Xxxxxx wrote: "If (dog's name) is on leash and another dog approaches on leash (ie they are face to face) she absolutely loses it and she becomes a whirling dervish of snarling, growling and barking on the end of my lead. If then she was to meet the same dog in the park off lead she would most probably interact sociably. "

I had the opportunity to work on a very similar problem with a client a few days ago. She too had done all of the things you listed. EVERYTHING! including picking up the dog. This situation concerned a Sheltie, Skylar ( 2y/o neutered male) who had been mauled by 2 dogs on flexi leads in the lobby of an apartment building when Skylar and his owner were exiting the elevator when Skylar was 4 m/o. This fear reaction behavior has been going on for some time...about 20 mos. The reactions to seeing or hearing other dogs has escalated to Skylar being uncontrollable -- lunging, somersaulting at the end of the lead, etc...It has generalized to out on the street.

The owner called me because if it couldn't be "fixed", she would have to place her dog elsewhere; other tenants have lodged complaints. This was a last ditch effort. There was NO choice in taking it slowly (the way I know how -- at the dog's comfort range).

I kept stressing there was "no guarantee" as this could be blind sided by real life and there wasn't ANY way to control the variables. After talking for awhile in her appartment and being assured that the dog was NOT food motivated, I pulled out some deli roast beef as some neighbors were coming home and making noise with their doors.

Then, we went to the elevators and started down to the lobby. This dog would begin barking, stress panting at the 3rd. floor if dog(s) were present in the lobby (where I was told he went "absolutely ballistic -- he's Kujo!!")

There was NO way around this situation! The freight elevator only operates between the 3 garage levels and the pool -- there is no access to the ground floor. I started pressing the cheese in the can stuff into his mouth at the 15th floor. When other occupants(dogless) entered the elevator at the lower floors, there I was still offering the cheese to him - but he was WANTING it.

By the time the elevator arrived at the lobby, there was a pug and Sky's nemesis, Emma, the hated deaf JRT, he glanced their way, but, quickly looked back to the cheese. When we took this to the street, passing other dogs, through the sidewalk seating area at a coffee shop loaded with dogs, this little guy was still more interested in the possibility of a food reward than the other dogs.

Then we encountered the "hated" JRT, Emma. Emma aggressed while Sky looked back for his treat. Sky totally ignored her. Emma approached (on lead), sniffed Sky, and sat to solicit a treat. The Power of Cheese!! These two formerly avowed enemies sat side by side peacefully and politely for treats, "one for Emma", (with exaggerated body language since Emma is totally deaf), "one for Sky" while a group of children gathered to watch. The kids had cameras and asked to take pictures of the dogs for a school project.

This is not the usual result of treating a dog with fear/dog/ aggression problems. But it just so happened that I produced (by accident) the best payoff for this particular dog at this particular time that it worked so well. The owner now has a tool to keep her dog. She also is going to join our local clicker training sessions!!

I just talked to the owner of Sky. She reports that Sky is much more attentive, hasn't aggressed toward other dogs on the elevator, and is calmly walking through the lobby able to look at another dog and then turn his attention back to his owner. He also hasn't lunged or barked at other dogs on the street.

©  9/13/2000 Susan Traynor, Niles MI. All rights reserved. No further reproduction permitted without express written consent. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it