Help Duke be happy
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jeepster89
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2016 3:56 pm
Help Duke be happy
I am reaching out to you for help. My rescued Cane Corso was progressing really well in his training and my sister-in-law claimed her dog was socialized and her dog bit him I was quickly able to separate them but now he is randomly really dog reactive, We are working with a trainer but he claims that poor Duke may never be a dog to enjoy the company of other dogs but we have been able to have him getting along with a lot of dogs. It is just occasionally. He loves playing and I really want my dog to be happy. Can you help?
Re: Help Duke be happy
I am sorry you've had an unpleasant experience and Dukes progress has been set back.
I wouldn't want to interfere with what your trainer is doing and they are making a valid point - dogs would not normally be best buddies with every dog they meet, nor would we with every human we met. You don't become close friends with people purely because they are the same species as you!
It is highly unlikely that his dog reactivity really IS 'random' - its more likely that you can't see the trigger, for example, he may be struggling to be sociable and exercise self control with the first two dogs he sees in a day... but manages it as far as you can see.. and then the third dog, wow thats too much.. and he reacts.
Perhaps the next day its the second dog he sees that is too much and then you go home and he chills out and doesnt see a dog for a day and the day after that he sees four dogs but they are all super polite dogs that don't upset him and he's feeling pretty good so theres no reaction.
If thats what is going on, it really can look VERY random at times, particularly as some dogs can project 'I am an asshole' to your dog from a fair distance and without appearing to do very much (there are MANY altercations between dogs that are actually started by the other dog, silently, but the dog who reacts gets the blame!)..
I do understand it is also very upsetting when you want your dog to be friendly and you have seen him play and be friendly and now that is not happening but its important to understand... this is much more YOUR problem than it is his! Dogs really don't need dog friends, and whilst we think its nice for them to have some its actually not realistic to expect them to befriend every dog they meet.
What dogs NEED is to feel confident and safe around other dogs so that they can lead full happy lives - it is then the icing on the cake if they can generally get on well with strange dogs quickly but that bit isn't actually necessary.
I wouldn't want to interfere with what your trainer is doing and they are making a valid point - dogs would not normally be best buddies with every dog they meet, nor would we with every human we met. You don't become close friends with people purely because they are the same species as you!
It is highly unlikely that his dog reactivity really IS 'random' - its more likely that you can't see the trigger, for example, he may be struggling to be sociable and exercise self control with the first two dogs he sees in a day... but manages it as far as you can see.. and then the third dog, wow thats too much.. and he reacts.
Perhaps the next day its the second dog he sees that is too much and then you go home and he chills out and doesnt see a dog for a day and the day after that he sees four dogs but they are all super polite dogs that don't upset him and he's feeling pretty good so theres no reaction.
If thats what is going on, it really can look VERY random at times, particularly as some dogs can project 'I am an asshole' to your dog from a fair distance and without appearing to do very much (there are MANY altercations between dogs that are actually started by the other dog, silently, but the dog who reacts gets the blame!)..
I do understand it is also very upsetting when you want your dog to be friendly and you have seen him play and be friendly and now that is not happening but its important to understand... this is much more YOUR problem than it is his! Dogs really don't need dog friends, and whilst we think its nice for them to have some its actually not realistic to expect them to befriend every dog they meet.
What dogs NEED is to feel confident and safe around other dogs so that they can lead full happy lives - it is then the icing on the cake if they can generally get on well with strange dogs quickly but that bit isn't actually necessary.
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
