# Need help with my Killer Dog, Lulu!



## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

I really don't know what to do with her! When we are out for a walk and she sees dogs coming near us she acts like she's going to kill them. In reality she just wants to play. But, by the sound of her you'd never know it. I can't really jerk her with a choke collar as she already has some esophagus damage. 6.8 lbs is tiny. When I put her on a harness leash she prances along on her two hind feet like a little attack midget.
Most people laugh and say something like "watch out killer" but it is really embarrassing. I pick her up sometimes but then I'm just carrying the little loudmouth. 
I remind DH that he shouldn't be nearly as embarrassed as the man who had the pit bull that was so afraid of Lulu he peed! (The dog that is). 
But really, I just can't figure out how to make her just walk by like a little lady.
Any ideas???
Carole
:help:


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*I worry about the same thing...*

And it is time to go back to training. Daisy gets agitated and jumps on Riki, then he growls at her and they sound menacing. Since they cannot back up their bite, yikes.

When we were in training, Riki was taught to sit and/or walk by without barking. He actually got the point where he did very well. When a dog walked by at first, I would have him sit and I would give him a treat. He was a terrible barker at other dogs. I also have to be careful I am not pulling on the leash as he reacts to my "fear." If he starts now, I tell him easy easy and he usually listens.

The challenge is Daisy, so I think we will go back to our group training class and work with our trainer. I don't like her jumping up on him and agitating him as he is the one with the huge bark.


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## micki2much (Feb 8, 2007)

Carole, I'm sorry just the visual ound:, I promise I'll think then I'll respond ound:


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Linda, I know what you mean. Vinny actually started it and Lulu learned it from him. Then Vinny got better from the training class and Lulu just took over by herself. Best we return to class too. I just thought someone might have experienced this and know what to do with a tiny loudmouth, lol.


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## marb42 (Oct 19, 2008)

Carole, I laughed so hard when I read your post, especially the part about the pit bull. Unfortunately, I have the same problem as you, so I won't be able to offer good advice. Marble is like an attack dog when he sees another dog. He even barks at any neighbors or people who come near our house. It's very embarrassing. I'm sure someone will have helpful advice. Good luck!
Gina


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Carole--Roxie used to be like that, too. Another one of those little dogs with a big mouth. I walked her with small treats in my pocket. When I saw a dog, I would say, "Roxie--look at me--no bark." At first I had to give her a couple treats until the dog past. Now I only have to say "Roxi--no bark" and I don't have to have a treat.


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I agree with Cheryl on this one. The best thing to do is to make sure that Lulu is paying attention to YOU and not to the dog. Have her look at you and treat her when she does. Keep giving her treats the longer she looks at you. Pretty soon, she will look at you whenever she sees a dog approaching, and that's what you want.

Also, never pick her up when she's acting badly like that. You are actually reinforcing the behavior. Picking her up is making her think that she's doing something good by "protecting" her pack. It can make the behavior worse than it is.

Hope this helps!


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Shelby is the instigator in our pack. I can control Kodi when we see another dog, but as soon as he senses Shelby reacting, it becomes a bark fest. I've been watching "It's Me or the dog" with Victoria Stillwell, and I love her training methods.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Thanks Cheryl, Lina, I'll try that!
Carole


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## Missy (Nov 6, 2006)

Carole, the two things that worked best with Jasper (also a spastic tazmanian havanese with cars) was giving him another job on walks... teaching him to heal and to sit by my side when a car came has helped I would say 80% of the time. Also have you tried the gentle leader head collar with Lulu? that also worked for Jasper but he started hiding when we said wanna go for a walk which killed us because he loves his walks so.

http://www.sitstay.com/dog/supplies...Plastic+Clip+Buckle,+Petite_13273_26907_13272


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Cody becomes an attack dog also. People laugh at him but it's embarassing! They recently had this issue on "It's Me or the Dog" and then on "Underdog to Wonderdog". In both cases they said to make the dog focus on you until the other dog had passed. They both held a treat in their hand, near the dog, but didn't allow the dog to actually get it until the other dog had passed by. I just started trying it today so we'll see. It gets complicated since I've got the two with me and Tess waits until the person/dog has passed by, then she turns to bark at them.


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## Esperanita (Jul 12, 2008)

I love it's me or the dog too! I usually tell Cuba no bark and he stops. Other times when he is insistent, I turn and walk away from the dog he is barking at. Because he just wants to play, he usually stops barking and sometimes even starts to whine. I am interested in how you handle this with two as I will soon have another. I am assuming I will have to walk them separately at first, at least until Isabel learns to walk on a leash.

I got a two dog coupler in preparation. Anyone have success (or horror) stories about the two dog leads?


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## luv3havs (Jul 27, 2007)

I have the same problem with Cali.
What's with these sweeties? 
Acting like attack dogs when they are on a walk???


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## Sawyer's Mom (Jun 2, 2008)

*Very Good Advice Here*



Lina said:


> I agree with Cheryl on this one. The best thing to do is to make sure that Lulu is paying attention to YOU and not to the dog. Have her look at you and treat her when she does. Keep giving her treats the longer she looks at you. Pretty soon, she will look at you whenever she sees a dog approaching, and that's what you want.
> 
> Also, never pick her up when she's acting badly like that. You are actually reinforcing the behavior. Picking her up is making her think that she's doing something good by "protecting" her pack. It can make the behavior worse than it is.
> 
> Hope this helps!


Before my Havanese, I had a little 20lb girl pug who was the very same - all spit and vinegar when she saw other dogs while we were out on the leash. And you can't use a gentle lead with a bracycephalic (pug-nosed) breed. And pull - you would not believe the P.S.I. that little canine could put on the lead.

Since then I have learned much better about how to have a good dog go forward (horse language) on a lead. Do NOT pick her up, as Lina says, this only reinforces bad behavior. Re-focus her attention - ideally she only has eyes for you. To do this, physically use your body as a barrier between her and the other dog/point of interest (sometimes it can be little kids!) and turn her away from whatever sets her off. Walks are not just good opportunities for exercise, they are also good training venues. (Another old horse knowledge point.) Consider carrying treats (as Lina also says) or a clicker or a squeaky toy or whatever her attention-getter is.

I haven't seen the "American" version of this, but if you have a chance to watch "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet, the trainer Victoria Stillwell deals with dogs with aggressive leash behavior all the time. That way you can get a visual about the methods we are discussing here. It may seem funny, or laughable when your itty-bitty, sweet-as-pie Havanese girl makes big dogs pee - but really its bad manners, and in the presence of the wrong dog or a dog off its leash, it could be lethal.

Good luck. With patience, practice, and predictability you can have your sweetheart acting like a lady while out for a stroll. Also, and I have no real basis for this, but I think this may be more of a female dog thing than for males. Again, it could come down to breed, or natural temperament, but I have known this more in female dogs (just like more corprophagic dogs _tend_ to be female - but of course not all) than male, but that is not an absolute, and I am sure is up for discussion. Males seem more eager just to be social and play, females (in my experience) seem to be more territorial... but then again, speak to a terrier owner and I'm sure all bets are off.


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## RikiDaisyDixie (Apr 15, 2008)

*non-tangle coupler lead*

Self corrects when dogs cross each other.
www.enasco.com

I bought mine at a pet expo...after many coupler leashes, this one does not tangle.


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## moxie (Feb 6, 2008)

Carole,
you do create a very funny visual..(little attack midget).
i have no idea what to do, but you are funny!


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## Jill in Mich (Feb 24, 2008)

Rikidaisy said:


> Self corrects when dogs cross each other.
> www.enasco.com
> 
> I bought mine at a pet expo...after many coupler leashes, this one does not tangle.


Thanks for the website Linda. I may have to give that a try. Although I have to say, I'm pretty proud of the manual dexterity I've developed with all of the crossed leashes, switching hands, behind the back, etc.


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

McKenna must be related to LuLu because she does the exact same thing. Barks like a maniac, gets up on her hind legs and dances around and generally tries to get right into the other dogs' face. No polite sniff, just right in their face. Rude little girl!!
My trainer taught exactly what Cheryl and Lina described. Carry treats and get her attention on you the minute you see a dog approaching. It's embarrassing when your 10 lb dog is so obnoxious and you try to tell the other owner that she really just wants to play...........
For McKenna, it's a leash thing (or an inside the car thing). She never, ever acts that way when she encounters another dog while off leash.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Yeah, our trainer told us it was a leash thing when Vinny did it (and consequently taught Lulu). He said it was really fear of being confined to a leash. Vinny wants to be the one in control. But now he is much better and it's Little Lulu, the attack dog.
I will absolutely try the treat thing and getting her to focus on me!
These itty bitty neezers are big dogs in small bodies and don't seem to realize they are playing with danger.
I like that leash Linda!
Carole


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Yep, McKenna wants to be in control of any situation with another dog. When Leslie and Amanda came up for our play date, McKenna and Tori got into a minor dustup after the play date. 
They wanted to play with each other but both girls wanted to be the one to define the rules of the game. Kind of like little kids. "I want to be the princess!" "No, I get to be the princess!" "It's my game!" "Well, it's MY House!"......and on it went. McKenna found herself plunked in my lap and Tori was in Leslie's lap and that was the end of that. No one got to be the princess, cause we said so.


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Lo, Susan, they are just like kids aren't they? Poor Tori. Vinny wouldn't let her play with Lulu. He kept getting between Tori and Lulu and herding Tori away. He would show her the "lip". Control!!
xxoox


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## EstrellaVila (Nov 30, 2007)

I know exactly how embarassing that kind of situation is...

We have this issue with Carmen. Leash agression can happen when the dog is either genuinly stressed out by seeing another dog and thats why they bark at them (to make them "go away") or they are frustrated because they want to get to the other dog. 

For Carmen it was the first. Our trainer had us bring TONS of treats on our walk, and if we saw another dog coming in our direction we would stop walking and click and treat rapidly so she was so distracted by the food party she didnt care about the other dog. Then we worked on her just sitting there watching the dog. Distance is a huge factor, if the other dog is too close no amounts of treats are going to make your pooch behave. 

I dont necessarily agree with not picking up the dog, if your dog is getting so reactive and it sets off the other dog someone could get hurt. You dont know what kind of training/restraint the other dog has. Also, standing in front of the dog might frustrate her more since she can still see the other pooch. I think treats, and working on a "safe" distance are going to help you more in the long run. Eventually the distance will shrink because your dog is not as stressed out.

Another thing you can do is to walk away when they start to not pay any attention to you and are super focused on the other dog. It forces them to pay attention to you again, and then you can turn around and try to get the behavior your want...

Hope that made sense! Remember, you have to practice every single chance you get and keep practicing, other wise it wont work.


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