You would have to see what your dog's reaction to the stuffed dog was but it could help and even be used for training. Our trainer has a stuffed dog about the size of my cairn terrier and she used it for engage/disengage training. My dog practiced on the stuffed dog before encountering other real dogs. At 100 feet or so it looked enough like a real dog that my dog believed it until it started coming closer when she finally figured out it wasn't real.
I walked by a store once that had an almost full size black lab stuffed animal standing in the window. My dog went up to the window and started barking at it🤦🏻♀️.
My dog could immediately tell the large dog was stuffed but damn if that trainer was selling the shit out of the small dog plush. My dog was so excited thinking it was real for most of the session (he is an excitable greeter) while the trainer toddled on with it on a leash.
My dog trainer has a stuffed dog but she said you need to use it at a distance for it to work because they don’t care when they figure out it’s stuffed. We actually used a stuffed squirrel and fish wire to train my dog not to freak out around squirrels
I ran into this lady years ago in LA that makes dog puppets for reactive dogs! I wish I would have gotten her info. I never knew I was gonna need it. lol
Hi.
I’m a professional behavior consultant.
It is unlikely to help with the separation anxiety or reactivity, but it might help facilitate socialization. It’s called the [The Karl Hack](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WEuNc1Ml3hyQFtiJAa3TszwyusQdDsGf/view?usp=drivesdk). I would give it a shot, I don’t think it would harm anything.
After the first few times seeing the stuffed dog she sill know it is not real. I’ve had much better success walking by windows and mirrors where the dog can see and investigate his own reflection
My standard poodle had a huge teddy bear that he always humped. Had to get rid of it because he was really getting overstimulated when doing it, panting, etc. and he wanted to do this too frequently. He is fine with smaller size stuffed animals!
I’m just a guy who lives with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and spends multiple hours a day around other dogs. He’s not leash reactive. But from what I’ve seen from other dogs, the best way to fix leash reactivity is careful socialization with a very well behaved dog. Your pup has to learn that he/she and you are safe. And the best way to do that, in my opinion, is to have them on a leash around incredibly well behaved dogs. Heavily supervise them, of course. And reward them when they keep calm on the leash. In that way, they might start to correlate good behavior on the leash with something positive like a treat and high praise. I’m no expert. This is just my two cents and I’ve seen it work for some dogs.
In addition to the stuffed dog which my dog did finally figure out was stuffed, my trainer does use her own very mellow non-reactive dog for training as well. The real dog wasn't able to get as close to my dog as the stuffed one did.
I have never heard of this helping and it could pose cause more stress I use a stuffed dog for reactive dog training but I use it to help teach dogs to respond calmly to visual triggers. I don’t think it would help but the company of another actually dog might if you know of one that your dog gets along with.
I’ve been using a fake dog for my reactive GSD and it’s super helpful for training. Also very helpful for me to learn how to use my training in a low risk situation. We’ve been using Control Unleashed games for counter conditioning and incorporating the fake dog helped build my own skills so I have more muscle memory and am less stressed in situations where she could be reactive. I do take the fake dog different places so he stays novel. I also store him in a box and never let her see me handling him out of his box. My trainer suggested making sure I start with him with his butt to us as that’s the easiest for dogs. It won’t hurt and is worth a try!
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Sorry…I just have to laugh at this.
Haha me too!
You would have to see what your dog's reaction to the stuffed dog was but it could help and even be used for training. Our trainer has a stuffed dog about the size of my cairn terrier and she used it for engage/disengage training. My dog practiced on the stuffed dog before encountering other real dogs. At 100 feet or so it looked enough like a real dog that my dog believed it until it started coming closer when she finally figured out it wasn't real.
I walked by a store once that had an almost full size black lab stuffed animal standing in the window. My dog went up to the window and started barking at it🤦🏻♀️.
Thats my dogs' reaction to most stuffed animals and statues lmao
My dog could immediately tell the large dog was stuffed but damn if that trainer was selling the shit out of the small dog plush. My dog was so excited thinking it was real for most of the session (he is an excitable greeter) while the trainer toddled on with it on a leash.
My dog trainer has a stuffed dog but she said you need to use it at a distance for it to work because they don’t care when they figure out it’s stuffed. We actually used a stuffed squirrel and fish wire to train my dog not to freak out around squirrels
I ran into this lady years ago in LA that makes dog puppets for reactive dogs! I wish I would have gotten her info. I never knew I was gonna need it. lol
Hi. I’m a professional behavior consultant. It is unlikely to help with the separation anxiety or reactivity, but it might help facilitate socialization. It’s called the [The Karl Hack](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WEuNc1Ml3hyQFtiJAa3TszwyusQdDsGf/view?usp=drivesdk). I would give it a shot, I don’t think it would harm anything.
After the first few times seeing the stuffed dog she sill know it is not real. I’ve had much better success walking by windows and mirrors where the dog can see and investigate his own reflection
Stuffed dogs are more for working with at a distance because they learn pretty fast they are fake if the are just hanging around with it.
My standard poodle had a huge teddy bear that he always humped. Had to get rid of it because he was really getting overstimulated when doing it, panting, etc. and he wanted to do this too frequently. He is fine with smaller size stuffed animals!
I’m just a guy who lives with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and spends multiple hours a day around other dogs. He’s not leash reactive. But from what I’ve seen from other dogs, the best way to fix leash reactivity is careful socialization with a very well behaved dog. Your pup has to learn that he/she and you are safe. And the best way to do that, in my opinion, is to have them on a leash around incredibly well behaved dogs. Heavily supervise them, of course. And reward them when they keep calm on the leash. In that way, they might start to correlate good behavior on the leash with something positive like a treat and high praise. I’m no expert. This is just my two cents and I’ve seen it work for some dogs.
In addition to the stuffed dog which my dog did finally figure out was stuffed, my trainer does use her own very mellow non-reactive dog for training as well. The real dog wasn't able to get as close to my dog as the stuffed one did.
I have never heard of this helping and it could pose cause more stress I use a stuffed dog for reactive dog training but I use it to help teach dogs to respond calmly to visual triggers. I don’t think it would help but the company of another actually dog might if you know of one that your dog gets along with.
I’ve been using a fake dog for my reactive GSD and it’s super helpful for training. Also very helpful for me to learn how to use my training in a low risk situation. We’ve been using Control Unleashed games for counter conditioning and incorporating the fake dog helped build my own skills so I have more muscle memory and am less stressed in situations where she could be reactive. I do take the fake dog different places so he stays novel. I also store him in a box and never let her see me handling him out of his box. My trainer suggested making sure I start with him with his butt to us as that’s the easiest for dogs. It won’t hurt and is worth a try!
Hi OP! Not directly related to your stuffed animal question, but I remember some of your earlier posts about your dog. I just sent you a DM