How To Interpret This Sudden Behaviour

[VJB]

Heidi has had some behaviour changes since turning 2 in May.

Some background of the last 2 yrs.

She is exercised for an hour in the morning, either free run, or leash walking. During the cooler months, she tends to require more exercise and I will generally take her for another half hour walk in the afternoon, sometimes longer. She gets exercised regardless of weather, every day without fail.

I am not keen on dog parks, therefore don't tend to socialise her with many dogs, other than occasionally one on one play dates with other dogs that I am familiar with. Occasionally, she will have a romp with a couple of dogs I am not familiar with, and this usually resembles a fair amount of rough play, but all has been good. She is goofy, and can get over excited. She can also be very cheeky and I have at times in the last 2 months, had to put her back on lead when she gets carried away, and I see the other dog having a hard time dealing with her.

If told off, (by other dog), she will immediately lay down and look totally submissive. There is one dog that has told her off once, (this dog likes to just play on his own, chasing birds), and she won't go within 30 metres of him. So, I guess that she has remembered not to overstep the mark, and I am pleased that she "got the message'.

The other dogs she plays with are obviously fairly tolerant (thank goodness), and I wonder whether she hasn't been 'told off' enough.

During the last 2 months, I have noticed several things. One being lots of marking territory on our daily walks around the neighbourhood. The other hackles, which I cannot interpret their meaning, but if I was to guess, it tends to happen when startled by a cat, or rushed at by another dog (while she is on lead).... maybe fear reaction. ??

She is an absolute sweetheart and I want to continue these play dates with other dogs, but I'd like to do so without growing grey hairs.

Why has she suddenly become so super confident and challenging when faced with other dogs in a play situation. Nothing else has changed, just that she turned 2. How does one teach their dogs to play appropriately?

I really want to work this one out.

[VJB]

I know its a Saturday night, and everyone's looking at the moon, but is anyone home on DOL. I know I'm being impatient for replies.

[~Midniara~]

Has she being de-sexed?

I know my bitches start to display this behavour once they start to reach maturity.

[VJB]

Has she being de-sexed?

I know my bitches start to display this behavour once they start to reach maturity.

Thank you. Yes she has been desexed.

[~Midniara~]

Has she being de-sexed?

I know my bitches start to display this behavour once they start to reach maturity.

Thank you. Yes she has been desexed.

How old is she and how long ago was she desexed?

I would imagine she's just testing the waters. Some puppies (or young dogs) are overzealous and do push the boundaries. They don't have the manners yet that comes from an older stable dog.

My puppies have what I call a 'puppy licence' when they live here. The older dogs are very tollerant of them (sometimes more than they or of each other) but as the puppy gets older the pack do become less tollerant of them and their antics.

Perhaps some more controlled socialisation will help?

Also maybe taking her to regular training might be a good idea where she will be around other dogs in a controlled environment.

Edited June 26, 2010 by ~Midniara~

[VJB]

I would imagine she's just testing the waters. Some puppies (or young dogs) are overzealous and do push the boundaries. They don't have the manners yet that comes from an older stable dog.

My puppies have what I call a 'puppy licence' when they live here. The older dogs are very tollerant of them (sometimes more than they or of each other) but as the puppy gets older the pack do become less tollerant of them and their antics.

Perhaps some more controlled socialisation will help?

Also maybe taking her to regular training might be a good idea where she will be around other dogs in a controlled environment.

Yes, will be looking into a bit of training in a controlled environment. She has just turned 2 in May. Desexed over a year ago.

I'm wondering if I've not been in too many situations whereby she has been able to be effectively 'reprimanded' by elder dogs. I just don't want her to continue to get away with it, and not recognise that when I put her back on lead, that it is because of her nonsense.... because when she is going bonkers, I first have to catch her. Hope this makes sense. I want her to connect the fact that her privileges have been taken away, but I'm not so sure that she actually gets the message. She loves her lead, and sometimes runs to me and indicates that she wants it back on.

[~Midniara~]

I think at this point she's just playing rough without realising that it's not on. I'm just guessing/generalising as I haven't seen her doing it.

Perhaps rather than reprimand maybe work on her re-call. This way if she starts to play rough or display behaviour that you aren't happy with you can call her off and reward her for it. Distraction in most circumstances is better than reprimand.

[jacqui835]

My dog is very friendly and very social, but he's huge, and he is a bit dominant around other dogs. He doesn't start any fights and backs away when unbalanced dogs try to dominate him, but, he does like to win all the games he plays. With some dogs, the game is wrestling, and he can wrestle for hours with it never going any higher. That said though, sometimes, and especially once he has managed to tire the other dog out because he has stamina like you wouldn't believe, the wrestle is more just him constantly pinning the other dog down, sitting on him and pulling him to the ground again and again. Because of this, I introduced the ' enough' command when he first started it, at about 6 months old. That basically means, either you stop playing this particular game with this particular dog or I will remove you and reprimand you. It is now enough for me to approach and stand over him and say enough, and he just moves on. I'm quite quick to issue it just because I know some owners stress about him being so large and a doberman etc, and often the other dog follows and tries to re instigate play. To begin with though, I did have to grab him and make him stay in a down, whilst maintaining eye contact for at least 10 secs before I would release him again. Initially treats helped to condition this. If he then went straight back and repeated the behaviour, he was back in a down immediately. He got the message after about 3 times of this.

As for the whole having to catch your dog first thing, mine tried that out too when he was younger, but I basically did it back to him to break the habit. A few times, when he wandered too far away, I would hide behind a tree. He would race back to where he last saw me and search, and then either find me or I would reveal myself. I did this when we were on off-lead walks but where there weren't too many distractions that could occupy him for ages - ie he was checking for me often anyway. Now he will not go far away from me no matter where we are, and additionally, now when I walk away from the park and tell him it's time to go, he follows, because he thinks there's a chance he could be left behind.

I don't know if this stuff will work with your dog, but at least it might give you something to start with.