Barrier reactive dog12/19/2023 ![]() They’re very low to the ground and far away from our hands. For context, I have two reactive dogs, one of which is only 15 lbs. I think a lot of the strategies remain the same regardless of a dog’s size, however there are a couple things that come to mind that are more small dog specific. My dog is little but has surprisingly strong short legs, lots of torque in those little nubs, but at least I can always pick him up in an emergency. As if his anxiety is 'cute' or its not important for my dog to live a happy life.Įdit: this turned into more of a rant than useful advice, sorry! But other comments have better summarized similar challenges with small dogs. Similarly it's hard to get support from friends and family because they think 'who cares he's so little!'. Larger men especially think it's funny that my dog "is trying to act tough", like no he's terrified of you and you're laughing at him and continuing to walk right up to him, it's not funny! Strangers will keep walking right up to me while I'm clearly trying to take my dog away and keep him calm. They don't respect his boundaries even when he's giving signals. But because he's small and not a large potentielly dangerous dog, other people do not respect us and they won't take his anxiety and fear seriously at all. Can't use a collar of course, little dogs have delicate tracheas (previous dogs I had never pulled or had any reactivity but still both suffered collapsed trachea).įinally, I know he is no one else's responsibility but my own and I can't expect others to change their behaviors for my dog, I get it. I also have not found a front clipping harness that fits his little frame, I've tried so many. Or while I am bent over I can't see what else is happening around me, like another trigger approaching. He's so little, it takes me a couple of seconds to bend down to his level and throw a treat in his mouth! Or be able to distract him! Sometimes I'm just not fast enough. My challenge with him being so small is that it's very challenging to give him a treat when he sees a trigger before he reacts. But his medication is very expensive because he is small, it has to be custom made. We started medication and it's been up and down, I think we may need to adjust the dose but TBD. Eventually he started leash frustration reactivity, then fear-based agression reactivity to dogs, people, even squirrels he couldn't chase. I tried to spend as much time outside with him as possible to desensitize him but seemed to just trigger him more and more. He had no impulse control and was hypervigilant, he'd instantly run towards any sound, sight, or smell, like a little tornado. He was not reactive the first few weeks I had him, but he was easily overwhelmed outdoors. My little guy is 12lbs, about 2 years old, he's a rescue from a shelter and besides being housebroken (thank god at least for that!) had zero training, socialisation, or sense of boundaries. If you report a comment, please also message the mods so that we don't miss it. The tips and advice here cannot replace a qualified certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist - if you are struggling please consider these resources for your dog. Please be aware of your tone and language. Positive reinforcement, it’s not just for dogs! People will be much more receptive to criticism and advice if it is constructive and comes from a place of compassion. This is a place for owners of reactive or formerly reactive dogs to discuss progress, setbacks, ask for advice, vent, and get support. Having a reactive dog can be an isolating and frustrating experience. ![]() We are a community for people that own reactive dogs! (A reactive dog is not required to join, but please keep discussions and posts focused on dog reactivity.) We support the LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) approach to dog training. If you are asking for help for the first time, use our questionnaire. ![]()
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