Top Barks, what are some suggestions for setting up the training situation where you can control when your dog meets another dog?
Douglas and Bayley were quite reactive on lead but for different reasons.
Bayley, like Bailey was barrier frustrated and Douglas was truly fearful of other dogs.
I have worked on classical conditioning with Douglas by trying to pair the scary doggies with something he is really fond of. (chicken or pigs ears etc)
I work at a distance he can cope with and feed or positvely interact with him just being around the other dog.
I have gradually worked closer and closer.
Had him spot on this february and became overconfident in him and had a major set back when a Belgian Terv ran straight at him.
Douglas reacted and did his drowning seal impression, it was if the confidence had just vanished from him.(We lost all our hard earned points that day and it had taken me 18 months to get him to the stage he was at.)
We are back on track again now ,but he's not back to the level he was yet.
With Bayley I chose the operant route and clicked him for any calm reaction around other dogs.
I wanted him to learn how to behave on leash in the presence of other dogs.
I had him at a none reactive distance and clicked him for everytime he glanced at the other dogs or did something for me.
I used hand touch and various exercises to get his focus on me on cue.
When it comes to clients dogs I use one of my own dogs Oliver as a stooge dog. Oliver, I know will not react to another dog barking and lunging at him.
Oliver gives very good calming signals and will just sniff the ground or look away in a bid to diffuse the clients dogs arousal.
But again we try and work at a distance where the clients dog will not react.
We use a mixture of classical and operant conditioning techniques to work on the dog's issues.
I try never to do more than the dog can cope with and have to warn the owners that their is often no quick fix.
You cannot rush behaviour modifcation.
Have you any friends with calm dogs who could help?
Enlist them and set up meetings where you know you can win and reward your dog around others would be my advice.
Best of luck
Mark