Not Allowing Your Dog To Play With Other Dogs...

[persephone]

These comments got me thinking ..and so as to not hijack a thread - thought I'd start a shiny new one!

Mason2009, on 22 July 2011 - 06:56 PM, said:

So your dog never plays with other dogs?? Playing with other dogs imo is very important im not saying let them go wild but let them have some fun. Kids learn through play and so do dogs

I dont let my dog play with other dogs, I belive to much can go wrong...in I'm conditioning my dog to be totally alloof to other dogs and people apart from me and my family.

Edited July 27, 2011 by persephone

[wuffles]

Yes, my dogs both regularly get to play and interact with other dogs (and each other). They love it.

I do obedience and agility with one of my dogs and have not yet experienced any issues, she is fully focused on me.

[Agility Dogs]

I have 3 dogs and the answer is different for each of them.

My older girl (5) doesn't care about other dogs and shows no interest in playing with them. She is friendly enough on greeting and tolerates a LOT from dogs - both known and unknown, but seems to have no desire to play with them. She is totally focussed on me if we are out and about.

My younger girl (pup - 14 months) is obsessed with other dogs and will/does play until the cows come home or until the other dog is tired out (more likely). She will come away the first time she is called (usually - LOL) and start working immediately. If we are working she will not leave to go and play with another dog.

My boy (now almost 5) is VERY wary of other dogs and will tell them off for getting in the way of his work or in his face if he doesn't know them. Especially when they do it for the second or third time without invitation. He plays with dogs he knows and trusts, but I don't trust him with dogs he doesn't know.

The three of them play together in the back yard - although it it not wrestling type play, it is more chasing around after each other and after birds.

None of them are allowed to play if we are at a dog sport event - this only occurs in a controlled environment away from competition.

[RubyStar]

Yep, on my say so and only with dogs I know and trust. Not a hell of a lot of "free for alls" for mine, they usually get play time with known dogs after working or something.

[poodlefan]

Yep, on my say so and only with dogs I know and trust.

Same here. I'm fine with new dogs owned by people I trust too.

I can't vote for the second half of the poll as one of my dogs loves to play with most dogs, one with some dogs he knows and the others don't really care.

Edited July 26, 2011 by poodlefan

[minxy]

Kyojin absolutely loves playing with dogs, and I think it's great for him to interact with other dogs. Now that he's an adult and getting really big I'm more cautious about which dogs he plays with. I've seen a few attempts from other dogs to start fights (either with other dogs at the park or him)and because he's so much bigger than every other dog we meet, I know exactly how things will end up if a full on fight breaks out. So I no longer take him to dog parks other than the one at the end of my street which I have only ever seen a max of 3 dogs in the park at any one time. This means it's much easier for me to speak to the owners first and we always introduce our dogs to each other slowly to see how they behave around each other and stay close so we can intervene if need be. Usually though I would prefer that he socialises with family or friend's dogs instead.

[Podengo]

Depends on the dog and the situation. I train two dogs at agility (not mine), that are highly excited by other dogs.

The Border Collie becomes fixated on a few dogs that she regularly plays with (but not the other dog she lives with), and if they are ANYWHERE within sight at training or a trial, she will spend the whole time intensely watching them and gives a very poor performance, plodding around the ring. I try as much as possible to not let her have any contact with her friends right before we train or run at a trial- this works well and keeps her focused, but if one of them wanders by and she sees, then I really have my work cut out for me trying to get her attention back. What's funny is that none of these dogs are very interested in her, they don't look at her or try to play, if she is naughty and runs off to them, they just ignore her. So much unrequited love! She is allowed to play with other dogs at warm up, seems to be a roll of the dice as to whether she will obsess over dogs that day.

The other dog I train (a standard schnauzer) isn't allowed to play with other dogs at training or at trials, it doesn't take much stimulation to turn his brain into a crazy mess. He is very, very excited by barking Border Collies, so I keep him away and quiet at trials until the last possible minute. He is great with other dogs and loves them, but it's just far too stimulating for him. If I can keep him focused he is a great dog to run, if I lose it, then it's very difficult to get him back on task and he will most likely just do zoomies around the course.

Both of these dogs are owned by people with multiple dogs, so they play with dogs at home, and the Border Collie is allowed to play with other dogs regularly, I'm not too sure about the schnauzer, but I don't think he regularly plays with other dogs. As for what I am happy to do with my own dog (when it finally gets here!), I think playing with other dogs after training is great, but when they are on lead and working I prefer my own dogs to just ignore others no matter what they are up to. I am very uncomfortable with strange dogs at the park coming up to mine and would not allow my dog to play with strange ones at the park- too risky. I would be happy to talk to the owner and maybe arrange some walks together and get to know them, but wouldn't let my dog off lead with theirs right from the get go.

[Bullyisious]

I Think its extreamly important to socialise your dog from as young as possible with as much as possible.

Dogs, cats, kids, old people everyone!

I think it builds a dogs character to be able to deal with people and animals from all walks of life.

[Jumabaar]

My dogs only socialise with dogs that I know. They have attended doggie parties and the like but I don't allow them near dogs that I don't know.

They get to be dogs, but ultimately I don't know that others are responsible dog owners so am not prepared to let my dogs play with random dogs. Some of my dogs like playing with other dogs, others don't give two hoots because they would prefer to hang around the humans.

[ravenau1]

I would love it if we knew more people with 'safe' dogs so Astrid could play with dogs more.

[whiskedaway]

Yes, I make sure that my dogs meet other dogs and get to play with them. However I am very careful of who they play with - the only dog park we take them to is at obedience, and we only take them before classes so we know who is there and what their dogs are like. Any behaviour I don't like means that we leave.

Akira loves playing with other dogs, but she's more likely to get them to chase her and being a Sibe she's very talkative which makes some dogs not quite understand her play style. Halo likes playing with other dogs too, but she's very much a people dog and prefers to come and say hi to all the people in the park before she says hello to the dogs, unless there's a dog there who she knows well.

[poodlefan]

I would love it if we knew more people with 'safe' dogs so Astrid could play with dogs more.

Join a dog training club. Safe playmates are one of the side benefits.

[murve]

I Think its extreamly important to socialise your dog from as young as possible with as much as possible.

Dogs, cats, kids, old people everyone!

I think it builds a dogs character to be able to deal with people and animals from all walks of life.

You sumed it up in a nutshell Bullyisious :thumbsup:

Dogs have to be dogs whether small, large or in between, our Pappys love playing with a Bermese Mountain dog (he is very gentle & lays down to their level) also a GSP, she is as silly as a wheel, they love playing "catch me if you can" our Whippet loves doin zoomies with any dog that will zoom with him

for some unknown reason our guys seam to adapt them self to the eviroment they are in

The 2 dogs I have mentioned are part of our Obed. club there is dogs I do know we wont let our guys play with

Edited July 26, 2011 by murve

[Kavik]

I allow play with dogs I know, if I know they get on well. Ones with manners.

All of my dogs are different in termms of their attitude towards playing with dogs (one is aggro so never plays with strange dogs, one wants to play with most dogs, one will play with 'friends' and happy to meet polite dogs but uncomfortable with forward, rude, dominant, pushy body language/dogs)

[W Sibs]

I will only let Em play with dogs I know and trust.

Edited July 26, 2011 by CW EW

[ravenau1]

I would love it if we knew more people with 'safe' dogs so Astrid could play with dogs more.

Join a dog training club. Safe playmates are one of the side benefits.

We have done obedience in the past, but ran into a couple of problems and our behaviourist/trainer recommended we stop for the time being. Hoping to get back to it soon though though play wasn't really encouraged. But I guess it's up to me to make some friends there for doggie playmates

[Weasels]

I Think its extreamly important to socialise your dog from as young as possible with as much as possible.

Dogs, cats, kids, old people everyone!

I think it builds a dogs character to be able to deal with people and animals from all walks of life.

+1

But the bottom line is, I trust my dogs to decide who they want to play with. They're quite happy to igonore or trot away from any dog they don't like the 'vibe' of, and they will always be able to read dog language better than me. It's still comforting having a good recall away from other dogs just in case tho!

[Bullyisious]

I have a school friend with a Bull cross breed she got from a puppy.

At nearly two he had never met a child before. He was super friendly and playful.

I brought my three year old daughter over and the second he seen her he lunged at her arm. We were lucky that I was standing right next to her and she was wearing a puffy jacket.

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

[poodlefan]

I have a school friend with a Bull cross breed she got from a puppy.

At nearly two he had never met a child before. He was super friendly and playful.

I brought my three year old daughter over and the second he seen her he lunged at her arm. We were lucky that I was standing right next to her and she was wearing a puffy jacket.

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

Socialising is only good if it achieves what you want for the dog.

A dog that needs to work in any level of distraction is not a dog you want to build a lot of value for other dogs or other people with. You might socialise such a dog to ignore such things.

A timid dog that will be intimidated by play is not a dog that you would socialise except under very controlled conditions. Same goes for dominant dogs.

Some breeds of dogs do not have the temperament to deal well with high levels of socialisation with strange dogs. Some breeds of dogs are naturally wary of strangers and interactions need to be controlled.

There are a lot of variables and there is no one size fits all answer to the question of how much and what kind of socialisaition is best.

Furthermore the peak socialisation periods (first and second fear period) once, gone cannot be repeated. You're not "socialising" adult dogs when you allow them to play IMO. You're merely reinforcing early socialisation lessons (or not as the case may be).

Edited July 26, 2011 by poodlefan

[Red Fox]

I have a school friend with a Bull cross breed she got from a puppy.

At nearly two he had never met a child before. He was super friendly and playful.

I brought my three year old daughter over and the second he seen her he lunged at her arm. We were lucky that I was standing right next to her and she was wearing a puffy jacket.

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

Socialising is only good if it achieves what you want for the dog.

A dog that needs to work in any level of distraction is not a dog you want to build a lot of value for other dogs with.

A timid dog that will be intimidated by play is not a dog that you would socialise except under very controlled conditions.

Some breeds of dogs do not have the temperament to deal well with high levels of socialisation with strange dogs.

There are a lot of variables and there is no one size fits all answer to the question of how much and what kind of socialisaition is best.

Furthermore the peak socialisation periods (first and second fear period) once, gone cannot be repeated. You're not "socialising" adult dogs when you allow them to play IMO. You're merely reinforcing early socialisation lessons (or not as the case may be).

Yes, yes, YES!