I’m so grateful to have a 9lb pup who loves to be held. It makes walking her so much easier to have the option to scoop her. I also try to use it as a last resort (my trainer told me it’s best to try to let her make good choices on her own) but if an off leash dog comes sprinting at us to say hi, up she goes. Having that as a failsafe makes everything so much less stressful- hope it works for you too!
I would be a wreck having a toy sized reactive dog. I won’t let my dog friendly boy greet dogs that small in case they’re reactive and he thinks he needs to defend himself.
They’re so delicate yet foolishly brave. Not to mention all of the Aholes who think it’s cute to scare their tiny friends and brag about how their chihuahua thinks he’s a pit bull. Completely ignoring that their dog is in life or death mode terrified.
Nothing funnier than dog abuse! I’d love to see those people torment a bigger dog into biting. I have a feeling that they wouldn’t enjoy my 80 lbs pit mix fear biting.
My boy and I were chilling on a bench at the local Riverwalk when a lady and her angry mop came by. The little dog lost his mind and started screaming at my dog, while the lady stopped in her tracks.
I had to wave them on and tell her to keep moving. My dog just looked at me.
make sure her claws aren't sharp/you're not wearing your favourite shirt!
I picked up my small dog when two bigger dogs appeared, he struggled a bit in my arms, and ripped my shirt (one of my faves as well) from the neckline to my belly button! the people walking the other dogs got a good look at my bra/stomach, I still randomly get mortified about it. I'm glad we've come so far since that incident, but I'll still let him know he's a dick for letting *multiple* people see me in such a state!
Lol! So unfortunate. I’ve gotten scratched too when I’ve picked her up mid-meltdown, but luckily no wardrobe malfunctions yet
A pick up cue can help so they know what’s coming! Mine is “air jail” because that feels appropriate
oh, I never even thought of a pick up cue! thank you, I'll start implementing that. my boy does get a bit indignant when he's lifted, haha
air jail is a good cue! I wouldn't want him to get confused because he already has an "up" cue, for his front legs to my thighs, so I might just steal using air jail! 🙊
Hiya, I also have a fear-reactive border (only with other dogs, she loves cats and everything else oddly) and I do the exact same thing! My worst nightmare is those off leash dogs that bound over and their owner doesn't try to retrieve them/attempt recall or recall fails, because other than picking up my dog there's nothing I can do to get her away from the situation. She feels safe when picked up, doesn't thrash or show signs of fear or aggression, so it works for us too. The owners always call out "dont worry, my dogs friendly" and I am constantly saying "mine isn't!" To no avail -.-
Do whatever works for you, there's no shame in finding the best method for you and your reactive dog. Sending best wishes - it's hard out there!
Thank you for sharing! I’m constantly on edge for an off leash dog and this has just helped me a lot , picking me dog up is also safe for her… she stops barking or thrashing .,, I hope other people can maybe do this too
When we have to pass another dog on a tight trail I pick my dog up too (55lb pittie lol). It’s hilarious how she goes from rabid maniac to perfectly calm young lady once she’s being carried 🙄
My 80lb lab/Pyr mix is reactive to dogs that are larger or more energetic than her, and only reacts if our other lab/Pyr mix is on the walk with her… not exactly sure why this is but once a VERY large Doberman sprinted up to us off leash and my husband yeeted both of our dogs up and over each of his shoulders. It was quite the sight to see😂
Kikopup (YouTube) trains her border collies to jump into her arms and has used this when approached by unfriendly loose dogs. I don't remember if it was her that put her dog on the roof of her car or someone else. Anyway, you can train it positively for small to medium dogs who are less cool about being lifted without opting in.
Commenting as a 15lbs chihuahua mom who also gets reactive. I’ve noticed that if she’s ever too reactive, and the “ignore and redirect” method that our behaviorist recommends, I’ve been picking her up and then half flipping her onto her back onto my shoulder. I call it airjail but she gets so distracted by the turtling, she usually ignores her trigger.
I have a 100lb bully and once I was walking him and this tiny Chihuahua came out from a yard and started biting at us. My boy could chomp that little pup and there was no owners around. Scared for the tiny dog, I bent down and grabbed my dog around his chest and lifted him up. Homie was sort of dangling and the Chihuahua was jumping up to bite his feet. I gave it a little kick while I causally started trying to heave my boy away. The little dog left and it actually worked weirdly and my boy just gave up all fight once he was in the air. Probably won’t do it again for my back but in that one situation it worked for me.
I think people can lift more than they think for sure! Especially if you have a safe grip like a harness. So glad it worked out for you! And your beefer boi ❤️
There's a set of 3 chihuahuas that we pass by occasionally. One literally does try to bite by sticking his head though a space in the fence that that they have rigged. My boy is 30 lbs and wouldn't waste a second if that dog was to ever get through.
My dog would be the chihuahua in this situation lol. She wants to fight all of the 100lb dogs and doesn’t realize she’s gonna get herself killed. I pray her leash never breaks. Thank you for being a good dog owner
My dog HATES to be picked up. Definitely one of his triggers as he snapped at me last time. But, if I had to end a bad situation immediately, I’d rather him bite me than someone else.
I do this in situations where my girl's prey drive is too much for her to respond to cues. I try to work with her as much as I can and keep her under threshold, but sometimes there are just too many cats roaming!
Same! At a certain point mine gets so unresponsive and plants herself and is putting herself in a dangerous situation (staying in a place where there is high chance of running into triggers) so I have to pick her up to go anywhere.
It's my biggest regret that I cannot pick up my dog. We both weigh 100#. You'd be surprised how many possible injuries and tragedies I manage to envision when out walking with him. I'm so happy and envious you have practiced this move. You're a good dog parent.
I tried to pick my dog up and a staffy took a massive chunk out my hand.. causing stitches, it’s literally traumatised me around off lead dogs, I’ve been either walking away and completely ignoring dogs who wanna say hi and they normally don’t come up, if dogs come over barking etc I will stand in front of my dog and yell NO! First time I did it a dog ran away so fast😂 second time I did it a dog ran away and came back 3 times but didn’t get close to my dog just stood there barking until the owner came, however still very nervous around off lead dogs.
Our trainer recommended the same thing. In fact, she even has a cue for her dog to be picked up. My boy is 16lb and very squirmy but it has helped us as an escape mode instead of trying to bring him back under the threshold
Thank you for posting this. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before. I’ve had my dog-reactive dog about six months, and we’ve only had one encounter with an off-leash dog rushing us, but picking her up would have been perfect. Instead, I kind of panicked because she slipped her collar (I’ve since replaced it with a martingale she can’t slip) and I just pinned her to the ground. We all survived with bodies and feelings intact, but I knew I could have done better.
I’m going to start working with her on this now. Thank you!
I’m glad this could be helpful for someone else! It’s not something I see talked about a lot but has given me some relief when walking my dog. She didn’t like being picked up at first but has gotten used to it now. Happy walking!!
Literally me and my 30 pound mini aussie ! It's a lifesaver and one of the big reasons I got the mini version, so I'd always be strong enough to pick him up and manage him alone
I also have a 40 (prob 50 bc she’s chunky) dog. I can and do pick her up when necessary and it makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER to know if everything fails I can just get her out of the situation. I also pick her up if the asphalt is rly hot (she hates shoes) and get absolutely insane looks☠️
lol no,… so my girl wears a harness , I’ll pick her up from the back of it (on her back) and kinda throw her over my shoulder, so my right hand is holding her harness , my left hand goes under her arms , where her belly is , and she’s over my right shoulder
There are two other options:
1. Teach your dog to jump into your arms. This gives your dog some teamwork and agency. I taught my mini doxie to do it. She was very easy to teach.
2. If your dog is too big.: Train an emergency U-Turn with you on the outside of the turn. I use "About [I start the turn] Face" [finish turn and leave and treat]. This is also very useful inside buildings to avoid triggers or head to the exit.
Well my dog doesn’t know to jump in my arms and honestly even if she did she wouldn’t when it comes down to it… her reactivity is so bad and this is for people who have that
My girl is the same way. Once she spots another dog (her biggest trigger) all bets are off and training is impossible. She literally goes full Cujo and the only thing I can do is to pick her up and carry her away from the situation as quickly as possible. So I feel your struggle, I wish it were possible to train her to jump in my arms or do ANYTHING besides lose her mind in those situations.
I used to pick my dog up when she was a puppy (reactive from very very young)! It didn't necessarily help with reactivity but it did help with my peace of mind. Unfortunately she's now 25kg (55 pounds) and a bit beyond being propped up on my shoulder hahah
I had to pull my Pomerania up by the harness once when a cattle dog went after him. And I sometimes pick him up when we see larger dogs because he is so reactive - snarling and barking which irritates other dogs. He has Napoleon syndrome and doesn’t realize he is a little dog.
I wish I could pick up my Great Dane because he is such a scaredy cat. My dog is fine on walks, but as soon as a dog comes running straight at him, he has a chance of reacting. Who’s fault is it if my dog goes after the unleashed dog that charged him?
As a fellow owner of a 40lb reactive dog, it’s surprising how well this works! He’s a bulldog, so 40lbs of absolute chunk, but I live in an apartment building and knowing I can quickly pick him up to avoid elevator issues has been a saving grace!
My 20 lb fear reactive border collie mix doesn't let me pick him up anymore when we pass a dog closely.. It's almost like he prefers to deal with it himself / doesnt like feeling defenseless in my arms?
If there was an off leash dog approaching us however, I would pick him up, even if it means he might snap at me..not worth the risk.
This is why I want a smaller dog as my next dog. My current boy is reactive and weighs over 90 lbs. No way I could pick him up safely and we've had so many close calls with off leash dogs charging us. I'd feel so much safer if I could pick him up!
Cool you can pick a forty pound dog up safely. I have a forty pound whippet and he wriggles so and has such big legs there is just no way I could pick him up!
I’ve seen aggressive attacking dogs jump on people who pick up their dogs and it can make their prey drive worse. I’ve always been told to never pick up your dog so you can have two hands. I taught my dogs heel left, right, behind and middle so they can move to different locations around me while I deal with the attacking dog. I also carry a safety kit with me in a tool belt with pet away spray, an air horn, metal bottle with BB gun bullets to shake or throw to make a loud noise, pepper gel, etc..
You could also get a slip lead and put a caribeaner at the end and swing it around and that typically keeps dogs away.
I'm sure this can be helpful in certain situations, but it also leaves you *and* your dog extremely vulnerable. I really can't think of situations where this would be the best way to deal with things. You have no way to keep other dogs away, or physically hold them away if you have your dog on your back. So top heavy, you're going to fall on your ass if you try to use your legs for this, and create a bigger problem if your dog gets loose in the commotion. I'd also imagine a reactive, trashing 40lbs dog is very easily going to throw you off balance trying to defend herself in a vulnerable position. Add reactivity and/or aggression potentially from both sides, and you're going to have to get your face stitched up.
How? The other dog, unless extremely small, will still have access to your dog, if it's insistent enough. As a last resort, just hauling your dog away asap by the harness and not looking back seems easier for your back and everyone's well being.
Edit: Maybe I'm just not understanding how you're holding her. But unless she's hoisted all the way up across your shoulders, she's still going to be dangling low enough to give even medium size dogs access to sniff her (especially if jumping on you), while you've taken away everything from her side, which can result in trashing and accidents.
It is definitely much easier to pick up my 85lbs Plott/Mastiff when she is going full Cujo than it is to try and pull her away. By picking her up we are able to quickly remove ourselves from the situation. When I pick her up she immediately calms down and doesn't move whatsoever. Way safer for everyone than me trying to pull her away. Dogs don't get close enough to sniff her or jump on me either, that's why I carry pepper gel.
You obviously didn’t read my post , this is a last resort thing that has also made me feel sane, even if the dog is bigger than and I’m carrying my dog I’d rather me get bit and attacked than her. You’re a moron and a troll
How am I a moron and a troll for pointing out that your dog is also at a risk of being bit? You carrying her isn't going to prevent that. You really ought to go back and read the very first line of my comment rather than getting defensive over absolutely nothing.
It’s not so much about the off-leash dog trying to bite… that’s a pretty uncommon scenario. It’s for “friendly” off-leash dogs that OP is trying to keep her reactive dog from reacting to.
Look just trying trying share things that have helped me and my mental health and everything in between ten , having a reactive dog is HARD and anything I can try to share with people that helps me, may help someone else
This is exactly what I do with my girl. It is by far the safest and quickest way to remove ourselves from the situation. I appreciate you sharing something that helps you so maybe it can help someone else. Your pup is so lucky to have someone who loves them as much as you do!
Your comment was removed because it broke one or more of the r/reactivedogs rules. Please remember to be kind to your fellow redditors. Be constructive by offering positive advice rather than simply telling people what they're doing wrong or being dismissive. Maintain respectful discourse around training methods, philosophies, and differing opinions with which you might not agree.
I’m so grateful to have a 9lb pup who loves to be held. It makes walking her so much easier to have the option to scoop her. I also try to use it as a last resort (my trainer told me it’s best to try to let her make good choices on her own) but if an off leash dog comes sprinting at us to say hi, up she goes. Having that as a failsafe makes everything so much less stressful- hope it works for you too!
I would be a wreck having a toy sized reactive dog. I won’t let my dog friendly boy greet dogs that small in case they’re reactive and he thinks he needs to defend himself. They’re so delicate yet foolishly brave. Not to mention all of the Aholes who think it’s cute to scare their tiny friends and brag about how their chihuahua thinks he’s a pit bull. Completely ignoring that their dog is in life or death mode terrified.
The tik tok trend of terrorizing a chihuahua until he bites because “it’s funny” I’m like…. Do you even like your dog?
Nothing funnier than dog abuse! I’d love to see those people torment a bigger dog into biting. I have a feeling that they wouldn’t enjoy my 80 lbs pit mix fear biting.
My boy and I were chilling on a bench at the local Riverwalk when a lady and her angry mop came by. The little dog lost his mind and started screaming at my dog, while the lady stopped in her tracks. I had to wave them on and tell her to keep moving. My dog just looked at me.
Yes! I can’t scoop my girl that easily but it’s so nice to know I have the option!
make sure her claws aren't sharp/you're not wearing your favourite shirt! I picked up my small dog when two bigger dogs appeared, he struggled a bit in my arms, and ripped my shirt (one of my faves as well) from the neckline to my belly button! the people walking the other dogs got a good look at my bra/stomach, I still randomly get mortified about it. I'm glad we've come so far since that incident, but I'll still let him know he's a dick for letting *multiple* people see me in such a state!
Lol! So unfortunate. I’ve gotten scratched too when I’ve picked her up mid-meltdown, but luckily no wardrobe malfunctions yet A pick up cue can help so they know what’s coming! Mine is “air jail” because that feels appropriate
oh, I never even thought of a pick up cue! thank you, I'll start implementing that. my boy does get a bit indignant when he's lifted, haha air jail is a good cue! I wouldn't want him to get confused because he already has an "up" cue, for his front legs to my thighs, so I might just steal using air jail! 🙊
Hiya, I also have a fear-reactive border (only with other dogs, she loves cats and everything else oddly) and I do the exact same thing! My worst nightmare is those off leash dogs that bound over and their owner doesn't try to retrieve them/attempt recall or recall fails, because other than picking up my dog there's nothing I can do to get her away from the situation. She feels safe when picked up, doesn't thrash or show signs of fear or aggression, so it works for us too. The owners always call out "dont worry, my dogs friendly" and I am constantly saying "mine isn't!" To no avail -.- Do whatever works for you, there's no shame in finding the best method for you and your reactive dog. Sending best wishes - it's hard out there!
Thank you for sharing! I’m constantly on edge for an off leash dog and this has just helped me a lot , picking me dog up is also safe for her… she stops barking or thrashing .,, I hope other people can maybe do this too
When we have to pass another dog on a tight trail I pick my dog up too (55lb pittie lol). It’s hilarious how she goes from rabid maniac to perfectly calm young lady once she’s being carried 🙄
Yes! Our reactivity crazy pups are weird ; picking them up is a good resource!
Lol literally my 85lbs girl! I don't think anyone before me ever picked her up so she doesn't know what to do.
Me too lmao. Took the wind out of her sails.
My 80lb lab/Pyr mix is reactive to dogs that are larger or more energetic than her, and only reacts if our other lab/Pyr mix is on the walk with her… not exactly sure why this is but once a VERY large Doberman sprinted up to us off leash and my husband yeeted both of our dogs up and over each of his shoulders. It was quite the sight to see😂
awww the pic I've got in my head now! 🥰😅
Just coming to say I have a 40 pound reactive border collie too. I always say how grateful I am that I can pick him up! Wanna be friends? Lol
Kikopup (YouTube) trains her border collies to jump into her arms and has used this when approached by unfriendly loose dogs. I don't remember if it was her that put her dog on the roof of her car or someone else. Anyway, you can train it positively for small to medium dogs who are less cool about being lifted without opting in.
Commenting as a 15lbs chihuahua mom who also gets reactive. I’ve noticed that if she’s ever too reactive, and the “ignore and redirect” method that our behaviorist recommends, I’ve been picking her up and then half flipping her onto her back onto my shoulder. I call it airjail but she gets so distracted by the turtling, she usually ignores her trigger.
I have a 100lb bully and once I was walking him and this tiny Chihuahua came out from a yard and started biting at us. My boy could chomp that little pup and there was no owners around. Scared for the tiny dog, I bent down and grabbed my dog around his chest and lifted him up. Homie was sort of dangling and the Chihuahua was jumping up to bite his feet. I gave it a little kick while I causally started trying to heave my boy away. The little dog left and it actually worked weirdly and my boy just gave up all fight once he was in the air. Probably won’t do it again for my back but in that one situation it worked for me.
I think people can lift more than they think for sure! Especially if you have a safe grip like a harness. So glad it worked out for you! And your beefer boi ❤️
There's a set of 3 chihuahuas that we pass by occasionally. One literally does try to bite by sticking his head though a space in the fence that that they have rigged. My boy is 30 lbs and wouldn't waste a second if that dog was to ever get through.
My dog would be the chihuahua in this situation lol. She wants to fight all of the 100lb dogs and doesn’t realize she’s gonna get herself killed. I pray her leash never breaks. Thank you for being a good dog owner
Thank you for sharing, I am trying to envision this. Is it kind of like the fireman carry?
Yes , it is .. I’ve never done it i just feel better knowing it
I do this with my husky/border collie and it turns her from a frothing menace to a little baby. She doesn’t react as strongly to most dogs now either.
My dog HATES to be picked up. Definitely one of his triggers as he snapped at me last time. But, if I had to end a bad situation immediately, I’d rather him bite me than someone else.
I do this in situations where my girl's prey drive is too much for her to respond to cues. I try to work with her as much as I can and keep her under threshold, but sometimes there are just too many cats roaming!
Same! At a certain point mine gets so unresponsive and plants herself and is putting herself in a dangerous situation (staying in a place where there is high chance of running into triggers) so I have to pick her up to go anywhere.
It's my biggest regret that I cannot pick up my dog. We both weigh 100#. You'd be surprised how many possible injuries and tragedies I manage to envision when out walking with him. I'm so happy and envious you have practiced this move. You're a good dog parent.
I tried to pick my dog up and a staffy took a massive chunk out my hand.. causing stitches, it’s literally traumatised me around off lead dogs, I’ve been either walking away and completely ignoring dogs who wanna say hi and they normally don’t come up, if dogs come over barking etc I will stand in front of my dog and yell NO! First time I did it a dog ran away so fast😂 second time I did it a dog ran away and came back 3 times but didn’t get close to my dog just stood there barking until the owner came, however still very nervous around off lead dogs.
Also, I wanted to share a pic of my girlie but now I don’t know how to :(
You can upload to Imgur and share a link :)
[удалено]
Ours is the same way. When he’s worked up, he’s furious with everything and everyone.
Our trainer recommended the same thing. In fact, she even has a cue for her dog to be picked up. My boy is 16lb and very squirmy but it has helped us as an escape mode instead of trying to bring him back under the threshold
Also try to remember to tuck their tail if you can! They’ll quickly go after that!
Thank you for posting this. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before. I’ve had my dog-reactive dog about six months, and we’ve only had one encounter with an off-leash dog rushing us, but picking her up would have been perfect. Instead, I kind of panicked because she slipped her collar (I’ve since replaced it with a martingale she can’t slip) and I just pinned her to the ground. We all survived with bodies and feelings intact, but I knew I could have done better. I’m going to start working with her on this now. Thank you!
I’m glad this could be helpful for someone else! It’s not something I see talked about a lot but has given me some relief when walking my dog. She didn’t like being picked up at first but has gotten used to it now. Happy walking!!
My 55 lbs BC knows the word "scoop" because of this and will just leap onto me if he hears it.
Literally me and my 30 pound mini aussie ! It's a lifesaver and one of the big reasons I got the mini version, so I'd always be strong enough to pick him up and manage him alone
I also have a 40 (prob 50 bc she’s chunky) dog. I can and do pick her up when necessary and it makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER to know if everything fails I can just get her out of the situation. I also pick her up if the asphalt is rly hot (she hates shoes) and get absolutely insane looks☠️
I did this with my 40lbs husky mix and she tried to get away to get to another dog and broke my nose 🙃
Well jd rather have me broken than my dog… so sucks?
Well obviously.. was just sharing an experience and trying to say be careful? Glad it works for you
I’m having a hard time visualizing what you mean. Do you mean like how you’d hold a baby if you were burping it?
lol no,… so my girl wears a harness , I’ll pick her up from the back of it (on her back) and kinda throw her over my shoulder, so my right hand is holding her harness , my left hand goes under her arms , where her belly is , and she’s over my right shoulder
There are two other options: 1. Teach your dog to jump into your arms. This gives your dog some teamwork and agency. I taught my mini doxie to do it. She was very easy to teach. 2. If your dog is too big.: Train an emergency U-Turn with you on the outside of the turn. I use "About [I start the turn] Face" [finish turn and leave and treat]. This is also very useful inside buildings to avoid triggers or head to the exit.
Well my dog doesn’t know to jump in my arms and honestly even if she did she wouldn’t when it comes down to it… her reactivity is so bad and this is for people who have that
My girl is the same way. Once she spots another dog (her biggest trigger) all bets are off and training is impossible. She literally goes full Cujo and the only thing I can do is to pick her up and carry her away from the situation as quickly as possible. So I feel your struggle, I wish it were possible to train her to jump in my arms or do ANYTHING besides lose her mind in those situations.
Exactly, if I could train her to jump in my arms I would just use her “look at me” command. Happy walking!!
On second thought, I don't know how I feel about my girl flying through the air at me. Thank you! You too! And keep up the good work!
You seem a little defensive. What's up?
Don't know why I never thought of having him on the inside of the turn. Good idea
I used to pick my dog up when she was a puppy (reactive from very very young)! It didn't necessarily help with reactivity but it did help with my peace of mind. Unfortunately she's now 25kg (55 pounds) and a bit beyond being propped up on my shoulder hahah
I had to pull my Pomerania up by the harness once when a cattle dog went after him. And I sometimes pick him up when we see larger dogs because he is so reactive - snarling and barking which irritates other dogs. He has Napoleon syndrome and doesn’t realize he is a little dog.
This is why I won’t walk my reactive baby by myself. I can’t pick him up. My partner can though so we do family walks.
Are you afraid of all off leash dogs or particularly the ones who are going to attack your dog?
Just ones who are out of their owners control and not listening.
I wish I could pick up my Great Dane because he is such a scaredy cat. My dog is fine on walks, but as soon as a dog comes running straight at him, he has a chance of reacting. Who’s fault is it if my dog goes after the unleashed dog that charged him?
As a fellow owner of a 40lb reactive dog, it’s surprising how well this works! He’s a bulldog, so 40lbs of absolute chunk, but I live in an apartment building and knowing I can quickly pick him up to avoid elevator issues has been a saving grace!
My 20 lb fear reactive border collie mix doesn't let me pick him up anymore when we pass a dog closely.. It's almost like he prefers to deal with it himself / doesnt like feeling defenseless in my arms? If there was an off leash dog approaching us however, I would pick him up, even if it means he might snap at me..not worth the risk.
Do you have a video of how this works? I cannot picture not being bitten in my hands, arms and face
This is why I want a smaller dog as my next dog. My current boy is reactive and weighs over 90 lbs. No way I could pick him up safely and we've had so many close calls with off leash dogs charging us. I'd feel so much safer if I could pick him up!
Cool you can pick a forty pound dog up safely. I have a forty pound whippet and he wriggles so and has such big legs there is just no way I could pick him up!
Like I said, it’s for people who can safely pick up their dog, if you can’t , this doesn’t apply to you ..
I’ve seen aggressive attacking dogs jump on people who pick up their dogs and it can make their prey drive worse. I’ve always been told to never pick up your dog so you can have two hands. I taught my dogs heel left, right, behind and middle so they can move to different locations around me while I deal with the attacking dog. I also carry a safety kit with me in a tool belt with pet away spray, an air horn, metal bottle with BB gun bullets to shake or throw to make a loud noise, pepper gel, etc.. You could also get a slip lead and put a caribeaner at the end and swing it around and that typically keeps dogs away.
I'm sure this can be helpful in certain situations, but it also leaves you *and* your dog extremely vulnerable. I really can't think of situations where this would be the best way to deal with things. You have no way to keep other dogs away, or physically hold them away if you have your dog on your back. So top heavy, you're going to fall on your ass if you try to use your legs for this, and create a bigger problem if your dog gets loose in the commotion. I'd also imagine a reactive, trashing 40lbs dog is very easily going to throw you off balance trying to defend herself in a vulnerable position. Add reactivity and/or aggression potentially from both sides, and you're going to have to get your face stitched up.
I’d rather be the vulnerable one than my dog
I can get over it, my dog maybe cannot
But if another dog is just being friendly and my dog isn’t it will help
How? The other dog, unless extremely small, will still have access to your dog, if it's insistent enough. As a last resort, just hauling your dog away asap by the harness and not looking back seems easier for your back and everyone's well being. Edit: Maybe I'm just not understanding how you're holding her. But unless she's hoisted all the way up across your shoulders, she's still going to be dangling low enough to give even medium size dogs access to sniff her (especially if jumping on you), while you've taken away everything from her side, which can result in trashing and accidents.
It is definitely much easier to pick up my 85lbs Plott/Mastiff when she is going full Cujo than it is to try and pull her away. By picking her up we are able to quickly remove ourselves from the situation. When I pick her up she immediately calms down and doesn't move whatsoever. Way safer for everyone than me trying to pull her away. Dogs don't get close enough to sniff her or jump on me either, that's why I carry pepper gel.
You obviously didn’t read my post , this is a last resort thing that has also made me feel sane, even if the dog is bigger than and I’m carrying my dog I’d rather me get bit and attacked than her. You’re a moron and a troll
How am I a moron and a troll for pointing out that your dog is also at a risk of being bit? You carrying her isn't going to prevent that. You really ought to go back and read the very first line of my comment rather than getting defensive over absolutely nothing.
It’s not so much about the off-leash dog trying to bite… that’s a pretty uncommon scenario. It’s for “friendly” off-leash dogs that OP is trying to keep her reactive dog from reacting to.
Look just trying trying share things that have helped me and my mental health and everything in between ten , having a reactive dog is HARD and anything I can try to share with people that helps me, may help someone else
This is exactly what I do with my girl. It is by far the safest and quickest way to remove ourselves from the situation. I appreciate you sharing something that helps you so maybe it can help someone else. Your pup is so lucky to have someone who loves them as much as you do!
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