Help, my Labradoodle is a monster

Help, My Labradoodle Is A Monster

Many owners get a knot in their stomach when their dog reacts to other dogs. You try everything. Turn around, distract, treats. Often with no result. In this blog you will read how we handled this with a desperate woman and her 3 year old Labradoodle.

A Sweet Dog At Home, A Monster Outside

Last week I got a call from a desperate woman with a 3 year old Labradoodle. At home the dog was very sweet. As soon as he met another dog, he turned into a monster. The behavior was so intense that the woman felt ashamed and now always walked the other way as soon as she saw a dog. She was out of options and asked if I could help.

Normally we do not work with problem dogs. Our system is mainly focused on preventing problems. Problem dogs often take a lot of time and energy, and we prefer to spend that on building the right foundation in upbringing and training. Still, in this case I made an exception. The woman lived in our town and she was clearly desperate, so I invited her to come over with her dog.

Distraction Does Not Work

Together with her husband she told me they had already received countless tips. Every time they were told to distract the dog to avoid the problem. Unfortunately it did not work.

When I saw the dog, I met a fun but insecure dog. I took her for a moment, did a few exercises in our yard, and saw that there was nothing serious going on. With light corrections and, of course, rewards, the dog responded better very quickly.

A Confident Handler For An Insecure Dog

In our conversation I explained that an insecure dog mainly needs a confident handler. A handler who not only leads, but also shows confidence. I also explained that it is important to look for the problem on purpose, with control. This teaches the dog how to handle it and gives clarity about which behavior is not tolerated.

Actively Looking For Other Dogs

So we went out on the street together, actively looking for other dogs. First at a bigger distance, then closer and closer. Of course the Labradoodle reacted strongly. We corrected that behavior right away, with control, and the dog responded surprisingly well. Good behavior was then rewarded.

At the end of the session the dog sat relaxed next to Danger, our Pomeranian who we also used for this exercise. The couple watched, happily surprised.

Corrections Improve Welfare

I explained that welfare actually improves when you do not avoid problems, but look for them in a controlled way and correct unwanted behavior when needed. Then you can be proud of your dog and praise him a lot. Especially if you set boundaries from day one, there are hardly any corrections needed to reach your goal.

What stands out with corrections. People who refuse to correct their dogs in principle, in practice are often the ones who get angry at their dog the most.

As an example, there once was a man who came by with his dog. During the intake conversation he was angry for half an hour because the dog kept climbing on the couch while he did not want that. Only when he finally corrected the dog more clearly, on my advice, and the dog stopped trying to climb on the couch, he could pet and praise the dog extensively. Then he also showed how much he loved his dog.

Want To Fix This Long Term, And Prevent Problems

In our online training school you learn more than just how to teach exercises. You learn how to create clarity from day one. You build calm behavior, you socialize in a smart way, and you prevent unwanted behavior from turning into real problem behavior. Do you already have issues like reactivity. Then we also help you with a plan and clear steps.