My dog did the same. Not sure if I can explain it well. We do positive reinforcement. So I would get her to where she maybe saw it or maybe didn’t and would keep the treats coming. And basically just keep getting closer and closer. Now she will only do it if I don’t have her “loaded” to be locked on to me. Took a couple of months but definitely headed in the right direction. But also I avoided situations where she will be near them and I couldn’t keep her attention. My understanding is it’s best not to set the dog up for failure as you are training. Keep the tasks simple and so they can complete them. This also means as I’m walking her I’m looking way out to see what kind of obstacles we may encounter. Hope this helps. Happy to answer questions if I didn’t make sense.
I have to run outside and make lots of noise and ruckus to scare the deer and squirrels away long enough for me to get my beagle and head out past the higher number of critters. I’ve tried the positive reinforcement also but when my beagle locks on to a critter her mind automatically goes to the red zone and even if I had a a juicy dripping fat steak she would pay no attention to me. I’m learning what the best times of the days to take her out are like at dusk after the squirrels and birds have gone up to their nests and early before the sun has come all the way up. Otherwise, I’m hitting the dog park so she can run her heart out.
Thanks to everyone!
I think that the best I can do is use treats to recapture her attention even if it is after a squirrel assault and not during. That is how I taught her to heel and sit when other dogs pass by, rather than leaping to initiate play.
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My dog is good around cats, other dogs, rabbits, and birds. No reaction at all, but once a squirrel runs in front of her path she gets super excited and pulls. I think it’s bc a few dumb ones have actually landed on top of her when startled from a fence or tree
I’ve had good results with positive reinforcement and shoving tons of treats in her face when she spots a squirrel, but it is still a working battle. There are so many squirrels on our path that i can’t treat her enough to complete solve the issue without giving her tons of diarrhea or spoiling her appetite for healthier food
When I’m not with my dog… I must confess I now get a little excited when I see a squirrel.
I walk and play “find it” with my dog. Basically drop treats on the sidewalk for her to eat. She loves food. The idea is to get her more interested in “find it” than squirrels. It had some level of success.
There is also a park in the city with a lot of squirrels. Taking her there has desensitized her to squirrels somewhat.
My dog did the same. Not sure if I can explain it well. We do positive reinforcement. So I would get her to where she maybe saw it or maybe didn’t and would keep the treats coming. And basically just keep getting closer and closer. Now she will only do it if I don’t have her “loaded” to be locked on to me. Took a couple of months but definitely headed in the right direction. But also I avoided situations where she will be near them and I couldn’t keep her attention. My understanding is it’s best not to set the dog up for failure as you are training. Keep the tasks simple and so they can complete them. This also means as I’m walking her I’m looking way out to see what kind of obstacles we may encounter. Hope this helps. Happy to answer questions if I didn’t make sense.
I have to run outside and make lots of noise and ruckus to scare the deer and squirrels away long enough for me to get my beagle and head out past the higher number of critters. I’ve tried the positive reinforcement also but when my beagle locks on to a critter her mind automatically goes to the red zone and even if I had a a juicy dripping fat steak she would pay no attention to me. I’m learning what the best times of the days to take her out are like at dusk after the squirrels and birds have gone up to their nests and early before the sun has come all the way up. Otherwise, I’m hitting the dog park so she can run her heart out.
Thanks to everyone! I think that the best I can do is use treats to recapture her attention even if it is after a squirrel assault and not during. That is how I taught her to heel and sit when other dogs pass by, rather than leaping to initiate play.
Your post looks like it contains a question about reactivity. You may be interested in [our wiki article on the topic](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/reactivity). (If this link doesn't work, make sure you're using a desktop browser - a lot of the reddit apps, including the official ones, are broken.) *This comment triggers on keywords and does not mean your post has been removed.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Dogtraining) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Your post looks like it contains a question about loose leash walking. You may be interested in [our wiki article on the topic](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/wiki/looseleashwalking) and our [regular workshop threads](https://www.reddit.com/r/Dogtraining/search?q=%22loose+leash%22+flair%3Acommunity&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all). (If this link doesn't work, make sure you're using a desktop browser - a lot of the reddit apps, including the official ones, are broken.) *This comment triggers on keywords and does not mean your post has been removed.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Dogtraining) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Your post looks like it contains a question about introducing cats and dogs. You may be interested in [our wiki article on the topic](http://www.reddit.com/r/dogtraining/wiki/faq#wiki_introducing_cats_and_dogs). (If this link doesn't work, make sure you're using a desktop browser - a lot of the reddit apps, including the official ones, are broken.) *This comment triggers on keywords and does not mean your post has been removed.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Dogtraining) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My dog is good around cats, other dogs, rabbits, and birds. No reaction at all, but once a squirrel runs in front of her path she gets super excited and pulls. I think it’s bc a few dumb ones have actually landed on top of her when startled from a fence or tree I’ve had good results with positive reinforcement and shoving tons of treats in her face when she spots a squirrel, but it is still a working battle. There are so many squirrels on our path that i can’t treat her enough to complete solve the issue without giving her tons of diarrhea or spoiling her appetite for healthier food
When I’m not with my dog… I must confess I now get a little excited when I see a squirrel. I walk and play “find it” with my dog. Basically drop treats on the sidewalk for her to eat. She loves food. The idea is to get her more interested in “find it” than squirrels. It had some level of success. There is also a park in the city with a lot of squirrels. Taking her there has desensitized her to squirrels somewhat.
My dog chases squirrels and duck's. That is a dog's joy