Some tips would be appreciated

[*Jay*]

Okay, for the past 6 months or so, I have been having a few problems with Disney. He has become a complete yob to other dogs outside. He will bark and lunge at them if he is on his lead, and if he is off his lead, then he barks at them whilst chasing them. If I spot the other dog first then I call him to me and get his lead on. He then gets treats and praise for behaving well and not barking. However, this isn't enough for him, even high value treats like liver and chicken, and the majority of the time, he will grab the treat once I have praised him, then sneak in a few barks and lunges. I then decided to try a new tactic and keep him off his lead and distracting him with treats and playing games. This is very hit and miss as to whether this works. His recall is normally fantastic and we are working on reaffirming this in the house and with no distractions and he is brilliant but once he spies another dog, he just goes deaf. I've tried running away in the opposite direction as I am as confident as can be that he won't bite but I can only imagine what other owners must think when my dog launches himself at their dogs and then I just walk off like I haven't got a care in the world He will come back in his own time so I don't think this technique is the way to go. The final straw was yesterday and he ran from halfway across the park and across a road to get to another dog. I am now so concerned that he is going to end up getting himself killed so I need some techniques for getting him to ignore other dogs. He goes to training and will bark at the dogs there now and again but he does respond to the 'watch me' command when doing weaves between other dogs etc and I've tried training this from scratch outside but it is not that effective. I have just purchased a long line for the meantime but any tips would be greatly appreciated. I have reluctantly booked him in for castration in a couple of weeks in the hope that it will help me with the behavioural modification.

Sorry for the rambling 

[Cob-Web]

Aw Gill, it sounds like hard work

I can highly reccomend the long line - it removes the self-reward from this kind of behaviour, which for Molo, was better than even the tastiest treat I could offer him 

It took a long time to be able to rely on his recall in all situations, but we got there in the end 

Good luck!

[PennyB]

Do you work with him on his own when you're out, i.e. take him out separately on the odd walk. Sometimes this can help create a better bond with them.

Have you thought of 1-2-1 training as well rather than a group situation

Mine went through a phase of running off shortly after I let them offlead, but in their case it was because Ruby especially had worked out that people put out their binbags just for her and when they've been collected then they leave debris and even if its been cleaned away then there's always a chance they've missed something useful for a thieving scavenging cocker (and if she'd forgotten on the way out she certainly remembered on the way home and the local woods on the park turned into blasted narnia --- she'd go in innocently then minutes later I'd get a phone call streets away saying they'd picked her up when I hadn't even known she'd gone missing). The solution I found was to keep them entertained/focused, i.e. the famous chuckitt or other games cockers love (again mine were not into balls until they discovered this wonderful invention) (I also did this when Wilf hit his teens and kept running away) --- plus I no longer just throw it somewhere she can see it but in rough grassland where she has to use her nose to find it so its become the best game on the planet and very useful. While I know you play games to distract him but here the idea is to get them really hooked

[cazza]

Gill - I can sympathise I have just started getting this with Fern

Aw Gill, it sounds like hard work

I can highly reccomend the long line - it removes the self-reward from this kind of behaviour, which for Molo, was better than even the tastiest treat I could offer him 

It took a long time to be able to rely on his recall in all situations, but we got there in the end 

Good luck!

I've got a long line but would love some tips on how to use it. Do you constanly hold it or let it run behind them? In the garden I've been letting it run behind her as I know where the dangers are (I.E. the bl@@dy wall when the birds are flying around 50ft of wall is too long to put up trellis etc to heighten it)

The solution I found was to keep them entertained/focused, i.e. the famous chuckitt or other games cockers love (again mine were not into balls until they discovered this wonderful invention) (I also did this when Wilf hit his teens and kept running away)

Chuckitt - is that the tennis ball on the funny stick thing? More info on the trials of Wilf running off would be great too

Sorry if some of these sound stupid questions, I  madam to bits but a working cocker is definately making me work especially as I've never had a pup before, all mine were at least 12 months and partially trained before I had them so all this is new

[Rhona W]

He will bark and lunge at them if he is on his lead, and if he is off his lead, then he barks at them whilst chasing them.

Sorry Gill, I am no help at all. But I just wanted to say that that is exactly what my boys are like at the minute. They are very unpredictable as some dogs they meet and play with straight away, and others they bark at and chase. (The other night we met a black lab and a GR and they were fine. Then another black lab appeared and they went ballistic!  ) There is no logic/pattern as to which dogs they like or don't. (Well there might be to them, but as a mere human I can't see it!  )
I was also considering getting them neutered to see if this would help.  But was told and read that if this was fear aggression it could just make things worse. So I've finally managed to find a beaviourist and we are going to see her next week to see if she can help us solve these issues first.
So sorry, I'm no help at all. But it's sometimes nice to know that you are not alone!   

[Cob-Web]

Gill - I can sympathise I have just started getting this with Fern

Aw Gill, it sounds like hard work

I can highly reccomend the long line - it removes the self-reward from this kind of behaviour, which for Molo, was better than even the tastiest treat I could offer him 

It took a long time to be able to rely on his recall in all situations, but we got there in the end 

Good luck!

I've got a long line but would love some tips on how to use it. Do you constanly hold it or let it run behind them? In the garden I've been letting it run behind her as I know where the dangers are (I.E. the bl@@dy wall when the birds are flying around 50ft of wall is too long to put up trellis etc to heighten it)

I used the technique described here - which means to begin with I left the long line in the cupboard until I had taught Molo "wait" and "this way" - frustrating, but well worth it in the long run 

[*Jay*]

Because I now think there may be an element of fear aggression, I'm not going to go ahead with the neutering......I don't think I just can't decide!!!

I used the long line on his this morning - tried to stand on it 6 times and it slipped from under my foot 5 of those times It obviously isn't as idiot proof as I thought

[Rhona W]

Because I now think there may be an element of fear aggression, I'm not going to go ahead with the neutering......I don't think I just can't decide!!!

We are exactly the same.  We have a 'bad' walk and say, "That's it ring the vets." And then we have a 'good' one and say, "Let's wait for a bit."
The behaviourist I am going to see says the fact that they make a lot of noise is good, as the noisier they are the less actual intention there is to do any harm. And if a dog stands up to them, they squeal/yelp and run away. Which is why I think they are quite frightened really. 
What does Disney do if the dog he barks at growls back?

[*Jay*]

What does Disney do if the dog he barks at growls back?

Practically wets himself He will run away squealing and then starts the barking all over again

[Colin]

I used the long line on his this morning - tried to stand on it 6 times and it slipped from under my foot 5 of those times It obviously isn't as idiot proof as I thought

You need to tie a knot at the end - also maybe a couple more, evenly spaced down the length of the line.

[Nicola]

I used the long line on his this morning - tried to stand on it 6 times and it slipped from under my foot 5 of those times It obviously isn't as idiot proof as I thought

You need to tie a knot at the end - also maybe a couple more, evenly spaced down the length of the line.

I did that with Alfie's long line and promptly tripped over it. Very dignified.. not!! 

[Wendy G]

I used a long line on Bailey when I first got him , he was a 10 month old  rescue dog and I didn't know if he would come back if I let him  off lead. I had two loops on quite a long piece of strong twine (had to wear gloves).When I let him go, on not too long a lead I waited until he had found something interesting then used the recall whistle and shouted "this way" giving a sharp tug on the line
I walked the other way shortening the lead as I went so that he had to follow. I kept this up for about a month until he came without the tug on the line until I finally let him free (with my heart in my mouth) and he came back to the whistle.
When I walk him now he stays quite close and watches where I am and he has never "run away" (yet!)

I have not been so lucky with him on the lead though, he pulls like  a trojan.He is definately better behaved off the lead

[Penel]

Remember you must have them on a harness if you are using a long line, so that you don't break their necks.

Ideally you need to find a behaviourist who has confident kind "stooge" dogs - if any of you are near Angela Stockdale, I can highly recommend her, and her dogs - she is an expert in all sorts of canine aggression.  Her website is www.dogpartnership.com and she is based in Somerset.  For starters, she would probably recommend you walk the dogs separately, rather than as a group, or pair, in case they are reacting to each other.

[*Jay*]

Remember you must have them on a harness if you are using a long line, so that you don't break their necks.

I didn't know that I'm not doing very well today am I 

[Magic Star]

Whats your long line like Gill?  Don't say like a long line   I use a horses lunge reign with Indie