Every Dog Behavior and Training is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing inclusive, accessible dog training and behavior resources to the Austin community.
We're all about making behavior resources easy to find, affordable, and inclusive. We host webinars, do private training and group classes, and are passionate about making dog training the "norm" for all dog owners! We're certified trainers who use positive reinforcement training methods and LOVE talking about dog behavior!
My dog seems to have some leash reactivity and I've started using the engage/disengage method with my dog and plan to try the other methods as well. I do have a question though - is there a point at which the dog's feeling toward the trigger (my dog seems to be a frustrated greeter with other dogs) will neutralize or will I need to indefinitely plan to bring treats with me on walks to distract her from the trigger?
Wow!!! This was amazing. So many good strategies and having the videos with the voiceover explaining what was being taught were incredibly helpful. Thank you for putting it out there - it deserves far more likes.
A little late to the party haha, but If i use the word "here" for general recall, would it be confusing to use that word to get his attention back? Or should I pick an additional word?
My dog gives no warning at all, as soon as he sees dogs, he goes into a crocodile death roll to get at the other dog, if he sees people its barking. Would the scatter method be best for distracting in this circumstance and once I see improvement when he sees triggers moving to the "yes"? He's not food motivated, so kibble doesn't work, but he is treat motivated so I can use that.
Hey Rachel, a few things. I definitely recommend finding a positive reinforcement trainer to work with, so they can give you recommendations for your specific scenario. A few basic things: first, managing your walk times/locations to minimize opportunities to see other people/dogs (keeping under threshold). Yes to using high value treats!
@@everydogaustin We have tried finding a trainer locally and the two that came highly recommended, one only wants to meet with us via zoom (we need in person) and the other one paid more attention to my calmer female instead of helping with the one actually having behavior issues...so I won't lie, I've been very put off hence why I've been researching myself. We live on a mountain so it's not often we run into people and I walk early in the am and late in the afternoon to avoid as much interaction as possible. It's strange the ratio of wildlife to people where we live is much higher and he pays absolutely no attention to the wildlife, no chasing, barking...anything. He's a great dog, very smart (miniature schnauzer). Also this is the part I don't understand, he has no issues if anyone comes in the house (even people he has never met) it is only outside of the house...he would greet an intruder with open arms, haha.
@@rachelreynolds4835 Hey Rachel, I totally get it- it can sometimes be tough to find the right trainer for you! The one thing I'll say is that 90% of my clients are virtual only (I work with folks all over the country and even in other countries). We're able to successfully treat reactivity over zoom, since most of it is teaching you skills to practice versus us doing anything with the dog (it's usually the same in-person). I actually find that we often get better results that way. So it might be worth a try!
@@everydogaustin Thank you so much! I will try it. I think the in person is more for me than the dog haha. I work better face to face...so apparently I have some of my own issues that require training lol However, thank you so much! Your videos are wonderful and very informative. I did realize that I needed a non-retractable leash for him and I'm picking it up after work...that in itself may help :)
Hi Vivian, there could be a bunch of reasons for this! You might need higher value treats (think hot dogs, turkey, or cheese instead of normal training treats). You might be trying to give treats when your dog is over "threshold" (too close to another dog), versus trying to work at a safe distance where your dog feels safer. If you go to everydogaustin.org/webinars we're actually doing one in November about how to get your treats to be more valuable!
At about 26:55 Emma does a blink. This is a very familiar behavior. We call it our dog's "stoical blink," something he seems to do when he's trying to manage unpleasant emotions. How do you understand this behavior, please?
Great webinar, I love how supportive you are about management solutions. Work smarter, not harder right? Do you have a link to the reactivity group you mentioned?
