When one thing gets better...

[waisis]

...something else gets worse!  Bailey has made steady improvements in his recall and has not had a poop accident in the house in a while, but is stressing me out with getting worse with his on-lead antics.  I looked up other people's posts on here about similar problems--great off-lead with other dogs but lunges and barks when on-lead.  Really trying to do the "jolly routine" when passing other dogs so that he has a positive association, but I am just too anxious and I know Bailey can feel it too and it is making things worse  .  Anyways, ordered the book "Clicking to Calm" as it was recommended by another thread and eagerly awaiting it!  It sucks to not be able to enjoy walking your dog as you are always on high alert!

[PennyB]

Its called keeping you on your toes

[debbie321]

Really tasty treats work for Ben - almost to the point of 'nose on hand' - 'eyes on cat'!  I do find that holding a very tasty treat will get Ben past most things but as soon as he's eaten it - all hell breaks loose!  I'm working on it though 

[waisis]

Yesterday night when we were out walking him, I didn't have my "quick draw" hand fast enough with the cheese on his nose (I was actually feeding him boiled chicken at the time, but that is just not tasty enough!) and he decided to break his sit-stay and lunge and bark at the poodle walking by.  I felt bad and I could also hear the other owners saying something about "I thought that dog was cute but...", didn't wait around to listen to the whole thing  .  Then I almost got ran over by a car at a stop sign b/c there was another dog Bailey was pulling towards and I put him in a sit-stay in the middle of the road b/c I was so STRESSED by the first incident! 

[clairep4]

I know just how you feel - the Click to Calm book really did help us with Bella's onlead aggression. I go to agility with her these days and she has to spend alot of time standing around on the lead in close proximity to other onlead dogs and she's fab, doesn't bat an eyelid - you'd never even suspect she could've been the little maniac she was a few months ago. Good luck and let us know how you get on. 

[waisis]

The book arrived yesterday night and I've just started reading it and it sounds super!  And her dog's problems which she solved sound way worse than Bailey's.  Actually this morning I managed to distract him from a crazy barking GSD guard dog that was about a foot from us from behind a fence!    Anyways, it took me by surprise and gave me a good scare, but am pleased that I managed to click and treat and jolly along and Bailey responded very well to that b/c usually fences+a barking dog=a huge barking competition for Bailey 

[Top Barks]

Dogs can find aproaching other dogs head on quite intimidating. If I am walking my guys and someone is coming towards me with a dog I arc out to one side and and try to do it at a distance where my dogs will not react and then I can reward them for attention on me and being calm around the other dog.
Turid Ruggas's book on Calming signals introduced me to this method and if you watch dogs interact you will often see them approach each other in the curve I describe rather than head on.
Of course you do always get dogs that do not fully understand canine ettiquete.
Mark