Question
Pup
Hello, I have a 1yr old intact Bouvier bitch that I purchased as a pup from a reputable breeder. While on walks my dog goes into a frenzy when a skateboard or person on a bicycle goes passed us. She lunges on the end of her leash at the rider, and she barks in a high pitched rapid bark. I try to keep her focus on me with treats and commands that sometimes works, but not always. Today I was preparing my bike for sale and was riding it around the block and my dog was following along. I watched her for signs of nervousness, she would cut in front of me and was watching me intently, however it seemed minimal until she lunged up and mouthed my leg. It didn't seem aggressive, but more like she was tried to remove me from the bike. There is only scratches from her teeth and some bruising on my leg. I work from home and spend all day with her. We go for one long +5km walk and one or two additional short walks a day. I do small training sessions daily, with sit, stay, down, stay, come etc. I take her in the car with me and she does not show any guarding or protective behavior over the vehicle. Aside from the bike/skateboard issue the only troubling behavior she has displayed are that she has growled once, last week we were in the vet buying dog chews and a woman walked in directly towards us. I corrected the growl behavior verbally. Also, I have a difficult time with her pulling on the leash, but this is getting better daily by stopping when she pulls and making her turn around and get beside me. She is a bright, happy and loyal dog that I love dearly and I want to change her behavior so there is no concern about her biting a child off their bike.
Thank you very much for your time.
Best regards,
Dione R.
AnswerOK: I'm afraid of balloons (for the sake of argument) and you, knowing this, walk into my house with 2,000 balloons and then get upset when I start screaming and foaming at the mouth.
You KNOW your dog has an issue with skateboards, motorcycles (most likely) and bicycles, yet you TAKE YOUR DOG ALONG while YOU are riding a bicycle! HUH?
Prey drive is a difficult thing to control and couple this with the dog's inability to comprehend what it's seeing (a person on a skateboard, bicycle, etc.) you have a situation wherein the dog is going to have the reaction it is most intended for, due to breed type and temperament: in this case, the dog does what her immaturity, improper socialization and breed type mandate: she goes forward, to control/defend against, etc. What her pure motivation is I cannot tell you because I can't see it from here. NO dog would ever have ANY opportunity to chase down ANY child on ANY bike or skateboard since the dog SHOULD BE LEASHED at all times when outdoors. Even the most seriously trained dog (for AKC obedience competition) can respond to a fight/flight mechanism and take off after an object (cat, rabbit, car, etc.) with its heavily credentialed trainer running hysterically behind it. Dogs do NOT belong off leash outdoors unless in secure dog park or one's own securely fenced property (NO electric fences).
To deal with your dog's over excitement in the presence of skateboards, bicycles, et al, you must conduct careful desensitization and use positive reinforcement training to give the dog alternative "work" behaviors she can perform for reward. "Correction" should NEVER be used: if the dog growls at someone who approaches her, whose fault is that? Not hers. Even though direct approach at a brisk pace, with or without eye contact, can be perceived by a dog as a threat, this is also an indicator of poor temperament or mismanagement and poor training. Using a verbal correction followed by a quick "sit" for reward is the stopgap measure but you've got a PROBLEM, this dog should not be growling at anyone, for any reason.
I suggest you find a certified applied animal behaviorist who can evaluate why your dog growled in that manner: yes she was in the vet's office (where fear runs high) and ok it may have been a one time aberration, but it may also be a demonstration of poor training, inadequate socialization and mismanagement. You CANNOT mess around with this breed, these are tough, independent dogs. Making a dog run through obedience routines for short intervals every day does not psychologically promote you and does absolutely nothing to extinguish any aberrant responses the dog may be developing. You need some expert guidance: dog needs temperament evaluation, needs to be observed during her reaction to bicycles et al, and you need advice regarding your training regimen, plus in person demonstration of how desensitization is done when it involves prey drive or fight/flight. Find one in your area at one of the following sites, or (if you are unable to find one) call high end veterinary clinics and ask for referral to a real professional (NOT a dog trainer, you need someone who understands the psychology of the dog and can read the dog's body language in an instant):
http://certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/page6.html
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory
http://www.arkanimals.com/ark/dg_expert_referrals.html
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