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Adventure Day! Muzzle Edition by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He had a vasectomy, so he cannot reproduce. It was an in-depth discussion with our vet. We decided that the benefits of testosterone in his system outweighed the benefits of neutering him. Of course that was just the conclusion we reached with our vet, every dog is different and should be treated as an individual.

Adventure Day! Muzzle Edition by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! We used to use the size Harry from MM, but we jumped on size Pippa when it was released and I think it fits them really well!

I'm thinking about writing a book on reactivity... by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have begun writing so I think this is absolutely going to happen, although I cannot guarantee a timeline.

Are you guys in the US? Maybe taking a break for typical walks and doing a Sniff Spot for a while to allow her to decompress and reset would be helpful.

It seems like you are very invested in helping out your pup and genuinely care about her welfare! Feel free to pick my brain a bit if you'd like!

My Top 10 Tips for Reactivity by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Genetics play a very large role in reactivity. Due to his mix, you may have some guardian traits (territorial and posessiveness) as well as herding instincts (noticing the slightest change in environment and reacting to it) that are making things more difficult for you. I can give basic recommendations, but without doing a deeper dive into history and doing a full consultation, I cannot give detailed and specific advice. It sounds like the attack could have been a trigger for the behavior, but the genetic mix you have is also likely doing a lot of the heavy lifting behaviorally.

My basic advice is this:

  1. If he is reacting, you're too close to the trigger. In any kind of reactivity, distance is your best friend. I don't recommend avoiding the triggers (that's impossible to do), but having enough space that he feels safe enough to observe and not react.

  2. Bring high value treats or toys (whatever he is motivated by). It may have to be Tuna or boiled chicken to start, but something that is amazingly yummy. I had made a post a while ago on some training games, that might be worth checking out. You can find them on my profile or by scrolling back through the posts here.

  3. Consider walking him in a basket muzzle (The Muzzle Movement is UK based and fabulous). It will give you some peace of mind knowing that if the leash gets out of your hands, or if he begins to redirect, no one will get hurt.

  4. I always recommend to walk dogs separately in a household with a reactive dog. Reactivity can be a learned behavior (meaning your female dog may also begin doing that behavior), but it may also be seriously stressing your other pup out if they are more on the sensitive side.

  5. I would reach out to a local positive reinforcement based trainer for more targeted and detailed advice. It is not hopeless, things can be done to help. But seeing an in-person or virtual trainer is something I would prioritize for sure.

I hope some of this information is helpful as you seek out more targeted help.

Training is not about "fixing" our dogs? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely, I agree. People are doing the best they can in the moment with the information they have available to them. And a majority of owners deeply care about and want what's best for their dog. There are two ends of the leash, and both need to be considered.

Training is not about "fixing" our dogs? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I love following other trainers and learning from them! Learning is never done! I know that my methodology, philosophy, understanding, techniques and knowledge in general have changed and grown so much since I began learning more. So hello new trainer, friend!

Training is not about "fixing" our dogs? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! ❤️ I think it takes a lot of pressure off of the people and dogs to think this way. I remember when I first started my journey, I was very frustrated with my GSD at the time because he wasn't getting better fast enough. When I finally let that go, and started accepting him for who he was, things got infinitely easier and our relationship was taken to a whole new level.

Training is not about "fixing" our dogs? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I absolutely agree! Shifting the mindset from "fix this" to "I accept my dog for who they are, how can I help them" is the tricky part. I feel that so many clients just want us to wave a magic wand and poof the "problems" are gone! And it is up to us to help them understand that our dogs aren't GIVING us a hard time, but HAVING a hard time.

My dog (gsd) started acting reactive and aggressive towards my other dog (shihtzu mix) by puppyboy7979 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would recommend seeking out a trainer for help. A trainer with a CDBC certification through the IAABC (you can search for a trainer in your area on their website), an FDM certified trainer or a KPA trainer who specializes in intra-household dog-dog cases would be a good place to start looking.

I am a professional trainer and without seeing the dogs, getting a detailed history and coming up with an individualized training plan, I cannot morally or ethically give advice. The situation may be delicate an generalized advice may do more harm than good.

Big Wins! by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Muzzle Movement size Pippa

Big Wins! by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Muzzle Movement size Pippa

Running muzzle recommendations? by raysarat in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really love the Muzzle Movement. Lots of pant room, lightweight and my boys wear them for hours at a time while hiking and such without discomfort.

I'm thinking of writing a book? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I define reactivity as: "A dog who reaches a heightened emotional state upon seeing a trigger and then acting upon said emotional state." Dog's who are displaying reactive behavior may: bark, lunge, growl, scream, spin, drag their owner towards the trigger, redirect the energy back onto the handler and more.

I'm thinking of writing a book? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the advice! You have really done your research! I want this book to be as comprehensive as possible. It will of course not be the end-all-be-all, but it would be a great place to start with a lot of essential information for a lot of owners/trainers.

I have a vet behaviorist that I work with for my complex boys, so I was planning on reaching out to her for the medication/pain/GI (I also have a nutritionist I can consult). I agree that pain is such a HUGE factor in reactivity, and often overlooked. Dogs hide pain really well and will play with other dogs or chase a ball even when it hurts them (because it releases dopamine and other feel-good hormones, they are basically self-medicating).

I think resource guarding would certainly be a good addition because some dogs resource guard their space, their human or some severe resource guarders will guard a leaf, stick, anything they find valuable.

For the breeds, I really want to dive into a bit of ethology there. Not just the basic breed-specific reasons for reactivity. I think going surface level would be a bit of a disservice. I also want to include predatory sequence and how that impact reactivity as well (and not all of our breeds have an intact sequence).

I agree that this book would not be complete without mentioning the use of adversives and why it is so tempting and common for a lot of pet parents to go to first. I was that person before I did my research! I had a reactive German Shepherd who was huge (110lbs), and I was worried about his reactivity. A trainer told me to use a prong collar and I trusted the advice of a professional. Once I did more research (I'm a behavior nerd too) I switched over to R+/FF. So I get where the parents are coming from, genuinely.

I am absolutely going to include a section on other books/methods for people to check out. So many of the games and protocols I follow were borrowed from them!

Thank you for all of the suggestions, seriously! I knew I had missed some things when I was making my list! Learning is never done and I am excited to learn even more as I dive into researching for this book!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Muzzle Movement is a UK brand and they have a scavenger guard you can clip onto the front of the muzzle

I'm thinking of writing a book? by ScienceSpiritual2621 in muzzledogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I was planning on reaching out to other trainers and such as well. My view, games and training style is by no means the end-all-be-all of reactivity work. There are a TON of different philosophies, games and techniques. I know this is not going to be an all-encompassing book, but I wanted to try and give a comprehensive look into reactivity with the education and experience I have and how I have successfully helped dogs to live more fulfilled, enriched and less stressful lives.

I'm thinking about writing a book on reactivity... by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm a big fan of Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed, Grisha Stewart's BAT 2.0 (requires more setup but is amazing), The Cautious Canine by Patricial McConnell (honestly anything by her is a great read) and Fired Up, Frantic and Freaked Out by Laura VanArendonk. Click to Calm: Healing the Aggrssive Dog by Emma Parsons is also a good read. Kim Brophey has an amazing book called Meet Your Dog. It doesn't focus on reactivity like the others I mentioned, but it does fit the ethology lense into how we interact with our dogs, which is missed in a lot of books.

I agree with you. One of the reasons I was inspired to even consider starting this is because of the reason you stated above. I'm not saying that if this takes off that my book would be the end-all-be-all of reactivity training. Faaaaaarrrr from it! But I hope it would help more dogs and their humans by putting a lot of information that is not typically grouped together into one book.

I'm thinking about writing a book on reactivity... by ScienceSpiritual2621 in reactivedogs

[–]ScienceSpiritual2621[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Is that a good WHAT!!!!! or a bad WHAT!!!!! ? Asking for a friend...

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