Rescue Dog is Either ADD or Over Threshold in New Environments

[corky]

Originally Posted by OutlineACDs,
"If you need to touch her to get her attention she is over threshold."

Corky is very ADD in new environments, whether or not there are other dogs or people around. He doesn't make eye contact with me. He is constantly sniffing the ground, so I do touch him to get his attention if I need him to sit, for example. If he's pulling while he's sniffing I either sit stay him or turn around so he's forced to pay attention to me and where I am walking. Given Outline's definition, Corky is always over threshold when he is somewhere new. Is being over threshold always a bad thing? If it is, then how do I desensitize him to new environments?

[Criosphynx]

over threshold means the dog is in fight or flight (or shutdown) your dog simply sounds like he needs more training. Reactive dogs are generally freaking out in som' way, ussually by barking snarling and lunging.

dogs don't generalize, meaning, if you teach them eye contact, or sit, or whatever, in the house that knowledge will not automatically transfer to the yard. OR say you practice sit in lots of locations, but not with distractions...and you add distractions, the behavior also falls apart.

So the good news is you have a normal dog! Its perfectly ok for you to "touch" him to interupt him if you need too, but it wont stop him from repeating the behavior.

[corky]

He doesn't try to fight. He does try to remove himself from scary situations like a sudden movement or noise.

[Criosphynx]

how much training has he had? How long have you had him? How are you training him? Does he recover quickly from the noise/movements?

[corky]

We've had him a month and a half. He was in rescue for seven months. I'm training him at home. He wouldn't do well in group yet. He's very quick and responsive to me, except when he's in a new place.

[Criosphynx]

When I rescued my pit bull. She was similar. She had spent her whole life indoors so it was impossible to get focus outside.

I would get everything your working on SOLID indoors with distrations, and then start working outside in your yard and repeat...solid behaviors with distractions...then try and find the most boring place in the world that you can, and start all over again. Its alot of work, and it will take LOTS of time (likely weeks or months) but the dog will learn faster the more places you practice as long as you don't go up the scale to fast.. But you do need to have that solid groundwork at home first if he has ZERO attention to you in public, that way you can build on successes, not failures

Does that help?

[corky]

That helps lots, thanks. He's great at home. He gives me his undivided attention; he's very bonded to me and my husband. I guess we'll just have to take baby steps to get him some manners in public.

[lizzybeth727]

You can also start getting him used to being in public by taking trips to parking lots (on quiet streets!): just let him out of the car, let him sniff a little bit, and then click him for giving you attention, and then get back in the car and go home. Make the trip very short and end with him doing something good that gets him clicks and treats from you. Then as he becomes more focused on you and more comfortable in parking lots, work on more difficult behaviors. When he's good at difficult behaviors, then maybe try going into stores; or work in a busier parking lot. Either way, keep your sessions VERY short - 5 minutes or less - and click him for easier behaviors when you step up on the distractions in the environment.