These are the words that strike fear in the hearts of reactive dog owners. If you are someone with a dog who has big feelings about people, other dogs, cars, bikes, surprises etc. you know that feeling of dread and maybe even panic when someone with a dog in tow begins to walk toward you and your dog, announcing that their dog is friendly.
I have a vivid memory of taking a foster dog, who was very reactive, to a park to walk. It was early morning and there were very few people around. We stayed at a distance from the few folks who were out. Everything was going very well...until the “It’s OK, he’s friendly” lady started to walk straight at us. It was all over. My only option was to (in Hannah’s words) Abort Mission.
It’s always so discouraging when we are having a good walk or outing and then something happens to ruin it. Unfortunately, we don’t always know when Mr. or Ms. “It’s OK, he’s friendly” will appear or when a squirrel or bunny will dart out or when the bicycle or skateboard will zoom past us.
The only thing we can do is our best. We have to plan for the worst and then hope it doesn’t happen. •Keeping walks and outings short can reduce the chances of having to Abort Mission.
•Stopping frequently to play a game or have a sniff will help your dog feel calm and focused.
•It’s also a good idea to stay close to home or the car.
•Walking in more of a loopy path rather than in a straight line allows you to stay near home base while still walking as many steps.
Although it’s been slow to catch on here in the US, the UK has an awareness campaign to help dogs who are anxious about things they may encounter. “Yellow Dog UK promotes awareness and understanding of dogs who need space, also known as “yellow dogs”. They can be identified by their yellow gear such as bandanas, vests and leashes. It is expected that when seeing a Yellow Dog, people will be respectful and give them extra space and not speak or approach. Learn more about Yellow Dog UK
In the meantime, while we are trying to catch up on this side of the pond, what can you do when you and your dog are in a pickle? Sometimes you do have to Abort Mission, but first and foremost, try not to get into a pickle! It does take some planning if you have a dog who struggles when out and about.
Some dogs react more to what they see and some to what they hear. Being aware of what is most problematic for your dog is an important first step to staying out of a pickle. If you know what to avoid it makes it much easier to actually avoid it.
If it doesn’t work well for your dog to take a walk through your neighborhood it might be a good idea to find alternative places like open spaces, rural roads, or ballfields (off-hours of course) to walk and sniff. If your dog is more calm walking when it’s dark, then an early morning or evening walk might be your new normal. A rechargeable headlamp is a must!
Doing some counter-conditioning exercises with your dog as you walk is certainly a great idea. The idea is to pair something scary or problematic with something pleasurable. The scary thing must be at a distance far enough away that the dog can handle it and still eat. If your dog can’t eat, you are too close.
Remember that your dog is unique. Just because a technique or strategy works for most dogs most of the time, we still must work with the dog in front of us.
More next time about counterconditioning and how to avoid poisoning your reinforcement.
If you would like to visit about how training or Walks Plus might help, please get in touch!
We would love to support you and your dog.
Comments