How To Get My Dog To Listen To Other Dogs

[Leah82]

So as the breed standard describes we have a very merry cocker spaniel. He enjoys playing with other dogs although this in itself is not an issue and he will still listen to us.

The problem lies when the other dog doesn't want to play, or more so when the other dog growls at him to go away.

Apparently in Collie world, a growl from another dog means get even more excited, he starts play bowing and getting more in the face of the other dog and typically going nuts.

When we respond to the growl by telling Collie to stop it he does so it's not a major issue but it would be nice if he would understand what the other dog was trying to say.

Sarah seems to get the brunt of Collie's over enthusiasm, her history means she still doesn't really understand Collie's version of play and will tell him off when he gets to be too much. But because he doesn't really understand what she's trying to say we generally have to intervene.

So how do we get Collie to understand a growl means back off not play more?

[Salukifan]

So as the breed standard describes we have a very merry cocker spaniel. He So how do we get Collie to understand a growl means back off not play more?

Short of an aggression incident because your dog fails to heed the warnings, and perhaps even then, you won't. You have to be the one that ends the interaction. No backing off? Game over.

Some Cockers either don't seem to recognise the body language asking them to back off, or they simply don't care. They can demonstrate a behaviour known as "obnoxious submission" - their body language is appeasing and playful but they simply don't back off. You'll have to step in.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[Leah82]

So as the breed standard describes we have a very merry cocker spaniel. He So how do we get Collie to understand a growl means back off not play more?

Short of an aggression incident because your dog fails to heed the warnings, and perhaps even then, you won't. You have to be the one that ends the interaction. No backing off? Game over.

Some Cockers either don't seem to recognise the body language asking them to back off, or they simply don't care. They can demonstrate a behaviour known as "obnoxious submission" - their body language is appeasing and playful but they simply don't back off. You'll have to step in.

LOL obnoxious submission is the word for it. He's often on his back pawing at Sarah's face while she tries to ignore him

Oh well was worth a try. In our house when Collie barks or growls Collie gets told off, when Sarah growls..Collie gets told off :p

[Staff'n'Toller]

Whilst you will have to intervene, choosing one particular signal from the dog (maybe not growling as that is too far gone) and teaching Collie to turn away and return to you might see him actually offer the learned behaviour eventually and keep himself out of trouble.

[alpha bet]

Cockers can be a little slow to get the message at times... some can be so enthusiastic that they don't stop and think about what is going on, they are just dashing in and pushing the game.... Not uncommon with staffies as well. Firstly you want to find a group of dog friends who are fun and fairly neutral... (I know seems difficult at times).

We run these groups every week for just these problems

The best thing here would be to have him around the dogs while they play but keep him on lead and make him learn how to just observe and not join in.... Ignore him, just hold the lead and if he is pulling give a tug and release... if he starts barking give a tug and release.... nagging him if needed but not getting emotional about his behavior .... don't say anything.... you need to relax and keep very low energy so he can learn to settle and be patient.

Once he gives up trying to join in he will sit and watch the games.... he is learning patience..... when he has been settled for about 10 min you just unclip his lead - say nothing - and let him wander off - he will then wander over to say g'day but likely at a lower energy so he has the chance to read the dogs more.

He needs to practice being patient in many different situations and then he will learn to stop and look rather than just react.

Good luck.....

[Leah82]

he's definitely getting better as he's getting older, he's not usually overly enthusiastic unless we're actively playing with him. If we're at the park and we have his ball he couldn't care less about other dogs around him.

The main reason I brought it up was we were at a cocker play date on the weekend and there was a woman with a cocker that she got off gumtree a couple of months earlier (FTGH) who is not particularly fond of other dogs. He was cuddled up with his owner and Collie barges through the group not paying particular attention to anyone. This dog gave Collie a warning growl and then Collie's excitement levels went straight up and it was time to play. We obviously had to intervene before the dog got even more stressed.

Generally he's very people focused, he loves human attention more than anything else.

There were a couple of older puppies going toe to toe towards the end of the play date and I don't even think he noticed

[RiverStar-Aura]

If Collie won't back off then I'd be leaching him. I'm sure he'll soon realise that a dog growling at him means leash time and will hopefully learn when to back off.

This next comment is not aimed at you Leah but I feel this is the main problem with off leash parks. Too many dogs are left to get over stimulated and when one finally snaps, all hell breaks loose. Time out/calm down sessions can be beneficial.

[persephone]

Collie barges through the group not paying particular attention to anyone. This dog gave Collie a warning growl and then Collie's excitement levels went straight up and it was time to play.

are you sure your dog wants to play .... or is there a bit too much focus there?

Sounds as if he needs to be on a long lead around other dogs -- and maybe LOTS of practice with recall may help ?

[Steph M]

I have to say the biggest lesson Gus learned was from mum's cranky shih tzu. She nipped him on the nose and gave him a fright when he was being a twit one day. That slowed him enough to think and gave me a chance to teach in much the same way, you talk nicely or not at all.

Now he stops and waits to suss out groups of dogs, and he's finally worked out when I call him he does back or we go home.

Not suggesting that. Just backing up what everyone says.

[fbaudry]

One more thought maybe; a lot of communication is done through subtle body language and I know Collie is going blind. Maybe his visual impairment prevents him from reading visual cues and adds to his confusion?

[Leah82]

It doesn't happen very often and even rarely at dog parks when we just go to exercise our dogs. In this situation there were lots of cockers and people in the one place so he was being Mr social and wanting to say hi to everyone.

Usually it happens at night when we're trying to get to sleep and he does something to make Sarah growl (like licking her to to death). Then post growl we can hear the play bows and pouncing so we try to tell him off from the bedroom or have to get up to tell him to cut it out.

We could separate them but it's getting colder at night and it's usually all over once we intervene

[Chris the Rebel Wolf]

My mum's new crossbred pup is like this, just SO excited to see other dogs, she does not listen to the 'back off' or 'enough now' warnings. I bring Maya around and now I know Maya is solid with Goldie (Will discipline her for rude behaviour without being aggressive) it is interesting to watch them play. Maya spends the first fifteen minutes of a playdate telling Goldie to settle down and refusing to play with her with warning, 'go away' growls. Goldie responds by getting more and more worked up (she jumps and whines and carries on like a pork chop). When Goldie settles down and starts to listen, Maya grudgingly begins to play, then when she's really settled after 1-2+ hours, she will go and initiate play with Goldie. But it took several playdates before Goldie got the message she cannot be in psycho-play mode, or she gets no play. Goldie is almost 7 months now, and I am interested in if she settles down with maturity or not.

Feel free to come up to the 'ville and borrow Maya, anytime ;)

[Staff'n'Toller]

It doesn't happen very often and even rarely at dog parks when we just go to exercise our dogs. In this situation there were lots of cockers and people in the one place so he was being Mr social and wanting to say hi to everyone.

Usually it happens at night when we're trying to get to sleep and he does something to make Sarah growl (like licking her to to death). Then post growl we can hear the play bows and pouncing so we try to tell him off from the bedroom or have to get up to tell him to cut it out.

We could separate them but it's getting colder at night and it's usually all over once we intervene

Teach them to sleep separately but next-door to each other inside in covered crates. They will be warm, Collie will have to learn to settle and everyone will be happy.

I used to have the laundry covered in dog beds and all was well but then #4 came along and he was a right pest, mostly just dis-respecting space. As dogs get older they become less tolerant and I can vouch for the fact that when crated separately they all get better quality rest as they feel safer.

Dog #4 actually took to it best as he loves to squish into the smallest crate, at the back and loves to be under something like a bench, so he needed the confinement too.