Do People Ask You For Advice

[DerRottweiler]

While sitting down and not paying attention to them or shoo-ing them away.. they lose interest and rush off to do something else.

Yep, I have found the same thing. It keeps it a much lower key affair. My boys both come back to me if they are uncomfortable.

I would have tackled the Lab. Much easier to catch and once you've got him the little dog is out of immediate danger and can then be picked up if required or simply put back on leash. If it's on leash and the Lab tries to menace it again, it can't bolt and you can crouch down and protect it as above. Better for everyone as the Lab doesn't get the fun of chasing and the SWF doesn't get the terror of being chased. Often the small dog can come around and decide they aren't so scared of the big dog after all. IME if you are going to pick up a dog at the dog park you should do it when no other dogs are watching. If they see the dog in your arms but didn't see it get there they seem to be less excited by it, although it's still no guarantee. One time my dogs found a dead possum in the yard. They were quite interested, but only poking it with their noses. The moment I lifted part of it off the ground they both got extremely excited and started to bite and try to play tug with it. As soon as I put it back on the ground they left it again. Weird, but it's the same sort of thing with small dogs sometimes. It's like when you pick it up it becomes a toy to bite and pull on.

No way would I grab anyone's strange dog - its a fast recipe for a nasty bite. Kicking I would do and damn what the owner thought.

If dogs are coming hard at your little one, I'll pick mine up regardless of whether or not dogs can see. I'd rather kick them off while they leap than watch them shake my dog to death like a rag doll, play tug of war with her or tear her to pieces. You do what you have to to keep your dog safe and bugger any lessons it's teaching other dogs. Training is for the dogs owners to do, not me.

Anyone who lets their small dog run with stranger large dogs is asking for trouble IMO. Dogs don't even have to be aggressive - rough play injures and kills also.

CW:

I usually squat down to their level and they sit between my legs to gather up their confidence to go backout again.

If the incoming dog knocks you flat on your arse to get to your dogs CW, you'll be in no condition to help them. Stand up on your feet.

It really doesn't matter if I'm standing up poodlefan.. i'm a shortie

Most of the time I do squat but there are occasion where I do stand too.. it all depends on the situation and the dog that comes rushing towards Charlie. If a dog gets to much, I will clip the other dog with a spare leash I carry around and call it's owner to get their dog...

Random: Your dogs names make me laugh. I picture them being pronounced in the Queen's accent.

[W Sibs]

Random: Your dogs names make me laugh. I picture them being pronounced in the Queen's accent.

[Agility Dogs]

Anyone who lets their small dog run with stranger large dogs is asking for trouble IMO. Dogs don't even have to be aggressive - rough play injures and kills also.

This is why I won't let my dogs run/play with dogs they don't know well and haven't been introduced to slowly over time. I cringe when I watch some of the dogs play after training at some clubs.

I spend too much time working with them to risk having them injured because of a dog that they don't understand or a dog that doesn't understand them. They know each other and do play roughly together (for BC's), but I think it is different with dogs they are not playing with all the time.

(Sits back and counts Chiro/Physio bills.)

ETA - in answer to the original question. I get asked all the time when people see me playing with my dogs. If I think I can help and it is not an aggression/household issue then I'll offer some sort of ideas. If I think I'm out of my depth (usually this is the case) I'll say I don't know their breed or something similar and suggest they get qualified help.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Agility Dogs

[corvus]

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Edited August 27, 2010 by corvus

[Agility Dogs]

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Edited August 27, 2010 by Agility Dogs

[Staranais]

ETA - in answer to the original question. I get asked all the time when people see me playing with my dogs. If I think I can help and it is not an aggression/household issue then I'll offer some sort of ideas. If I think I'm out of my depth (usually this is the case) I'll say I don't know their breed or something similar and suggest they get qualified help.

I had someone stop their car by the side of the road when I was training my malinois last month, and ask if I was a dog trainer and if I could help them train their dog. I was very flattered - at least until my girl suddenly broke her down stay to rocket towards the car, screaming with joy at the chance of going for a car ride with strangers. Ooops!

Seriously though, over the years I have been asked by many people for dog training advice, mostly when they see my dogs in public. It's flattering, but to be honest, I do so much foundation work with my dogs, that with most people, I just don't know where to start helping them.

I have also gotten a lot of bizarre dog training advice from well meaning strangers. I think every second person who watches Cesar Millan or Victoria Stillwell on TV suddenly thinks they are a dog training expert. When you have an aggressive dog especially, everybody has a theory about how you should fix your dog - even if they've never owned an aggressive dog themselves! And the number of things people have told me will make my dogs "dominant" are legion.

[Odin-Genie]

"first rule of the dog park is never to pick up your small dog" WTF??? I would have picked up my dog if it was being chased by a crazy labrador!

I wouldn't! The reaon why is because I have seen it several times turn a bad situation worse. IME a dog that is already excited is quite likely to be tipped over threshold if they see someone pick up a small dog.

My dog isn't small, but when a dalmatian tried to attack him, and wouldn't stop lunging at him, the only way my OH could keep him out of the way is to pick him up and hold him high in the air while I kicked at the attacking dog since this dog's owners just stood there. For me, the priority is to get my dog out of harm's way.

[corvus]

"first rule of the dog park is never to pick up your small dog" WTF??? I would have picked up my dog if it was being chased by a crazy labrador!

I wouldn't! The reaon why is because I have seen it several times turn a bad situation worse. IME a dog that is already excited is quite likely to be tipped over threshold if they see someone pick up a small dog.

My dog isn't small, but when a dalmatian tried to attack him, and wouldn't stop lunging at him, the only way my OH could keep him out of the way is to pick him up and hold him high in the air while I kicked at the attacking dog since this dog's owners just stood there. For me, the priority is to get my dog out of harm's way.

That should be everyone's priority! My point is that sometimes it PUTS dogs in harm's way. There are no hard and fast rules with dog-dog interaction IMO. You stay on your toes and adapt to the situation. My rule of thumb is to avoid (not never) picking up a dog around strange dogs, even if all the dogs are calm. I have that rule because I have seen it make matters worse and had it happen to me. I have had a scary situation erupt out of a worrying situation and it's just bad news all around. Obviously if you have a dog attacking yours the situation can't get much worse and you do what you have to.

[Narcissa]

Had a similiar incident happen to me years ago, except I had to pry the GR's mouth from the guy's arm.

Long story - I was walking my beagle to the park, like every evening, and my neighbour/friend heard her dogs barking (saying hello, as I know them quite well) and she let them out, UNLEASHED, and shouted "Hey, I'm going into the shower, see you at the park!". By this time, her BC and GR have already raced to the park so I simply followed.

A guy is walking up on the pavement with his Maltese and GR's ears prick up and for a moment, I felt kinda tense. The GR rushed towards the guy with the Maltese, and he instinctively picked the dog up in his arms. The GR lunged upwards, grabbed the guy's arm instead and was thrashing it about. The BC at this time was circling them and barking. I was so afraid, I didn't know what to do, so I pried open the GR's mouth. In hindsight, that wasn't very clever but thankfully, he didn't bite me. I was in shock for a long, long time. The guy was bleeding all over, my beagle was so frightened she hid in the bushes.

I herded the two dogs home and they knew I was mad so they listened and I told their owner what happened. The guy took up a lawsuit against her for $10,000, and then I found out later that she directed it to me as I was the one responsible (being there). The guy dropped the charges when he knew I was going to be the one charged as he was unhappy with my "friend" and did not think it was my fault. Still, I think, under the law, I was liable for the guy's injuries. He lost his nerves in some of his fingers.

The GR was then PTS

[W Sibs]

Had a similiar incident happen to me years ago, except I had to pry the GR's mouth from the guy's arm.

Long story - I was walking my beagle to the park, like every evening, and my neighbour/friend heard her dogs barking (saying hello, as I know them quite well) and she let them out, UNLEASHED, and shouted "Hey, I'm going into the shower, see you at the park!". By this time, her BC and GR have already raced to the park so I simply followed.

A guy is walking up on the pavement with his Maltese and GR's ears prick up and for a moment, I felt kinda tense. The GR rushed towards the guy with the Maltese, and he instinctively picked the dog up in his arms. The GR lunged upwards, grabbed the guy's arm instead and was thrashing it about. The BC at this time was circling them and barking. I was so afraid, I didn't know what to do, so I pried open the GR's mouth. In hindsight, that wasn't very clever but thankfully, he didn't bite me. I was in shock for a long, long time. The guy was bleeding all over, my beagle was so frightened she hid in the bushes.

I herded the two dogs home and they knew I was mad so they listened and I told their owner what happened. The guy took up a lawsuit against her for $10,000, and then I found out later that she directed it to me as I was the one responsible (being there). The guy dropped the charges when he knew I was going to be the one charged as he was unhappy with my "friend" and did not think it was my fault. Still, I think, under the law, I was liable for the guy's injuries. He lost his nerves in some of his fingers.

The GR was then PTS

Oh, that's horrible!!

But I don't think it will be your fault because you were there. They aren't your dogs and you didn't ask to look after them. She opened the fence and let the dogs run out off-leash... then tell you she's going to have a shower? WTF?

That person isn't a friend if she didn't own up to her actions and then pointed the finger at you