Some questions

[Indy]

For those that do not know, my dog Nelly has severe panic attacks around other dogs. I've been working with her consistently ever since we spent a week at Kevin's last October. We've made some good progress, but I had a couple of questions I hoped someone might be able to chime in on.

I've been working on exposing her to dogs, and have been experimenting a bit to see what works best. A big issue has always been the neighbor's dog across the street. Their dog wanders around off leash in their yard and next to the street, and Nelly normally goes into a panic if she sees her. We've been doing bark-on-command when their dog is outside, and have also been doing some tug. Recently, and I don't know why I thought of doing this, but I started lavishly praising her around the dog. If I flood her with praise, she does not go into a panic or even try to charge the dog. I really have to lavish it on, and I intersperse it with bark-on-command, etc. She was able to remain calm (but still focused on the dog) with the dog about 12 feet away.. this has NEVER happened before.

My question is, what effect will this have in the long term? My concern was that maybe it was just getting her to hold back energy, which is not what I want, but I wasn't sure if that was the case. Just curious if this is worth keeping up or if I should just focus on the bark and tug?

My second question relates to the crate. Originally she was doing fine outside of her crate, but after a few months she started to tear stuff up in the house if I wasn't home. After my visit to Kevin's, he mentioned that the crate would be crucial to her healing. She has always strongly balked at the crate (I'm assuming it was used as a punishment in her past), so it's always been a challenge getting her in. As per Kevin's instruction, I've been using the high collar technique (applying pressure to her collar to make her uncomfortable until she goes in). She's finally starting to go in a bit easier, but it's still difficult for her.

Our routine has been nailed down, and now she's starting to hide when it's crate time. If I let her out in the backyard, she will hide under the deck when I ask her to come inside (ANY other time of the day and she'll come right in happily). So to prevent a struggle, I've been just keeping her inside right before crate time, but now she's beginning to run away from me inside the house. I never try to "catch" her.. I always wait until she comes to me and we walk over to the crate together. It just seems like this is getting worse. Any recommendations?

[Sang]

The praising that you're doing when Nelly sees the neighbor's dog is great. You should definitely keep doing it. As long as she's getting her ya yas out with pushing and bite/tug, she'll be fine. The praising is just a way to interrupt her normal behavior without making it confrontational. So you're fine.

I'll offer one suggestion for the crate issue. Have you tried using the crate as a make shift box that you can get Nelly to jump up on and do some settle work? This won't necessarily make her want to go IN The crate, but it might at least allow you to help lower the resistance to the crate time overall, so that when you need her to at least come to you, she won't have so much resistance. Give it a shot and see if it helps.

[Chris]

I would also recommended using the crate as a box. Sang suggested this for Ty and he loves it. Every time he gets a charge he looks at the crate, to start I had to encourage him up but now all I do is point and he's there and settled. Now he goes into the crate without a fuss.

[Lee Charles Kelley]

Originally Posted by Indy

Recently, and I don't know why I thought of doing this, but I started lavishly praising her around the dog. If I flood her with praise, she does not go into a panic or even try to charge the dog. My question is, what effect will this have in the long term?

Hi Indy,

You may have read an early version this article on my Amazon.com blog, or a later version, posted on my training blog in September of 2007. (I've also referenced it several times in my PsychologyToday.com blog.)

If you don't remember it, that's okay. But I think reading it now might help you understand why praise can be used to change a dog's behavior, even by praising her while she's doing the behavior you want to get rid of!

LCK

[Indy]

I remember it now! Thanks for posting it -- definitely understand what's going on better.

Thanks all for the tips.. I'll give it a shot and report back after awhile.

[rudy]

I am so going to try this!


Though, it may be a little akward to tell him what a good boy he is, in public, as he acts like he's going to eat my neighbor, or his kid.

Perhaps I should explain the training beforehand...



Glad you're seeing some improvement!

[rudy]

Indy,

Have you tried making it a ** bigger** choice for Nelly? As far as going in her crate. Position "going in crate" as a really fantastic life saving choice for her.

What I mean is something like...
Have her stand on a box. Position the crate a foot or so away from her and 2 ft or so (Nelly is good sized so maybe 3ft) above her creating a canyon between where she is and her crate. THEN hold the leash tight up inside the crate making it uncomfortable for her to stay where she is. She'll have to WORK to get in the crate, but it's better than falling in the canyon.

She may get that choosing the crate is the safe choice.

Just an idea.