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Originally Posted by aladinsane33  I have began his new training regimen today using chicken treats and walking in fast circle should he bark, snarl or take up a belligerent stance with any dog, certainly the swift nipping alpha style showed a result, the look of bemusement on his face said it all. I will indeed persevere with this approach. I will endeavour to keep you appraised of events as and when they begin to unfold, that is of course unless I am banned for having to reply to judge and jury, this as one subscriber has already suggested, that others, who may write in here, may well become. Jeannie, but seriously I really cannot thank you enough. Kind Regards Rob. |
Good for you having the faith in him to start to retrain him how to react normally to passing dogs when out on his public walks. Once you begin to make him change his ways by showing him what is expected and what is possible, he'll in time begin to police himself knowing that you are going to step in and take over when he reacts inappropriately and seeing him start to do that on his own will be your biggest thrill. You'll be so proud.
You'll still have a long, long way to go to really re-train his brain and muscle memory not to always react belligerently to other dogs once the new has worn off the re-training but it will show you that it's possible to reshape a dog's behavior with the right tools, positive reinforcement and never-give-up determination by his owner/guardian. This beginning training of how he reacts to other dogs and always having him on lead out in public will serve to keep him and other dogs safer; and if you see an off-lead dog coming and you have time, the absolutely safest thing to do with a toy dog is just to get them inside to safety as they barely stand a chance against dogs 12 or more times their size.
Keep on reporting on his progress and even his setbacks if you would as I'd love to hear how it's going with him. I have great faith in Rob and Toby!