dog aggression on the lead

Re: dog aggression on the lead

sarahjune84 — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:20:39 GMT

Thanks everyone for your advise, it seems like lots of us are in the same boat. trying to improve our own dogs behaviour but being held back by other dog owners.

Thanks Jill, I have thought about clicker training him. Most the time I do try and have treats in my pocket as he does love food. So i get him to follow the treat and then when past the dog, let him have it. His recall is good if Ive got food too. But he out smarts me, if he knows Ive got treats and he sees a dog, he starts jumping at my pocket for a treat! D'oh! hehe!

Luckily haven't passed the man and his dog since my first post.

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Jill Macdonald — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:20:14 GMT

It does seem as though irresponsible dog owners, +/- aggressive dogs who haven't been socialised with other dogs (or humans!) properly is getting worse and worse! Or is it just me!? Every other dog is displaying stressed/defensive behaviour, what is going on?

Sarah June - completely symapthise with your problems with Rattie - I too have a BT, who has been attacked a couple of times in the past by other dogs, and went from being really calm and confident around other dogs to being quite nervous/anxious, over zealous, (tail right up, whining etc) quick to retaliate (where before he had always ignored other dogs' aggression - which is where you want to be). You've all come up with some great ideas too, but the one I would recommend is the clicker. What I did (and still do on a regular basis) was go out armed with bag of treats (his normal food) and a clicker, and every time we encountered other dogs - click and treat. You can start this off by being in a nice open area, and as soon as they clap eyes on another dog, ie, turn and look at it, even if it's miles away, click and treat - so that they associate another dog as something positive. Simples. It's also really good at averting their attention. Otto is now FAR better - much calmer, more confident - indifferent I suppose. Whenever he has had a successful encounter with another dog, he always gets praise - either verbal or clicker, just to keep reinforcing good behaviour. Also- you don't have to use treats with the clicker - I do because food is Otto's prime incentive, but you could use favourite ragger or ball or whatever makes your dog tick.

I completely agree that shouting or 'no' is the wrong way to go - positive reinforcement is definitely the best route. If they already associate another dog with something negative, why on earth would you want to say 'no'!? 'Leave' can be useful, say if they're off the lead and you're near to another dog that you know is trouble - just to keep them out of it - I also taught 'leave' really effectively using the clicker - just say 'leave' at the same time as click and treat - the result - whey you say 'leave' the dog comes back to you, and associates the word with a positive outcome..

It is difficult, becuase we naturally become nervous around other dogs too, and this must transfer to them. Using the clicker helps to distract us too! Something else that is good is to stop and talk to the owner of the other dog. Gives the dogs a chance to socialise, in a 'friendly' atmosphere, so if there are any 'nice' dog owners out there then this is a good ploy - although they seem pretty thin on the ground these days!

re the dog poo- it's driving me insane at the moment - it's everywhere! And this thing where people pick it up but then leave the bags lying about - even worse! I saw someone had put one in a horse's feeding bowl yesterday, grr! If I ever see anyone not picking it up, then I'm going to film it and tell them I'm sending it to the council! (if I'm feeling brave - these days you never know what's going to happen if you challenge anybody!)

Hope this helps - keep us posted as to how you get on with the little chap.

Jill

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Emma Bartlett — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:03:59 GMT

[quote user="staceyvn"]

i think i need to start carrying some kind of cattle prod to jab the useless owners in the park lol!!

[/quote]

Good plan

Re: dog aggression on the lead

staceyvn — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:34:05 GMT

i think i need to start carrying some kind of cattle prod to jab the useless owners in the park lol!!

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Emma Bartlett — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:10:27 GMT

It seems we all have similar problems. I like to have my rottweilers under control as i consider myself a responsible dog owner and i would like to choose who they socialise with, preferably equally well balanced dogs not silly dogs that approach with hackles up and skitting around them as they are unsure of how to greet other dogs. I would also like my new little rescue dog to have some good experiences with.....not with the kind of dog described above as he gets worried and reacts with aggression. I am not sure how we go about educating dog owners.....apart from shouting at them to put their out of control dog back on a lead!

I asked one lady with a very horrible westie that was shouting at my rottweilers, who were on lead in a sit-stay, to put her agressive dog on a lead and she looked at me as if i had gone crazy, i repeated my request and she actually said "oh they're agressive" meaning my perfectly well behaved dogs.....she got the message pretty quickly after that and has avoided me like the plague since!!!!!

Oh and while i am at it any ideas of how to get people to pick up dog poo......it really irritates me that i can manage to pick up after all 4 of my dogs yet some poeple can't even pick up after one dog and i am always the one to stand in it

Sorry rant over!!!!

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Vicky RVN — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:22:17 GMT

The other day dad was walking Jack and a very bouncy big black dog (lab I think) came running up and was jumping all over Jack and my dad! Dad tried to carry on walking so that Jack didn't get het up (he was behaving very well and ignoring the dog), and the dog was jumping at my dads back! The owners paid no attention at all...now what if it were a child or a frail person the dog had been bouncing at???

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Kim Buckley — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:13:35 GMT

Owners who allow their overally bouncy and out of control dogs harass my dogs (who are off lead but well behaved) do my head in! My little dog loves other dogs but it submissive and will run away if she gets scared and she regularly gets chased by dogs trying to play with her. The owners just don't seem to realise that my dog doesn't want to play and just watch and go nothing. Grrrr

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Vicky RVN — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:52:27 GMT

Oooooooh don't get me started on people who let their dogs run up to yours that is under control on the lead! I had one person with a cocker which ran right up to Jack, Jack growled at it, it screamed and the woman was shitty with me! My dog is on the lead for a reason! And the other dog was fine, because I had Jack under control. My dad had someone tell him to let Jack off the lead to play with their dog....dad said no, he's not good with other dogs....woman was insistent! Stupid woman, she wouldn't have liked it if Jack had bitten her dog would she!

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Julie-Anne Wilson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:16:11 GMT

[quote user="staceyvn"]

the other sauntered over in his own time

[/quote]

This is one of my biggest bugbears with dog owners! They do this and then have the cheek to look at you like your dog's to blame!

This one along with the owners that refuse to move and just stand and call their dog ... even when the dog does NOT listen .... they continue to just stand and call gently.

A lot of the time, with dog's off the lead, I will make Tasia keep walking on a short lead with her head pointed forward. I have actually had owners ask ME to stop walking 'cos they don't have THEIR dog under control. One woman shouting at me, "Maybe if you stood still I could get a hold of her (own dog).", with me replying, "Maybe if you put her on a lead there wouldn't be a problem."

Re: dog aggression on the lead

staceyvn — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:47:45 GMT

jesus ! i've had 2 seperate ding-dongs with pleb dog owners in the last month!! ive got a chinese crested only had 6wks not so great with other dogs so i have done the "watch-me" technique.....the only prob is when other dogs race up to him....he literally, on these 2 occasions was doing cartwheels on his lead...i dont want to leave him on floor but also dont want to pick him up and re-inforce his anxiety...so politely i call to the owners"please call your dog" one told me to f**k off, the other sauntered over in his own time then when i - quite rightly so expressed my anger he told me to eff off back to leeds!!! (my apt reply was errrrm i would if i were from yorkshire! im a lancs lass lol)

i think we just have to accept that some people are just moronic idiots...in my case im sure they wouldnt react they way they do if i had a 60kg growling barking mastiff on the end of my lead!

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Julie-Anne Wilson — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:08:33 GMT

My dog is aggressive to other dogs and I never shout at her when she's behaving like that. I make sure she's short lead and make her sit and then block her view of the other dog. Some owners in my area tend to be pi**y with me because I'm not reacting. If anything, it'll be them I'll berate. I have done this in the past with some random trying to give me advice on the street.

Her aggression is slightly better since I got her but she'll never be able to play with other dogs. I'm going to check out that Ttouch site though, and I may try a DAP collar for her.

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Rachel Jayne — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:45:14 GMT

My collie mix is exactly the same - we always get turned up noses from other owners when he's out on the lead.

When he was a small pup, we took him to a (not so good) puppy training class, where one of the trainers thought I'd be good for his huge shaggy GSD to chase him round the hall & jump on him, because "he's only playing", he still had his lead attached at the time, so now lead + other dog = wild spinning on the lead/barking/growling/nearly pulling me over - he's a chunk at 28kgs!

I agree you were right not to shout at your pooch, as above, it will only worsen the situation. Plus, as I always tell puppy owners, there's no point saying "no" to animals unless they know the difference between yes & no.

When Spot starts, I have taught him the "leave" command, which works sometimes, but since he's been living with my parents, they haven't used the command as they aren't as confident with him, so he's forgotten it somewhat now...
I also try stopping & making him look up at me so he can't see the dog coming past, or turn around & walk the other way.

I'm itching for a fight with someone who would dare try to tell me off for his behaviour - I've had my speech rehearsed for years!

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Emma Bartlett — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:52:29 GMT

[quote user="peanut4505"]thunder jackets are quite effective[/quote]

Thundershirts or bodywraps are good and there are also some great ttouches for helping with thiskind of behaviour alongside basic training.

There are some ttouch client days coming up in March, where training practitioners do one to one sessions for approx hour and a half working on any behaviour issues you may have with your dog. You get to work in an area away from all other dogs and after the session you all give feedback about what you have learnt. I have been twice before with my dogs and i've booked a place to go again this time. It only costs a £10 donation the greyhound trust.

http://www.ttouchtteam.com/TTouchCourses.html

Re: dog aggression on the lead

sarahjune84 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:48:43 GMT

thanks for your replies, there really helpful. He does have lots of 'doggie' play friends and he lives with my patterdale but hes known them from before the attack, I might try and find him some new play friends to socialise with.

Hes also only got 1 eye so some times I think he doesnt notice things until there on top of him so he reacts in fright.

Re: dog aggression on the lead

Helen Tottey — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:06:57 GMT

You are right not to shout as all you are doing is reinforcing the barking. the best thing to do is try to distract your dog so he breaks eye contact wiht the other dog. if you teach the "watch" command (so he focuses on you) you can make him sit and look away from the other dog until it has passed. The best place to learn this is at a good training class. I taught my Lab this when he was young and is a great thing to demonstrate at puppy parties for just your scenario.

Re: dog aggression on the lead

peanut4505 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:56:34 GMT

I fully sympathise with you, had same problem my dog (a 6yr old whippet) after he was attacked. I do muzzle him when I'm out and about now as I then feel I've got extra control just in case. I don't say anything to Sooty if he reacts to another dog as aggression = aggression I try to walk in the other direction and turn round when he's calm.

He now reacts to some dogs and not all which shows it is working. I've been told the thunder jackets are quite effective, also Zylkene may be worth a try. A DAP spray on a bandana may help too.

If you can i'd socialise him as much as poss with friends and families dogs too, but i'd muzzle just in case, as make sure you use calm influencing dogs too.

It's really hard, and really shakes you up when someone has a go at you too.