I had two great follow up sessions today with dogs who are reactive towards other dogs. They did great.
The most important points when working with this problem:
– ‘Pay’ for the appearance of the scary stimulus, not for ‘being good’.
– Have a high reinforcement rate – stingy dog trainers don’t go far. – Reward for anything you like, even if you did not ask for it!
– Timing has to be spot on.
– Be aware of the things that influence the trigger (distance, orientation, animation).
– Keep ‘trigger stacking’ in mind.
– Avoid all form of punishment (yelling, jerking on leash etc)
Feel free to talk to me if you have a dog who is not comfortable with other dogs.
