Helpful Suggestions Needed!

[pawsaroundoz]

Ok, here is what happened, for some strange reason the week before Christmas Connor must have had an invisible to humans but highly visible to other dogs sticker slapped on his forehead that said 'I am a wuss'. First I was giving the boys the usual evening walk but a bit later than normal and from across a road came a large Bull Arab style of dog (not actually that sure what he was, he had been walking with his person, who was on mobile phone and 2 small kids, he really did race across road, took no notice of Clancy at all and knocked Connor over and then stoof over him grumbling - Connor was so scared he lost control of both bowel and bladder there and then.

Eventually I managed to get dog to leave Connor - and got him away and the woman crossed the road and took the dog away (or the dog took her) along with my spare emergancy lead from bum bag.

Clancy had moved into the park around which we were walking and Connor just lay there and I feared internal injury - I think he was just winded though as well as being scared poo less. Then the shakes set in for me so we all sat down for a bit and I did my best to relax all of us.

Since then another 2 dogs came racing into the dog park the week after this incident and chased Connor, the Connor of old would have loved a game like that but not this time he was scared again....now he becomes very fearful as soon as he sees a dog off leash especially as they come towards him.

He is fine on a walk when dogs fly the fences as they do quite often around here.

I am concerned about getting him comfortable with other dogs in off leash situations again and not making any monumental errors that could make him worse, I think I could be looking at fear aggression toward other dogs unless I manage this the right way.

Annie

[corvus]

How old is he?

[cmkelpie]

Poor guy sounds like he got such a fright Unfortunately most people will experience this with a dog at some point.

I would not be taking him anywhere near an off leash dog park for quite a while. For a dog that is already timid a huge amount of damage can be done!

Do you have friends with dogs that are good with him? It would be a good idea for him to be around familiar friendly dogs till he gets some confidence back :D

Edited January 3, 2011 by cmkelpie

[pawsaroundoz]

Hi

Corvus, Connor is a fairly immature 19 months old.

He walked around oval after our Sunday training session with my friend Sue and her Alaskan malamute Loki just fine, but they do not go off leash together.

I have a friend with a much older sweet Labbie girl and at the week-end I will see if we can get them together in an off leash area, Daisy will not be rough and she and Connor have been off leash together previously. If we can meet I may suggest that we meet in a park and sort of set it up, so they meet by 'accident' as it were! Or do you think that could be rushing it along a bit too much for my young lad?

I did have a little win this evening on our walk, we met (coming towards us) 2 dear sweet smaller dogs who both wanted to just say hallo and I have met this woman before and all was fine and Connor was quite elaxed about the 2 dogs having a sniff and sitting quietly whilst we talked with no sign of worry. There were no dogs in the park where they have a run at all.

annie

[poodlefan]

I am concerned about getting him comfortable with other dogs in off leash situations again and not making any monumental errors that could make him worse, I think I could be looking at fear aggression toward other dogs unless I manage this the right way.

Annie

Your chances of succeeding in this aim in a public dog park are poor.

I'd be staying well clear of them and seeking some professional help. How good is his recall?

[corvus]

I don't know how bad he is, so it's kinda hard to say what's suitable and what's not. If it were one of my dogs, I might go and sit just outside the park or somewhere quiet in the park and just watch and pop treats every time another dog goes past. But the dog park I go to is big and spacious and unfenced and you can sit somewhere quiet and reasonably expect that at most you will get maybe two dogs at once coming over to have a look and they won't run, but will just pop over for a visit. Most would ignore you. There are times when it's very quiet and when you will only see two dogs in half an hour walking through rather than stopping. That's the kind of environment that might help.

Then again, there are always risks with off leash dogs. And it's hard to pick a quiet time when you'll turn up and there'll be two dogs and then suddenly there are 20. I think off leash parks take guts and vigilance just with confident, well socialised dogs. Do you think it's worth persisting with a dog that is not confident? What happens if you work him up to the point where he's just about comfortable again and then another dog scares him? Is he ever going to be okay with it for long?

[skip]

At first we went to off leash parks and it was great. The dogs all seemed fine and mine were happy. In fact in Orange most of my friends were met at the dog park.

But since moving to a city area it is all different. My dog is like your whippet. With other well mannered dogs he is good and enjoys a sniff and greet. Most timid dogs love him and follow him about.

But after a dog attack and some run ins with rude pushy dogs it is a different story. Now with pushy rude dogs he might snap at them and is not interested in interaction at all. And of course his snapping is not great as it signals agro to some dogs.

As to dogs zooming in on him - my dog because he is scared of certain types of dogs must give off signals. Many agro dogs will focus on him and will not leave him alone. Even when he doesn't move or react the agro dog will become more excited and stand over him.

So I don't go to parks now. I leave beaches alone unless they are deserted. My dogs do mix a bit, competing in agility and train in obedience. But not all dogs are suited to rough play. Some gentle souls aren't suited tp parks.

Maybe your whippet is like mine - a lover not a fighter. Although mine still like to socialise at agility trials and training with similar well behaved dogs.

Does he go to training where he can meet more dogs who are under control? I found that helped my chihuahua x. She hates!! dog parks etc and doesn't really enjoy strange dogs. But she has learnt that at training and at trials - she is safe and she can relax. I go to obedience class more so she can have this confidence in her safety re inforced - off leash dog parks would destroy this.

I love whippets but was told that they aren't good off lead by a breed advisor/breeder when I enquired. Not sure this is true now as I know some who are great off lead.

Hope Connor is happier soon.

[pawsaroundoz]

Perhaps I should tell you, up here in darwin most parks are 'off leash' in fact there are an inordinate number of people who seem to think the whole of life for their dogs is 'off leash'....even the ones that should definately not be.

By the same token though, not many people walk their dogs. The dog park I go to (the only in in the whole of the Top End that is fenced, has safe swimming water (no crocs) and a smallish play-gility corner as well as a seperate smaller fenced area for small or even problem dogs) a lot of the people who do go their are genuine dog people with nice dogs, but you takes your chances.

I think if I take things very slowly I may be able to get him at least fairly confident again, I cannot think what sort of a life a dog would enjoy if he never got to have a free run - especially since Clancy Connor and I are soon to be travelling right around Australia and we live in a motorhome...so you see I am going to trying my darndest to work with him to get through this as I do not like the thought of the alternitive.

Annie

[pawsaroundoz]

Yeah! Connor is progressing very nicely indeed! We even went to the off leash park again today, I checked who was there first, when I got there- nothing to worry about, big plays and wizzies and some really good recalls thrown in at random.

As we were leaving a older Malamute(?) or Sibe X came in, let off leash pretty much straight away and started to run over...Connor fine with that ( ) owner called the dog away and he went off with her, a youngish American Staffy was there next before I could get to the gate as were on our way home, now he did come racing over and he looked a lot like the dog that flew Connor and Connor did hide behind me but this yank guy was a s friendly as and when he realised Connor was not on for a game he went off for a play with Clancy instead!

In addition Connor is much better when he is walking on lead now, not nearly so nervous, I think all will be fine in a few more weeks of carefull and watchfull walks and plays!

Annie