Ziva is a serial barker we have managed to control it now with her barking at people but she still goes crazy at other dogs we are using a corrector spray we say no then spray (not her) it just lets out a loud hiss but even this won't help with dogs we took her to socialization classes when she had finished her innoculations there was a lot of mismatched sized dogs one a mastiff was attacking some of the puppies she never hurt Ziva but we started having issues as soon as these classes finished -1 she stopped walking in busy places she has never walked past the hall where the classes were held since she just sits down and refuses to walk and the barking started we don't have a busy lifestyle with lots of people visiting which doesn't help but as I have said no issues on walks now with people just dogs any advice would be helpful I have thought of going down using a trainer route but haven't got much confidence of finding one ....We are going on holiday in October (cottage holiday in the Lake District) so would like her to be a bit more congenial then....
Not all puppy classes are well run, and if they allow rough play, they can do more harm than good for more sensitive puppies. If you meet other dogs on walks, do you allow Ziva to observe them from a safe distance? That is, a distance at which she feels comfortable watching the other dog without barking. Don't allow them meet head on, take Ziva to one side while the other dog passes. It can be useful to teach the, Watch Me, command to divert her attention back onto yourself. I am a big fan of the Kennel Club Good Citizen Dog Scheme, which is graded from Bronze up to Gold level. The classes are small and inexpensive, and the trainers use positive methods to teach the type of behaviour and exercises which are useful in daily life. Controlled mixing with a group of dogs which are all learning to do the same things, should help her to accept the presence of other dogs, and you may even find that she begins to feel comfortable with the dog that you sit next to in each weekly class. The Kennel Club website will have full details of any classes near to you.
Thank-you Carole I will look this up I must admit to being a little wary of classes was thinking of a one to one Ziva is nearly 9 months old now yesterday we actually walked past a spaniel without a bark today didn't meet any dogs she definitely won't approach dogs at the moment but I
Also try the APDT website for trainers in your area. They have a Code of Practice that ensures no punishments and have to go through an assessment that should ensure they use good methods of training. The trainer will advise you on whether individual or class sessions are the best for Ziva and yourself.
Sorry for not being on here in a while life problems with my mum the big c....Ziva has attended dog school by Dogs trust and it has helped her confidence it is very well run if anyone needs dog training and would recommend it to anyone Ziva has been very reactive we stopped using the spray as she really started to panic and refusing to walk it was taking me 20 minutes to walk 100 yards treats wouldn't even help ...We finished the course at Dog school 4 weeks ago and the change over the 5 week course was amazing she wouldn't walk across the hall the first couple of times but by the end she was walking well and she even walked the whole length and through a gatethe last night...For the last 2 weeks we have had my daughters greyhound living with us as they are on holiday in Australia and that has made so much difference to Ziva she even managed a really long walk about 2 miles yesterday her confidence is growing daily the sad thing is Saskia (greyhound) is going home in another week Saskia is an amazing dog shevis a therapy dog and bombproof but the trouble is she doesn't live near us so daily meetings are not possible we are not sure if Ziva will revert to how she was before as she is still the same if you take her out on her own she just sits down and refuses to move we just haven't tried her away from home she has a strong guard drive and is very bonded with me she is my shadow she will even go to sleep holding my arm in her mouth I love her so much and have never had such a loving dog and worry that maybe I have wrapped her too much in cotton wool but I have never known a dog who doesn't like walks ...We cancelled our holiday last October as we thought it would stress her too much but we really want a holiday this year and we wouldn't be able to kennel her it would be awful for her we rent cottages and our last dog Lexi travelled all over the country with us ...If she doesn't cope when Saskia goes home we are thinking about getting a companion dog for her we don't think a puppy is a good idea but I am allergic to dogs so need a non moulting breed how do I go about trying to find a dog to fill all our requirements please help with any info if you can and so sorry for the long post ...Sue
I am so sorry to hear about your Mum - I think I answered your previous post before having seen this one. Please forgive my ignorance. Just sending you our love - Tikva and Juli xx
My breed is Miniature Schnauzer, and it is one breed that some people with allergies can tolerate. When checking out a breed, go and sit and pet one for a time, and you should quickly know if you can tolerate being around that breed/dog. The biggest problem with schnauzers (other than it is a breed that requires regular grooming) is that they were bred to be watchdogs.... which means if they can see it, hear it, or smell it, they will probably bark at it, so one needs to quickly train a new puppy/dog to be quiet when told to do so. (A spray bottle filled with water works very nicely for this by shooting a stream of water at the culprit.) Now that we live out in the country at the back of ten acres, I really appreciate this trait! Not much gets by these guys. I will never be without a schnauzer; it is a GREAT breed! When searching for a good breeder or more information about a breed, search the internet by putting in " *Breed Name* Club of America". All recognized breeds have a national breed club, and that should get you to the organization you want.
