Trainer escapes dog bite.

In my current Basic Manners class I have a small black dog named Boo.  Boo is very reactive to everything and reacts by nipping and attacking.  In this video I was demonstrating how to teach the "leave it" cue.  Boo does what he is supposed to for the "leave it" cue and turns his head away from what I have told him to leave.  When he does this, I say "good" and immediately reward him with a treat.  While talking with the owners, I did not notice another dog that had momentarily come behind me.  Watch the video closely and you will see how Boo's body language changes after he sees the other dog.  While he is still in this state, I moved too quickly for him.  He became scared and did what he has learned to do in the past, which is to bite and lunge to make that thing he is scared of go away.

When working with a reactive dog such as Boo, it is important to remember to always be aware of your body language and movements.  I moved quickly after something had just happened that Boo had become aware of.  In Boo's mind, this was too much at once, which is why he lashed out.  Don't worry, he missed me.