Thanks, Hector.
Let me see if I can be better at describing my goals with using a behaviorist and make sure I'm explaining how weird these dogs are.
Yes, she uses positive training methods. This has been proven to be the best method for training with all kinds of animals. I know that I can get results with aversive methods. Probably. At least in most dogs anyway.
That doesn't mean I'm against using corrections or aversive techniques once the dog knows what to do. There is a difference. With positive methods, you see a dog that offers up new behaviors instead of avoiding behaviors. I like that and I'm hoping the behaviorist knows some cool tricks or has some insight about things that might be self-rewarding that I just can't think of.
If aversive methods are the only thing that will work, that's what we'll do, I'm not a fanatic about it. I don't want that to be where we start. That seems unfair and lazy of me.
If there is a way to get her to act better that rewards her for the right behavior, I want to know about it. We can't use any of the normal bribes. When I say she won't accept food outside, it's because she *won't* accept food outside. Not because I just think that or I don't want to try and find the *right* food. Even our puppy has begun to refuse food outside of the house. It's just what they do.
I told the first trainer that Athena was not food motivated. He worked with her in the house and she did whatever he wanted for some liver treats. So I'm sure that guy thought I was just an idiot. But outside is a whole different ballgame.
She also won't play with toys if she is *on duty*. Athena actually has a lot of toy drive for a Tibetan. She'll fetch in the backyard like she's a lab. She will go from "yay, I'm having fun" to "what was that?" in half a second if she hears something. Then she is completely uninterested in the ball she was just having the best time ever with.
And when I say she doesn't care about what I want or think, I mean it. Your dog probably cares if you're mad. If you raise your voice or project disappointment in some way, your dog will probably notice and change his behavior. Your dog probably seems happy and wags his tail a bit when you come home. He will do things because he knows that's what you want and he wants to please you. That's how dogs are supposed to be. That's why people like dogs. Because they love us unconditionally, right?
The TM is not that dog. Athena barely acknowledges us when we walk in the door. If I scold her she looks at me like there is something wrong with me. She doesn't do anything just because she thinks it might make me happy.
That doesn't mean she doesn't like me. Because she does. But it's much more of a mutual respect thing. And don't think that it means she thinks she's in charge or that I need to make her understand that I'm dominate or something. That is not how it is. She respects me. But she's still going to make her own decisions.
So when we walk, she will look to me for some things. Somebody left a grill on the sidewalk and she was greatly concerned about it. I was easily able to walk her up to it and she was fine once she checked it out. Stuff like that. But once she decides that something is a threat or requires her full attention for whatever reason. That's it. There is no getting her focus back. She is quite confident in her decision making skills and if she's concerned and I'm not, well, clearly I'm the idiot in this equation.
Again, that is who these dogs are. That is not me making excuses.
Social isolation is not something that I think will work with her. These are just not dogs that can be tricked or trained to engage with us. She's just not that into me.
I do like the shoulder check idea. I'll try that. I think if my timing is good, that might help.
Also, something else about the way they react. A lot of you have had success with making your dogs sit when other dogs approach. Or standing in front of them. Athena acts worse the more you try and restrain her or keep her from seeing whatever she is concerned about. Last night, there was a Jack Russell following us. Instead of trying to snap her attention away from it like I've been doing, I let her watch it. They turned onto another street and she just sat quietly until it was out of her view. Of course, if they had gotten closer she wouldn't have stayed sitting but she was much more willing to just ignore it after she got a chance to watch it.
She just really, really needs to verify for herself that everything is fine.
And like I said, maybe I'm the problem and I just don't know it. The behaviorist should be able to point that out. Hopefully her positive training methods apply to humans too.
