KirinoLover t1_is5ao1l wrote on October 13, 2022 at 12:30 PM

Obviously none of us were there, so it's hard to judge the situation. However, if you were near apartments, it is pretty safe to think that the original dog walker was just trying to let his dog walk a bit so they would go to the bathroom, probably before work. You say in another comment that the owner stepped off to the side to let you pass safely and without issue, and you still felt the need to post this in a public forum to... what, shame him? Shame the dog? Reactivity in a dog is a complex issue and it's not so black and white. The owner was polite enough to step away and probably realizes most people think his dog is batshit crazy. I can't say what tools or methods he was using to work on it, but again... he's probably doing his best and just trying to ensure his dog doesn't have a full bladder or poo on his floor during the work day.

If you run into him again, or you find yourself in similar situations, consider that it takes nothing to be kind and considerate to your neighbors. Everyone is going through something, and I'm absolutely sure that the owner would rather his dog not be leash reactive to strangers.

lovelaughfail t1_is6expj wrote on October 13, 2022 at 5:12 PM

I wish I could give you an award, it's so true. I don't know their neighbor but I know my dog was failed and attacked young and I've spent thousands of dollars and countless hours to still break down and sob in my home because my dog still reacts. I agree so much with the being kind because more often than not us with reactive dogs are trying to save their lives (excluding the sucky owners out there).

KirinoLover t1_is6hwi1 wrote on October 13, 2022 at 5:31 PM

I'm sure my comment is biased, because my boy is also leash reactive. He's a frustrated greeter, which means he's not aggressive, just... really wants to say hello. Several years and a ton of training, and he's good but still not great. Big public places and dogs too close overwhelm him, and there are some things he's never going to be able to do. It's just a fact of life.

have you checked out the reactive dogs sub? I've found a ton of great advice and help from there. My boy is also on prozac daily, and it's made a huge difference in his anxiety. With that reduced anxiety, he's been able to take to training a lot easier in stressful situations. I don't know you guys or your dogs situation, but it might be something to consider!

lovelaughfail t1_is6mhhc wrote on October 13, 2022 at 6:00 PM

I definitely get that.

I haven't! I'll go check it out thanks! I've recently started talking to the vet about getting him on medication he is mostly fed by anxiety as well, big dog big energy and all.

KirinoLover t1_is6nytc wrote on October 13, 2022 at 6:10 PM

I was so, so hesitant to put our boy on medication because I didn't want to somehow compromise who he was, which is... I know it sounds weird, but I had this imagine of a doped up dog or something. He's on a medium dose of prozac daily and has an as-needed higher dose of anxiety medication. We have seen incredible progress. It's not a magic pill or anything, but he's calmer, sleeps better, and his threshold is much higher. My only regret is that we didn't do it sooner.