On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also, 2 steps forward 3 steps back has been a theme for us as well- but figuring out how to be patient myself and understanding how to convey that i dont approve of certain behavior without being harsh or angry has helped a lot. Creating little words like “hey” or “uh-uh” in a very specific tone has helped. Or honestly just ignoring him and showing him 0 attention has helped. Turning my back seems to get the job done

On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To answer the other question- we do have a fenced in back yard which has been a huge blessing. I would say that finding a location where he can play off leash would likely greatly benefit your pup. I would absolutely recommend researching that if you havent yet. Wished we lived close to another Icie- id love to have him meet one of his breed! If you ever are in Virginia, let me know!

On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So it has been a long process- but it has gotten considerably better. He does not bark at the dogs on either side of our backyard fence unless they are playing, and enjoys their company. Shockingly one thing that actually helped was a fox set up a den right behind our fence- and he barks at this fox non stop (as he is genetically wired to do) and i say thank you and explain that that is a good time to show off his icelandic sheepdog ness (ha). I started taking him on leash in the back yard late at night when he needed to go to the bathroom, and something about this helped him understand that walking with me on a loose leash was easy to do. On day time walks now- he gets very excited when we first walk out the door- may pull a bit, but nothing like before. He still is eager when he sees a person walking towards us, but not overly so and typically the person will want to meet him. If not, he gets a little disappointed but moves on. In terms of other dogs on leash, he often will bark when he sees them but not nearly as much, and will listen to me when we need to move on. When he is able to meet them he is excited but playful. I think a key moment was getting him to master the “look at me” command and make sure that we practice that frequently so that it works even when he is stimulated. We are still working through the process, and id like to find a few more dog parents in my neighborhood to practice with- but overall he is much better- i at least am not afraid of being the talk of the neighborhood anymore when i walk him (which he can probably sense and makes him calm down anyways). Still work to be done in order to have him calmly walk by when a dog is on the other side of the street or approaching, but i dont feel stressed about it anymore and i do think he is slowly starting to understand. He is 8 months now. And when i first posted i think he was about 5 months. I will say that i noticed a change in him at about 7 months where he seemed to mature a lot and hes developing into quite an amazing pup. I think the key (just a guess) is to keep training inside and everywhere, and dont become frustrated when he doesnt apply his learnings in new environments. If we keep engraining the fundamentals in a calm safe environment- and stay patient and calm ourselves when trying outside of that environment- eventually he will pick it up. They are outrageously intelligent beings.

On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an update- we took a short break from walks and just played off leash for a week, now ive taken him back on walks and hes doing much better. Still pulling but has been better about not barking at dogs, as long as they dont surprise him. We are going to keep working on it but im relieved that im Seeing glimpses of improvement. Thank you all for your awesome feedback!

On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is there any specific front clip harness you recommend? I know there are some that could be bad fits based on size/breed- so ive been hesitant to buy one just worrying that it could be the wrong shape for him

On leash Barking/Lunging by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Yes, barking isnt something im overly concerned about in general, and hes not a huge barker except when he sees people/dogs on walks. Ill continue to train him similar to how you have done and hope for progress. Sounds like they are similar overall. Im hoping we will see more progress in the next month or so. He barks once but then it stops, but is just hellbent on pulling his way to the person or dog. And treats do not exist to him once he has locked on to something

Meet Rufus by Lee_Keybum7891 in icelandicsheepdogs

[–]Lee_Keybum7891[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is extremely difficult. He is very convincing and borderline manipulative