My Dog Is Not Agressive Some Advice Please

[Animal House]

Maybe have your dog on a long line, and teach her some recall. It isn't okay to rush up to other dogs (who may get a fright and in turn bite out of fear).

Dogs body language might not look like much to you, but once you have studied it, the smallest change in their posture or whether the tail is up or down, it's amazing what it can tell you. :D

I don't take my dogs to off leash parks, but have had dogs (whose idiotic owners decide they don't need to obey any laws and have their dogs offlead in any old park) rush my two when I'm walking them.

The owners were told in no uncertain terms to get control of their dogs before they both got a foot up the backside.

One was just a very goofy 8 month old lab who didn't know the rules of approaching other dogs, and it was very lucky that Minty didn't go for her out of fear. That one nearly ended up with a foot up the backside as she wouldn't leave, and the owner had no hope of recall (suprise suprise).

So yes, don't let your lab run up to other dogs is what I was trying to get across.

[Rebanne]

mmm ok Seem to have hit a nerve with some of you. But good to hear your views. i do consider myself a responsible dog owner and she doesnt growl or anything and simply wants to say hello and does not raise her shackles ( this is what she said not me)

Penny always comes when called. I didnt think it was such a big issue, and I don't think she is 'ignorant of the protocol' lol! BLAH BLAH Heaps of dogs run up to her to say hello and its all fine. I think I was just shocked and angry as no one has ever seemed to have a problem with her before And we socialise in the dog park at least twice a day and everyone loves her. We were at a Xmas party last week with 47 dogs off leash so I really don't think she has an aggression issue with dogs. But I will simply stay clear of the lady from now on.

those of you that put the boot in god I would never do that!

I just spoke to the council as well and I don't have anything to worry about in an off leash park as she has not actually done anything.

ummm i guess thanks!

After the first time you see your dog in another dog's jaws, you might be be surprised what you're capable of.

agree, it's horrible seeing your dog being attacked. I now opt for the protect my dogs first ask questions later.

[Rebanne]

Thanks Juice! your reply gave some good advice which is what I was after. I guess not everyone who takes their dog to an off leash area expects or wants their dogs to socialise- but most take them their for that reason.

Poodle fan I guess you have had a bad experience I imagine you would do anything. Maybe this lady has had something happen to her.Not a nice thought.

anyway appreciate the responses i am not being ignorant or inconsiderate I am simply dont want this to esculate and after some advice otherwise I would have not even cared about what she said to me. I guess the other thing is that if she had of been nice to me I prob would've put my shelf straight in her shoes and apologized!

look up Susanne Clothier's article "he just wants to say hi", very enlightening

[Max#1]

Two people have said now about lab's and dog-dog manners. Out of curiosity, what do the labs do (or do wrong! )?

[claireybell]

When I'm at an off leash park and another dog cones in my dogs are put back on lead. I have no idea if the new dog is friendly and vice versa. I then approach the new dogs handler with my digs on lead and ask if we are allowed to say hello and socialize our dogs together.

My happy go lucky cocker is an easy target for unfriendly dogs, they seem to be able to pick up her happy vibe and think they can then dominate her. I won't stand for it so I make sure my dogs only ever meet other dogs on lead first and with the owners consent

[aussielover]

I wouldn't say your dog is necessarily aggressive just because it runs up to another dog. Dogs hackles can also be raised in excitement.

But it would be intimidating having a big lab run over to you with raised hackles!

Luckily my lab is not at all interested in small dogs, but even if she was, i wouldn't let her play with them or run up to them unless I knew them really well.

Even when she is playing gently, if she were to fall over on top of them or something, they could be injured.

It is not polite to let your dogs run over to strange dogs. It is easy to just call your dog over to you when you see another dog approaching and then ask the owner if they can say hello.

They can make a complaint to the council, but I doubt the council would be bothered to do anything unless the dog had actually caused injury.

[poodlefan]

Two people have said now about lab's and dog-dog manners. Out of curiosity, what do the labs do (or do wrong! )?

They barrel up and get right in other dog's faces.. not good dog ettiquette for meeting strangers. They also tend to be fairly physical with other dogs - a Lab putting the shoulder into or a foot on a smaller dog can do a fair bit of damage with not one ounce of aggression intended.

And their owners often seem to think that their dogs' "friendliness" to other dogs should be appreciated by everyone. Ah, nope. Not any more than I appreciated being jumped on by a friendly Lab that "just wants to say hi".

[tianakaesha]

Appropriate behaviour in an offleash area is to have your dog recall, put back on a leash and wait for others to enter the area. Take your dog on a leash, introduce the dogs and then let them offleash.

By allowing the dogs to meet on the leash, under absolute control you are allowing the dogs and the other owners control of the situation. You then ask the owner if their dogs want to play, is it ok for them to run around and if all is ok, then let your dogs off.

It is unfair to assume that all dogs in an offleash area want to play, or will react kindly to a dog running up to them - friendly or not. A dog that runs up to another dog is assuming an attacking behaviour (even if they are fun) and the other dogs must go on the defensive from the outset.

Best thing is to put your dog on a lead every time it is to meet a dog in the offlead area.

[Tentapride]

A friendly dog (large or small) is more than capable of agression given the right circumstances. If you do not have effective control of your dog you should under no circumstance allow it to be offlead, offlead park or not!

I absolutely detest other so called friendly dogs running up to mine and will react as the lady in the park did. Face facts your dog was acting agressively towards another dog.

How many dogs do you think are attaked by so called friendly dogs, with their owners left shaking their heads saying he has never bitten anyone before??? Every single dog has the potential to bite and will bite if the right circumstances occur, as an owner of a dog it is your responsibility to ensure you do not allow those circumstances to arise. So please do not allow your dog to approach another dog until you have gotton the other dog owners permission.

One of these days your dog will rush at the wrong dog and it will be you blaming the other dog for something your dog started.

[aussielover]

Two people have said now about lab's and dog-dog manners. Out of curiosity, what do the labs do (or do wrong! :D)?

If you have seen two lab friends greet each other you will know what they are talking about

Alternatively, turn up to a guide dog puppy training day and you will see the meaning of over-enthusiastic greetings!

Labs generally like to greet each other by running full pelt at each other, whacking into each other and then jumping and licking each other at the same time :D

Personally i love seeing happy and friendly labs greet each other, but obviously not all dogs like that style, so as owners we have to be considerate of other park users and dogs.

My dog only does this with her friends she has finally gotten to the stage now where she is not interested in greeting or playing with other strange/new dogs.

[Cosmolo]

Until 1 year ago, i had only medium to large sized dogs. I now have a dog that weighs only 6kg and it has given me a new found appreciation for the owners of small dogs who encounter rudeness from other dogs. While i was always considerate before, if/ when my dogs approached others- now i understand more completely what runs through your head as an owner of a dog whose size means that an altercation with another can be life threatening.

My ACD was attacked badly by 2 dogs- recovered and lived. I know that if that had been my JRT- he would have died. So to owners of medium to large sized dogs who allow rushing or boisterous 'friendly' behaviour with small dogs, think about how you would feel if a dog 5 times your dogs size approached without the control of an owner- scary huh?

[Miranda]

Can someone put up a link to "He only wants to say hi!' It's an excellent article and probably gets the point across much better than we can.

[pie]

Can someone put up a link to "He only wants to say hi!' It's an excellent article and probably gets the point across much better than we can.

http://flyingdogpress.com/content/view/42/97/

[poodlefan]

Until 1 year ago, i had only medium to large sized dogs. I now have a dog that weighs only 6kg and it has given me a new found appreciation for the owners of small dogs who encounter rudeness from other dogs. While i was always considerate before, if/ when my dogs approached others- now i understand more completely what runs through your head as an owner of a dog whose size means that an altercation with another can be life threatening.

My ACD was attacked badly by 2 dogs- recovered and lived. I know that if that had been my JRT- he would have died. So to owners of medium to large sized dogs who allow rushing or boisterous 'friendly' behaviour with small dogs, think about how you would feel if a dog 5 times your dogs size approached without the control of an owner- scary huh?

I often picture those who accuse small dog owners of "over reacting" experiencing a dog the size of a horse "just saying hi" to their dog. My guess is their tune would change pretty quickly if their dog was at any physical risk from the encounter.

Edited December 20, 2010 by poodlefan

[Guest Willow]

My staffy has one particular canine buddy we see regularly, and they race up to each other & play boistrously. This is a relationship they have developed over time. Their familiarity with one another allows for behaviour which would be seen as very rude between strange dogs.

If a strange dog raced up to my boy like that, he would like nothing more than to flatten in (and I'm not talking playing!!!).

What I'm trying to say is boistrous greetings might be appreciated by some dogs....dogs who are familiar with each other, or dogs with a similar style of play, but to a lot of dogs, it's like a total stranger charging up to you in the shopping centre & grabbing you in a big bear hug & planting a kiss on the mouth.....you would be taken aback, shocked & maybe totally freaked out, and might well sock them in the face.....whereas if your best mate did that it would probably be totally acceptable!

It's etiqiette really....not all dogs play the same or like being approached by a "friendly" dog that to them appears overbearing & rude.

[poodlefan]

What I'm trying to say is boistrous greetings might be appreciated by some dogs....dogs who are familiar with each other, or dogs with a similar style of play, but to a lot of dogs, it's like a total stranger charging up to you in the shopping centre & grabbing you in a big bear hug & planting a kiss on the mouth.....you would be taken aback, shocked & maybe totally freaked out, and might well sock them in the face.....whereas if your best mate did that it would probably be totally acceptable!

And that's before you add the size dimension..

[labsrule]

Two people have said now about lab's and dog-dog manners. Out of curiosity, what do the labs do (or do wrong! )?

They barrel up and get right in other dog's faces.. not good dog ettiquette for meeting strangers. They also tend to be fairly physical with other dogs - a Lab putting the shoulder into or a foot on a smaller dog can do a fair bit of damage with not one ounce of aggression intended.

And their owners often seem to think that their dogs' "friendliness" to other dogs should be appreciated by everyone. Ah, nope. Not any more than I appreciated being jumped on by a friendly Lab that "just wants to say hi".

I have to take issue with this - THEY implies all Labs and that is NOT the case. It shits me that people make comments that imply all Labs are "in your face rude dogs and/or rough" with small dogs or other dogs. This is simply NOT the case and it infuriates me that ALL Labs youngsters particularly, are made out to be out of control, in your face, rude dogs. :D BULLSH*T is what I say :D

Edited December 20, 2010 by labsrule

[Diva]

I cannot stand dogs who run up to mine and start sniffing, it's actually very bad dog manners and if she picks on the wrong dog she may be attacked. There is a correct way for one dog to approach another, but obviously your dog is ignorant of the protocol.

I agree it's poor dog manners even if he means well. Off lead dogs might run up fast towards another, but if they have good manners they tend to stop well short of the other dog and check out body language before either closing the gap relatively slowly, or waiting for the other dog to make the next move. That's what I have noticed anyway.

In your shoes A and G, I'd make sure you avoid this woman and her dogs in future and put your dog on lead when you see her. With other dogs call her back to you if he goes to rush other dogs, ask the owner if they mind, then let her approach more calmly. Don't let her run towards other dogs you don't know without checking with the owners.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Diva

[poodlefan]

Two people have said now about lab's and dog-dog manners. Out of curiosity, what do the labs do (or do wrong! )?

They barrel up and get right in other dog's faces.. not good dog ettiquette for meeting strangers. They also tend to be fairly physical with other dogs - a Lab putting the shoulder into or a foot on a smaller dog can do a fair bit of damage with not one ounce of aggression intended.

And their owners often seem to think that their dogs' "friendliness" to other dogs should be appreciated by everyone. Ah, nope. Not any more than I appreciated being jumped on by a friendly Lab that "just wants to say hi".

I have to take issue with this - THEY implies all Labs and that is NOT the case. It shits me that people make comments that imply all Labs are "in your face rude dogs and/or rough" with small dogs or other dogs. :D This is simply NOT the case and it infuriates me that ALL Labs youngsters particularly, are made out to be out of control, in your face, rude dogs. :D BULLSH*T is what I say

"They" means "all"?

That's your opinion. I was taking about inappropriate behaviour I see in Labs. Not every one I know but more than a few.

The only Labs I know that don't do this are under the effective control of their owners. Perhaps that's why our experiences differ.

Had one run the half the length of a playing field to "greet" my dogs last month. Patently obvious she meant no harm but that's little consolation when you've got a Lab bouncing through 4 onlead dogs.

Whatever.

But in case anyone's wondering:

NO, I didn't kick the dog.

NO, I didn't yell at the owner

YES, I did say "happens to us all at some stage" when he apologised and collected her.

Edited December 20, 2010 by poodlefan

[corvus]

I probably should keep my mouth shut.

Edited December 20, 2010 by corvus