Thatcher is a handsome lab mix that Iv'e been working with the past few weeks. His owners are quite dedicated to him and at some point in his early adulthood they decided that when they needed to work long hours that Thatcher really needed something to do during the day. They found a reliable Dog Daycare and Thatcher enjoyed months of playtime with other dogs while they were at work. Unfortunately at some point he had a dispute with another dog. He then became highly defensive when having to deal with dogs that are more on the forward side or energetic. He seems to have a lot of conflict on how to behave around them. I talked to the owners before hand so his owners would have some idea on what to expect. We took a walk and encountered several dogs right away. Thatcher immediatly noticed the other dogs and the hair rose on his back. Each time he did this I quickly turned in the opposite direction so Thatcher would break out of his frame of mind. I walked in the opposite direction for about twenty yards before getting back on route. By the third dog we encountered Thatcher was only interested in watching me, just in case I decided to change my walking direction. Each time he ignored the other dogs he received his favorite treats. Once he realised I wouldn't let the other dogs harm him and that he would be rewarded for ignoring them he calmed right down.
In the next session we took him into a dog park. This was a bigger challenge. Several times he got defensive when other dogs approached just to say hello. When this happened I quickly started to walk around the play area and rewarded him with his special treats to keep his attention on me. He saw that each time he even attempted to focus on me I rewarded him, so that after awhile he was relaxed enough to start understanding that the other dogs meant him no harm. He cautiously even greeted a few of them. He is still struggling with a bold dog that runs right over to him to play, especially if they jump on him. That will certainly take more practice.
I can't wait to see how he is doing when I arrive tomorrow, but his owners and myself are pleased with his improvement so far and willingness to relearn. Thatcher is a very smart dog!!!!!! To Be Continued....