u/apri11a

After reading a few posts about "reactive dogs" being walked and some of the 'issues' these owners face daily when trying to walk their untrained dog .... should they even be bringing that dog into public areas?

The extent some go to to warn the public (who have a right to be where they are) that their dog is unfit can be extreme, some just with harnesses or leashes that have warnings written on them. And others shouting at strangers to 'keep back' or to 'give the dog space' and such. But when these warnings aren't heeded those dog owners are outraged.

Why should the public have to study each dog that they might meet, try to read any warnings, make allowances for that dog, or even notice there is a dog in their vicinity? This is not a dog problem, it's an owner problem, and it should not be a public problem.

If the dog is not trained well enough to behave well, and to be safe among the public, it should not be in a public area.

By behave well I would say that it walks nicely beside you and will sit and wait patiently if you stop. That it doesn't need a muzzle, though can wear one if the owner chooses to use one. That's all, it's not a lot and I'd be flexible if there were any other considerations or requirements. But if each and every dog did this it would be the norm. Imagine it.

> "Force free means to train without fear and pain. So by definition if you are not force free you are training with fear and pain. If you aren’t using fear and pain to train you are force free."

that's a direct quote

Is this just more rubbish? Or could it finally be the truth? I'd had the impression there was more to it than that, that it was deep, required knowledge and understanding, science and stuff. Perhaps I was wrong, again.

I saw this today, describing medication as amazing and with the exclamation point. Do you consider medication an amazing dog training tool?

The dog in question is 6-7 months old, a puppy, and its sin is that it barks, but the question is more about it being considered a tool. Is medication a good dog training tool?

I live rurally, our dogs don't get much in the way of out and about in public, and certainly not as part of their learning curve. I WFH, and do teach them some manners and a bit of (pet) obedience, to walk nice and accept visitors. But no play dates, no dog parks, no dog friendly shopping excursions, no doggy day care. They might see a supermarket car park now and again (get a walk/toilet opportunity there) or visit a vet or groomer and that's about it. Yet they aren't reactive in public if and when we do bring them.

When I read about 'Covid puppy' being a reason a dog wasn't socialised, so of course it's reactive, I must wonder... Our Covid life wasn't a lot different to our normal life, and not at all for our dogs, so can the isolation be blamed?

I guess the question isn't really about ideologies but in my mind I do wonder if it's ineffective training method, or just no training at all.

Does anyone know why GR will show me recommendations "Based on Your Read For School Shelf" when I don't have a 'read for school' shelf and never have done? And why it won't let me x to delete it, even though the option x is there?