# How to Neutralize a Puppy to Other Dogs



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

One of the problems that I have w/ my GSD is he's dog aggressive. I'd like to not go down that road again, w/ Ike my Mali.

There aren't really any dogs that I feel comfortable letting him loose around.

But I'd like him to be exposed to other dogs and learn to ignore them at a young age.

How would you go about doing this?


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Somewhere I wrote a fantastically long post about this.

1. Recall training this is 90% of the work.

2. Find a "dead dog" that will never respond to your puppy. No reaction at all. Then begin working the recall around the "dead dog."

3. Raise the distraction.

(You can do this with adult dogs too.)

Initial Training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ4SCtGFzs4

My somewhat dog-v-dog aggressive pit bull in a dog park. Check out her self-control, off-leash, her relaxed attitude.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKczpiYauYs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhAHhQ2g6Rs

I had her out to a dog expo last week. A couple hundred dogs there. I had her in a 24" tall ex-pen at my booth, doing demos with her. I had her high-value toys and treats in there. She was bumping noses with many of the dogs that were sticking their noses into "her space", but she didn't lose her focus on me.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Anne did you post this on WDF? I'll try to find it if you did.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Great vidoes BTW. 

A little off topic, but did you target a certain area when you rewarded Emma w/ her recall?


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't let my dogs be around other dogs. My rottie is moody and he might tear after another dog. Usually not but I don't put him in situations where it can be a problem. 

When my Mal was a puppypuppy, I didn't allow him to be around my male Rottie for weeks until I knew it was safe.

Why do you feel its necessary to expose your dog to other dogs?


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

My male GSD is the same way, and I don't want the puppy to be like that. Ike is still a puppy puppy, born on Jan 1 (easy bday to remember  ).

I don't want him to be friendly w/ other dogs, I just want him to not be reactive and have a neutral view.

If he's never exposed to other dogs, then how will I be able to teach him to be nuetral and then proof it?

I got my GSD as a pup, and didn't expose him to other dogs. He hates other dogs, especially my BH and I'm sure he will hate Ike too. It makes things really hard, as I'm very active and would like to be able to take all 3 w/ me when I go camping, etc but right now I can't. We're working on the aggression between the two adults but things are really slow.


----------



## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Megan McCallister said:


> One of the problems that I have w/ my GSD is he's dog aggressive. I'd like to not go down that road again, w/ Ike my Mali.
> 
> There aren't really any dogs that I feel comfortable letting him loose around.
> 
> ...


 
This sounds mechanical...But what I do, and I am sure a lot of other people do. Is they simply do not let thier dog interact with other dogs. I may a little but I do not allow intense play, or other intense interaction...a hello and goodbye, maybe both recieve a treat in close proximity to each other but that's about it. I then in the mean time try to be an exciting owner. using the crate to build some social deprivation. Letting the dog out and playing with it for short bursts. going for walks...but we never lounge around together at a young age. At some point around 6-9 months I can tell the dog has totally fallen in love with me. And now I know they are mine. I may loosen the reigns up a bit and allow some social interaction but still not a lot.

for me, socializing is not about making friends...it's about exposure and that's it. 

I simply want my dogs to learn...other dogs are not fun, nor are they dangerous...I am very careful on the social situations I put my dogs in. since they are few...I need them to be positive. And the other thing I need to have been learned is the dog needs to believe I am the sunshine in the sky. I am god...I bring the good things.

If I do this correctly. My recalls will natuarally be like fire, and reliable. I do not use a recall to control a situation. The recall is a fringe benefit of having controlled the situations.


----------



## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

I like what james explained and would like to add that having a lot of dog interaction with your dog can work in a negative way as it did with one of my dogs i found it made her more interested to play with other dogs then to focus(taking it to dog park big mistake)and actually made her more dog aggresive by following the pecking order at places like that she learnt bad habits which i now am paying the price for.


----------



## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

I don't think anyone is advising letting the pup out to play with dogs. I have a bunch of dogs, so what I do is train OB with the other dogs as a distraction. For example, adult dog gets to practice the long down with the pup running around as a distraction, the pup gets to practice recalls while learning that the adult dog in a down is absolutely not as much fun as me...


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Exposure to outside dogs is only done as a neutral thing. Even though neither of my GSDs are dog aggressive I give a simple "leave it" when they even look at another dog. 
We work dogs two at a time on the club field (obedience) but we don't do this with pups because it's to easy for them to be distracted. 
When the pup is exposed to another club dog it's only with a "dead dog" as Anne said.
This is often after the pup has had some focus training with markers. It's very important that YOU are still the most important thing on the field. 
Start at whatever distance works for that particular pup.


----------



## Don Turnipseed (Oct 8, 2006)

My dogs are raised by dogs...outside where they are also born. When I am out there, I am the focus hands down. Takes about 2 to 3 minutes to teach a 5 1/2 to 6 week old to sit on command and a bit longer to down but not much. They are swimming by 7 weeks. Why do I leave them with the dogs? They are dogs and when I am there, I am the special treat.


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Megan, I would give up the dream of all living in harmony. you have two adult males that are dog aggressive, and the last thing you need is this little one doing it to.

I would NEVER EVER let him around your other dogs, and my advice would be to place one of them. If they ever get that little one the idea that dogs are bad, you might have a lot more than you are able to handle in a very very short time.

Just what I would do, but then again, I absolutly hate dog aggressive dogs and look at it as a weakness. A dog should be able to deal with it's own kind.

I am not talking about ignoring other dogs being aggro, but just not all flipped out and untrustworthy around them. It is bullshit.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Hey guys thanks for all the suggestions. I'm not wanting the new pup to want to play w/ other dogs, sorry if I gave you all that impression. I was just looking for ideas on how to expose him to other dogs while keeping it nuetral.

I am very aware that if I do things the wrong way I'll have a dog that I might be able to not deal w/. I'm taking everything super slow, and not letting my other dogs out around him period.

Jeff, Carol hasn't been trying to get you to talk me into sending Jake up to her has she? lol

I hate the dog aggressiveness too, it's something that I do not want to have to deal w/. But in a sense I feel like I created it (w/ my oldest dog) and they are my responsibility to manage and care according. I completely agree w/ your POV Jeff, but I can't see placing either of my older dogs right now. 

I know this is off topic, but Jeff, you've read some of my other posts about my dog aggro problems. Do you think an e collar would help?


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Megan McCallister said:


> Great vidoes BTW.
> 
> A little off topic, but did you target a certain area when you rewarded Emma w/ her recall?


Yes. and no. I'm not exactly sure what you're asking.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Anne Vaini said:


> Yes. and no. I'm not exactly sure what you're asking.


It seemed as if she was either coming right in front of you, or she was coming to your left side. 

Did she just naturally come to those two spots, or did you encourage her to go to those spots?


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Megan McCallister said:


> I know this is off topic, but Jeff, you've read some of my other posts about my dog aggro problems. Do you think an e collar would help?


Go back to my first post  It works. You can add correction in later, but the dog must understand what is required first. 

I usually see dramatic improvement in 20 minutes.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Anne Vaini said:


> Go back to my first post  It works. You can add correction in later, but the dog must understand what is required first.
> 
> I usually see dramatic improvement in 20 minutes.


 
Thanks Anne, I'll try this w/ him too. Now I just need to find a "dead" dog lol .


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Megan McCallister said:


> It seemed as if she was either coming right in front of you, or she was coming to your left side.
> 
> Did she just naturally come to those two spots, or did you encourage her to go to those spots?


I train recall and finishes separately. For me, recall is the act of breaking her attention away from something of interest and giving me eye contact. The reward comes near me, so she returns for the reward. The recall is the act of spinning around to face me and coming towards me.

I did train the flip finish and front and chained them on. The front usually only is on the cue "hier."


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Megan McCallister said:


> Thanks Anne, I'll try this w/ him too. Now I just need to find a "dead" dog lol .


Oops! That's just for the puppy training. You can use any dog that isn't aggressive or hyper to start. You'll be some distance away from the other dog to start anyway.


----------



## paige hanson (Feb 7, 2009)

Try contacting a CGC tester, I have had a few people call me and socialize their dog with my tester dog.


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

paige hanson said:


> Try contacting a CGC tester, I have had a few people call me and socialize their dog with my tester dog.


Paige - that's a fantastic idea. I didn't think of that. (But then again, my dog IS a neutral dog for CGC tests. :lol: )


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Anne Vaini said:


> ... I didn't think of that. (But then again, my dog IS a neutral dog for CGC tests. :lol: )


One of mine is too. All these "neutral" dogs. :lol:

He is worth his food, I tell you, when he comes along to be "Mr. Calming Signal" for work with a fearful dog.


Great idea, Paige. 8)

P.S.


Anne Vaini said:


> .... You'll be some distance away from the other dog to start anyway.


 In fact, at the "no reaction" distance.


----------



## Megan Bays (Oct 10, 2008)

Thanks for that idea Paige! I would have never even thought of it.

I believe there's a lady who lives down the road from me who is a CGC tester, I'll try getting in touch w/ her.


----------

