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I foster a lot of JRT's and some can be real pistols and really, really need another JRT for a permanent playmate, while others do well on their own.
Going to a series of group training courses where other dogs are around is always something I stress to do with JRTs. Many places offer it and ask how many dogs will be in the class - just look up pet training. By doing a group thing, they teach you to teach the dog to focus on you and not the other dogs.
I have 3 dogs and we sort of had to adjust our walking route because of a dog that was fenced in and charged the fence when we walked by sending my own dogs into a tither and my cocker into a complete and holy terror.
I foster a lot of JRT's and some can be real pistols and really, really need another JRT for a permanent playmate, while others do well on their own.
Going to a series of group training courses where other dogs are around is always something I stress to do with JRTs. Many places offer it and ask how many dogs will be in the class - just look up pet training. By doing a group thing, they teach you to teach the dog to focus on you and not the other dogs.
I have 3 dogs and we sort of had to adjust our walking route because of a dog that was fenced in and charged the fence when we walked by sending my own dogs into a tither and my cocker into a complete and holy terror.
I will also look into the group training courses. Thanks Thursday007!
*Sigh* I wish I knew the answer because I have same/similar problem. I have a terrier mix, also from a shelter. Whenever she sees another dog she goes ballistic barking. It could be out during a walk or just seeing another dog out the window. Her barks sound like she wants to go kill the other dogs, but I've learned that she really just wants to get up close and personal with them to play (learned this the hard way when she bolted out the front door one day to go 'play' with some doggies down the block). She is not aggressive with other dogs, but I didn't want to take that chance since she sounds like she wants to kill them. Luckily, as we found out, she just wants to play.
Once at the vet office, there was another dog in the waiting room and she was going nuts barking and trying to get to the other dog. The owners of the other dog were clearly disturbed and asked me how I can deal with such a dangerous dog since she sounded like she would die right there if she didn't get to run over to the other dog (she really is the sweetest thing ever, but she 'appears' to want so badly to get to the other dogs that it comes off as "I want to kill that dog right now" kind of barking). It's quite embarrassing. The vet office even made me leave out the back entrance when we were finished there since there were dogs in the waiting room.
WOW...ironically I just asked a client of mine who does obedience training about this problem yesterday. I tried it last night and it worked PERFECTLY!
I have an eight year old papillon (named Apollo), who always barks at other dogs. He heard three dogs outside (all of which he socializes with and barks at), so I got him ready to go outside. He was all excited and ready to start barking and I said "no barking" and gave him a little treat. He raced outside and one of the other dogs (who barks even more than Apollo) was going crazy. Several times I said "no barking" and gave him another treat. He didn't bark ONCE! The other two gals couldn't believe how well behaved he was being and they're going to try the same method with their barkers :-)
My GSD did this same thing. She really wanted only to play, but tell that to people who freeze when they see one hopping around and barking like a nut.
I did not turn her around and walk the other way. That's avoidance and she needed to learn how to deal with dog encounters. Walking away may not always be an option.
She needs to learn to focus on YOU, not the other dog. I cured my GSD by making me much more interesting than another dog because I had the treats.
Piece of steak or another dog? I won out every time.
I trained her to focus on ME. I don't always give treats, sometimes just praise the heck out of her, but she never knows so she pays close attention to me. Other dogs are just not high on her priority list now. It's easier to start this training with a known dog. Friend, neighbor, or in a class situation.
It definitely can be fixed. Good luck with her. She's adorable.
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