No Interaction Allowed Between Puppies At Pre-school & Obedience

[sas]

This is something I came up against with Dante with 2 puppy pre-schools and an obedience class.

Now, apprantely my dog should have a low value for other dogs if it's not allowed to interact as a puppy.

So why do I now have a 60kg puppy who gets way over excited when he sees another dog and can not meet other dogs because he's too nutty.

My thoughts are that he should have been allowed to play with other puppies at the start of sessions so he could learn how to interact in an appropriate manner.

It seems other people are coming across this problem now by not being allowed to socialise their puppies in a controlled manner.

I'm personaly against free play because I think it has to be a controlled environment so puppies don't get bullied or hurt during these free play sessions at puppy pre-schools etc.

So, what are your thoughts?

Granted, the theory is correct, what did I do wrong to end up with a puppy who goes insane with excitment when he sees another dog?

Or is this just down to the puppies personality? Some are laid back and some are in your face?

We've been asking for a 'watch/attention' and a sit when another dog comes close but he pulls forward to try and get close to the other dog.

I think in general he has very rude body language and is going to get himself into trouble one day which I'm concerned about, I can protect him all I can but if an off leash dog approaches him and he doesn't know how to communicate then we may have some trouble if you know what I mean.

Edited February 1, 2008 by sas

[Vickie]

How does he go at shows SAS?

I must say reading this brings back memories of a dane that used to frequent our park. He did have bad body language & was completely unsocialised.

Problem with him though was that he didn't have much regard for his owner & so things sometimes became dangerous, especially since she physically couldn't stop him.

I much prefer to socialise pups with people I know & dogs I know, so have avoided puppy preschools.

[poodlefan]

How does he go at shows SAS?

I must say reading this brings back memories of a dane that used to frequent our park. He did have bad body language & was completely unsocialised.

Problem with him though was that he didn't have much regard for his owner & so things sometimes became dangerous, especially since she physically couldn't stop him.

I much prefer to socialise pups with people I know & dogs I know, so have avoided puppy preschools.

Ditto. I'm lucky to know enough people to be able to do that too.

[sas]

Not too bad at shows, seems more focussed on it, but we set up our gazebo close to the ring so we don't have far to go but if I give him an opportunity to say hello to a dog I trust he will still be over excited.

That's the problem Vicky, I don't personaly know many dogs I'd want my puppy socialised with, I'm not actually sure I know many well balanced dogs that are bigger than a couple of KG's LOL

Edited February 1, 2008 by sas

[Vickie]

Just sent you a pm. I am happy to meet up & go for a walk with Shine.

I'm sure someone qualified will come along, but in this situation I would use a non reactive dog, let them meet & go for an on lead walk.

[Chloes Dad]

We went to the same puppy pre school as you? (i saw your graduation photo) and i may own the most submissive and disinterested dog on the planet, she only has eyes for me

she was apparently like that in her litter and some dodgy interactions with in your face dogs hasn't helped. it becomes really apparent after agility when all of the other dogs are having some time off and chloe is at my feet looking up at me....

I think Chloe just has a soft temperament. sometimes she rolls over and wets herself it is that bad! pointer type dogs are the worst they seem to really charge in with their nose and she hates it.

that behavior was already apparent at 12 weeks at puppy pre school IMO. all of the other dogs would have a rumble and she would be behind my legs.

[EISHUND]

Just sent you a pm. I am happy to meet up & go for a walk with Shine.

I'm sure someone qualified will come along, but in this situation I would use a non reactive dog, let them meet & go for an on lead walk.

I'd be happy to meet up for a walk too with my boy Ice.

[Staranais]

My thoughts are that he should have been allowed to play with other puppies at the start of sessions so he could learn how to interact in an appropriate manner.

It seems other people are coming across this problem now by not being allowed to socialise their puppies in a controlled manner.

I'm personaly against free play because I think it has to be a controlled environment so puppies don't get bullied or hurt during these free play sessions at puppy pre-schools etc.

So, what are your thoughts?

I've thought about this a lot, since I'll (hopefully!) graduate from vet school within the lifetime of my next dog. It's therefore really important to me that my next dog learns to be both confident and polite around strange people, dogs and livestock, so that I can take her to work with me (lots of vets do this, and just crate their dog when they're in surgery or consultations).

My plan for socialising my next dog is to allow her to only interact with a dogs that are themselves very calm, very well mannered, and preferably quite"boring", until she's at least a year or two old.

That way, I'm hoping she'll become adequately socialised to canines, without the risk of her learning bad habits from other puppies (and without risking her learning to put too high a value on other dogs, since that might interfere with her obedience).

I know that idea might be a little too late for your problems though, sorry.

[Guest Piximatosis]

Same with me and Brody if you like Sas, Brody will completely ignore him.

[sas]

Same with me and Brody if you like Sas, Brody will completely ignore him.

That could be a plan. I get a bit worried about him with small dogs....he's a bit too playful as you've seen and I get worried that all he has to do is slam a small dogs with his paw and they'll be hurt.

[sas]

Just sent you a pm. I am happy to meet up & go for a walk with Shine.

I'm sure someone qualified will come along, but in this situation I would use a non reactive dog, let them meet & go for an on lead walk.

I'd be happy to meet up for a walk too with my boy Ice.

Is Ice a nice calm boy as well? He is entire?

[MonElite]

Im happy for Dante and Divani to have a play after a show if you want. (pm me when you are showing next)

Divanis "boyfriends" name is Dante except he is a dobe.

Edited February 2, 2008 by myszka

[Guest Piximatosis]

That could be a plan. I get a bit worried about him with small dogs....he's a bit too playful as you've seen and I get worried that all he has to do is slam a small dogs with his paw and they'll be hurt.

Possibly this will sound absolutely f**king stupid, but with Holly for example, she actually needed to hit Brody with her paw and hear the god-awful screaming that ensued before it clicked that she was actually HURTING him. Same with Kaeleigh. They just had no concept until they saw Brody's reaction and THEN they learnt that they had to adjust their behaviour if they wanted to play with him, as otherwise he would walk away and ignore them or roll over whenever they came near him (which neither of them thought was any fun). But Brody is very forgiving and once they changed the way they approached him and lay down to play with him he would actually come up and play gently with them.

I should add that neither of them actually damaged him to cause the screaming, you know what he's like

[sas]

Im happy for Dante and Divani to have a play after a show if you want. (pm me when you are showing next)

Divanis "boyfriends" name is Dante except he is a dobe.

Yeah, that would be great, maybe not a play just a calm walk by and meet would be cool for now

We're showing this Sunday.

[MonElite]

sas - Im entered but I have a friend visisting from overseas and Im not 100% sure if Im going to go to the show.

if you pm me your number Ill sms you on the day. or just have a look near the Utility ring. I usually dont hang around for long if I loose.

[sas]

sas - Im entered but I have a friend visisting from overseas and Im not 100% sure if Im going to go to the show.

if you pm me your number Ill sms you on the day. or just have a look near the Utility ring. I usually dont hang around for long if I loose.

We're in the Black Gazebo, I normally see you with the Dobermann gang so I'll keep an eye out for you as I've left my phone charger at work ARG!

[Erny]

We're in the Black Gazebo

Sas - I don't want to take this thread off topic, so would you mind visiting my thread asking about KMate Gazebo's (in "off-topic"), if you have any feed-back.

Asking because of what you said above.

[MonElite]

sas - sorry didnt go to the show as Divani has done something to herself (again!!!) and cracked a pad. She is limping badly , so no showing for us today.

Erny - I have got a gazebo from Aldi it was $79, it has a aluminium frame and is really light, I can put it up by myself. Its not a surdy excellent quality one but for taht price I just had to get it. Mine is 3m x 3m

[Monah]

We went to the same puppy pre school as you? (i saw your graduation photo) and i may own the most submissive and disinterested dog on the planet, she only has eyes for me

she was apparently like that in her litter and some dodgy interactions with in your face dogs hasn't helped. it becomes really apparent after agility when all of the other dogs are having some time off and chloe is at my feet looking up at me....

I think Chloe just has a soft temperament. sometimes she rolls over and wets herself it is that bad! pointer type dogs are the worst they seem to really charge in with their nose and she hates it.

that behavior was already apparent at 12 weeks at puppy pre school IMO. all of the other dogs would have a rumble and she would be behind my legs.

I don't have anything concrete to add, just interested in the topic. With this behaviour with your dog, I have a friend who has a BC like this, but she is lovely, then got another 2 years later, same parents etc. and this dog is awful with other dogs (attacks)and very dominant, They are beside themselves with him, so different from the first one, got both at 8 weeks. I'm very interested in genetics, temperaments and how the mother looks after the pups when they are very small. so could anyone shed light on this? like yours, these dogs were like this from the beginning. I'm wondering if you think puppy pre school can be 'blamed'. I sort of think dogs are born as they are and we have to try to get them to fit in somehow, hopefully.

As for not playing with excitable dogs, to help calm the other one, I have a MAD vizsla who is a year older than my spinone, the spinone has the most laid back nature ever, even though she is with the viz every day. But I'm sure the viz would be even crazier with another crazy dog, but the spin is calm whatever. I don't think there are any wrong or right methods, ways of sorting these things out, just find it all very curious. ie. would the dog be how it is anyway? (not meaning if it were abused etc., just normal every day stuff.)