# My dog loses her mind on walks when she sees other dogs or cats



## Liana76 (Dec 14, 2012)

My dog used to pull on leash from our very first walk for no obvious reason. She used to be enthusiastic just for being out there and paid no attention to me. I could not catch up with her pace and it was utter frustration. After weeks of training (I stopped walking when she pulled and continued when she relaxed, clicked and treated when she looked at me by herself, had her sit down and look at a biscuit when strangers were passing by etc) she is now still moving ahead of me, but at a pace I can follow. She has a look at passing by people, tries to move towards them for a quick sniff, but that is all. So as long as there are no animals around, walking her works pretty good.

However, when she sees a cat or another dog on the street she goes bananas. She is a 10 month old boxer, and it is becoming dangerous to me. She pulls me like a bull because she is excited and wants to meet and play chase with them. She lies down, jumps around like a clown and invites them to chase her. She even does that with horses that approach her to sniff her and friendly kids that pet her. I just want to mention that. She is not afraid of approacing dogs and does not lack confidence. She does not need to be socialized, she actually grew up in a kennel with other dogs. Thus she finds other animals exciting, obviously more exciting than me, and that would be ok as long as she would not lose her mind in their presence.

The only way I can deal with her dragging me towards them is by pulling back hard, yelling, threatening and ocassionally giving her a kick in the butt to get her out of her trance. Talking softly to her trying to make her relax or trying to get her to look at me by calling her name or presenting treats is an utter failure. No positive reinforcement will work because she does not pay any attention to me at all - I could put a hotdog in front of her nose and only annoy her. When she is back with me after I have dragged her away from the distraction, I treat her for continuing the walk with me. But I am not sure I am making any progress whatsoever with that. How am I supposed to deal with it, so that she won't act like a berserker when she sees animals or objects that interest her so much?


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Training will only be successful if you work with her below threshold, which means before she starts pulling, barking, jumping around, etc. You may need a helper to approach with a dog and stay a certain distance away, or you may be able to find a spot in public where she can see other dogs, but you can stay a good distance away. Once she is interested in them but not yet flipping out, get her focus on you, say "yes", and treat. You will have to gradually move closer and as soon as she gets over threshold, you have gone too far and need to move back.

An alternative to asking her to focus on you is to play "Look at That". When she first sees another dog, say "Look at that dog!" then "yes" and treat her when she turns back for her treat. Of course, she has to be under threshold enough to want the treat. The goal is to have a dog who looks at an approaching dog, then immediately back to you like "I pointed out that dog. Where's my treat?!" A google search on this might help with the exact steps.

Stop pulling her back, yelling at her, and kicking her. Those things aren't working, and are probably getting her more riled up. Right now she is reactive in an excited way, but by making it an unpleasant experience you can create a dog who is reactive in a more aggressive way. She sees another dog, gets excited, and then you yank on the collar, so now she associates other dogs with painful yanks on the collar.


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## Liana76 (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks a lot for the advice. I am reading a book on that right now and it describes these methods, but the problem is once she spots another dog, she is gone. Her mind drifts away. I will definetely try to work with her under threshold, although getting her to focus on me even if absolutely noone is around (I have started working intensely on that) is already difficult when we are outdoors - let alone when she spots something interesting, no matter how far away. 

However I am not sure what to do when she is over threshold. Waiting for her to calm down won't work. Should I keep her away from anything that excites her, as long as she is not ready for it yet? And when she has seen something that excites her and is already over threshold, am I supposed to simply pull her away as fast as I can without saying a word, or should I let her interact (on leash) with the creatures that make her go nuts, then pull her?

I know I am not supposed to pull her at all, but neither is she. When she is over threshold, it feels like fighting with a wild animal.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Once she's over threshold, there's nothing to do except walk the other direction. She is too far gone to learn anything at that point. I wouldn't let her interact, as it will reinforce the crazy behavior that led up to meeting the other dog.


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## Liana76 (Dec 14, 2012)

Thank you so much for the tips!


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## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

Liana76 said:


> *Should I keep her away from anything that excites her, as long as she is not ready for it yet?* And when she has seen something that excites her and is already over threshold, am I supposed to simply pull her away as fast as I can without saying a word, or should I let her interact (on leash) with the creatures that make her go nuts, then pull her?


Yes, to the bolded part. Which basically answers the unbolded part.

For those rare or unavoidable instances where another dog appears suddenly from, say, around a blind corner ... step between your dog and the other, face your dog and body-block her backwards to a distance where she is under threshold. Don't pull her. Rather, 'push' her, so-to-speak. At least to the point where you can get her un-focused enough to turn 180 degrees for further retreat.


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