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  1. #1
    Senior Dog sheltieluver's Avatar
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    Need help or advice

    This isn't about Gauge but about my sheltie Flash. Flash is very noise reactive. A little history I got him from a show breeder at 8 weeks so I know he was socalized. When I got him I took him everywhere but he never really was one that liked people. Hes not mean but hes actually afraid of them. When we have people over he will run and bark at them even if hes seen them before. Some people tho he is totally fine with. I worked with a behaviorist and we came leaps and bounds with building his confidance up. Hes fine on walks even when we walk by other dogs if they bark at him I can see him start to stiffen and I just say leave it and keep walking and he will. I try and stay calm and ignore when he is beeing fearful of things and act like its not a big deal. Inside is where I'm having a problem. Every noise he hears he barks. He will be sound asleep on the couch and we call it his switch is broken he will just jump up and redirect his aggession to one of the other dogs if they are in his way. The other night I fell asleep on the couch, he was laying at my feet on the couch sleeping and he woke me up jumping off the couch to run to the window and my toy poodle was in the way and he was in the liine of fire and now has two punctures in him its all swollen and brusied. Hes also gotten my other sheltie and even Gauge. Nothing more than a little punctur so I know its not intentional but I don't want him doing it obviously. I'm in the process of finding a behaviorist since the one I used recently passed away from a brain tumor. The only thing I found online is for leash reactive dogs and hes fine on a leash. Oh also if my husband is layiing down and gets up off the couch, Flash will jump up and either bark at him or on occasion has nipped him in the leg. I tried rally classes with him but he shuts down and wont work so I will do some stuff in the back yard with him. He gets exercise too.

  2. #2
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Hope you can work this out for Flash. I have no suggestions but I will tell you my obedience trainer had some heavy duty counter conditioning to do when she took on her own Sheltie's sister. The poor little thing was kept for breeding but never socialized or exposed to noise or other stimulus. So much for a breeder who shows in conformation, the wee thing was not racking up points so was released from the breeding program. Her way of compensating was to whirl in a circle over and over and over. That's when she was not hiding in a corner. It has taken years for her new owner to build her confidence but the last time I saw her was a month ago when she was being used for the "Meet a friendly person and friendly dog" part of the CGN evaluation, which is how I met this trainer, she's the evaluator.

    Good luck, you can do it. But the point of my long ramble, I bet it won't happen quickly.

  3. #3
    Senior Dog sheltieluver's Avatar
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    I'm def willing to put in the work. I worked with the behaviorist before and like I said I can now walk him outside without him getting so stressed. I couldn't even get him out the front door without him spinning or pulling to get back in the house. He will now walk past things he would have been afraid of and I just tell people not to pet him and let him come up on his own. He wouldn't even go up to people before but if they ignore him he will sniff them and thats what I praise. I also carry treats and have them toss them to him on the ground. He can be such a great dog and hes not aggressive. Even when hes playing with the others out in the yard I cant play ball because he will chase and bite them. Im sure its his herding instinct but I cant let him leave holes in them. Right now I have a leash on him so I can correct the behavior before it happens.

  4. #4
    Senior Dog POPTOP's Avatar
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    So sorry Flash is having problems. Have not encountered this. Archie reacts to some sounds but nearly as much as Flash.

    One thing that popped into my mind, how is his eyesight? Probably not the problem but all I could think of.

  5. #5
    Senior Dog ZoeysMommy's Avatar
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    My corgi did something similar, she is also hypersensitive and redirected her anger and stress on the other dogs. When she wasnt in her crate or xpen, she was on a leash so I could stop her and redirect her attention. This went on for almost 3 years. Its been about 1 year since she has had a leash on inside but I still watch her all the time. I wish I had more advice but the only thing that helped Daisee was the leash at all times

 



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