If you've enjoyed this video please like, comment & share 🙂 It really helps! 🙋♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS: •❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇 ✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program •❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇 ✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods ►👀 WATCH NEXT: ✔️ The MOST Important Thing to Understand for Dog Training (Threshold) ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html ✔️ Full Louie reactivity training playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLiUh57UCWpFFC1h3Z4i-F0E7HtO7v051z.html ► 🗣️ STAY CONNECTED: • Instagram (my most active platform): instagram.com/happyhounds_dogtraining/ • Facebook: facebook.com/HappyHoundsDogTraining.ca • Blog: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/blog/ • Email list: view.flodesk.com/pages/61898eeb3a0e5bcf6f5411ec ►❤️ FAVOURITE DOG GEAR: ➡️ *ALL* my favourite dog items & discount codes: happyhoundsdogtraining.ca/shop 🧸 Amazing faux & real fur toys: www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=happyhoundsdogtraining 🐕🦺 My favourite harness & dog gear: rockymountaindog.ca/?ref=ka8S8Xue 🦴 My favourite treat bag: amzn.to/3UUGF60 🦮 Beautiful custom biothane leashes (I use the hands-free version): www.hightailhikes.com?aff=212 Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.
Hi! I recently got a new foster dog from the shelter that’s super anxious and extremely reactive towards anyone and everything. 😢 I picked him up 2 weeks ago and have been watching a bunch of your videos since then and I purchased your loose leash training course to work on with him before I even get him outside our backyard. I’ve been working on some other things at home (like Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol and some other exercises from Chirag Patel and Leslie McDevitt). I’ve fostered probably 50-60 large shelter dogs and I have a feeling he might be my biggest challenge. He’s really smart and a sweet guy but he’s so incredibly anxious. ANYWAY! lol. One of my biggest issues I’ve found when working with him is he is terrible at taking treats in general and especially when moving. I worked with him to take them more gently but he still inhales them and then he can’t stop hacking and panting and eventually hacks the treat up and eats it again. 🙈😂 I’m wondering how you use ground beef for training? Like doesn’t it just crumble all over? And also if you have any other tips for a dog who sucks at taking/eating treats. I’ve been making him some squeezable treats (cream cheese/peanut butter mixed with tuna/chicken/ham) but I feel like that’s not his highest value (he seems to prefer chunks of red meat). Thanks so much for all these videos and your leash training course is great! I plan on using it with all our fosters in the future! 💜🙏
I'm so glad you're enjoying the leash guide! Thanks for supporting my work ♥Does he take treats roughly, or is it more-so that he just eats them incredibly fast? If you watch some of Louie's videos you'll see he's terrible at taking treats too 😂 For dogs that rapidly swallow treats I make sure I use very small, soft pieces. When using ground beef I buy the higher fat version (definitely not extra lean) and pan fry it to remove as much fat as possible but don't stir it very much. The fat and minimal stirring seems to help keep it clumped! I also frequently use cooked & chopped up pork chop. That's soft and easy for them to swallow without chewing too haha.
@@happyhoundsdogtraining At first he was both taking them roughly and swallowing them whole but I’ve gotten him way better at taking them gently now at least. He still swallows whole most of the time though. 🙈😂 And of course when he gets worked up he’ll start reverting back to his grabby ways with the treats again so I always know it’s time to slow down when he starts doing that. I will definitely try even smaller sized pieces! I think I do have a habit of making them too big sometimes. And yes, I love Louie’s videos! I think that uncut video of your reactivity training with him was the first video of yours that I watched actually. He looks like he’s come such a long way! 🎉 Thanks so much for all your advice!!!
Thank you so much for this video - really needed it! I’ve been struggling with a 1.5 year old dog that I rescued and most days are pretty discouraging. But this advice, and also knowing my feelings are normal, is very comforting. So thank you!
I'm so glad it was helpful! Like I said: reactivity is psychologically (and sometimes physically) HARD! I don't think enough people, including dog trainers, are talking about that. The consequence is that when people struggle they think there's something wrong with them when it's actually 100% normal! My previous dog was a rescue named Burrito who was both reactive & aggressive. I remember when I first took him home I'd feel legitimate anxiety BEFORE even going for a walk because I'd wonder what situations would arise that day. I lived on the 4th floor apartment & would basically hold my breath until we were outside and had some space to avoid dogs that we'd meet. I think that experience helps me empathize with clients and their struggles now. I know firsthand the emotional rollercoaster that a reactive dog can be ♥
At last, someone is showing a dog just like mine with serious reactivity issues. It all makes sense on the screen. But my dog (Jack Russell Terrier) is not at all interested in treats, neither when we are we are training, walking normally with no threats, or when he can smell a dog coming when not even in sight. I, too, have highs and lows when I think things are improving until someone's dog, not on a leash, comes towards us and then he is on high alert for the rest of our walk, pulling, nose in the air and on the ground, hearing nothing from me.
If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d suggest checking out this video: *INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html ☺️
I have a 16 week old german shepherd puppys… hes amazing at everything obidiance wise and the one things im struggling with is leash reactivity… ive been working on it for weeks and he still reactive when a dog gets too close obviosuoy i try to distance myself but sometimes other dogs run up to play and i try make distance but they approch to fast and he reacts and goes wild, then we reset and try again with other dogs keeping distance… until stumbing into your videos i been using flat coller and using a correcting tug to pull him to me which didnt work, then i bought a slip lead and use that to correct didnt work and makes me feel terrible for correcting his reaction because hes only reacting from being unsure n scared of another dog approching his personal space of acceptance… ive switched back to less corrective manners and just use a flat coller and long lead letting him do what he likes on the lead and tryinf to distract him when he notices other dogs and so far its been a little better but hes still reactive and dogs still run up to him which sets him off into a frenzy again… his recall, sir, stay, wait, leave it and every other command is superb but im rearlly rearlly struggling to get him to be better social on lead… hes even good at heeling on a lead and walking on a loose lead… its just when he sees another dog get to close for comfort he reacts.. atm hes just 20kg and small and im terrified for if hes the same when hes 40kg becasue althou i can control him at that weight hes not going to be liked by anyone if hes a big mean looking german shepard that seems agressive on lead… i dont want him to be looked at like a nasty dog becasue hes actually so good except for this… ive been using ur videos to work on it but wondering if u have any other tips to assist this… i know its consistancy and wont be fixed over night so im going to be consistant with this stuff every day multiple times a day until hes a great k9 companion to have around other dogs! Thank you for your video ❤
I'd suggest checking out these two videos in particular! The first one fully explains threshold and will make ALL your dog training easier. The second video explains the method I use for teaching neutrality to other dogs. I'll also link my entire reactivity playlist if you want more tips 🙂 1) Threshold: ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html 2) Neutrality: ua-cam.com/video/-O1u3T3zS2M/v-deo.html 3) Full reactivity playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLiUh57UCWpFGNNZWupCOccAHlFO6z9qZJ.html
For sure! It's from Rocky Mountain Dog: rockymountaindog.ca/collections/rope-leashes/products/moraine-rope-dog-leash?ref=ka8S8Xue&variant=44384525648116 I have a 10% off code from them (HAPPYHOUNDS) since it's a brand I use often!
Question, I live in in a city where there's so much stimuli that I've found I've needed to use a lot of high value treats. Do high values lose their value if it's being used a lot?
They can if you're using the same ones all the time! I mentioned it in a different video, but I like bringing two kinds of treats on walks: 1 high value (like beef liver dog treats) and a small amount of something SUPER high value (like cooked ground beef) for super challenging moments or skills. I try to have at least 3 of each category that I rotate between so that every walk the rewards stay a bit more interesting & less repetitive.
"Your dog deserves compassion and kindness when they're struggling, not corrections" So many good insights in this video, but this one stood out to me the most. My current foster dog is reactive toward other dogs. The rescue has 2 dog trainers who have taught us to do leash pops and verbal corrections to "deal" with his reactivity. But after watching many youtube videos on the BAT method and the force-free training philosophy, I realized that +punishment was not helping my amazing foster dog. I have yet to tell the rescue that I am no longer using their trainers' punisment training techniques, and that I have switched to BAT. My methods are far from perfect as I'm still learning BAT and how to read my foster dog's body language. I'm glad to have found your channel!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this! Comments like this mean a lot to me ♥ I think it's SO amazing that you had the instinct to keep looking for alternative solutions despite having trainers suggest punishment. In the next few weeks I'm going to upload a video on threshold that I think will really help you! In the meantime, if you haven't watched it yet, I'd suggest this video of mine: ua-cam.com/video/WYZXjGhmAww/v-deo.html. The title is intentionally click-baity (I wanted to try to convince punishment users to try force free haha), but it chronicles my own switch from corrections to force free training & what was required for that to work. In the caption there's a list of free resources for learning about dog body language! 🙂
So happy with the words of compassion for the human. It isn’t easy. I have to be patiënt with my 7 months old Aussie who’s reactive mostly to other dogs in walks. She’s learning though. Very happy with your tips! LY for this. 😊
I'm so glad you liked it! I felt like it was really important to include the human because so many reactivity videos leave us out 😂 I frequently see the stress on my reactivity clients when I first meet them, and I know firsthand how rough it can be because my rescue dog was reactive & aggressive to other dogs (and I lived in a condo! 😩). It's amazing that you're starting training when your pup is so young!! That will help a lot 👏
Thank you for another great video. Real life situations with "real" dogs are so much appreciated. We have come so far with my rescue dog, dealing with reactivity towards trucks and busses passing next to us. Would you have a suggestion of what to do in the moment a reaction howevee happens? Sometimes I have missed the signs of a reaction coming up, or she reacts on something that takes me by surprise, and it would be great to know what to do, or not do, to prevent making it worse. Thank you
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Congrats on making progress with your rescue 🙂 It's such a wonderful moment when you start to see the efforts working! Can you tell if your dog is more bothered by the movement of the vehicles or the sounds? Two suggestions: 1) I'd strongly encourage you to check out this video about threshold (ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html). In particular, ~ 15:10 because it addresses what to do if your dog goes over threshold. 2) If the vehicle noise seems to bother your dog (which is quite common!) you should watch the noise conditioning video I'm uploading on April 5th 🙂 It's working through fear of a beeping sound, but the premise applies to all noises dogs could be fearful of such as traffic, thunderstorms, etc.
@@happyhoundsdogtraining Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me so quickly. I will watch the suggested video and look forward for the new one on 5/4. I think its the sound that scares her, since she reacts when they come from behind or take her by surprise. We live in Rhodes/Greece and the traffic in the summer season can be a bit hectic in town. Howeber she is great on the walks by the beach🐕 Wish you all the best and thank you again for your great videos❤️
I've watched lots of reactive dog videos. I already knew everything you're saying, however, you say it in a way that is much more calming and reassuring than others. I really liked when you talked about success not being linear cuz that's so true and I didn't understand that with my first dog. And the part about having "feelings", such a good message Also, I love spiders and snakes and let my ball python slither all over my face, so seeing that girl crying over the snake seemed ridiculous to me! I need to stop and remember that some people are actually scared of snakes and spiders (so sad). Anyway, great video, I loved it
Oh wow, thank you!! That means a lot to hear 🙂 Your snake & spider comment made me laugh though. I wish I was like you, but I'm more like the person on the video 😂 Particularly about spiders... they terrify me hahaha.
On the corrections part, just one thing though - often a dog that is still struggling and reacting badly / lunging, they will give themselves a correction by hitting the end of the leash abruptly. It is dangerous a dog that literally bolts at full speed trying to run towards another dog for example, so by being on leash on a normal walk I would need to simply hold the leash firmly so the dog wouldn't escape and the situation become 10x worse. Of course, I know it's best to avoid such thing in the first place, the whole training method, etc - I get that. It's just that unfortunately sometimes you just can't anticipate or avoid it
Yup, of course! We can control what we intentionally ADD as "training" (I choose not to add corrections as a method of teaching/controlling a dog), but we can't control the dogs every action. I always encourage people to learn about threshold management (ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html) to prevent situations that elicit lunging as best as possible, but in the "real world" there likely will be occasional reactions while working with a reactive dog. I also always encourage using a harness to protect the neck in those situations!
Feelings ARE normal! I love your analogy of naturally NOT watching your family members when viewing TV together, to explain why attention to handler on a walk is actually a skill to be trained. (Hilarious visual!) And what a great tip in #4: don’t reserve off-path-and-wait for encounters with triggers.
Hi. Thanks so much for the great videos. If it’s ok I have a question. I have a dog reactive dachshund. I have been using positive reinforcement for the last 7months. But she is only ok at a distance. How do I make progress and move closer to other dogs? I want to pass a dog on a footpath but that isn’t possible.
Of course questions are ok! 🙂 I'd watch these two videos in order: 1) This video fully explains threshold, and it's crucial to understand for reactivity training: ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html 2) This video shows the process I use to eventually walk a reactive dog right past other dogs: ua-cam.com/video/-O1u3T3zS2M/v-deo.html Hope those help!
It sounds like he’s over threshold! I’d suggest watching this: *INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html
A harness with a loop on top & bottom works wonders but doesn't help if switched to attaching the leash to only one loop. I use a double latch leash attachment and then I connect my leash to it. It works wonders, but it isn't a permanent fix.
The harness on Louie has a front clip which really helps make it more manageable if he pulls (if needed), but I'll always prefer trying to teach them to walk without pulling in the first place 😂
One google search away History Although modern day harnesses are based on the ones used in the equestrian world, they were originally designed for the act of carrying or pulling sleds or heavy loads. In ancient times, dog harnesses were developed for animal combat, both in attack and defense.
Even if you feel defeated or upset with your dog because of their reactivity, dont give up on them. Use it to encourage you to take them on more outings and walks, and love them anyway.
A reactive dog is an UNHAPPY and STRESSED dog. Before you do anything at all, work out what will make your dog happy, give it a purpose in life. Work around it's natural prey drive and understand it's instincts and drives. Don't see your dog as a problem dog with various behaviours you want to put in and others you want to take out.
I have a reactive dog. 3 years old. When the guest comes home, he barks a lot, or when someone in the room is leaving, he jumps on them, sticks to their clothes and tries to stop them. I did a lot of reading and watched videos. Like what was told was mostly punishment-oriented, correction with the leash made a little sense, but it didn't work for us either, he became more stressful. I think what you mentioned is very true and it made me feel good, I hope we can succeed🙏🏻
I'm so glad this video encouraged you to consider non-punishment approaches! Corrections truly aren't required for results, ESPECIALLY when working with a fearful dog ♥
Are they interested in food/treats at home, but not while training? If so it’s likely a threshold issue that needs to be addressed and Id start with watching this super quick video: Why Isn’t My Dog Interested in Treats During Training? ua-cam.com/video/bSZNLcphVvM/v-deo.html
I've seen exactly what you are talking about with my dog. She is highly dog aggressive. I was making good progress with her. But one day an off leash dog sprinted across the street and attacked her. This dog was similar in size to her. Shorter than her, but a little more broad in the shoulders. Well, when a dog aggressive dog attacks a dog aggressive dog you can guess what the result is. There was no one else around and it took me several minutes to break up the fight and chase off the other dog ( which involved making it believe that it would die if it continued to attack my dog ) . My dog's dog aggression problem skyrocketed and it took me weeks to get her back to where she was and then start making progress again.
Ughhhhh I'm so sorry that happened! 😢 My own dog was bitten by an off leash dog (100% unprovoked) last weekend so I know the stress and anger it can cause! I'm VERY impressed you managed to work through the setback within a few weeks though 👏
@@happyhoundsdogtraining the situation lasted longer because my dog bit back. Which I totally don't blame her for. I mean, I wouldn't just stand there if someone just randomly punched me in the face. But it still made the situation chaotic. At one point they were both locked on to each other.
I have problems with off lead dogs on every walk, i used to go for walks to relax now they stress me out. People just give me dirty looks when i ask them to put their dog on a lead or they have no control of the dog and can't recall it. Got my first one on one training session this weekend , although he's highly recommend i don't know what training methods he uses. 🤞 His methods are suitable for my frightened reactive dog. Although to be honest i don't think I'll ever get him to stop reacting when I'm back to square one every time a dog runs upto him. ☹️
Ugh, that’s SO frustrating 😞 I hate when other people not following leash laws impacts people & dogs that ARE. Reactivity is common and I wish more people respected that not all dogs want to meet (or even get close). I’m not sure where you’re located, but in my city there are TONS of designated off leash areas if people want to unclip their dog. Therefore it’s frustrating when rather than going to those zones, they just unclip in random neighborhoods. The lady walking the dog that ran up to us in this video (in a parking lot!) didn’t even try to come get her dog when Louie was scared. She was a good half block away and just kept calling it instead, but it ignored the recall and followed us for a few minutes 😞 I hope your training session this weekend goes well!!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining I live in North east England, we don't have lead restricted areas or dog parks, you can let your dog off anywhere and everyone bought puppies when we were in COVID lockdown so now there's 10 times more dogs than there was and owned by people who've never had dogs and haven't got a clue how to train them . They think it's cruel to keep the dog on a lead but have no control when they let them off. I got my dog to stop reacting then we had two spaniels run up to him had him backed into a wall I couldn't block them, then few days later had out of control lab run up wouldn't go back to owners. He's alot worse than he was to start with and the technique's I used before don't work. And don't get me started on people saying "my dogs are fine" or telling me my dog has "little dog syndrome". It's off lead dogs that made him reactive to start with .
I get so frustrated when people yell "My dogs friendly!" that I sometimes want to yell back "I bite!" 😂😂😂 I don't care if your dog is "friendly".... I care that it's charging at my dog, jumping all over it, and completely ignoring it's guardian. Theoretically here even in off leash areas your dog is supposed to be "under control at all times" ie trained, but that's rarely enforced. I'm genuinely shocked by how lax rules are in your area 😮 That's even worse! I can understand why you're stressed to go on walks!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining in theory you can report people for having out of control dogs but you'd have to know who they are too report them and then I doubt it would be followed up unless someone was badly bitten. Dogs in our country are getting out of control something needs to be done. Government currently going to ban XL bulldogs because of people being attacked or killed . It's the dog owners that's the problem not the breed. People won't even keep their dogs on lead around livestock I doubt there's a farmer in the country that hasn't had livestock attacked or killed. Maybe I need to emigrate 🤔😂
Banning a specific breed DEFINITELY isn’t the solution there 🤦♀️ That’s such a ridiculous & sad way of attempting to change things. I don’t agree with breed bans at all.
"Your dog isn't giving you a hard time, they're having a hard time." I have to remind myself of this every day. I work in mental health and a huge thing that is always in the conversation is emotional regulation and the skills needed to do it. That's what I'm doing with my mini aussie. I'm teaching her the skills to regulate her emotions. It breaks my heart when I see people giving her a dirty look, when I know she is doing the best she can. I know the progress she has made! Unfortunately, so many people think that she should be "fixed" a couple of weeks, and because it's taking months (and years), they don't see her progress.
I have watched this video before..but so nice to watch again ... Thanks for the suggestion. I have a question about muzzles. My guys is often more at ease when he has his muzzle on. Its like as if he resigns to the fact that there is no point to react too much. Its a open plastic cage muzzle so he can still sniff and drink with it on (when we are out walking)😊. Is it good or better without.
If he likes it, I’d 100% use it! He might even associate it with knowing he’s going to be trained and get treats 😂 The other perk is that muzzles often make other dog guardians wary, and they’ll automatically give you more distance 😉
Yes, interested! My dog is a bit of an introvert and in general quite uninterested in people. He has never bitten but he has lunged and barked both at people coming into the house and people on the street wanting to interact with him too fast and too much. With time we understood by ourselves that asking people to give him treats was not the right thing to do. I wish we saw this sooner. We have now come a looong way by asking people to ignore him, by giving him treats (us not strangers) while we stand and talk to strangers on the street. The last months he has willingly gone up to people nicely wagging his tail and sniffing their legs and then looked up to me as to say "See? I can do it!". He then got lots of praise from me. I'm sure I can get out some more useful stuff if you want to post some more on this!
I love stories like that! 👏 It feels so great when you start to see your dogs progress ❤️ I’m going to be posting a LOT more reactivity videos this year!
Thank you! I find it a lot more valuable (even though it's way more work/time for me hahaha) to film with dogs that are genuinely in training & learning the skills on camera 🙂 I think it's more helpful than just demonstrating with an already trained dog!
I love your videos so much. Have been working on loose leash walking and reactivity with my Romanian rescue Tommy, and he is so much better, especially with motor bikes, he used to lunge at but now when he hears one he looks to me for a treat. But, I find that I am giving him a lot of treats. I've started sometimes just putting my hand down and he sort of taps with his nose and seems happy with that. Is that an ok way to try and phase out the treats? He tends to look up at me a lot thinking he is getting treats all the time, and I'm starting to get a bit worried about his waistline although I do try and adjust his meals to compensate. So glad I found your force free training, I wish everyone was like this :-)
I'm so glad you enjoy them and that they've been helpful! Tommy sounds like he's made AMAZING progress 👏 I understand the concern about giving too many treats. While I do like to reward lavishly (and with high value items) when the dog is just learning, I also try to phase them out or minimize as I can. First: make sure your treats are TINY. Essentially just a taste. The other thing I like doing once a dog has a base level of skills built up is to use some of their meals during training (especially easy if the dog gets kibble). So for example, I'd mix their meal into a bag with something really high value like a little bit of ground beef the night before. This helps the kibble have an exciting coating of high value flavour, but mainly uses the calories of the food for training.
I appreciate your videos so much. My dog is very reactive but in a happy way. But it's still a lot. Some days she does amazing. Other days, she's terrible. But your videos help
There was a situation where I was trying to distract her from reactivity when this man decided that it was the perfect time to do redirection training with his dog, trapping us in a patch of grass. When she finally went over threshold, she accidentally bit me trying to get to her leash. I was more angry at the man for deciding to do that when I was clearly working with her reactivity
Sorry to hear you had a rough day, but I'm glad my videos help ♥ It always baffles me the lack of awareness other dog guardians have, especially when reactivity is so commonly discussed/known these days. It's unfortunate he had such little regard for your dog (and you).
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If you've enjoyed this video please like, comment & share 🙂 It really helps!
🙋♀️COMPLETE DOG TRAINING SOLUTIONS:
•❓🤨 STRUGGLING WITH LEASH TRAINING? 👇
✅ 6 Weeks to Dream Walks: Step-By-Step Leash Training Program: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/6-weeks-to-dream-walks-step-by-step-leash-training-program
•❓🐿️ STRUGGLING WITH YOUR DOG CHASING ANIMALS (indoors or outdoors)?👇
✅ Dog Prey Drive: How to STOP Animal Chasing: e37240-61.myshopify.com/products/dog-prey-drive-how-to-stop-animal-chasing-with-force-free-methods
►👀 WATCH NEXT:
✔️ The MOST Important Thing to Understand for Dog Training (Threshold) ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html
✔️ Full Louie reactivity training playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLiUh57UCWpFFC1h3Z4i-F0E7HtO7v051z.html
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Thanks for all these great tips! They may seem small but very important and can surely make big difference for both dogs and the owner.
You're welcome, and thank you! Sometimes the small stuff is actually huge 🙃
Hi! I recently got a new foster dog from the shelter that’s super anxious and extremely reactive towards anyone and everything. 😢 I picked him up 2 weeks ago and have been watching a bunch of your videos since then and I purchased your loose leash training course to work on with him before I even get him outside our backyard. I’ve been working on some other things at home (like Karen Overall’s Relaxation Protocol and some other exercises from Chirag Patel and Leslie McDevitt). I’ve fostered probably 50-60 large shelter dogs and I have a feeling he might be my biggest challenge. He’s really smart and a sweet guy but he’s so incredibly anxious. ANYWAY! lol. One of my biggest issues I’ve found when working with him is he is terrible at taking treats in general and especially when moving. I worked with him to take them more gently but he still inhales them and then he can’t stop hacking and panting and eventually hacks the treat up and eats it again. 🙈😂 I’m wondering how you use ground beef for training? Like doesn’t it just crumble all over? And also if you have any other tips for a dog who sucks at taking/eating treats. I’ve been making him some squeezable treats (cream cheese/peanut butter mixed with tuna/chicken/ham) but I feel like that’s not his highest value (he seems to prefer chunks of red meat). Thanks so much for all these videos and your leash training course is great! I plan on using it with all our fosters in the future! 💜🙏
I'm so glad you're enjoying the leash guide! Thanks for supporting my work ♥Does he take treats roughly, or is it more-so that he just eats them incredibly fast? If you watch some of Louie's videos you'll see he's terrible at taking treats too 😂 For dogs that rapidly swallow treats I make sure I use very small, soft pieces. When using ground beef I buy the higher fat version (definitely not extra lean) and pan fry it to remove as much fat as possible but don't stir it very much. The fat and minimal stirring seems to help keep it clumped! I also frequently use cooked & chopped up pork chop. That's soft and easy for them to swallow without chewing too haha.
@@happyhoundsdogtraining At first he was both taking them roughly and swallowing them whole but I’ve gotten him way better at taking them gently now at least. He still swallows whole most of the time though. 🙈😂 And of course when he gets worked up he’ll start reverting back to his grabby ways with the treats again so I always know it’s time to slow down when he starts doing that. I will definitely try even smaller sized pieces! I think I do have a habit of making them too big sometimes. And yes, I love Louie’s videos! I think that uncut video of your reactivity training with him was the first video of yours that I watched actually. He looks like he’s come such a long way! 🎉 Thanks so much for all your advice!!!
@@CasaDeWooo You're welcome! I still have more Louie content to show as well, but having a newborn has slowed down my editing & video production haha
Thank you so much for this video - really needed it! I’ve been struggling with a 1.5 year old dog that I rescued and most days are pretty discouraging. But this advice, and also knowing my feelings are normal, is very comforting. So thank you!
I'm so glad it was helpful! Like I said: reactivity is psychologically (and sometimes physically) HARD! I don't think enough people, including dog trainers, are talking about that. The consequence is that when people struggle they think there's something wrong with them when it's actually 100% normal! My previous dog was a rescue named Burrito who was both reactive & aggressive. I remember when I first took him home I'd feel legitimate anxiety BEFORE even going for a walk because I'd wonder what situations would arise that day. I lived on the 4th floor apartment & would basically hold my breath until we were outside and had some space to avoid dogs that we'd meet. I think that experience helps me empathize with clients and their struggles now. I know firsthand the emotional rollercoaster that a reactive dog can be ♥
At last, someone is showing a dog just like mine with serious reactivity issues. It all makes sense on the screen. But my dog (Jack Russell Terrier) is not at all interested in treats, neither when we are we are training, walking normally with no threats, or when he can smell a dog coming when not even in sight. I, too, have highs and lows when I think things are improving until someone's dog, not on a leash, comes towards us and then he is on high alert for the rest of our walk, pulling, nose in the air and on the ground, hearing nothing from me.
If you haven’t watched it yet, I’d suggest checking out this video: *INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold
ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html ☺️
I have a 16 week old german shepherd puppys… hes amazing at everything obidiance wise and the one things im struggling with is leash reactivity… ive been working on it for weeks and he still reactive when a dog gets too close obviosuoy i try to distance myself but sometimes other dogs run up to play and i try make distance but they approch to fast and he reacts and goes wild, then we reset and try again with other dogs keeping distance… until stumbing into your videos i been using flat coller and using a correcting tug to pull him to me which didnt work, then i bought a slip lead and use that to correct didnt work and makes me feel terrible for correcting his reaction because hes only reacting from being unsure n scared of another dog approching his personal space of acceptance… ive switched back to less corrective manners and just use a flat coller and long lead letting him do what he likes on the lead and tryinf to distract him when he notices other dogs and so far its been a little better but hes still reactive and dogs still run up to him which sets him off into a frenzy again… his recall, sir, stay, wait, leave it and every other command is superb but im rearlly rearlly struggling to get him to be better social on lead… hes even good at heeling on a lead and walking on a loose lead… its just when he sees another dog get to close for comfort he reacts.. atm hes just 20kg and small and im terrified for if hes the same when hes 40kg becasue althou i can control him at that weight hes not going to be liked by anyone if hes a big mean looking german shepard that seems agressive on lead… i dont want him to be looked at like a nasty dog becasue hes actually so good except for this… ive been using ur videos to work on it but wondering if u have any other tips to assist this… i know its consistancy and wont be fixed over night so im going to be consistant with this stuff every day multiple times a day until hes a great k9 companion to have around other dogs!
Thank you for your video ❤
I'd suggest checking out these two videos in particular! The first one fully explains threshold and will make ALL your dog training easier. The second video explains the method I use for teaching neutrality to other dogs. I'll also link my entire reactivity playlist if you want more tips 🙂
1) Threshold: ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html
2) Neutrality: ua-cam.com/video/-O1u3T3zS2M/v-deo.html
3) Full reactivity playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLiUh57UCWpFGNNZWupCOccAHlFO6z9qZJ.html
Can I ask where that lovely longer rope leash is from?
For sure! It's from Rocky Mountain Dog: rockymountaindog.ca/collections/rope-leashes/products/moraine-rope-dog-leash?ref=ka8S8Xue&variant=44384525648116
I have a 10% off code from them (HAPPYHOUNDS) since it's a brand I use often!
Question, I live in in a city where there's so much stimuli that I've found I've needed to use a lot of high value treats. Do high values lose their value if it's being used a lot?
They can if you're using the same ones all the time! I mentioned it in a different video, but I like bringing two kinds of treats on walks: 1 high value (like beef liver dog treats) and a small amount of something SUPER high value (like cooked ground beef) for super challenging moments or skills. I try to have at least 3 of each category that I rotate between so that every walk the rewards stay a bit more interesting & less repetitive.
"Your dog deserves compassion and kindness when they're struggling, not corrections"
So many good insights in this video, but this one stood out to me the most.
My current foster dog is reactive toward other dogs. The rescue has 2 dog trainers who have taught us to do leash pops and verbal corrections to "deal" with his reactivity.
But after watching many youtube videos on the BAT method and the force-free training philosophy, I realized that +punishment was not helping my amazing foster dog.
I have yet to tell the rescue that I am no longer using their trainers' punisment training techniques, and that I have switched to BAT. My methods are far from perfect as I'm still learning BAT and how to read my foster dog's body language.
I'm glad to have found your channel!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this! Comments like this mean a lot to me ♥ I think it's SO amazing that you had the instinct to keep looking for alternative solutions despite having trainers suggest punishment. In the next few weeks I'm going to upload a video on threshold that I think will really help you! In the meantime, if you haven't watched it yet, I'd suggest this video of mine: ua-cam.com/video/WYZXjGhmAww/v-deo.html. The title is intentionally click-baity (I wanted to try to convince punishment users to try force free haha), but it chronicles my own switch from corrections to force free training & what was required for that to work. In the caption there's a list of free resources for learning about dog body language! 🙂
So happy with the words of compassion for the human. It isn’t easy. I have to be patiënt with my 7 months old Aussie who’s reactive mostly to other dogs in walks. She’s learning though. Very happy with your tips! LY for this. 😊
I'm so glad you liked it! I felt like it was really important to include the human because so many reactivity videos leave us out 😂 I frequently see the stress on my reactivity clients when I first meet them, and I know firsthand how rough it can be because my rescue dog was reactive & aggressive to other dogs (and I lived in a condo! 😩). It's amazing that you're starting training when your pup is so young!! That will help a lot 👏
Thank you for another great video. Real life situations with "real" dogs are so much appreciated. We have come so far with my rescue dog, dealing with reactivity towards trucks and busses passing next to us. Would you have a suggestion of what to do in the moment a reaction howevee happens? Sometimes I have missed the signs of a reaction coming up, or she reacts on something that takes me by surprise, and it would be great to know what to do, or not do, to prevent making it worse. Thank you
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Congrats on making progress with your rescue 🙂 It's such a wonderful moment when you start to see the efforts working! Can you tell if your dog is more bothered by the movement of the vehicles or the sounds? Two suggestions:
1) I'd strongly encourage you to check out this video about threshold (ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html). In particular, ~ 15:10 because it addresses what to do if your dog goes over threshold.
2) If the vehicle noise seems to bother your dog (which is quite common!) you should watch the noise conditioning video I'm uploading on April 5th 🙂 It's working through fear of a beeping sound, but the premise applies to all noises dogs could be fearful of such as traffic, thunderstorms, etc.
@@happyhoundsdogtraining Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me so quickly. I will watch the suggested video and look forward for the new one on 5/4. I think its the sound that scares her, since she reacts when they come from behind or take her by surprise. We live in Rhodes/Greece and the traffic in the summer season can be a bit hectic in town. Howeber she is great on the walks by the beach🐕 Wish you all the best and thank you again for your great videos❤️
I've watched lots of reactive dog videos. I already knew everything you're saying, however, you say it in a way that is much more calming and reassuring than others. I really liked when you talked about success not being linear cuz that's so true and I didn't understand that with my first dog. And the part about having "feelings", such a good message
Also, I love spiders and snakes and let my ball python slither all over my face, so seeing that girl crying over the snake seemed ridiculous to me! I need to stop and remember that some people are actually scared of snakes and spiders (so sad).
Anyway, great video, I loved it
Oh wow, thank you!! That means a lot to hear 🙂 Your snake & spider comment made me laugh though. I wish I was like you, but I'm more like the person on the video 😂 Particularly about spiders... they terrify me hahaha.
On the corrections part, just one thing though - often a dog that is still struggling and reacting badly / lunging, they will give themselves a correction by hitting the end of the leash abruptly. It is dangerous a dog that literally bolts at full speed trying to run towards another dog for example, so by being on leash on a normal walk I would need to simply hold the leash firmly so the dog wouldn't escape and the situation become 10x worse. Of course, I know it's best to avoid such thing in the first place, the whole training method, etc - I get that. It's just that unfortunately sometimes you just can't anticipate or avoid it
Yup, of course! We can control what we intentionally ADD as "training" (I choose not to add corrections as a method of teaching/controlling a dog), but we can't control the dogs every action. I always encourage people to learn about threshold management (ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html) to prevent situations that elicit lunging as best as possible, but in the "real world" there likely will be occasional reactions while working with a reactive dog. I also always encourage using a harness to protect the neck in those situations!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining well said, thanks for the insights
Feelings ARE normal! I love your analogy of naturally NOT watching your family members when viewing TV together, to explain why attention to handler on a walk is actually a skill to be trained. (Hilarious visual!) And what a great tip in #4: don’t reserve off-path-and-wait for encounters with triggers.
Thank you!! I’m so glad you liked the analogy and tip 😊🙏
Hi. Thanks so much for the great videos. If it’s ok I have a question. I have a dog reactive dachshund. I have been using positive reinforcement for the last 7months. But she is only ok at a distance. How do I make progress and move closer to other dogs? I want to pass a dog on a footpath but that isn’t possible.
Of course questions are ok! 🙂 I'd watch these two videos in order:
1) This video fully explains threshold, and it's crucial to understand for reactivity training: ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html
2) This video shows the process I use to eventually walk a reactive dog right past other dogs: ua-cam.com/video/-O1u3T3zS2M/v-deo.html
Hope those help!
When my large dog sees another large dog, he is oblivious to treats 😔
It sounds like he’s over threshold! I’d suggest watching this: *INSTANTLY* Improve Dog Training Results By Managing Dog Threshold
ua-cam.com/video/G1UVxRIBMEs/v-deo.html
I can’t use beef. I use chicken or my homemade tuna treats.
Those work! 👍
Ahhhhh amen 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
😊🙏
A harness with a loop on top & bottom works wonders but doesn't help if switched to attaching the leash to only one loop. I use a double latch leash attachment and then I connect my leash to it. It works wonders, but it isn't a permanent fix.
The harness on Louie has a front clip which really helps make it more manageable if he pulls (if needed), but I'll always prefer trying to teach them to walk without pulling in the first place 😂
One google search away
History Although modern day harnesses are based on the ones used in the equestrian world, they were originally designed for the act of carrying or pulling sleds or heavy loads. In ancient times, dog harnesses were developed for animal combat, both in attack and defense.
These were soooo good!! And the bit about humans and our feelings as well had me a little teary, thank you!🥹
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it 😊
If you could give ONE piece of advice to someone working on reactivity with their dog, what would it be?
Even if you feel defeated or upset with your dog because of their reactivity, dont give up on them. Use it to encourage you to take them on more outings and walks, and love them anyway.
A reactive dog is an UNHAPPY and STRESSED dog. Before you do anything at all, work out what will make your dog happy, give it a purpose in life. Work around it's natural prey drive and understand it's instincts and drives. Don't see your dog as a problem dog with various behaviours you want to put in and others you want to take out.
Don’t use punishment.
Punishing your dog can break your dog’s trust in you.
I have a reactive dog. 3 years old. When the guest comes home, he barks a lot, or when someone in the room is leaving, he jumps on them, sticks to their clothes and tries to stop them. I did a lot of reading and watched videos. Like what was told was mostly punishment-oriented, correction with the leash made a little sense, but it didn't work for us either, he became more stressful. I think what you mentioned is very true and it made me feel good, I hope we can succeed🙏🏻
I'm so glad this video encouraged you to consider non-punishment approaches! Corrections truly aren't required for results, ESPECIALLY when working with a fearful dog ♥
So what do you suggest for a dog that is not treat motivated, no matter what the treat is?
Are they interested in food/treats at home, but not while training? If so it’s likely a threshold issue that needs to be addressed and Id start with watching this super quick video: Why Isn’t My Dog Interested in Treats During Training?
ua-cam.com/video/bSZNLcphVvM/v-deo.html
He has no interest outside while im attempting to train. He's too interested in everything else. @happyhoundsdogtraining
I really appreciate this video, thank you!
Thanks, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
I've seen exactly what you are talking about with my dog. She is highly dog aggressive. I was making good progress with her. But one day an off leash dog sprinted across the street and attacked her. This dog was similar in size to her. Shorter than her, but a little more broad in the shoulders. Well, when a dog aggressive dog attacks a dog aggressive dog you can guess what the result is. There was no one else around and it took me several minutes to break up the fight and chase off the other dog ( which involved making it believe that it would die if it continued to attack my dog ) . My dog's dog aggression problem skyrocketed and it took me weeks to get her back to where she was and then start making progress again.
Ughhhhh I'm so sorry that happened! 😢 My own dog was bitten by an off leash dog (100% unprovoked) last weekend so I know the stress and anger it can cause! I'm VERY impressed you managed to work through the setback within a few weeks though 👏
@@happyhoundsdogtraining the situation lasted longer because my dog bit back. Which I totally don't blame her for. I mean, I wouldn't just stand there if someone just randomly punched me in the face. But it still made the situation chaotic. At one point they were both locked on to each other.
I have problems with off lead dogs on every walk, i used to go for walks to relax now they stress me out. People just give me dirty looks when i ask them to put their dog on a lead or they have no control of the dog and can't recall it. Got my first one on one training session this weekend , although he's highly recommend i don't know what training methods he uses. 🤞 His methods are suitable for my frightened reactive dog. Although to be honest i don't think I'll ever get him to stop reacting when I'm back to square one every time a dog runs upto him. ☹️
Ugh, that’s SO frustrating 😞 I hate when other people not following leash laws impacts people & dogs that ARE. Reactivity is common and I wish more people respected that not all dogs want to meet (or even get close). I’m not sure where you’re located, but in my city there are TONS of designated off leash areas if people want to unclip their dog. Therefore it’s frustrating when rather than going to those zones, they just unclip in random neighborhoods. The lady walking the dog that ran up to us in this video (in a parking lot!) didn’t even try to come get her dog when Louie was scared. She was a good half block away and just kept calling it instead, but it ignored the recall and followed us for a few minutes 😞 I hope your training session this weekend goes well!!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining I live in North east England, we don't have lead restricted areas or dog parks, you can let your dog off anywhere and everyone bought puppies when we were in COVID lockdown so now there's 10 times more dogs than there was and owned by people who've never had dogs and haven't got a clue how to train them . They think it's cruel to keep the dog on a lead but have no control when they let them off. I got my dog to stop reacting then we had two spaniels run up to him had him backed into a wall I couldn't block them, then few days later had out of control lab run up wouldn't go back to owners. He's alot worse than he was to start with and the technique's I used before don't work. And don't get me started on people saying "my dogs are fine" or telling me my dog has "little dog syndrome". It's off lead dogs that made him reactive to start with .
I get so frustrated when people yell "My dogs friendly!" that I sometimes want to yell back "I bite!" 😂😂😂 I don't care if your dog is "friendly".... I care that it's charging at my dog, jumping all over it, and completely ignoring it's guardian. Theoretically here even in off leash areas your dog is supposed to be "under control at all times" ie trained, but that's rarely enforced. I'm genuinely shocked by how lax rules are in your area 😮 That's even worse! I can understand why you're stressed to go on walks!
@@happyhoundsdogtraining in theory you can report people for having out of control dogs but you'd have to know who they are too report them and then I doubt it would be followed up unless someone was badly bitten. Dogs in our country are getting out of control something needs to be done. Government currently going to ban XL bulldogs because of people being attacked or killed . It's the dog owners that's the problem not the breed. People won't even keep their dogs on lead around livestock I doubt there's a farmer in the country that hasn't had livestock attacked or killed. Maybe I need to emigrate 🤔😂
Banning a specific breed DEFINITELY isn’t the solution there 🤦♀️ That’s such a ridiculous & sad way of attempting to change things. I don’t agree with breed bans at all.
"Your dog isn't giving you a hard time, they're having a hard time." I have to remind myself of this every day. I work in mental health and a huge thing that is always in the conversation is emotional regulation and the skills needed to do it. That's what I'm doing with my mini aussie. I'm teaching her the skills to regulate her emotions. It breaks my heart when I see people giving her a dirty look, when I know she is doing the best she can. I know the progress she has made! Unfortunately, so many people think that she should be "fixed" a couple of weeks, and because it's taking months (and years), they don't see her progress.
👏👏👏 I love that you phrase it as the skills she needs ❤️ That’s exactly right. Struggles deserve empathy, not judgement
I have watched this video before..but so nice to watch again ... Thanks for the suggestion.
I have a question about muzzles. My guys is often more at ease when he has his muzzle on. Its like as if he resigns to the fact that there is no point to react too much. Its a open plastic cage muzzle so he can still sniff and drink with it on (when we are out walking)😊. Is it good or better without.
If he likes it, I’d 100% use it! He might even associate it with knowing he’s going to be trained and get treats 😂 The other perk is that muzzles often make other dog guardians wary, and they’ll automatically give you more distance 😉
Yes, interested!
My dog is a bit of an introvert and in general quite uninterested in people. He has never bitten but he has lunged and barked both at people coming into the house and people on the street wanting to interact with him too fast and too much. With time we understood by ourselves that asking people to give him treats was not the right thing to do. I wish we saw this sooner. We have now come a looong way by asking people to ignore him, by giving him treats (us not strangers) while we stand and talk to strangers on the street. The last months he has willingly gone up to people nicely wagging his tail and sniffing their legs and then looked up to me as to say "See? I can do it!". He then got lots of praise from me.
I'm sure I can get out some more useful stuff if you want to post some more on this!
I love stories like that! 👏 It feels so great when you start to see your dogs progress ❤️ I’m going to be posting a LOT more reactivity videos this year!
Another excellent video. I really appreciate the explanations and educational information. Seeing dogs in real training sessions is so helpful.
Thank you! I find it a lot more valuable (even though it's way more work/time for me hahaha) to film with dogs that are genuinely in training & learning the skills on camera 🙂 I think it's more helpful than just demonstrating with an already trained dog!
What equipment do you use for filming? Looks so steady!
Thank you! I’m using a GoPro camera 😊
I love your videos so much. Have been working on loose leash walking and reactivity with my Romanian rescue Tommy, and he is so much better, especially with motor bikes, he used to lunge at but now when he hears one he looks to me for a treat. But, I find that I am giving him a lot of treats. I've started sometimes just putting my hand down and he sort of taps with his nose and seems happy with that. Is that an ok way to try and phase out the treats? He tends to look up at me a lot thinking he is getting treats all the time, and I'm starting to get a bit worried about his waistline although I do try and adjust his meals to compensate. So glad I found your force free training, I wish everyone was like this :-)
I'm so glad you enjoy them and that they've been helpful! Tommy sounds like he's made AMAZING progress 👏 I understand the concern about giving too many treats. While I do like to reward lavishly (and with high value items) when the dog is just learning, I also try to phase them out or minimize as I can. First: make sure your treats are TINY. Essentially just a taste. The other thing I like doing once a dog has a base level of skills built up is to use some of their meals during training (especially easy if the dog gets kibble). So for example, I'd mix their meal into a bag with something really high value like a little bit of ground beef the night before. This helps the kibble have an exciting coating of high value flavour, but mainly uses the calories of the food for training.
@@happyhoundsdogtraining thank you x
I like this..what does one do when the dog doesn't take treats.
Do they take treats at home, just not during training? Or never?
I appreciate your videos so much. My dog is very reactive but in a happy way. But it's still a lot. Some days she does amazing. Other days, she's terrible. But your videos help
There was a situation where I was trying to distract her from reactivity when this man decided that it was the perfect time to do redirection training with his dog, trapping us in a patch of grass. When she finally went over threshold, she accidentally bit me trying to get to her leash.
I was more angry at the man for deciding to do that when I was clearly working with her reactivity
Sorry to hear you had a rough day, but I'm glad my videos help ♥ It always baffles me the lack of awareness other dog guardians have, especially when reactivity is so commonly discussed/known these days. It's unfortunate he had such little regard for your dog (and you).
2:57 Louis says "you say jump and I say "how high?"" 🥰😂
Hahaha I LOVE that clip & the look of “whoa!”… Instant sit, tail wag, and waiting for next request 😂
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