Dog people: is there a positive way to correct this behavior?

[Laurie4b]

I have a large dog. Best guess is Plott Hound mix. 70-75 pound range. 

 

I am 60 and about double her weight. 

 

I walk/run with her a few times per week for about an hour. I like to walk her on a really long, loose lead because we are in the woods most of the time and I like to allow her to smell as much as she wants to as long as she keeps up with me and doesn't pull. That usually works well.... until she sees a squirrel. Up until today, it has only happened one time or less per walk. But when she sees a squirrel, she goes from a light trot to full out gallop instantly. I let go of the lead so that my arm doesn't get pulled out of the socket or some other injury.(I have one shoulder that is particularly vulnerable). I know that letting her go reinforces the bolting but it also protects my arm.

Today, however, we were in our neighborhood (also pretty heavily wooded) and she must have bolted 10 times. I cut our exercise short by a half hour.  If I hear or see the squirrel ahead of time and say no, this doesn't happen, but today she saw it and bolted before I could say anything.  

 

Friends have suggested A pinch collar and have said it would only take a time or two. I would prefer a positive method, but since I can't anticipate when it will happen or plan for it to happen, I can't think of how to do that. 

 

I walk her on a harness that goes around her middle and back and the leash attaches on the part that is on top of her back. 

 

Any suggestions? 

[hornblower]

Yes.

But I'd reframe this problem. This isn't about squirrels per se.  This isn't about correcting a behavior. 

It's really impulse control training. 

If you look on youtube for 'susan garrett it's yer choice' or variations of that term, you'll see people working a bunch of exercises that lead that sort of impulse control. Susan Garrett's full recallers program unfortunately is paid online access only but you get lots of ideas from people on youtube who are working through her exercises. 

Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed book/DVD covers similar exercises. 

So does Jane Killions When Pigs Fly. 

Sue Ailsby's training levels are free online & she has a thing called Zen. Zen exercises are all about impulse control.  

Essentially you gradually train your dog that they can see something incredibly arousing & still keep their little brain in their heads, turn to you & wait for instruction.  You build it by playing with states of arousal & teaching them to flip from states of arousal to thinking.  When you build that foundation, you get a dog that will see a trigger and whip their head around to look at you .... 

A flirt pole is often a good tool to use with these dogs.  You can see some good uses of them here; http://eileenanddogs.com/2013/04/24/dog-play-flirt-poles/

 

Edited November 10, 2016 by hornblower

[dirty ethel rackham]

I'll have to check out those links.  I have a 65 lb labradoodle who is similar.  I don't let go of the leash because it is too dangerous for him where we live (roads and cars.)  We have used the Easy Walk Harness with our dog so that he can't pull as hard. I don't use it for most walks anymore, just during the winter in icy weather - for my safety.

 

Also, something I have used from watching Victoria Stillwell's show is the "look at me" command.  I get my dog's attention before they become too focused on the arousing stimulus and constantly reward him for looking at me instead of paying attention to the stimulating thing (squirrel, goose, other dog, etc.)  The problem is that I have to be on high alert and be ready before my dog gets hyper-focused on that stimulus.  My dog has gotten much better about this ... the bolting incidents are much less frequent.  But, they can happen unexpectedly, which is why I can't let anyone who is not strong walk my dog.  I had to hire a dog walker while I was recovering from surgery.  Today, I was very successful in using "look at me" when a lovely golden walked close to us.  But, I relaxed and didn't notice that there was a big husky behind a nearby fence that let out a huge, ferocious sounding bark that startled us both and Bear went a little nuts. 

[Tiramisu]

I'll have to check out those links. I have a 65 lb labradoodle who is similar. I don't let go of the leash because it is too dangerous for him where we live (roads and cars.) We have used the Easy Walk Harness with our dog so that he can't pull as hard. I don't use it for most walks anymore, just during the winter in icy weather - for my safety.

 

Also, something I have used from watching Victoria Stillwell's show is the "look at me" command. I get my dog's attention before they become too focused on the arousing stimulus and constantly reward him for looking at me instead of paying attention to the stimulating thing (squirrel, goose, other dog, etc.) The problem is that I have to be on high alert and be ready before my dog gets hyper-focused on that stimulus. My dog has gotten much better about this ... the bolting incidents are much less frequent. But, they can happen unexpectedly, which is why I can't let anyone who is not strong walk my dog. I had to hire a dog walker while I was recovering from surgery. Today, I was very successful in using "look at me" when a lovely golden walked close to us. But, I relaxed and didn't notice that there was a big husky behind a nearby fence that let out a huge, ferocious sounding bark that startled us both and Bear went a little nuts.

We love the Easy Walk harness. We've had to use that with our family dog in the past.

 

I also think keeping the dog's attention could really be helpful. We are raising guide dogs for an organization and they emphasize talking to the puppies a lot. I wonder if this is to train them to have their attention focused on the person with them. Those dogs cannot chase or lunge. Yet some do and if they can't be trained to control that impulse, they have to be released from the program for safety reasons.

[EKS]

We use a prong collar with our great Pyrenees (125 lb).  He is a rescue whose previous owner used a harness to walk him.  He was a disaster when he came to us when it came to walking on a leash, so we worked with a trainer who suggested the prong collar.  Literally within minutes, he was a different dog.  It was a miracle.  

 

I know that the prong collar looks barbaric.  But it really isn't.  Put it on on your arm (seriously)--it doesn't hurt!  

 

You might find this interesting.

[hornblower]

The only way a prong can work is by being an aversive. If it wasn't, it wouldn't work. 

There are only so many ways of changing a behavior. You can punish an unwanted behavior, or you can reward a wanted behavior. 

[Plink]

Have you considered switching to a hands-free leash?   It would protect your elbows and shoulders, while still allowing you to maintain full control of your dog.  

 

I've found that changing direction as soon as my dog alerts (ears forward, tense tail, intent stare) teaches them to pay more attention to me than the object that they want.  Puppy begins leaning forward, I turn and go back where we just came from while pulling a treat out of my pocket.  Puppy bolts left, I go right and treat when they finally look at me rather than at the object of their fascination.  They quickly figure out that when they watch me versus the environment, they get extra treats.  

[mommytobees]

Prong collars are effective IF used properly.... but, honestly, I don't think that's what you need here with your dog. I use a prong collar on one of my dogs and I love it. However, I don't and wouldn't use one on my other dog. This isn't about types of dogs; this is about personalities of the dogs.

 

I think what you are looking for is positive reenforcement.

 

For the next few days, having nothing to do with a walk, cut up a hot dog into tiny bites (1/4" thick round cut into 4 bites). Over the course of the day, say a word and feed him a tiny bite of hot dog. My words are: hustle and focus. You choose ONE to start with. When I say focus, my dog continues what she is doing (walking, playing, whatever) and she looks at me for direction. I've actually been training her over the past few months to respond to a noise (kind of a kissy noise with my lips) in the same manner. Hustle means: STOP and come to me. Your dog should STOP and look at you (or) should STOP and come to you. 

 

Once you think doggie is responsive to your word, prep your hog dog into bigger bites than normal. I use full rounds about 1/4" thick. Go for your walk. Don't wait for doggie to be distracted, but use your word and reward.

 

Depending on how stupid/smart your dog is, keep it up. 

 

Then, go somewhere where you KNOW you'll find a distraction that you want to control against. Word = hot dog. Which does doggie want more: prey or hot dog?

 

Kris

[Incognito]

I have a similar dog, but now she's old and tired.  Great companion, loved walks but if she saw something enticing - she'd pull quick and hard.  Back when she was young and I'd walk her and a stroller at the same time, I found an easy way to solve this was to use a halti head harness.  It is like the Easy Walk one above, from what I see.  When they pull it turns their head back to facing you.  I am not sure how it would work with a long lead, though.  

 

FWIW, impulse training would be the gold standard for dealing with this.  My harness is more of a quick and dirty method - it gives results but doesn't actually solve the underlying issue so you always need the harness (or you need them to get old and not care anymore ;)).  Now that she's old she walks so nicely a small child can walk her with or without the Halti (but I would be a little worried she'd fall back into her old ways if a deer bounded by as we were walking ;)).  

[Tiramisu]

Have you considered switching to a hands-free leash?   It would protect your elbows and shoulders, while still allowing you to maintain full control of your dog.  

 

I've found that changing direction as soon as my dog alerts (ears forward, tense tail, intent stare) teaches them to pay more attention to me than the object that they want.  Puppy begins leaning forward, I turn and go back where we just came from while pulling a treat out of my pocket.  Puppy bolts left, I go right and treat when they finally look at me rather than at the object of their fascination.  They quickly figure out that when they watch me versus the environment, they get extra treats.  

 

 

With the dogs we raise, we are not allowed to use treats for rewards or use punishment. We have to use positive reinforcement only in the form of praise, rubs to the ears, etc. It does make for a slower learning process.

 

We are also taught to change direction if a dog is pulling too hard or distracted by something, so we would do what you describe but we could not use treats.

[Paige]

I'm currently taking my dog to obedience training and we practice this type of situation. It's easier for me than some of my classmates because my dog is under 10lbs, but we have humongous dogs with us and they respond to the same methods. The only thing that is easier for me is the physical restraint where I can use an itty bitty leash. Almost everyone with big dogs uses some type of harness that goes around their shoulders and under their bellies.

 

We practice impulse control a bunch. Your dog seems really well behaved if she can loose leash walk with you and will listen to your instruction to leave it when you see the distraction before her. She would probably be in the same level as my dog and we are working on "proofing" the behaviors under distraction. We do things like walk around or put the dogs in a sit/stay and then the instructor dumps a giant box of tennis balls all over the place. The dogs are expected to look at us before reacting. If they look and wait, they get a treat/praise, if they don't we restrain them and remind them to leave it. We practice having dogs run past them, strangers run past, loud noises, etc. We have people walk very closely around us and we have some noise making toys that will turn on if we get close- like a meowing cat or something.

 

You could have your DH or children set up some kind of obstacle course or tests for your dog to practice with you at home, but if possible, a 6 week course of obedience school may be all you need. It's hard to replicate lots of distraction, especially with other dogs, on your own.

[Miss Marple]

I'll have to check out those links.  I have a 65 lb labradoodle who is similar.  

Just wanted to say that we are the proud parents of a 6 month old female labradoodle who looks remarkably like your avatar :)  They are such sweet creatures but have boundless energy.  I'm still wondering what her coat will become.  She's very scruffy looking.  I've noticed new soft hair coming through the tougher wiry outer coat.  And the color is kind of grayish brown...much lighter than her reddish/chocolate color.