Sounds like a self help or a Dummies book. But reactive dogs are a real thing, and I just happen to own one. Yes he's cute, gets along with his house mates and will retrieve until he passes out, but Axle is a very reactive dog, with some borderline dominance aggression.
Inside, he's well trained. Sit, lay down, play dead (also known as bang), shake each paw, leave it and wait as well as up to get him to stand up on his hind legs. Both toy and food motivated, which makes training a breeze. Outside in his own yard, with his own buddies he retains most of his focus with the various assortment of toys to present to be thrown. Ah mud and spit covered tennis balls - ick!
Now if there was a squirrel, neighbor or other dog, all training and attention goes out the window as he bolts (and this bugger is built for speed) to go meet them if they are dog/human or chase them if they are of the critter variety. Off putting for most because he greets everyone with so much energy and gusto its way over the top. After his poor mannered hellos, he happily trots back into the yard for some more rounds of fetch. Thusly I have acquired heightened senses for critters, dogs and people to catch him and prevent the unmannered meetings.
Outside of the yard is where things start to get interesting. At the dog park, he will rush aggressively up to other dogs to meet them, tail up, head up, staring a bit too intensely. Most other dogs aren't fond of this and will correct him which amps him up more until they scuffle. The scuffles are short lived, as they are quickly corrected, though the owners of the other dog aren't super thrilled that my dog is a bit too much over the top. Once he's done his meet and greets, he is perfectly content to retrieve items being thrown without another glance at the other dogs.
Did I mention he's got a possessiveness about toys? This means that no matter what toy he is currently playing with, the toy the other dog is much better and the one he wants. At the dog park, being as fast as he is, he just outruns the other dog to catch the thrown item, to bring it back to the other dog's owner. Great, minus that his give skills are not the best, and he'd rather play tug with the item. That and the other owners want to play with their dog, not mine. Axle also is possessive about toys in the house, but if another dog has what is "his" he will do his best to get it from them without getting his face eaten off. And he whines if he can't get it or the item isn't thrown in a timely manner. He's started to "sing" when he really really really wants the ball.
But I digress. The reactivity is noticeable anywhere we encounter new dogs, especially if he's on a leash or through a fence, and slightly less if he's off leash. His brain basically goes OMGADOG!!!ANEWDOGABUDDY!!!IWANTTOMEETTHEM!!! (times 300). And there is no redirecting him once he has made that step. At my old apartment, where there were many "new" dogs to encounter, I would keep him away from the other dog and have him sit while the other dog would go in or come out. Being so amped up, he would get to sit, sit there and shake and whine very loudly at the other dog. Once the dog was removed, he was calmer, though he would often look for the other dog.
Pet stores in the manner of Petsmart and Petco produce the same resulting whine which seems to be amplified through the enclosed openness that easily reaches the front of the store, even though we are in the way back of the store. Slightly embarrassing to have a dog that is so amped up about another dog that he is basically screaming because he wants so badly to meet the other dog.
The result? Less visits to the pet stores, less visits to the dog park. There are two dog parks a short distance from my house, and if there are dogs there when I do a driveby on them, I tend to avoid them. Tie in the factor of a reactive reactive foster pitbull (he's fairly indifferent to other dogs, but if they are over the top he will react to it) and the dog park visits are few. Though on those days there is no one, bliss!
Today was one of those days. Cool, slightly breezy, Bender peeing on everything and occasionally running around, Axle focused on his ball. The bf and I had been there roughly an hour. I was running low on the hotdogs I was using for some recall training for Bender, and Axle was well run, so I had been thinking of wrapping up the dog park session. A car pulls up, and a couple with their boxer and basset hound get out. Caught Bender, and just about had Axle when he saw the other dogs. Straight to the fence to pace and whine, his ball totally forgotten. The couple came into the first set of gates (luckily this dog park has two sides) and I asked that they go in the opposite sides because Axle was reactive to other dogs. And in true form, he was at the end of his leash, whining with great gusto, while Bender was straining at his, barking and getting amped up from Axle.
I decided it was time to head out. The joys of a 65lb dog who is determine to go where he wants to go and is strong enough to pull you there. The opposite side of the dog park, unfortunately shares a side where the sidewalk goes, and the basset and the boxer where happy to bounce along the fence, while Axle strained, whined and struggled to see them, and Bender barked and strained. Kept moving forward and finally got Axle on my right side, so that it was harder for him to see the other dogs. It also allowed his brain to kick in slightly and keep him moving forward. In the car, both Bender and Axle had their noses pressed tightly against the window in attempt to see the boxer and basset hound better.
Now we are home. Bender is solidly passed out on the couch, while Axle is totally conked out on the bed. Hooray for tired doggies!
The quest for knowledge has begun to be able to desensitize Axle to the stimuli of other dogs, so that he might be able to live a less stressed life. Especially since he is only going to be 2 years old this summer. Here's to Axle and the hopes that he can be less reactive in the future!
