Koji goes "on patrol", help!

Emmasmom said:
Can you give him a job to do while you are walking i.e carry a tug or a ball or something like that?
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I was thinking about doing something like that, but I'd have to train it and no one could/would really tell me how to train it. But I just read something that gave me step-by-step instructions, so I may work on that too.
 
I would give him something to carry around the house and reward him for that, gradually working up to the yard and then to the walk. Years ago, I used to see a fellow in a motorized wheelchair walking his dog. The dog always carried a small tire toy.
 
Tagg said:
I have been wondering for some time what effects breeding for high performance might be having on dogs. When we talk about breeds that were developed for a reason be it herding, guarding, hunting or vermin control, we are talking about dogs doing a job all day, every day. They are tired out when they come in for the evening and less likely to spook at shadows or chew their feet. Since they no longer do the job they were originally bred for, breeders selected dogs that didn't exhibit such drive so that the offspring would be capable of living in society as it is now. Enter dog sports and competitions. I am hearing more and more that this dog's offspring has to go to performance homes only as they will be high drive dogs. Hmmmmm. What happens to the dog that conformationally is not capable of running all day but tempermentally needs it? What about the dog that is sold to a family in the city that planned to take Rover out for a good long walk a couple of times a day but can't be spending hours doing it? Running agility is not enough exercise to use up the extra energy unless a lot of other physical and mental activity can be brought into play. Many people don't have the time or the energy to wear out a high drive dog. Take Star, the aussie across the street. She goes for a 5 k run most nights now. She comes home, naps for about 15 minutes and needs to go again. She's like a size 10 foot trying to be squeezed into a size 6 shoe. She doesn't fit. She needs an all day job but is being kept as a family pet. I'm not suggesting that every reactive dog falls into this pattern of breeding but I have to wonder if it comes into play more often than we know. Rhiannon is not a high energy dog now but was like the energizer bunny as a youngster. Even at the age of nearly 11, if she doesn't get enough mental and physical stimulation she will start to lick her front legs and her back feet. She will start staring out the window on high alert. She was never like the 2 dogs that her breeder has now that were out of world class agility dogs. They are like Jack Russells and never stop unless they are crated. I honestly couldn't live with either one of them. Just a little food for thought.
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That's why I am a firm believer in breeding for the all around dog that is a picture of conformation and temperment for the breed. Never just for a pretty face and never just for drive and energy.

These dogs need to be members of the family more than they need to be an agility or performance dog. Stable temperments, confident, dogs with off switches but I don't want dumb and hungry either. I want thinkers and sensitive to training that the sheltie is known for. Thats what we work ,we haven't perfected it yet but we are getting there.
Here we chose for temperment just as much as we chose for proper eye and coat. I myself will give on those points more than temperment.

PS we have had only one puppy that had to go to an active home, a 71yr lady wanted him and we said no way. The puppy lives on a farm now and runs with horses daily(during work and rides-not herding).
 
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Okay, so it's been a bit over a week. I just started LAT with his dinner tonight. I think I'll work on holding the toy in his mouth training in the AM and LAT for dinner.

He did really great today. We came across 4 sets of people and 2 sets of dogs. With 3/4 people, he'd look and get treated. No growling, no lunging. Progress.

With the dogs, 1 was pretty far away, he got alert, but that's it. Gotta say, I was trying to catch up to the guy. He had two very beautiful tri's. I've never seen tri's where the colors are so vibrant and very noticeable (as in the different colors, usually they blend a bit more). Beautiful.

The other dog was closer and across the street and not walking away from us. The other dog also stopped to stare, ugh. So, Koji growled and pulled, but no lunging. I'd say that's a bit of progress. I didn't catch him before he went over threshold, so I just waited until Koji couldn't see the other dog (cars in the way) and walked away.

The last person, ugh! Of course I ran out of food. She's the only one he growled and pulled at...as she was walking away (he tends to do that a lot too, kinda like he wants to herd them). So, I had one more piece of kibble. I waited until he calmed down and then when he shook it off and was calm, I had him do a touch and we went inside.

Of course, he's so focused on food and everything else, he didn't go bathroom, but I'll take him out when it's dark and no one is around. Heck, he'll also go faster.

Baby steps.
 
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Glad you are seeing some improvements with Koji.

I have seen a little improvement with Bailey as well. The only thing is she has to know I have treats. When she knows I have treats she is much better behaved.:rolleyes2:

She hasn't barked at a person in at least a week or more until this morning. I was talking to a neighbor. Bailey sniffed him and he even pet her a little, but when he walked away she barked at him. She does that a lot. I'm not sure why she barks at people when they are done interacting with her.

As for dogs, she is still the same. She continues to improve at a distance, but has trouble with dogs close to her.
 
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