Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:01 am Post subject: approaching other dogs
Well yesterday we were enjoying our usual longer Sunday walk it was a beautiful day so ofcourse many others were out aswell! Anyway we were not far into our walk when we came across the first group of people walking their dogs, they were little ones a shi tzu and another little 'precious' thingy!
now when Sonas sees dogs approaching she goes down to the ground and does a slinky tiger like stalk takes a few creeps forward and stays really close to the ground then she just tears forward at the rate of knots!! Well the owners saw what she was doing and I could see they were uneasy one of them even picked up their dog which made me feel terrible we were close at this point and I said "It's ok she will not bite them she is young and a bit to bouncy yet" then she took of and it does look like she is going to attack but she just wants to play and run in circles so she chased the shi tzu around and we called her and carried on walking, she started to follow after us but the other lady had put the 'precious' dog down by this point and as Sonas was running to come to us she ran straight over it and knocked it over, it rolled about three times and she didn't even notice what she had done, the ladies drew a sharp breath of shock and I apologised sincerely but kept on going! I have never been so embarrassed with her yet!
Just around the corner were two GR s who chased her around and their owners were calling them away to leave her alone but they didn't anyway I said to them that I think that is what she needs as she had just thrown her weight around with some little dogs!!
So from then on I put her on the lead when we saw other dogs approaching. She is easy enough to call back when she is doing this but obviously it is not fair on other owners letting her launch at their dogs even though I know she will not harm them (on purpose). I have taught her to walk to heel which she is really quite good at but in this instance she is deaf to me tottally focused on the dog that is coming towards her. So is putting her on the lead the best thing to do for now? I was trying to avoid it and get her to calm down a bit so she could enjoy interacting with other dogs but she just gets possesed with excitment. I have not really done a great deal to stop her as if I start shouting no or leave it will fall on deaf ears and make my command devalued!
People, prams, bikes, children, joggers can all go past and she doesn't even notice they are there most of the time but a dog and that is it!
I don't know if I am asking for a advice or just venting here!! although any comments will be gratefully recieved!
lol sorry to laugh, but you're describing Danny to a tee...at least you know you're not alone!!
The only thing I am not doing anymore (and I think you say the same) is not keeping on calling him if he ignores "come" as like you say it devalues the command, instead I try "this way"...but I too am at a bit of a loss...
Your post bought a smile ! I think you are describing the vast majority of Labs out there!!
Cadbury does a similar thing he crouches down almost flat ready to pounce on approaching dogs! - the dog behavourist told me that this is a sign to other dogs that says " I want to play , I am not a threat".
Cadbury will soon be two and I have noticed with training and age this excited behaviour is gradually calming down. Off lead I still do lots of recall work and now keep him to heel as we pass some dogs even though he wants to play i don't allow him to go over to all dogs.
When i first started to do this I would put him back on the lead and make him walk nicely past dogs.
I also used to try and distract him when other dogs came towards us - with a toy or treat and try and keep his focus for as long as possible - then if I felt he was going to rush off I would give a release command (before he actually went!)
Graduallly we could get nearer and nearer to the other dogs before he would get excited and he began to wait for the commant to go off. It takes time but does work!!
Thanks very much you guys!!
Rachel surprisingly in all that her recall was the one thing that was fine, I called she came and knocked the pocch over on her way to me!! I was meaning if I tried to keep her to Heel she would just be too hyped up to listen!! I know she means no harm but they (owners) don't and the way she launches is quite something!!! I wish some people would realise that their dogs can read other dogs body language and actually are equiped with what they need to defend themselves if neccessary!! I have come across so many fussy owners and they are not all of small dogs and they have not all been launched at either to put them off!! LOL it is like they cannot bare to allow their dog to share the same air as another for some weird reason!!!
Basils 7 months and your description is also him to a tee.
We have the same issue with some dog owners, who don't seem to get that he's trying to play and not fight. We also just call him away (i only let him approach anyway if they are both off lead or both on lead)
Anyway i think they may grow out of it - we were at the beach at the weekend and Basil showed his first signs of being a big boy
There were 3 other 1 year old labs playing together and a 5 month rottie pup also. The rottie kept trying to paws up and instigate play with Basil and for the first time ever he didnt want to! He wanted to join the bigger boys and the rottie was showing him up.
It was so funny to watch how he approached trying to join the pack to play - being all calm and grown up, showing off that he could swim faster and retireve, giving his toys and generally observing and gradually integrating himself.
Since then i've definitely noticed he's getting a bit more reserved with his boisterous play approach, i dont think he'll grow out of it (that would be sad) but i think he'll start to read the other dogs first.
As for your dog treading on theirs, they must be used to it - their so small people probably trip on them all the time
Hi Karen,
Firstly, a quick word in the defense of smaller dogs!! I have 2 littlies- a JRT anda mini dachsi, as well as my 2 (3 including Echo at the mo) biggies. My 2 smaller dpogs have been bowled over so many times by bigger dogs running at full pelt towards them that Flo, the JRT is likely to snap at them and Ted goes into hysterical bark mode when he see's big dogs approaching. I don't pick them up but can see their point of view! I wouldn't like getting rolled over by bigger humans everytime I went outside my door!!!
As for trying to prevent my big dogs from running into other dogs - I've always tried to instill in them that they have to 'check-in' with me first and wait for them to be told to 'go say hello' before approaching other dogs. Its not fool-proof...even Zorro (Mr Goody-Two-Shoes!) at 5 1/2 years will occasionaly get it wrong and go bounding over before I say if I don't spot the other dog and call him back to me quick enough.
I would suggest putting Sonas on a trailing long-line for the time being so that when you call him back to you and he ignores you, you can put your foot on the line and then reel him back into you, reward him and then (if the other owners are happy about it) release him to 'go say hello'. Even when he is playing with the other dogs, call him to you (reeling him in if necessary) in an excited way, treat him and then release to 'go play' a few times so he learns that you aren't there to spoil is fun and interaction with other dogs, but that you still have to be obeyed.
Endless practice and a bucket-load of practice is required But the more times he is able to disobey you, the less effective your commands are. The long-line would enable you to MAKE him obey you.
We've been doing pretty much what Becs has described, and it's working with time. I think some of it comes with growing up too, as we can get closer and closer now before he tries to make a break for it.
He went bowling up to a 20 week staffie pup the other day and it just wanted to climb all over him and play, and for the first time he was the grumpy old man and turned away when he'd had enough!
I know what you mean though, you don't want to call them and de-value the recall command, but it's very difficult to be appearing not to do anything and other dog owners think you aren't bothered. I've taken to just keeping my mouth shut and running over to fetch him if he's not on his line!
Becs I think you have misunderstood me I was not dissing small dogs in any way, I am so sorry for what she did to the poor wee thing. If I could have stoppped it from happening I would've! Also if she had got a snap as you say Flo would have done I would have said she deserved it she needs putting in her place. I have just read my posts and really can't see where I said anything negative about little uns??? sorry Becs I was slating some owners though and said the funny ones were not always of small dogs!! maybe that was it?? Feel bad thinking that you think I was being rude!!
Thanks very much for the tip about the long line though I do think I am going to have to go down that route really. As I said I have not activly tried to do anything as yet to stop this behaviour as I was unsure what exactly to do plus flapping around around trying to catch her wouldn't help really either!!!
If I keep going in my direction and they are going in theirs if I call she comes no problem, so it is not like I am in a tussle for ages trying to gain control but I do appreciate how this could be scary for anyone watching a dog stalking thiers and charging in for the kill only to stop an inch away and run around like something possessed!!! yes that is it it sarah!! that is what I worry about is that the other people think I am not bothered but I know if I went chasing her around whooping and calling we would get into something that I do not want to start!! so far carrying on my way and giving her a call works. even if it does look like I don't give a monkeys about what she is up to!!
Good on Basil for being a big boy and trying to play nice well done him!!
Thanks for all your help and stories everyone much appreciated.
Hi Karen,
I sought of have the same problem with Bailey, anything other than a dog can go past but another dog is a different matter!! he wants to go and say hallo. I changed training classes 6 weeks ago and this has helped also i have a one to one training session booked for next tuesday.
What they have told me to do is to take a tin lid out with me (quality street tin lid i use, as other dogs are none of his business unless i say so) and as soon as he looks at another dog to hit the lid on my leg (NOT THE DOG) and don't say anything and if necessary turn round and go the other way but if he walks past nicely then praise praise and praise. They showed me at training how to do it and i couldn't believe the difference!!! I have had 90% success with this when i am out.
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