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Me again.. sick of me yet?
Today we had a trainer come to evaluate Grimm onlead with another dog(her dog) at a distance. Grimm is fine offlead with other dogs, friendly --providing background here-- but onlead, he barks and lunges.
The trainer says she honestly sees zero anxiety or aggression here-- Grimm's body language is rather one of "Yo!! Let's party! I'm the star! Let's see what we're about-- YEEEHAWW!" Ignoring me, distracted by the thrill of a wild doggy interaction, he throws a big hullabaloo.
I do admit there is almost sometimes a sense of tension-mixed-with-fun in these outbursts in Grimm, tension to get a party started.
In the past, when Grimm yanked his lead from my weak hands and raced off to another dog (twice), he each time only playbows, barks, and comes back on command. (we practice recalls lots-- but this always stuns me when he will return)
This is the second trainer who has evaluated Grimm as not actually being aggressive, but raising a ruckus in anticipation of a thrilling bark-and-playbow fest. When the first trainer corrected Grimm firmly for barking at another dog, then downed him, Grimm downed, then just rolled comfortably onto one side/hip, and let out a dramatic SIIIGGGHH.... but kept some anticipation in his gaze on the other dog.
When I am able (I almost *always* forget
) to boom a thundering verbal "PFUUUIII" in a deep tone, Grimm always stops his outburst, looks mortally embarrassed, and we can walk by 3 other dogs on the same walk and he just makes a deeply wrinkly forhead of hopeful interest at the other dogs.
Is there any special advice for a dog that barks at other dogs and is NOT doing it out of fear? I am doing NILIF and strong leadership at home. I LOVE the 'Feisty Fido' book a wonderful friend gave me!! Those excersises sound realistic and do-able. Most books are for fear-aggressive dogs. Am I too soft on Grimm with this one issue? Too wimpy on walks only, or with this issue only? He is nicely responsive to my voice. Normally, I can only remember to leash correct (weak, ineffective-- even with prong).. I always forget to PFUUUIII. Do I need an anti-wimpy protocol while on walks, like a Cesar Milan strut? Increase working on distractions? Will a class (with a trainer serving as my hands for the first few classes) get Grimm over his anticipation of a doggy party that never happens, if he never gets to initiate a playfest while onlead?

Today we had a trainer come to evaluate Grimm onlead with another dog(her dog) at a distance. Grimm is fine offlead with other dogs, friendly --providing background here-- but onlead, he barks and lunges.
The trainer says she honestly sees zero anxiety or aggression here-- Grimm's body language is rather one of "Yo!! Let's party! I'm the star! Let's see what we're about-- YEEEHAWW!" Ignoring me, distracted by the thrill of a wild doggy interaction, he throws a big hullabaloo.


In the past, when Grimm yanked his lead from my weak hands and raced off to another dog (twice), he each time only playbows, barks, and comes back on command. (we practice recalls lots-- but this always stuns me when he will return)
This is the second trainer who has evaluated Grimm as not actually being aggressive, but raising a ruckus in anticipation of a thrilling bark-and-playbow fest. When the first trainer corrected Grimm firmly for barking at another dog, then downed him, Grimm downed, then just rolled comfortably onto one side/hip, and let out a dramatic SIIIGGGHH.... but kept some anticipation in his gaze on the other dog.
When I am able (I almost *always* forget

Is there any special advice for a dog that barks at other dogs and is NOT doing it out of fear? I am doing NILIF and strong leadership at home. I LOVE the 'Feisty Fido' book a wonderful friend gave me!! Those excersises sound realistic and do-able. Most books are for fear-aggressive dogs. Am I too soft on Grimm with this one issue? Too wimpy on walks only, or with this issue only? He is nicely responsive to my voice. Normally, I can only remember to leash correct (weak, ineffective-- even with prong).. I always forget to PFUUUIII. Do I need an anti-wimpy protocol while on walks, like a Cesar Milan strut? Increase working on distractions? Will a class (with a trainer serving as my hands for the first few classes) get Grimm over his anticipation of a doggy party that never happens, if he never gets to initiate a playfest while onlead?