My Borzoi Hates Spaniels!

[Kuzko]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

[shapeshifter]

Yes, my Tenterfield Terrier hated staffies, I love staffies so it's not as if she was picking up anything from me. There was no interaction that went wrong or anything else that I know of and she was with me for 16 years from a 7 week old pup.

I have heard of other people with dogs that just seem to hate other breeds, same situation as mine, nothing had ever happened. Sometimes it just happens.

I would just make sure that I didn't put her in the situation, at training I would make sure I was at the other side of the group to where the staffies were (that caused it's own problem especially when the staffy owner would follow me and get offended when I told them why I had to move...again...) that she felt threatened as she was always the one that got upset first and it's not a good thing having a smaller dog snapping at a larger one, she would have been the loser.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

spaniels maybe look like just wrong to your dog.

My dog gets upset about anything that looks a bit different to her. Like the first time she saw a beach umbrella or a man in a hoodie...

I just give her time to get over herself and if possible to get close enough (in a calm state) to realise it's not something to worry about.

But she has had bad experiences with a number of curly coat dogs - so she really doesn't like them now. It's bit random because ones she's known since a puppy she still likes. It's the new ones we have to be careful about. And I probably contribute because these dogs often have owners with no clue.

[JRG]

I think that dogs do not recognise dogs of a different colour as dogs, and certainly, as Mrs RB says, things that are different- people wearing hats or flapping coats etc upset them

Maybe she thinks that spaniels have no legs because their legs are white etc who knows what the world looks like from a dog's perspective.

Edited February 20, 2015 by JRG

[mita]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

I wonder how your girl would go with my Tibetan Spaniels. But maybe that wouldn't be a true test because the breed are not really spaniels.

[The Spotted Devil]

I've seen a crazy, full on Border Collie youngster run wild with half a dozen adult BCs - lots of chasing, growling etc and he had a hoot. My Em did the low down Spaniel crawl, creep and play bow and he was completely terrified! Em recognises Dallies and any Spaniel from afar and will drag me over to meet them. 98% of male dogs take an intense dislike to my Dally - it's way more than being an entire male I suspect as he is targeted when he is minding his own business or even working with me and 100% focussed.

Edited February 20, 2015 by The Spotted Devil

[OSoSwift]

I had a dog that couldn't stand Samoyeds! Other upright coated breeds she stood back and watched until she made sure they were friendly but get a Samoyed anywhere near her and she would lose the plot, have no idea why??

Maybe it has something to do with their shape or behaviour?

[Stressmagnet]

My AmStaff hated Labradors. She'd never had a bad experience with one, but would arc up and embarassi me every time we saw one.

Do you know how many Labradors are in the suburbs? She never ever changed despite training and treats.

My next dog was a labrador. He's never met anything that isn't his instant BFF.

[WeimMe]

Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl.

If your dog is the one causing the issue, shouldn't it and you be the ones who leave? Barking, growling and howling at another dog for no reason is not a normal reaction and there's no such thing as a friendly growl.

Dog parks are risky places at the best of times and when there's a known reactivity issue, even when it's just a certain type of dog, you must accept that these places are off limits because of the risk your dog poses.

I get really tired of hearing excuses like "he only does that to small dogs/large dogs/black dogs/people wearing red" as an excuse when a supposedly friendly dog attacks. This is of small comfort when it's your dog who was the small dog/large dog/fluffy dog doing nothing wrong who was attacked and injured.

You know that your dog does not like spaniels. Don't put her in situations where she could encounter them offleash where things could get out of control.

Edited February 21, 2015 by WeimMe

[Guest _MADCAT_]

Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl.

If your dog is the one causing the issue, shouldn't it and you be the ones who leave? Barking, growling and howling at another dog for no reason is not a normal reaction and there's no such thing as a friendly growl.

Dog parks are risky places at the best of times and when there's a known reactivity issue, even when it's just a certain type of dog, you must accept that these places are off limits because of the risk your dog poses.

I get really tired of hearing excuses like "he only does that to small dogs/large dogs/black dogs/people wearing red" as an excuse when a supposedly friendly dog attacks. This is of small comfort when it's your dog who was the small dog/large dog/fluffy dog doing nothing wrong who was attacked and injured.

You know that your dog does not like spaniels. Don't put her in situations where she could encounter them offleash where things could get out of control.

My Bullmastiff boy used to get attacked at the dog park by 5 different Labradors. Anytime a lab would come in its like they'd make a bee line for my poor boy.

Once it was so bad and the lab was thrashing my dog... I yelled get your dog off but she looked away and didnt care. I tried to do it gently but ended up kicking the dog off my boy. Thankfully no damage was done but I absolutely 100% refuse to go to dog parks anymore.

Thankfully Frank doesn't hold grudges and doesnt charge labs. He just stiffens up on walks and I try divert his attention which always works..

[SkySoaringMagpie]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

One of my Salukis wasn't very impressed with a spaniel at close quarters once and I suspect it was because the spaniel's busy and friendly approach to life doesn't always sit well with a sighthound's more aloof temperament. I think the Cocker standard used to have something in it about "bustle" and sighthounds definitely don't do bustle.

I agree with the others that if your dog is reacting you should leave first particularly because if your dog decided to make something of it, the spaniel would be history.

Edited to say, most of the time my hounds are totally fine with spaniels. If you're going to have your dog out with others I would get this sorted.

Edited February 21, 2015 by SkySoaringMagpie

[Aleksandra 157]

I never go to dog parks ,for the reasons above.So many dogs have these unusual tendencies that are hard to predict and really spoil it for others ,particularly if you have a reactive dog.,it can be a nightmare....

[Kuzko]

Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl.

If your dog is the one causing the issue, shouldn't it and you be the ones who leave? Barking, growling and howling at another dog for no reason is not a normal reaction and there's no such thing as a friendly growl.

Dog parks are risky places at the best of times and when there's a known reactivity issue, even when it's just a certain type of dog, you must accept that these places are off limits because of the risk your dog poses.

I get really tired of hearing excuses like "he only does that to small dogs/large dogs/black dogs/people wearing red" as an excuse when a supposedly friendly dog attacks. This is of small comfort when it's your dog who was the small dog/large dog/fluffy dog doing nothing wrong who was attacked and injured.

You know that your dog does not like spaniels. Don't put her in situations where she could encounter them offleash where things could get out of control.

Well there has only been two spaniels which have came into the dog park - the first one she did not go near at, she barked and growled from a distance but I took her to the back of the dog park and sat with her on leash just watching her reaction to it. The second one was at night when usually no one comes in to the dog park and that dog got in to the holding area and then left. All the other times she's reacted to spaniels is when they have walked past the dog park. It's not like I just leave her to bark and growl and stuff and she has only started this the past week or so, so please don't make assumptions because you sound rude.

And to the person who says I need to "sort it out", that's why I posted this to see how I could "sort it out".

Thanks.

[Kuzko]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

I wonder how your girl would go with my Tibetan Spaniels. But maybe that wouldn't be a true test because the breed are not really spaniels.

There's a tibetan spaniel who comes down and she's totally fine with him :) , it's just been Springer Spaniels (haven't seen a Cocker Spaniel so I don't know how she would react to one of them). It's just weird and hopefully I can figure out what's triggering it.

[mita]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

I wonder how your girl would go with my Tibetan Spaniels. But maybe that wouldn't be a true test because the breed are not really spaniels.

There's a tibetan spaniel who comes down and she's totally fine with him :) ,

Your Borzoi is very intelligent. She's figured that a Tibbie is not a real spaniel. They only got called that when taken out of Tibet to Europe.... where they looked like a lady's lap spaniel.

[Kuzko]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

I wonder how your girl would go with my Tibetan Spaniels. But maybe that wouldn't be a true test because the breed are not really spaniels.

There's a tibetan spaniel who comes down and she's totally fine with him :) ,

Your Borzoi is very intelligent. She's figured that a Tibbie is not a real spaniel. They only got called that when taken out of Tibet to Europe.... where they looked like a lady's lap spaniel.

:laugh:

[sparkycat]

If it is only a recent issue could she be going through a fear period ? My Borzoi was jumpy about tiny birds, vacuum cleaners, motor bikes and most other dogs at 11-12 months. I thought I had broken my beautiful calm boy. He is now 15 months old and nothing bothers him- he is back to his calm cuddly self :)

[helen]

My Borzoi is 11 months old and has never had a bad encounter with Spaniels that we know of, but whenever we're at the dog park and a spaniel comes in, she goes ballistic. Barking, growling and howling until it leaves, it's so weird because she's such a friendly girl. Any advice or has anyone had anything similar?

One of my Salukis wasn't very impressed with a spaniel at close quarters once and I suspect it was because the spaniel's busy and friendly approach to life doesn't always sit well with a sighthound's more aloof temperament. I think the Cocker standard used to have something in it about "bustle" and sighthounds definitely don't do bustle.

I agree with the others that if your dog is reacting you should leave first particularly because if your dog decided to make something of it, the spaniel would be history.

Edited to say, most of the time my hounds are totally fine with spaniels. If you're going to have your dog out with others I would get this sorted.

I want a Saluki, it will love gun dogs :-) could it be that it doesn't like the activity level?

Edited February 27, 2015 by helen

[dougal]

I have two spaniels, both very excitable and enthusiastic. When out walking people are keen to bring their dogs up to my two, but I find their merriness can be overwhelming for the other dogs. Some owners look at me strangely when I hold them back, or only let them say hello, one at a time. I think they can be too much for some dogs, especially smaller ones, and larger dogs tend to,find them annoying. Mine are always wary of labs......a bit to bouncy, big and unpredictable. On the whole I rarely do off leash these days as there are too many variables and mine add to it. If a park is empty I'm much happier.