Chicagoans in need of Rescue

[DubyaT]

Okay I'm finally getting around to posting some youtube clips of Otis. This might give people a better idea of his temperament. Once again, with proper handling I believe that Otis should be able to overcome the anxiety he experiences when encountering children or dogs. When fully exercised and content, he is typically indifferent towards other dogs and calm with children. The sense of urgency that I feel is that I believe that he has a lot of potential to make progress over the next few months with an experienced trainer, but that once he nears two years of age, he won't have that luxury.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emHbsyVh2xU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW4fJcgl4VY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLCrtaZeXNk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmVsn6BN9C4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzRPLAs3fug

I'm sharing this thread as widely as I can and would encourage those who are interested to share it on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site. Thanks again!

[Choochi]

I just watched you videos, he's a nice boy! You're doing a very good job with him, I think you handle him very well, calm and consistent. Not sure if he would be suitable for police work, he actually seems really laid back and more on the lower side of drive, at least for a Dutchie. He sure likes his ball though.

What was wrong with the K9 training company that originally showed interest in him? Did they evaluate him at all? Some times people assume that just because it's a mal or dutchie the dog must be suitable for work and that's not always the case.

Where are you located? Am I missing an earlier thread about this dog? Seems like people know a few extra things. Do you have any vids or can you give more details about his anxieties and aggression issues? In the vids he seems very stable, but I realize he's not in the situations that trigger the bad behaviours.

[DubyaT]

He tends to have some reactivity towards dogs and has been developing some issues with children. When properly exercised he is a content companion. We believe that it stems from insecurities and that he feeds off of our anxiety when bringing him into these situations (which is often in the city). He just a) needs to be in a household that is not so urban with experienced dog owners and b) needs someone who can confidently bring him into situations that cause him anxiety and help him learn proper behavior.

[Choochi]

Reactivity and anxiety are very fixable with enough time and the proper training. Like I said, I think you are doing a very good job of handling him, I see no reason you wouldn't be able to tackle this with enough knowledge and support. Every one gets nervous at first when their dog shows inappropriate signs of aggression and you're unsure of how to handle it. It can be extremely discouraging, trust me I know. You just need some one to help you and him be successful and show you the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. Shipping him off to the country side with hopes of avoiding him having to face his issues may not necessarily be the best thing for him if it means he will never be worked to learn to over come those problems. The lack of exposure can make his anxieties worse and he will still see other dogs and children out there once in a while, could be very bad news when he does.

He's still relatively young and obviously has a decent base of obedience to start with. You may never get to a point where he will be social with children and dogs, but there is no reason why he can't be taught to react appropriately and ignore them and pay attention to you instead.

Do you know if there are any trainers in your area who offer reactive dog classes? I know there is a Yahoo group for owners with reactive dogs, there are tons of excellent books and resources if you need/want to self-educate.