Meeting other dogs on walks
 Thanks everyone |
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| I can definitely understand your concern. Luckily, we've never had any incidents like that. Clyde too is still dopey puppy friendly and, because he's big, older dogs sometimes go on the defensive when he bounds up to them. However, I don't think that you should not allow dogs to meet Max. Socialization is very important, especially at this age. I do think that you have every right to be selective of which dogs you let Max meet though. Watch their behavior before they sniff each other. Is the other dog's tail wagging? Are his ears perky or back? My other dog, Lucy, who's an older Briard/Beardie mix goes NUTS when we encounter other dogs. If I were another owner, I'd probably worry about her being aggressive! But, she just gets super excited and wants to sniff so badly! Also, watch Max's reaction. Sometimes a situation looks worse than it is. Do you have Max in puppy class? I learned so much about how dogs socialize with each other and what is ok and what isn't there. Our trainer actually made sure we didn't stop normal behavior that looked questionable and it's made me much more relaxed when I watch dogs play and interact-- a Godsend at the dog park! |
| Thanks ButterStotch, Max is in puppy class and he always enjoys the puppy playtime, the trainer always keeps an eye but only intervenes if a puppy is truly getting carried away, which hardly ever happens. It's so much harder in the "real world" and like you said these puppies are very dopey and friendly, and a lot of times other people don't realize how young he is until I tell them! I just am so surprised by a few of the owners I've met recently with quite agressive dogs who seem compelled to get close to Max and use him as a test for their dog. Almost like they want their dog to be friendly so badly that they have no concern for the well-being of someone else's dog!! This lady with the yellow lab said she would be getting her dog in basic training again, as it's been awhile since he's been in any training!! |
Doesn't that kind of make you wonder what that dog is like at home? With both my dogs, we do things to reinforce what they've learned everyday, whether it be sitting, staying, not jumping on people, etc. To me, and I think to them, it's just second nature now. I don't get how you can be the only owner of a dog that just loses training? It makes me sad that the dog is neglected or something. And yet, they're the ones who are letting their dogs explore yours. Don't even get me started on the people that insist on walking their dogs off leash!  I covered one particular moment with Lucy in another thread where we were walking on a trail and a lab came running at me from well across the trail. Lucy stopped him by rearing up and grabbing his neck before he got to me. In a nutshell, the owners came over screaming at me about my vicious dog-- yet they cared so much about their dog and others' safety that they didn't even have a leash on them, they had to drag him away by the collar. *sigh*
Oops, that wasn't supposed to turn into a rant! [/i] |
Another thing she said that kind of made me wonder is that she might breed her lab, he's about 2 years and not fixed yet. She didn't sound at all like she'd done any research on breeding, she just thought it would be a fun thing to do. Anyway, I guess there are people out there who just don't take the time to research and put all of their energy into things. I plan on keeping up on training and being consistent, because in the end you get the reward of a wonderful companion. It's just like parenting, you have to be on your toes and keep on top of things!! Now I'm on a rant,  |
AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHH! Sure, let's just breed your already wild and aggressive dogs and make more! There aren't enough labs around either. Okay, that part was mean but I'm not a huge lab fan 
See, I'm not a parent and I think that's why I have such high standards for dog owners. Mine are my kids and I treat them like it! I never have to divert my attention between human children and my dogs-- they get 100% It's kind of funny because I feel like the dogs actually start acting more human when they're in that situation. Or maybe I'm just acting more doglike... |
So funny, I have 3 kids, but I treat Max as if he were my fourth child!! So I consider myself a parent of 4, never mind that one is all fur! For a while I actually pondered having another baby, but now that Max is here, I feel like a new mom again, my husband is glad too, because now we know we have a big enough family  |
Now that Clyde is calming down a bit and we're about 90% housebroken, I'm already talking about another dog. My boyfriend said that if I get another one, one of the ones that we have now will disappear. And he said it won't be Lucy that will be leaving! He loves Clyde but, boy, has he been a handful, so it's always the joke that Clyde's getting sent away to boarding or military school! Lucy's such an angel that she makes Clyde look worse than he is. Poor little dummy  |
| Wait a second...Isn't the whole idea of asking if the dogs can say hello is to make sure the dogs aren't aggressive??Why would someone ask if their dog could say hello if HE WAS aggressive?? That defiets the whole purpose. Some people really need to read about dogs before the get one!!! Poor Max! Just have to wonder what she was thinking??!! |
| Exactly right, I will definitely be more selective about who I have Max meet in the future!! I should have gone with my instinct when I first saw the lab, he didn't look very friendly at all!! I guess I am afraid to offend someone and be rude by not being social, but at this point I'm not going to worry anymore, it's not worth a dog being injured. |
| What I've always done when I don't feel good about the other dog is take the high road and act like mine's the "problem." I've said before, "I'm sorry, I'd like to but I'm really not sure how she'll react and I think it would be safer for everyone if we keep our distance." I know there's nothing wrong with my dog but it's easier than upsetting someone that you may have to see again and at least you know they won't be asking to let the dogs meet again after that! |
| I've been so lucky with my girls, they are so good about meeting other dogs, even if the other dog is straining at the end of it's leash and seems to want to play, or fight, Dancer and Sky just stay by my side, and I don;t allow them to get too close to dogs that seem aggressive or even overly excited, because you just never know. Sky met tons of other dogs nose to nose at the show and was calm and cool all through it. I was so proud of her. Dancer is a little more timid and I don't think she would be as outgoing, if an exhuberant strange dog came bouncing up to play she cuddles into my leg a bit, not quite cowering but not growling either. |
| I had a dog, that seemed aggressive on leash and would lunge and all that, but I was just doing my darnest to control him, and then I started to tense up, so I was causing his behaviour.
He was a perfect dog off leash, frequently at the doggy daycare...Never had an issue. Loved to play with other dogs, put him on leash and he became protective, defensive...only against males. Once I figured that out, I started to ask if their dog was a male, and was he neutered...if it was a female we didn't have the same issues. I learned alot about walking with a loose leash, but our leash was never loose, he'd be pulling me 90% of the time...we worked at it everyday. So I guess, you will have treat dogs on a case by case thing, and get his socialization by going off leash. Then you will be able to ignore those dogs on leash and still have a pup that enjoys his walks, and all his doggy experiences will be plesant. It great that he is in class, they will probably cover the walking on leash, and you will be able to spot a dog owner doing it right, and see if it's their dog's problem or the dog owner causing the behaviour. |
| Daisie - it comforts me a bit to know your dog pulled you about 90% of the time and you eventually got it under control. My Zoey too thinks she is a sled dog. Guess we'll find out next winter when it snows. I guess I should look on the positive side, she's building very strong leg and shoulder muscles with all that weight training. |
| He was our Boxer, so he had strong muscles, what helped was starting and stopping. If he pulled I'd stop, he'd look come back I give a treat, and we start again...over and over. Or another thing we did was without warning an about face turn, so he had to pay attention to where I was going.
I didn't want to use a halti, or pronged collars, so we just kept working...eventually we went to a nylon collar. Remy doesn't physically pull me, but she will pull at the beginning of a walk, then turn and run back to bump me as if to hurry me up. We use a half nylon/half choke collar, but she is so good with meeting dogs, that I never worry about her. |
| Speaking of which... I just got back from picking the kids up from school. I brought Dancer with me, and she was a little anxious about 500 kids rushing out of the school all wanting to pet her, not as laid back as Sky, but still pretty good about it. Some of the other parents waiting had dogs with them, and Dancer was fine about that too. On the way back we stopped at the vets office (she has an appointment on Friday and I just wanted her to have a "good" visit LOL) We went in, and there was an akita mix pulling it's owners arm off trying to get to Dancer, snarling, baring teeth, everything, and Dancer just sat there, a little shaky, but made no obvious reaction.
Dancer got her treat, played with the receptionists for a few minutes, and off we went. She pulls a little when we walk, not hard enough that I have a hard time holding her, but when she is shaved down it seems she has a more sensitive throat and gags a lot. I remember her doing that before when I shaved her down the first time.... but hadn't noticed it again until today. |
| well i was wondering i my dog is deaf and is not good around other dog he is not mean or aggressive he just gets in their face but i was thinking in geting another dog thinking that he would be better at reading there body language but i cant find any thing can you find some fact that tell why a dog should have another dog as a friend and im typing in this font to make sure some one will see it and reply |
| oh and please give a link to it thank you |
| There are a couple of folks on the forum that have extensive experience with deaf dogs. Most of them check the forum late at night or early in the morning. I promise you someone will help you and respond.
Unfortunately, I have never had a deaf sheepie so I can't help. |
| Hi,
Most dogs don't naturally meet face to face as in doggie language this sometimes is viewed as a challenge. Dogs avoid eye contact with one another when meeting and do the butt sniff side to side greeting. Dogs on leashes are put in face to face situation and for some dogs this is seen as too threatening. Same dogs meeting at an offleash may not have the same problem as on leash. It is actually better to allow the leash to drop a little so the dog can meet side to side as they would under normal circumstances. Another factor is some dogs are owner protective and again being onleash with their human so close puts them into protective mode. Yet another factor is dogs have such a better sense of our moods and any anxiety shown by the upright is felt by the dog. He may misinterpret the anxiety as a fear towards the other dog or human. Sigh I know catch 22 situation here as you're always worried about how the other dog is going to react to yours. Watch for tail and body language signals. I know kinda hard with our guys as most have no tails, but chances are the other dogs will. If the other dog has tail in straight upright position it is asserting dominance. Better to keep walking with your dog and talk to it to distract. Wagging tail is sign of friendliness and tail down the other dog is scared or submissive and may be a fear biter. Most dogs if not properly socialized with others at a young age may always exhibit abnormal doggie manners which confuses other dogs. It's why it's so important to get out and about with your pup once it's had all it's innoculations. A deaf dog wouldn't necessarily have that problem if he/she had been around other dogs in puppyhood as the social cues are non verbal. Tail position, position of the ears, play stance position..that's front paws down and rump high in the air..means dog wants to play with the other one..play/chase game, hackles up...fear or in attack mode..making themselves look bigger. Cats do this when hissing for example. Reading as many books as possible about dog behavior helps..you start understanding dog social cues and how to recognize signs. For new guy check out http://www.deafdog.com Good luck to both of you! Marianne and the boys |
| It is so nice to have a dog that isn't aggressive. My last one was and it was hell. I couldn't take her anywhere. I wish I knew then what I know now. I was young and lived overseas and never got to take her to classes and meet other dogs. I didn't know about socializing. This was 20 years ago. You just had a dog. Anyways Laika is a blessing. I don't let myself get nervous anymore. Which was the main problem. If a dog gets aggressive with her I causally pull her away (she is on a lead). But I don't have to worry she handles herself. She is the submissive dog. She is down on the ground. She likes to put her paw around other dogs and that what gets her into trouble. But she has learnt. and so have I.
I just always just hope people with dogs like my old one know enough to not put them with others. I always told people she isn't good with other dogs. I hope for the same in others. |
| I don't want to get into this discussion except to comment on the statement Quote: let's just breed your already wild and aggressive dogs and make more
I don't think a dog on a leash growling and lunging at another dog on a leash makes either one "wild and aggressive" |
| I think so far i am pretty lucky with charlotte and cassy meeting other dogs.
They have a lot of dog friends in the area, and the dog owners always warning other owners if there is a dog in the area wich we have to be carefull with. But i believe that loads of dog owners make their dogs agresive while walking on the leads. Because the owners r scared to let their dog sniff and socialize they give that reaction to the dog thru the lead. The dog is getting alert by the owners behaviour and is either way very scared or the totall opposite. Dogs have such a strong nose, and can smell when a human is scared. The sent of a human who is scared gives a reaction to the dog that he has to stay alert. |
Bingley is so submissive it is nice not to worry (yet) about him being aggressive in any form. At the dog park we've been going to most everyone there is very good with their dogs and watching them. However, last week we went and there were two dogs that were very aggressive towards Bingley - and only Bingley. Bingley would be walking away from them or playing with another dog and they would focus on him and basically try and take him down. It didn't take very long to see that these two dogs were from the same household. The owner (and others in the park) also warned US away from one of them, saying, "He doesn't like people."  It makes me so frustrated when people just make excuses for their dogs and allow them to continue in inappropriate behavior instead of trying to fix the problem. |
Mop lover wrote: Bingley is so submissive it is nice not to worry (yet) about him being aggressive in any form. However, last week we went and there were two dogs that were very aggressive towards Bingley - and only Bingley. Bingley would be walking away from them or playing with another dog and they would focus on him and basically try and take him down.
Poor Bingley. I have the same problem with Dixie. She is very submissive to other dogs, so prefers the little ones, the puppies or the older respectful ones. However, she is a magnet for the bullies. IF there is one in the park they will find my girl...and run her to the ground....I am so protective about my Dixie, that we either leave the park or if there is room enough we go far away. Unfortunately ( or fortunately) Bosley is VERY protective and if he sees anything of that nature he is right there, all stiffened and towering over the bully. Then I have to destract him....and take him elsewhere as he does not forget easily. The dynamics of the dog parks are very interesting, but we have to protect our own pups from negative experiences. If Bingley or any other dog gets hurt or scared it may very well impact them for life....and if we don't see it happen we would not understand the reason for the reaction. It is one thing to prevent your dog from acting in a negative fashion, but it is also our responsibility to protect our own dogs from bad experiences...Especially when they are young. I also keep Bosley away from any dog that I know has or has had a choke or a pinch collar on it. That is a dog that has had bad experiences with dogs, by being corrected for pulling when one is near as described in the earler post..I don't want my dog to get the brunt of another dog's anxiety. I would encourage anyone with a young, impresionable puppy, to keep a very close eye on any dog that they interact with. One bad experience could leave a life-long impression. If things don't look good, or if the pup looks anxious at all, or tries to get away, or is being pinned...take the pup somewhere else to play. Better yet, check out the other dogs before it can happen in ther first place. |
Quote: I also keep Bosley away from any dog that I know has or has had a choke or a pinch collar on it. That is a dog that has had bad experiences with dogs, by being corrected for pulling when one is near as described in the earler post..I don't want my dog to get the brunt of another dog's anxiety.
Actually, my first OES, Merlin and now, Archie always had choke collars (by which I assume you mean the self-looping chain) not because they were agressive at all but because it was the most effective way to curb their enthusiastic pulling when they were young--and really big and strong. It allowed me to quickly correct bad pulling behavior (and they simply wanted to run much faster than I could walk). I used it as a training tool. In those days, there was no Gentle leader that I was aware of and this sort of chain collar was what was most recommended. My children were also involved in walking the dogs and in those days, they were children--and needed the extra measure of control in case of squirrels, or anything really interesting or tempting came around. I still use this type of collar on Archie when we walk, mostly because it's what he and we are used to. To be perfectly honest, no matter what collar I used, if Archie really wanted to pull away from me, I'd be powerless to stop him, but Shhhhh, let's not tell him that. |
| When I first posted this Max was under a year I believe, so things have changed a lot now. I still use a gentle leader on him, because if he sees a cat or squirrel he'll take off and rip my arm out!!! Although I am having an easier time around cats now, I use the "leave it" command when we walk past a cat and he is doing pretty good!! One thing though is that he always wants to say "hi" to everyone on our walks, and usually they also say hi and everybody is happy. I only have a hard time with Max when the other person and/or dog is not interested in meeting, Max gets upset, and starts jumping so I just try to cross the street, but sometimes it's embarassing because the other person thinks he's a crazy dog, and he is not, he just is overly friendly. I suppose that this could be a OES trait, they think that everyone who is out and about is there to meet them
Sharon |
personss wrote: sometimes it's embarassing because the other person thinks he's a crazy dog, and he is not, he just is overly friendly.
Sigh. this happens with everyone who comes to my house  People never believe me when I say "He'll calm down in a minute..."
Sharon, we need new pics of Max! He and Bailey are about the same age, I'd love to see what he looks like now... |
| My 2 girls think that everybody likes them...
And if people don''t pay any interest, they jump and do stupid things I see the people then always looking, and they probably think that my 2 girls r dangerous. I am thinking of buying a gentle leader, to prevent me having my arm ripped to peaces. But i am not sure if they can also walk witthout them, if they be good while having the gentle leader on. Anyone having experience with this? At dog school they say, walk away, come back, and when they still don't behave walk away again....well that doesn't help so far.... |
| Hi Sue, I will get some more recent pics of Max real soon, I haven't been very good lately about taking his pictures, so I'm excited to take some new pics! I'm envious of you guys out in Arizona because you have all that dry weather, it's been so rainy here lately that Max is a bit dirty, so I'll have him groomed before I take his pictures,
Sharon |
| Hi Anita,
The gentle leader is wonderful!! Takes the dog a short time to get used to..at least it did with Merlin. I had it on for a few minutes and then increased the time before we went on our walk. It's amazing..no pulled muscles in your arms, after using it!! Marianne and the boys |
| I usually walk between Phoebe and the other dog when we're out. Phoebe is not normally an aggressive dog, but she will not be pushed around. There's no issue unless the other dog has aggressive tendencies. Since I can't predict the other dog's behaviour, the whole walk is easier if I'm in there to remind her that we have to use our company manners.
Now, the gate at home is another story... Any dog who looks at our yard will be told in no uncertain terms by Phoebe that we have no vacancies. The only deviation from this pattern is for the dog across the lane who she objects to on principle. |
| Pheobe and Remy sound alot alike.
Remy is extremely friendly to all dogs...unless that dog is not friendly back. Remy will stand her ground if she feels threatened, otherwise she happily bounds away to meet the next dog. |
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