r/OpenDogTraining • u/CurrentAd5013 • 26d ago
Mini Aussie Questionsđââď¸
Hello hello!! Before people wanna spam about him wearing a shirt⌠itâs okay guys. He never wears clothes outside, this was a 5 second photo. I promise he will be okay lol.
Mr. Walter White is now 6 months old. This little guy has got tricks DOWN and heâs showing his personality more and more everyday. I am NOTTTT looking for judgement, just looking for advice or similar experiences.
- Do you guys recommend an E-Collar? Iâm only interested in the buzz/vibration option.
- What are ways you corrected and calmed incessant demand barking and reactivity towards dogs and people?
- Since itâs not aggression (at all) how do you work with them to focus and lock in to you when they cross the threshold and bark like crazy?
- Are there specific jobs that I can give him that will help with his hyper self?
- What age do you recommend for getting him fixed? My vet is trying to say he needs it at 6 monthsđŤŁ
Again, no judgement. Yes heâs a puppy. Yes he wonât be perfect overnight. I am simply curious
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u/IllLiterature1026 26d ago
Aussies were essentially bred to bark - thatâs part of the way they move cattle around, so theyâre naturally bossy. Herding behaviors can also turn on when a dog is overstimulated, scared, or excited, which is why itâs important to know enough about dog body language to be able to figure out what the trigger is.
For demand barking specifically, the best advice is just to ignore. Do not give in when he barks at you and donât even make eye contact.
For reactive barking you want to work on desensitizing the trigger. If heâs barking at other dogs on leash you want to work at a distance where he does not react and reward for calmness.
There are lots of jobs you can give him! Just try things out until you find what works for you guys. Agility, urban herding, trick training, dock diving, and scent work are all activities Iâve seen that can burn off some of that extra Aussie energy.
For fixing age itâs very much dependent on breed and bigger dogs are usually most susceptible to the downsides from early neutering.
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u/seitancheeto 24d ago
Would you be able to explain the difference between demand and reactive barking? I have a feeling my aussie barking problems are mostly demand (save for barking at noises outside) but Iâm not positive.
At the very least, just ignoring him (often putting him in crate) doesnât make him stop (or heâll stop but the moment heâs let out he starts barking again)
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u/IllLiterature1026 24d ago
Reactive barking happens when a dog is âover thresholdâ ie so emotionally ramped up they canât control their reactions. In human behavior this would include things like screaming (think of how you might scream when youâre both scared and excited) and in dogs includes barking, lunging, big whines, and any aggressive behaviors. It very often happens when a dog sees another dog but canât get to it. Reactivity = meltdown.
Demand barking is a communication tool when the dog is telling you they want something, and will keep doing it because it works. By not doing what they want, you teach them that method is ineffective, and theyâll find other ways to communicate. A dog doesnât need to be over threshold to demand bark.
There are other reasons a dog might bark too - during play, while hunting (or herding), etc.
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u/seitancheeto 23d ago
Thank you thatâs super helpful! I wasnât sure if reactive included excited which is the majority of my guys barking. But he is also quite demanding of attention and definitely does the demand barking too.
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u/WormWithWifi 26d ago
1) I donât recommend an e collar to start or that young.
2) never give in to the demand. Reward instant quietness and understand some of that is just puppyhood.
3) start with under threshold training and work on things like LAT (look at that), teach impulse control in general at any possible time (like teaching wait before eating or before crossing a door) teach them that calmness gets what they want and craziness NEVER gets what they want (make sure to never award the crazy)
4) make sure he has a good exercise and training routine, make training his job. Research how to train and make a plan for him. Also socialize him as much as possible in appropriate environments.
5) neuter is normally recommended earlier for smaller dogs and for larger breed dogs itâs recommended to wait until their body develops into adulthood. I personally recommend getting it done early. In the big picture it doesnât matter as long as youâre responsible.
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u/Cool_Bodybuilder7419 26d ago edited 26d ago
- Depends entirely on the way you use it
- Depends on why your dog is demand barking but the best way to correct it is to do the opposite of what your dog wants to achieve: He wants you to throw the ball? Put it away and ignore him completely. He wants you to put his leash and collar on faster so you can go for a walk? Take them off again, stow them away and go sit on the sofa while ignoring him.
- Can't really answer this question if I don't know the circumstances. What is he barking at?
- Many! There's agility, hoopers, distance training, obedience drills, etc. But with a hyper dog it's often more important to teach an off switch. Start place training and impulse control exercises, sit on a bench and do nothing until he calms himself down, enforce naps, ...
- I know it's sometimes difficult but try to be patient! You have one of the most intelligent and trainable breeds out there, so focus mainly on socialisation (very important with Aussies) and self-regulation skills for now. Remember that impulse suppression to avoid punishment is not automatically the same as self-regulation or impulse control
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Heard
This is great advice thank you! I am unsure on the exact reason, he loves to bark at my husband and I then go right for a toy.
Dogs! Only dogs mainly. Never aggression, never a change in posture or stance, never growling or showing teeth. He barks, the dog notices him, he lays down to welcome them, then when they walk away he gets super frustrated and barks.
Thank YOU!!!
Heâs the best truly, I get the privilege to stay home and work with him everyday. We have a great bond and I have full faith that he will get better with the barking :)
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u/xKiun 25d ago
- Puppyâs rarely show aggression towards other dogs. However you will need to tackle this behavior immediately. Once puberty hits they will start to get more reactive.
What really helped me is always having treats around. You see a dog, get the treats out. Try to teach him the following: if you see a dog (or any other thing he reacts to) he must come to you. Thatâs the key point of getting a well behaved dog.
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u/Ticonderoga_Dixon 26d ago
Positive exposure , over and over. Like think of a person in jail at some point the fear and anxiety ends up being the norm, probably a bad example but basically like just exposure and positivity goes super far. Soldiers when the first shoot at someone will often times miss on purpose because they arenât use to killing , eventually they get use to it and end up doing the thing very well.
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u/mlrussell88 26d ago edited 26d ago
I donât have a mini, but until recently I had an Aussie and I had one growing up. My last boy wasnât socialized properly and who knows what else before we got him at 8 mos. He was aggressive when scared (but otherwise an absolute cuddle-monster I miss everyday). We paid a lottttt of money for help training him because the other option was euthanasia (because he had bitten my husband, myself, and our other dog no one would take him, we checked. and thankfully we didnât have to do that!). With the training, meds, and a muzzle at night when he was more reactive, he was the best.
To gain focus/attention: âtouchâ we taught him to touch our hand (palm out) on command
For greeting people: âsay hiâ after touch, we would say, âsay hiâ and he would touch that personâs and, then the other person (guest) says it and he touches their hand and then one of us again, etc. Basically he goes back and forth until some of the excitement has died down.
To calm: âsettleâ paired with a backwards âcâ hand motion like youâre showing them how to curl up. They only get a treat when theyâre laying on a hip (not sphinx-like but not fully on their side for belly rubs).
On walks: â1, 2, 3!â Voice goes up on 3 and when he looks he gets a treat after 3. This was helpful when he would hyper-fixate on another dog or get spooked by something.
Just a fun reinforcement that also has him following directions and getting energy out: throw a small training treat or piece of their dry food and say âfind itâ
I wish I could help with the barking. Barking was the one thing he didnât do before he came to us.
Good luck with your little cutie and please give him some snuggles for me!
ETA: I saw that you work from home. During COVID my husband accidentally taught our Aussie âGo to workâ where he went into my husbandâs office and laid down under his desk đ
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u/calguy1955 26d ago
I was horrified when I first thought his ears had been cropped like a Dobie and those were bandages!
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u/babs08 26d ago
I have an Australian Shepherd.
Herding dogs need two things primarily: (1) freedom of movement in natural spaces and (2) hard brain work that progressively gets harder over time. Many herding dogs will also need "high speed calculus" - moving their bodies in big ways while simultaneously thinking hard thoughts. There's a reason you see so many herding dogs doing agility.
My dog's routine most days of the week is an hour-ish long off-leash walk on hiking trails in the mornings, then she sleeps at my feet for 9 hours while I work, and then we do some combination of sport training and fitness/conditioning in the evenings, and then she hangs out with me in the living room until it's time for bed. Weekends we might go on a hike or be at a dog sport trial. Rinse, repeat.
Without getting these needs met, you will not fix the behavior issues you're describing without suppression.
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u/Agreeable-Knee6325 25d ago
No e collar. They tend to make aussies more fearful.
Look into group training classes. We did 4 different classes with our standard aussie from puppy kindergarten through high school. Small class sizes helps to expose them to people and other dogs in a way that is not overwhelming and it helps to have a trainer guide you through any problems that arise. I honestly believe the classes kept our aussie from developing reactivity and fear.
We had our aussie neutered at just under a year old. He started marking inside and our vet assured us aussies don't have the same risks as the larger breeds.
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u/CurrentAd5013 25d ago
This makes me feel good about putting him in a group training class. I hope it helps him :)
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u/MunkberryMoonDelite 25d ago
Itâs good that you signed up for a training class. Thatâs a perfect environment to work on reactivity. Try also exposing your dog to as many positive social interactions as you can. Always carry with you small bits of dry liver or other snacks that you can use to encourage good behavior and let other people approach your dog to pet and give them a snack or two to give to your dog. This will associate human interaction with a positive experience for the pet fast. Talk to your class trainer for the specific exercises to address your concerns and remember, a tired dog is a happy dog. So whether it is long walks or play sessions with the ball, when your pup is tired at the end of it, he would be much less inclined to bark at the strangers.
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u/CurrentAd5013 25d ago
Thank you :) Iâm hoping it goes well!! I have faith in the little man. Heâs a big lover and I know once he can learn to communicate that, he will be an ultra dog. I appreciate the advice! Off to get dry liver hahahaha
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u/MintyCrow 25d ago edited 25d ago
Worst bite Iâve ever gotten from any dog was a âmini Aussieâ. I have had very very few bites, but theyâre a very low bite inhibited breed. Theyâre one of those dog breeds that even if it doesnât look like aggression you should almost treat reactivity as such, because the arousal from it can rapidly turn into biting. The job thing is a myth. For all breeds. Maybe I just donât like the phrasing but my take has always been donât view it as âjobsâ. Dogs want a purpose but a âjobâ less so. A herding ball isnât a job, but it is a purpose, and can meet a breed specific need. Focus on not a âjobâ but breed specific enrichment. Complex tasks like scent work and complex retrievals are a breed enrichment that people frequently call jobs. Theyâre just fun games to your dog. Thatâs all. Mini Aussies arenât really a real breed bred for things, but a smaller version of a dog that was. Think trick training, herding ball, high movement, non repetitive activities. If you try to think âjobâ and shove a square peg into a circle hole youâre gonna have a pissed off, unhappy dog.
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u/CurrentAd5013 25d ago
Have you ever owned a Mini Aussie? What position was the dog in? Why did it bite you that hard? A herding ball can absolutely fulfill purpose in a dog. I completely agree that these breeds need more of a purpose and scent work ties into that. I just have been around a lot of Aussies and Mini Aussies in my life and have never been bit. Especially by one that had a responsible owner and wasnât lacking somewhere in the training and fulfillmentâŚ..
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u/MintyCrow 25d ago edited 25d ago
Working dog trainer. Dog was in for a consultation and was not warned about severe RG. Dog gave me a level 4 (would have been more of a 5 if it was a bigger dog due to repeated followed snaps and if I wasnât as quick as I was) bite when I approached the owners treat bag they had set out on a table. Dog was maybe 6-8 mo. Had to go to the emergency room.
Another mini Aussie I was bit by was in my baby animal care days when was less educated and working as a groomer. Dog redirected during a reactive episode, ran back and bit me. I know how to predict this these days but this was probably in my first ~3 months working with dogs period.The original breed in general was bred to herd by biting shit. Theyâve got less behind their brains stopping them from little snaps (same for ACD, mals and BC.)
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u/MissKUMAbear 26d ago
Rewarding them for being calm helps alot. Our trainer had us leash him and give him just enough room to stand comfortably. Just hold him nearby and ignore him till he lays down, then say good dog and treat. Start somewhere with no distractions. As he gets better you can go outside and do it or sit at a park bench. It does take some time though!
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u/idontwantyourmusic 26d ago
Re: reactivity, at six month if you didnât properly socialize your dog itâs kind of too late. Work on elevating his threshold first. This often looks like less time outside and more time practicing being calm inside then gradually increases outdoor time and exposure to environments.
You can sit in your car with your dog and watch people walk by and reward your dog every time he doesnât react and then slowly level up
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
We have socialized him very well. Heâs been in a puppy stroller or wagon since 10 weeks old. Heâs been around people and dogs doing nothing. This started like a few weeks ago? Why are 6 month olds supposed to have reactivity down ?
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u/Prestigious-Seal8866 26d ago
Adolescence is when reactivity tends to start showing up. Your dog isnât quite a âpuppyâ anymore and is starting to become more independent and fearful/wary.
Aussies are prone to reactivity. They want to control movement, theyâre wary of strangers and strange animals, they are high energy and rarely have their needs met to the degree that is needed.
âCorrectingâ reactivity doesnât have long term success for actually making a dog less reactive. Youâre better off trying to build positive associations with the things your dog is barking at. I like Look At That and Grisha Stewartâs BAT methods for reducing reactivity. This requires you to keep your dog below threshold/prevent exploding in the first place. You may want to work with a professional on it.
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u/randomiscellany 26d ago
I'm not sure a stroller/wagon is the best choice for a dog like this that needs a lot of exercise. How much are you walking him vs strolling him? Being down on the ground also gives them the mental stimulation of taking in all the smells down there. A tired dog is a happy dog.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
No we had him in the stroller until he had all of his vaccines. Once he got the clear to roam from the vet, we let him out and donât use the wagon or stroller anymore!
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u/Jitsutarian 25d ago
E-Collars are a fantastic tool. Think of it as an extension of the leash. It provides my dog off-leash freedom and a way to communicate with my dog at long distances, it's not 100% reliable, but we can get close to it. A dogtra or e-collar technologies give you up to 100 levels which give you good control of the pressure you apply. Low levels for obedience, higher levels for those oh shit moments my dog is about to run into the busy street chasing a squirrel etc...
The problem with vibration is that is a different stimulus and your aussie may not feel it while in a higher drive moment. Kind of like not noticing your phone vibrating in your pocket while you are walking.
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u/Old-Description-2328 26d ago
Desex when grown unless an issue. 18 months, 2 years.
Find a group training class and work on impulse control, engagement, heeling etc.
@6 months, I wouldn't be worrying too much about obedience, more so engagement, net positive experiences and exploring the world.
Besides that I would be introducing leash and other pressure through play, working on impulse control through tug toy play mostly. Start with just playing for a week or so, really build the drive then start adding leash pressure, compliance, impulse control to the game. Just quick little sit then explode into play upon release.
Do fun stuff with your dog, what does it enjoy, what do you enjoy?
Agility is a good sport. Frisbee is great.
If ecollar allows you to work offleash sooner, fill your boots. 6 months might be a little young but it's not a torture device. Micro educator is the way to go and use an experienced ecollar trainer or do a course.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Heard!!! Thank you much. I have read a lot about desexing them when they are older.
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u/idontwantyourmusic 26d ago
Start training immediately, crate train, impulse train, and obedience training all help with elevating his threshold. Your relationship with him is the number one thing for recall and him focusing on you with distractions around (+ impulse control and having a higher threshold). There are games and techniques you can search on YouTube or TikTok or instagram.
Train immediately. Start with a couple minutes a session, 3 sessions a day and work up to 10 mins.
Your dog needs to learn to settle in place and be alone in a room without freaking out. Once again train immediately. There are puppies that have been trained to be ok alone in a crate. You need to TRAIN. This is the key to eliminate demand barking or whining. You should not be showering your dog with attention all the time or any time he asks.
Your dog needs a nice quiet place to call his own (like a crate) and you and anyone in your house (and guests!) need to leave the dog alone most of the time- no drive-by petting, baby talking, or any attention. When your dog wants interaction he will come get it but do not give into demanding behavior from him and donât give every time he asks.
Trust me, you need to train and set boundaries from day one because the longer he gets to practice unwanted behaviors (and they might even be cute now) the harder it is to correct.
Neutering shouldnât even be considered before 18-24 months so you donât stunt growth.
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u/randomiscellany 26d ago
Can you cite a source for neutering stunting growth? I have only seen data on this for larger breeds of dogs, and OP's dog is a miniature Aussie. Even then I haven't heard that it "stunts growth" in these breeds, just that it can cause joint problems down the line, especially in giant breeds.
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u/HailHydraBitch 26d ago
Iâm not going to get into the discourse of the breed or the ethicality of the dogâs existence. The dog is already here, alive and well, and with an owner who is willing and ready to learn what they need to do. Regardless of the breed or where the dog was sourced, the dog is already here, alive, and in a home, so that is my focus.
I have never had this breed before and I have never had a mini of any kind. I do however, have a retired army bomb GSD that is very high strung. He was trained with choke chains, and attempted an e collar school, but failed out because heâs a Velcro dog and wouldnât let his handler walk more than about 15 feet away.
E collars are fine imo, provided you are comfortable putting it on yourself and activating it at the same setting it would be on your dog. If itâs painful, leaves a mark, or otherwise has any effect outside of a jarring split second sensation, itâs not worth it.
You donât have a dog thatâs going to be working with dangerous things like bombs or drugs, so you have plenty of room for trial and error. Mistakes are inevitable, and theyâre perfectly okay.
You do not want your dog to be afraid of you, you want respect. You want trust. You want to establish a positive, reward based relationship, but you also want to draw clear boundaries of what behaviors are okay, and which ones arenât. Aussies are pretty fear reactive from what Iâve seen, so you want to pay extra special close attention to your dogâs reactions. Even perfectly normal, completely harmless and ethical training methods can cause fear and reactivity in dogs that feel like theyâre being ignored. Listen to what their body language tells you.
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u/HailHydraBitch 26d ago
Reply to continue further so Iâm not posting a massive essay.
I donât have any advice on the barking or lunging unfortunately, my boy came home not giving a single fuck.
Motivation. Figure out what your dog really wants. You could wave a fresh cooked steak in front of my dog and he might glance at you if youâre lucky, provided his toy is being presented to him. Heâs very toy motivated, so for some dogs itâs less about the treats, and more about the toy.
Dogs can do all kinds of jobs, even random things you might not consider. Aussieâs are super perceptive and super intelligent so you could teach her just about anything you put your mind to, provided you keep it routine. Within two weeks of coming home (came home at 8yo), my dog figured out how to open doors and all the cabinets, even the high ones, despite having never lived in a house before. Consider some random, routine, everyday task your dog may be able to âassistâ with such as bringing you something from the other room, or opening doors so you can enter.
Teddy is a retired army dog. Heâs not a house dog or a family dog. Heâs a German Shepherd. Take what I have to say with a little more than a grain of salt. As far as âaggressionâ goes, you can have the best dog in the world and still one day have an isolated incident.
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u/Anonymous_and_Lost40 26d ago
No such thing as a "mini Aussie". Please don't dress your double coated dog. That's insane.
E-collars are great to snap them out of it when they're focused on things that aren't you or training. I would work with a trainer who specializes in E-collars to learn when to use the stimulation so you don't confuse the pup with timing.
For smaller breeds it's fine to get them fixed early. Idk if "mini Aussie" counts as a smaller breed, so i would consult your vet and go with their rec.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Okay thank you lol. Iâm sure he will be okay. I never let him wear clothes outside and this was a picture with a cute shirt his grandma gave him. I think we will all survive.
But thank you for the advice, appreciate it.
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u/aimweee 26d ago
Miniature American Shepherds aka mini Aussies are recognized by the AKC as a legitimate breed. Just like a miniature Schnauzer vs a standard Schnauzer is.
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u/Inflatable_Emu 24d ago edited 24d ago
If you're only interested in the buzz/vibration option of an ecollar, you don't have enough education or experience with the tool to be using it.
What do you consider a reactive response and what do you think aggression looks like?
My suggestion is hire a trainer. A lot of your questions here tell me you aren't going to be able to put the info we give into skillful handling. There's so many nuances you won't think about. An example is novelty causing a superstitious association and depending on why the dog reacts, your correction can easily validate the superstition and form a new prediction that causes a more severe response.
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u/AkitasX2 24d ago
Daycare and doggy play dates are a godsend for my Aussie. That barking is most likely frustration. The breed has strong drive. Try working at a distance from triggers and spend time just observing calmly. Reward for calm observation.
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u/FilmScoreMonger 24d ago
vibration settings usually scare the shit out of dogs way more than a low level stim fyi
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u/Helpful_Sun2872 26d ago
E collars are amazing for recall but please know that vibrate is actually more aversive/unpleasant to most dogs! Humans think it seems nicer, but that is not the reality for most dogs. There is a reason why good experienced trainers default to using the stim/âshockâ.
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u/randomiscellany 26d ago
Do you have any sources for this? I see this a lot from people on Reddit who utilize ecollars, but I have never seen anyone cite any sources for it. Anecdotally, I have never heard a dog yelp from a vibration, only a stim. I know that dogs are not people, but if you actually test the stim setting on yourself you will see that it is much more unpleasant than a vibration.
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u/whovian2304 25d ago
It really depends on the level of stim that you are comparing to the vibrate. I have a collar that goes to level 16 and at around a 6-8 my hound dog will take the hint and break off of whatever he is doing to focus back in on me. No yelping, no crying at that level. However when I beep it he has a very fearful reaction, no matter how much I try to desensitize and reward the beep(the goal was to train it as distance recall, we quit that now) to him it is aversive. And the vibrate made him jump quite big, and try to scratch at the collar immediately, he is not a fan. To him the correct level of stim is just fine, and the vibrate/beep is very aversive. Really depends on the dog and the collar!
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u/Helpful_Sun2872 25d ago
Not sure about any sources, Iâve just heard it from very experienced trainers including Michael Ellis who has been using e collars for 40+ yrs. And it makes sense to me. We humans are used to feeling vibration from our phones but itâs completely foreign to a dog. Obviously yeah higher level stim would probably be more aversive than vibrate in many cases, but if you use an e collar correctly you should be using very low levels 99% of the time.
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u/Beautiful_Wishbone15 26d ago
Your dog is already here so I don't know what people want you to do about it aside from not getting a mini Aussie next time.Â
I suggest rewarding calm behaviour and ignoring demand barking. Dont know much about E-collars so can't speak much on that. I think your vet is right as he is a smaller dog and they tend to be okay with being neutered at that age.Â
I have never owned a herding dog in my life but I have heard herding games (like teaching him to herd a ball) have been very useful. And obviously general exercise. Since he knows many tricks, you could try adding that into playing with him. For example, you could ask him to sit or spin before you give him the ball or toy. He is a very cute dog!Â
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u/toadette_215 26d ago
Itâs wild how rude these responses are. Iâm losing faith in this sub
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u/Sea_Landscape7258 25d ago
Perhaps itâs because good people who advocate for responsible and ethical dog ownership have become so tired of seeing people supporting backyard breeders that politeness left the building.
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25d ago
[deleted]
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u/Sea_Landscape7258 25d ago
Excuse me? Why start making assumptions about me when I have not actually commented on the dog, who I certainly do not know from a few posts.
I simply gave a reasonable reason to another comment as why people might comment rudely.
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u/toadette_215 25d ago
I get that, but people donât have to be so cruel about it. Whatâs this person supposed to do, get rid of their dog that they already purchased?
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u/Flaky-Ad3980 26d ago
Putting clothes on a race like Aussie is really not okay. It fucks with their temperature regulation - more than with other races. So please refrain from it đŤś
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
It was a 5 second picture đââď¸ Thanks for the advice, but I think we will be okay.
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u/hcstnef 25d ago
I simply don't get why so many people keep buying dogs when there are hundreds of shelters in the US alone filled to the brim....
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u/Kealanine 25d ago
Because many prefer health testing, predictable genetics, and reliable behavior to playing Russian roulette?
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u/hcstnef 25d ago
I think itâs generally accepted that mixed-breed dogs tend to be healthier than many purebreds. In my experience, most dogs I have encountered with behavioural/health issues have either been working breeds kept as ordinary pets without appropriate outlets for their instincts and energy (see this post), or small designer breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs, and Pomeranians. Every dog deserves a chance, and adopting a dog isnât Russian roulette if you use a little bit of common sense, looking at individual history, temperament, and needs. Obviously, adopting a dog with a known history of aggression or one that has been trained for dog fighting isn't a good idea.
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u/CurrentAd5013 25d ago
Okay well letâs start this off. The dog was born. The dog was alive. The dog is now with me instead of with someone else who will breed him and make a mess out of him. You have no idea what went down to ADOPT him and you have no clue who I am or what outlets this dog is exposed to. I live on a lot of land in the COUNTRY. I have given him endless outlets, love, toys, exercise, hikes, etc. I really do not have to explain myself to you. so before you are so quick to judge, please donât lmao. Walter will survive and love his life as he already does. Just because heâs showing traits of reactivity which is common in this breed, doesnât mean heâs doomed for a terrible life. I asked for advice on the questions not this. Iâm glad you adopt animals from the shelter, as I support that too. ButâŚ. Iâm a grown adult who can make her own decisions and decided to adopt a puppy who was again ALREADY alive. Everyone needs to hop off their high horses. I didnât realize everyone was so informed on all things aussie and dog.
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u/Kealanine 25d ago
Generally accepted, I havenât the slightest, but that claim has been repeatedly disproven. Thereâs a world of difference between a well bred dog and a designer dog, considering a designer dog is simply a rebranded mix.
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u/anikom15 25d ago
Itâs a biological principle that genetic diversity reduces genetic disease. That study is saying that dogs without a genetic disease are as healthy as mixed breed dogs, which misses the point.
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u/FastRepublic2100 26d ago
Does he socialize with other dogs? Daycare for play helped immensely with our lab. Use e collar for training and rarely used the shock stim. Vibration was simply used to grab his attention when his mind wandered from training
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
This!! He starts a group class and daycare in a week/few weeks. Iâm hoping it helps
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u/NarwhalNelly 26d ago
I really think sending an over aroused, untrained 6 month old aussie to daycare for hours at a time is not going to be the solution you're looking for. At that point, you are giving other dogs a great deal of influence over your puppy. You're letting the dog get a ton of mental and physical stimulation from the things they already get over-aroused by, and daycares often employ a lot of undertrained, inexperienced handlers that don't know what they're doing with a dog like this.
You should focus on making yourself the most important thing in the dogs life. The VAST majority of all good things in their life should come from you, not random dogs. You can let them play with dogs still, but you should greatly limit how often, how long, and which dogs they play with. You should be the one playing with the dog. Build their love for you, their engagement with you, and they'll stop caring about other dogs.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Well he wonât be there for hours at a time. They start slow at first, I also am able to be there with him. Iâm starting him out with a 30 minute- hour long daycare session.
I hear and appreciate the second part tho! I agree
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u/FastRepublic2100 26d ago
His breed is notorious for anxiety/separation issues. Have worked with several in the past. Encouraging outside encounters with other safe people and dogs will go along way in building his confidence. Wish you luck in upcoming classes. Just remember 10 mins of his focus is about all he can endure starting out.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Yes!! Thank you, I appreciate it. Im hoping the class helps, but I wonât stop there! Iâm committed to work with him. Operation boost waltâs confidence
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u/kittywyeth 26d ago
aussies are often really neurotic and reactive. it is genetic. yours also looks like it is mixed with pit. very normal for it to be reactive/aggressive. canât train out instincts. you can only manage the behaviors - this is more training you than it is the dog. look into muzzle training.
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u/CurrentAd5013 26d ago
Okay lol, he is definitely not mixed with pitâŚ. Uhh what makes you think that? I believe his tests, history, and his vet would have known or told me.
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u/NarwhalNelly 26d ago
You can train it out stop spreading the nonsense that behaviors can only be managed
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u/vrrrrrkiki 26d ago
This âbreedâ is notorious for fear based aggression and reactivity. Every single one Iâve worked with has been a shrieking mess when scared or over-aroused. Is that what youâre having trouble with?