Professional Philadelphia-based dog trainer Matt Schmisky of Tuff Pup training (www.tuffpuptraining.com) has agreed to share his insight and advice with The Swanky Pup!  See below for some reason advice that Matt shared with someone who asked for advice through his ASK MOLLY section and feel free to send Matt your questions for some honest and helpful advice!

Question: My Jack Russell/Scottish terrier parks at bigger people.  He barks at dogs and doesn’t like them.  What should i do?

Answer:  It sounds like you have a "reactive" dog on your hands or at least that is what most trainers would call it. That is to say you have a dog who inappropriately lunges, barks and thrashes out at other dogs (sometimes people) while on leash or otherwise confined. Reactive dogs are often under socialized, spent a lot of time in a shelter and are reacting mostly to being confined by a leash, a fence or a window.

There is no one straight answer to why a dog acts this way. For each dog the reasons are a little different. Mostly it is an outburst of frustration by a dog who has no idea how else to react when they are being overly stimulated by something that they can't investigate and evaluate on there own. Reactive dogs are also those who perch on the top of a couch and bark out the window all day at rabbits, squirrels, other dogs, skate boards or sometimes even the falling of leaves.

Unfortunately, the issues starts out this way: A dog shows a little frustration at a stimulation they can't get to (barking or whining at another dog) This behavior is then corrected and reacted to by their owners which causes even more anxiety to be aroused in the dog because now that dog is thinking "Man, every time I see this creepy dog walk by the house I try to alarm my alpha to it but she just comes over and yanks me, thank god that creepy dog eventually goes away". This turns into a cycle. Where the dog reacts harder and harder each time because they get angrier and angrier for the dog or other stimulus being there because when it is they get yanked, or rolled over or pushed at and yelled at and so on. Clearly this is not a pleasant state for a dog to be in and no fun for a dog parent.

Reactive dogs are not necessarily aggressive dogs. If you were to tell me that your dog actually bites other dogs or has bitten a human or he can't be around other dogs in a dog park at all, then your issue is a different one all together. So needless to say, to truly get the help you need and to change this behavior I would consult with a professional trainer sooner rather then later. The trainers at Tuff Pup Training do offer behavioral consultations that are affordable and can focus on changing a reactive dog's temperament and teaching him or her self control. They could certainly help improve your dog's attitude toward other dogs and other people. Not only could a good trainer give you a better understanding of what's happening with your dog, they could also give you the skills to better communicate with him and effectively condition him to stay calm and happy. The trainer that trained me is a positive reinforcement trainer and I find that method of training to be the only one that truly changes a reactive dog's state of mind.

With all that said, I can give some advice which may primitively stop your dog's barking from getting worse. Firstly, and I mean this with all of my heart, DO NOT REACT TO YOUR DOG'S BARKING. That is to say, when he starts barking at another passing pup... just keep walking, and keep him walking with you... without stopping, looking at or talking to your dog. Keep your attention and focus forward and your speed calm and consistent. Once and only once, your dog has gone quite and calm, after having walked a few feet away, should you turn to him and talk, praise, or pet. If he is in the middle of barking and you try to touch, hold, grab, or yell at him then you will definitely (unknowingly) be reinforcing him for barking and so you will only feed the anxiety at that moment.

Touching a dog with your hands is almost always considered positive by the dog. Try to be as hands off as possible while your dog is barking. Even if it seems like yelling toward him or holding him close calms him down on occasion, I promise you it is only temporary that he is quite. What has actually happened in this case its that he has gotten startled by your reaction (and so quieted a little) but more so has been rewarded by your attention and comfort for a "barking job well done".

Anther accidental reinforcement to be aware of in the environment is the act of barking getting the other "scary" dog to go away. That is another reason for barking all together. Not just to warn you but to ward off the other dog or person. If your dog is reacting out of fear, because the sight of another dog is threatening to him, then barking almost always works in getting the threat to go away. I imagine you are outside walking your dog on a leash when your dog barks at people and other dogs and they natural and with good reason walk the other way. So when you are outside on a leash and your pup starts barking make as though his behavior means nothing by acting that way, ignore it, and keep walking. Of course don't forget to reward for calm behavior when it happens. If you are in your house and he barks out the window the call him to you from deep in the house and reward him big for actually coming. Make it like his birthday- give him a handful of treats. By doing this you will give him the impression that there are more interesting things happening in the house and that you are not concerned with what at the window. Also when your dog has free run of the house primitively close the blinds on the front windows and or encourage him to stay in the room you are in so he is not constantly rehearsing the window barking behavior. If he has lots of opportunity to practice he will only get better at it, guaranteed.

 I am going to stop right here for a second and say that if you use a pinch collar or chock chain on a reactive dog you are making matters worse for yourself. The discomfort from either of those collars wont stop your dog's reactions at all and they will more likely make the barking worse in the long run. By leash popping a dog for barking when he sees another dog will only cause your dog to associate the painful or annoying leash jerks with the sight of the other dog and so you will be back to that cycle of making your dog's reactions worse.

Lastly you need to start counter-condition him to like the site of other dogs. So when you see a dog who is within a safe distance from you, give your dog a sit and then actually step on his leash with your foot so that your dog can only move maybe a foot or less from you. As the dogs walk by at a safe distances, like the end of the block or on the other side of the street you should start to feed your dog small treats every few seconds until the other dog is out of view or until your dog calms down and focuses on you. If your dog wont take a treat from you or even look at you at all then he is still to over stimulated and aroused. You can try to waft the treat under his nose and bring it up to your waits to try and regain his attention. If you still get no attention then you are to close to the other dog or your treats are not interesting enough. I have found peanut butter or cheese works best for these exercises or any other treat that has a pungent smell. If while trying this he starts to go into a barking frenzy then just pick up the leash and silently walk away. Once he is calmer, try it again with some new distance between you two and the other dog down the block. By doing these steps you are teaching your dog a new job to have around other dogs. You are conditioning your dog to think that the sight of another dogs is nothing more an an opportunity to get treats and attention from you. You, of course, will be paying your dog for this attention he gives you with the treats or with whatever else he may love a lot. This exercise should be done at least one to three times a day until your dog looks to you first for treats and attention before choosing to bark with a dog in sight.

These steps can be taken the same way regardless of the specific distraction. So if it is big people who are the problem with your dog just go through with the same motions I mentioned but with a person in sight. If you have a friend who would be willing to help you out by being the distraction while you practice with your pup then your progress will go more smoothly. Please be mindful of your expectations for this. look for a 50% calmer reaction in the first 2-3 weeks of trying this and then 25% and so on. These steps are only the beginning to changing your dog's behavior. Again, I highly recommend seeking a consultation with a professional trainer in order to have the best progress and to guide you through the next steps. I hope I have given you a place to start.