Hi there! My name is Kelsie and I was hoping to get some advice on my dog, Kaeto. Kaeto is a one year old, male (neutered) lab/husky mix that my husband and I recently adopted from the local animal shelter. He was an extreme bundle of energy and we were excited to have an active addition to our family. When we got him, he had absolutely zero obedience skills and was extremely difficult to walk on a leash. He didn't even know his own name. The shelter told us he was good with other dogs, but would get very excited and needed more socialization. We took him to the local dog park where he did very well for about a week. His lack of social skills was apparent. He would chase dogs around and didn't seem to understand no from the other dogs. He would also jump on other dogs heads. When on a leash, Kaeto would lunge at dogs, people, squirrels, or anything that moved. When allowed to approach a dog, he would jump on their heads and he would also jump on people. My husband and I decided to send him to a week long "doggie boot camp" in order to work on his socialization with other dogs. After a week, we brought him home and he was a completely different dog. He didn't care about dogs or people on the walk and he was able to go into the dog park. However, when in the dog park he now seemed very stiff and his hackles were always raised. After being home for two days, Kaeto did a complete 180. He was once again lunging at dogs and people and he was impossible to manage in the dog park. When we take him to the park, we put him in a down and try to calm him before letting him go. Whenever we let him inside, he immediately sprints toward the closest dog and jumps on their heads and/or growls. Now he is also letting out a low growl when he sees other dogs on walks. We spoke to the trainers who worked with him and they were unable to give us any helpful advice. My husband and I have been following the guidelines in "Secrets to Becoming the Alpha Dog" and have seen a difference in how he reacts to us. However, he is still extremely difficult to walk. I would love to be able to let him run around in the dog park, but the most important thing is learning how to manage him on walks. We are in the process of teaching him to heel, but when distracted by stimuli our commands are the last thing on his mind. Sorry for the long message, but I thought more information would be helpful. Thanks in advance for your reply!
Sounds like you need to work on getting and maintaining Kaeto's attention during walks. Try bringing a noise maker (pebbles in a can, a horn, a whistle...) or a spray bottle on walks. When Kaeto starts to get anxious or excited, get his attention by startling him with a loud noise, or spraying him with water. Once you've got it, say "good boy" and keep him attention focused on you. Have him sit, snap your fingers or clap your hands to keep him looking at you until the other dog is gone/walked past.
You might find a halti or gentle leader useful for getting better control of Kaeto as well - it wont let him pull as much and wont hurt him either. Its probably also a good idea to enroll in an obedience class - but be sure its one where YOU go with him to the lessons so that you learn first hand how to control him and he learns to listen to you more.
I hope this is helpful - please let us know if my ideas dont work - we can keep trying!
Thanks for the advice! Currently, when we see another dog approaching, we put Kaeto in a down and attempt to get his attention with a toy or my making sounds. When he looks at us, he gets a treat. We have been using a halti on Kaeto since the day we got him. He LOVES to pull! It definitely helps to control him around other dogs. We attempted a group obedience class before with little luck, but we would definitely be open to trying out another location.
