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Post by Socksmum on Feb 20, 2015 17:35:10 GMT
sorry, photo malfunction, try again...
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Post by daisydip on Feb 20, 2015 17:49:37 GMT
I think the pictures are wonderful. He looks adorable. Molly can be lead reactive, the halti really helped but the best thing has been the freedom she has on a training lead with a ball in her mouth, she dashes backwards and forwards letting off lots of steam ....result=calm dog. Like you said Jenny, introducing the world in a new way can help lots.
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Post by Socksmum on Feb 20, 2015 18:02:39 GMT
Today's walk. He went for his first off lead walk this afternoon. Before we let him off he saw another dog some way off but didn't react! Once the dog was out of sight we let him off and he went in hot pursuit of a small furry. He didn't catch it and came back when we called him...good boy! They came home extremely muddy, had leg washes, fleeces on followed by their tea. Are now snoring. A good day today, it will be interesting to see how he copes on his next walk.
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Post by aijee on Feb 21, 2015 11:29:53 GMT
That's just brilliant Brenda
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Post by Fran on Feb 21, 2015 15:16:06 GMT
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Post by BW on Feb 22, 2015 11:15:53 GMT
Lovely update on the cuddly bundle Brenda - can Archie please come & teach my Winnie what "recall" means?
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Post by roderick (Gramps) on Feb 22, 2015 12:15:38 GMT
The lovely Archie
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2015 12:16:47 GMT
It's great to see how well Archie is doing with you and Steve and Socks. It makes all the difference if the dog can find the right dog to interact with. It's not about failure on anyone's part, it's about getting the right match that will give the dog confidence to go forward. It sounds like you have just the right circumstances that will help Archie... and great photos Brenda!
My Alice is very reactive when she's on the lead and sees other dogs. The advice I've been given, and it's gradually working, is to keep the lead loose and don't pull it tight just because I see another dog - this is going to put her on edge - and only flick the lead when necessary; watch her very carefully and the minute I see her ears go up give the lead a flick and say hey or no to snap her out of her focus on the other dog before it starts to become obsessive. It doesn't have to be a major intervention, just a quick flick to stop her going to the next stage. I can stop her reactiveness most of the time as long as I catch it early. It's been interesting as it's made me much more aware of how the reactiveness starts with just a tiny movement of her ears whereas before the first point at which I started trying to stop her was when she was already over-reacting and then it was impossible to control. Good luck with Archie!
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Post by Socksmum on Feb 22, 2015 21:33:43 GMT
Thanks Christine, we've picked up on the loose lead thing but v interesting about early detection, will give it a try xx
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Redbird
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Post by Redbird on Feb 23, 2015 10:44:47 GMT
What a most beautiful picture . He's gorgeous
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2015 11:37:45 GMT
We use this technique too, and both Greta and Alfie now look to us when they see another dog coming. Where it gets slightly more challenging is when they are on lead and an off lead dog approaches. You also need to take control of the actual meeting with other dogs. With Greta, at first she would growl and try to get in a sneaky snap, but I was letting her greet the other dog first. So, she was uncomfortable about this and showing it. Jim's advice was for the human to take charge, put yourself between your dog and the other one, and YOU say hello and stroke the other dog with yours behind you. Only then, if you feel happy, let your dog say hello, again you need to keep the lead as slack as you can so the natural greeting can happen, nose to bum sniffing, a couple of seconds only, then a couple of gentle tugs and away with lots of praise/reward for a good greeting. We also had her muzzled during this time but she's absolutely fine without it now. I also explained to the other owners that Greta was a little unsure of other dogs so we were doing some doggy greeting training, and were they okay with that. You'll find most people are. If you hold the lead tight, and the other owner invariably does the same, they only sniff face to face and not progress to back end sniffs - this is bad!!! Ends up in a face off which will never end well with a reactive dog. You obviously have to judge it - we know Alfie doesn't like certain types of dog, especially the ones that seem to come in all confident, posturing as such. Archie really is a lovely boy, hope the training goes well.
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feebee
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Post by feebee on Feb 23, 2015 14:30:37 GMT
It's great to see how well Archie is doing with you and Steve and Socks. It makes all the difference if the dog can find the right dog to interact with. It's not about failure on anyone's part, it's about getting the right match that will give the dog confidence to go forward. It sounds like you have just the right circumstances that will help Archie... and great photos Brenda! My Alice is very reactive when she's on the lead and sees other dogs. The advice I've been given, and it's gradually working, is to keep the lead loose and don't pull it tight just because I see another dog - this is going to put her on edge - and only flick the lead when necessary; watch her very carefully and the minute I see her ears go up give the lead a flick and say hey or no to snap her out of her focus on the other dog before it starts to become obsessive. It doesn't have to be a major intervention, just a quick flick to stop her going to the next stage. I can stop her reactiveness most of the time as long as I catch it early. It's been interesting as it's made me much more aware of how the reactiveness starts with just a tiny movement of her ears whereas before the first point at which I started trying to stop her was when she was already over-reacting and then it was impossible to control. Good luck with Archie!
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Post by feebee on Feb 23, 2015 14:39:56 GMT
looks like archie is doing well,thank you for caring for him so well, love seeing the updates and pics, makes it a bit easier, tho i still miss him like crazy, he is such a character, and would make us laugh at his crazy ways, is he happy now , do you think, not missing us anymore?
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Post by roderick (Gramps) on Feb 23, 2015 16:32:30 GMT
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Post by feebee on Feb 23, 2015 19:36:30 GMT
thank you
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2015 20:14:14 GMT
It must be so difficult to let Archie go, but he will be well loved whilst in the care of SLR, and couldn't be in much better hands than Brenda, Steve & Socks.
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Post by feebee on Feb 28, 2015 7:54:58 GMT
how is archie doing now, can i have some updates please
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Post by Socksmum on Feb 28, 2015 14:50:33 GMT
We've both had a touch of the lurgy this last week or so and haven't been on here much but here's a quick update on Archie. He's been with us for two weeks now and has settled really well. He's a complete cuddle monster and a joy to have around in the house. Out on walks, he still gets very anxious when unknown dogs approach and is very reactive; we took him over to Southwold last weekend but there were too many other dogs and he got very wound up. Since then we have stuck to the village where other dogs tend to be in ones or two's. On a more positive note, we have used the opportunity to test him in other ways and he has done really well. He has been on daily off lead runs and his recall is very good. During the week he met a couple of small yapping dogs while he was off lead and he didn't kick off and came back when we called him. Also he has met our next door neighbours dog ( who he talks to over the fence ) a couple of times whilst out on the lead and he was quiet and polite. So the problem seems just with dogs he doesn't know and this is what we will keep working on. No photos this week, I'm hoping for some decent weather and I'll take a few more.
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Post by antoniaalfie55 on Feb 28, 2015 18:35:00 GMT
Lovely update. It sounds as though Archie only reacts to other dogs when he is on the lead. My three who are very well socialised will quite often behave and sound as though they would kill another dog while they are on the lead, but as soon as they are let off and the greetings are done with it's then playtime.
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Post by Socksmum on Mar 3, 2015 9:36:04 GMT
We had friends over for lunch on Sunday and Archie met their two dogs. One is a scruff coat lurcher just like him, the other an 11 year old mixed terrier type. He was very good and extremely respectful of the old fella. He was fine with the humans and enjoyed having a house full. When they had gone we took the boys out for a walk over the field where Archie met a local dog called Shayla. She is a GSD, very mumsy and Socks adores her. After a few little whines, Archie saw Socks saying hello and so he calmed down and went and introduced himself to Shayla very politely. She was very good with him and sat down while we chatted to her owner. Archie was interested but calm and we walked on after pleasantries had been exchanged. Very pleased with him. This morning he met a dog off lead and apart from some initial barky greetings he was just fine and they all played together, even though he was soundly warned off her ball! He still gets very agitated and barky when we meet dogs walking round the village but the distraction techniques are helping a little and I think this may just be the way he is. He's such a lovely boy in every other way and we are very fond of him. He's having a visit tomorrow, so fingers crossed.
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