making an about turn the moment you notice a trigger coming your way. 
10. Hire a pro. Last but not least, your best bet is to work along with a professional using force-free behavior modification. These experts can help you work with your dog under threshold, ensuring your dog is always comfortable while also playing it safe. 

I hope this helps,

Best,

Adrienne

 

[LindaMurphy]

Dear Adrienne,

 

Thank you for your response.  Your suggestions make a lot of sense and I will try using the high-quality treats in the manner you explained. The key is really to keep him under the threshold at all times but that can be difficult.  We actually live across the road from a park and we often have young kids riding their bikes back and forth.  I often lift him up and let him look but he doesn't appear to bother about them.  I will try your suggestion of having someone ride by my front gate and working on keeping him under the threshold.  

 

My concern is that this behaviour is so intricately rewarding to him that it may be hard to distinguish completely.

 

Thank you again for your reply.

 

Regards

Linda Murphy

[Adrienne]

With behaviors that are intrinsically reinforcing, it helps to take a multi-faceted approach and provide outlets. Try to keep his mind stimulated with brain games, and maybe get him a flirt pole and use it to practice leave its and drop its.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/take-leave-it/

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/drop-it/

Learning better impulse control through training can help too as terriers have a tendency to get overexcited and may develop conflicting emotions over movement, possibly frustration from prey drive.

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/impulse-control-frustration-tolerance/

Many of the smaller terriers also love to be engaged in puzzles, treasure hunts and barn hunts.