Walked Chance with another dog!!!!!

[rnor1120]

I'm still in a little bit of shock. Yesterday I called my friend with the chihuahua and we met up at a large open field. I got out of the car and he started his whole lunging routine, but I pulled out the cheese and that stopped pretty quickly. I had my friend hold her chihuahua and made Chance sit next to her, and every time he looked at Lexus (the chihuahua) I treated him. The walk started out a little rough. My friend and I kept our distance and Chance made a few passes at the Lexus, but each time I stopped, made him lay down, gave him a little break, and started up again. Before I knew it, Chance just completely ignored Lexus. Believe it or not, he wasn't tensed or freaked out at all, he was nice and relaxed. They were literally 4-5 feet from each other (I kept his leash loose but short just for safety) and he didn't bat an eyelash. My friend and I were even able to talk almost the entire walk, which I wasn't expecting to be able to do. I was so proud.

At the very end of the walk, I muzzled Chance and had my friend hold Lexus' rear end to him. And he sniffed her! He has one of those mesh muzzles (I don't ever use it except in special circumstances), so it was hard to get the cheese in, but I was seriously almost in tears. I then turned him around and let Lexus sniff his rear end, which he allowed her to do. My friend also held Lexus' face toward him and he sniffed her ears. I'm not sure what that meant.

So, while Chance was still muzzled, we put the Lexus down. He went to go sniff her rear again, but he went into her inguinal area from the front of her back leg instead of sniffing her rear from behind. I'm not sure if he got frustrated because she's so short and close to the ground and he really couldn't get a good sniff in, or if he was intentionally bullying her, but he began pushing her around with his nose. I'm hoping it's the former and not the latter, especially because he was pushing around at her genitals and not her neck/head. So we picked her up and he resumed sniffing her ear (although she was a little miffed at him at this point so it was short lived - I also gave her a nice big jackpot of cheese for being such a good sport).

I was so proud of Chance, how he started out a little rough and finished like a champ. Today he get's a break from other dogs. I'm going to see if I can't make chihuahua walks a weekly/biweekly event.

[Butter]

Congrats! The only thing different I would do, is not to treat him when he looks at the other dog but rather when he looks at you.

Your goal should be to have him pay attention to you, in order to be able to listen to further commands. When he is lunging he is fixated on the dog, and it would be hard to get his attention, out of that "mode". Also, if you treat him while he is looking at the dog the other dog may not enjoy being starred at and therefore cause an altercation. If a stray dog with rabies is off-leash, you wouldn't want him to go sit beside the dog with rabies and look at him, would you?

I'd start with working on eye contact with Chance, in the home away from distractions. I find it easier to have the dog on leash, with your foot over the leash (still allow room for him to lay down, stand up, sit, back up a bit, etc.) this way your hands will be free. In the beginning, it does not matter whether he is sitting, standing or laying down- as long as he is not trying to grab at the treat. Have the treat in your hand so he will be able to see it, but not be able to take a chunk out of it. If he make eye contact, give him a piece of the treat and say "Yes!". Continue this for a while, in 5 minute sessions, max 5 times/day. Soon he won't keep his eyes off you and you will be feeding him a treat every second.

Once you've got the eye contact accomplished in the home, take him to the park when no one is around. Slowly, over the next few weeks gradually go closer and closer to where other dogs/people are.

Not only are you now creating a dog that will automatically look at you for further directions but Chance will be calm around other dogs. He won't find a desire to lunge, because there is a better reward if he quietly sits beside you.