RJ-Pup is two and came to us as a six month old stray. She is some sort of mix, I'm guessing boxer/lab. She had a best friend the same age and size with whom we walked often and played with at the dog park twice a week. They played tug, chase, wrestle, etc. Her friend is now gone and (hopefully) a new one came along.
New dog was also a stray and was adopted from the shelter. They had apparently been giving her some sort of calming medication, but thought she got along well with most other dogs. She is maybe four and some sort of terrior mix. She and RJ-Pup are about the same size.
New dog and RJ-Pup walked together several times over a week. Then we tried the dog park. At first, they played very nice - a game of tug, which they both love. New dog then wanted to play chase. Fine, RJ-Pup likes chase. But RJ-Pup bumped New dog in the shoulder and New dog bit her. Of course, now RJ-Pup is wary of New dog. New dog came over and RJ-Pup said back off. New dog came right at her instead of backing off.
So we're back to walking again. Today RJ-Pup was happy to see New dog - until New dog lunged at her.
What can we do?
Both Old friend and New dog were/are owned by my friend. I want to be able to spend time together. I see this as New dog being aggressive and friend sees it as New dog wanting to be dominant, the alpha dog.
RJ-Pup is sometimes nice with other dogs and sometimes woofy.
RJ-Pup's big brother, a lab, was not with us for today's walk, as his paw was sore. He is usually with us.
dog friends?
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: dog friends?
It isn't dominance or aggression. It's simply that one dog crossed a good-manners boundary in a way that the other dog didn't like. Your dog responded in a typical dog way.
Dogs have different ways of interacting, and different breeds and types have very different levels of acceptance. Dogs do not automatically like or need other dogs, just as people don't like everyone they meet. If someone behaved like a lout towards you, you'd tell them to back off too.
You can still walk with your friend, but as if you had two kids that didn't get along - don't let them bug each other. Have one dog on-lead and one off at a time, and don't let the one offlead come and bomb the one on-lead. Or else walk your dogs separately and meet up for coffee. It;s nice if dog-walking can also be a human social time, but if your dogs are upset by each other, then they have to come first. Their time then your time.
And like a good parent, you need to protect your dog and give out the message that YOU will deal with other dogs' rude approaches so yours doesn't have to.
You might like to read our Articles thread "He only wants to Play".
Dogs have different ways of interacting, and different breeds and types have very different levels of acceptance. Dogs do not automatically like or need other dogs, just as people don't like everyone they meet. If someone behaved like a lout towards you, you'd tell them to back off too.
You can still walk with your friend, but as if you had two kids that didn't get along - don't let them bug each other. Have one dog on-lead and one off at a time, and don't let the one offlead come and bomb the one on-lead. Or else walk your dogs separately and meet up for coffee. It;s nice if dog-walking can also be a human social time, but if your dogs are upset by each other, then they have to come first. Their time then your time.
And like a good parent, you need to protect your dog and give out the message that YOU will deal with other dogs' rude approaches so yours doesn't have to.
You might like to read our Articles thread "He only wants to Play".
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: dog friends?
Search found 5281 matches: "he only wants to play"
Can you give me a link to find this topic?
Ha ha, walking off leash. All are leashed for our city sidewalk tours. (They get off leash runs in state game lands, but it is archery season now.) Big brother can be a good buffer, but they all tend to criss cross each other during a walk to get to the smells before they're used up.
RJ-Pup went through a time when she didn't seem to read signals. She would play, play, play even when Big brothers said it was enough. I'm hoping New friend is just at that sort of stage and will learn. Poor Big brother got his ears pulled a lot, as RJ-Pup would try to entice him to play. (Fortunately he is very tall and can lift his head out of the way.) New friend treated him the same way at the dog park when RJ-Pup was staying away from New friend - nipping at his ears to get him to notice her. But his ears were never actuallly bitten, never had sores.
My concern is mainly that New friend was so quick to bite at the first offense. RJ-Pup was bleeding. I understood that there was a sequence of signals to say stay away or that hurt me.
I did try to body block New friend the second time at the dog park but she was VERY persistant that she get to RJ-Pup. I ended up picking RJ-Pup up with her harness handle to get her away from New friend. My friend doesn't see things coming so much, perhaps didn't realize realize what was happening, so was not trying to get New friend away. I feel guilty that I let the second time happen at all.
Can you give me a link to find this topic?
Ha ha, walking off leash. All are leashed for our city sidewalk tours. (They get off leash runs in state game lands, but it is archery season now.) Big brother can be a good buffer, but they all tend to criss cross each other during a walk to get to the smells before they're used up.
RJ-Pup went through a time when she didn't seem to read signals. She would play, play, play even when Big brothers said it was enough. I'm hoping New friend is just at that sort of stage and will learn. Poor Big brother got his ears pulled a lot, as RJ-Pup would try to entice him to play. (Fortunately he is very tall and can lift his head out of the way.) New friend treated him the same way at the dog park when RJ-Pup was staying away from New friend - nipping at his ears to get him to notice her. But his ears were never actuallly bitten, never had sores.
My concern is mainly that New friend was so quick to bite at the first offense. RJ-Pup was bleeding. I understood that there was a sequence of signals to say stay away or that hurt me.
I did try to body block New friend the second time at the dog park but she was VERY persistant that she get to RJ-Pup. I ended up picking RJ-Pup up with her harness handle to get her away from New friend. My friend doesn't see things coming so much, perhaps didn't realize realize what was happening, so was not trying to get New friend away. I feel guilty that I let the second time happen at all.
Re: dog friends?
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Re: dog friends?
Some dogs have less bite inhibition than others. Nothing you can do about that. But if all dogs are on lead, there is NO reason to let them wind round each other or get in each other's faces. 
You have total control - but you must exercise that control.
Many people never get up to speed with what is happening between dogs. Your friend may be one of them. So more responsibility is yours. It sucks but it's just the same with kids.
Successful dog ownership is all about being proactive not reactive. Don't wait for stuff to happen and correct it - make sure it just doesn't happen. Experienced dog owners do this all the time, and most people don't even realise. It's like defensive driving.
You have total control - but you must exercise that control.Many people never get up to speed with what is happening between dogs. Your friend may be one of them. So more responsibility is yours. It sucks but it's just the same with kids.
Successful dog ownership is all about being proactive not reactive. Don't wait for stuff to happen and correct it - make sure it just doesn't happen. Experienced dog owners do this all the time, and most people don't even realise. It's like defensive driving.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: dog friends?
New friend is now on medication for a urinary tract infection. I'm hoping this will make her less reactive. If she was uncomfortable physically, then perhaps things bothered her more.
We continue to walk near each other.
Ha ha to total control on leash. I have two dogs - there is no steering mechanism to keep one on one side or the other, as I try to keep Big brother in the middle of the girls. They bob and weave as if avoiding gunfire. The smell is always better on the other side of the brother/sister.
I should add that I am very much a cat person. All I know I've learned from "It's me or the dog." I did not choose to get a dog, but my new husband had two and now the ex-stray is here. I try to do what is best for them. Walking with my friend gets them out a lot more than when she was between dogs. So this working out will certainly benefit the dogs. Visits to the dog park would benefit them, too, if we could make it work. The dog park is a private one and is mostly unused. If I go with only my two, they just sit and wonder what to do. With a friend they run and play. Even with a good amount of exercise RJ-Pup woofs at passing cars, bicycles, etc. I hoped for advise such as, walk in front of the other, or walk together until such and such happens or doesn't happen.
We continue to walk near each other.
Ha ha to total control on leash. I have two dogs - there is no steering mechanism to keep one on one side or the other, as I try to keep Big brother in the middle of the girls. They bob and weave as if avoiding gunfire. The smell is always better on the other side of the brother/sister.
I should add that I am very much a cat person. All I know I've learned from "It's me or the dog." I did not choose to get a dog, but my new husband had two and now the ex-stray is here. I try to do what is best for them. Walking with my friend gets them out a lot more than when she was between dogs. So this working out will certainly benefit the dogs. Visits to the dog park would benefit them, too, if we could make it work. The dog park is a private one and is mostly unused. If I go with only my two, they just sit and wonder what to do. With a friend they run and play. Even with a good amount of exercise RJ-Pup woofs at passing cars, bicycles, etc. I hoped for advise such as, walk in front of the other, or walk together until such and such happens or doesn't happen.
Re: dog friends?
I have a friend who regularly walks 9 dogs. You have total control of dogs on 'leash - you simply have to have the will to do it. No excuses now!
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: dog friends?
Some tips that may help - pick which side each dog should walk on, and keep it the same. EG if Brother is on your right and RJ on your left, they are always in that configuration, whenever they're walked together.. Keep the leashes a little shorter, so they aren't able to bob and weave. Hold one leash in each hand, and be ready to move that hand out away from your body to guide them if they try to swap sides. If they get along very well, no scuffles or confrontations ever, I would even say you could invest in a leash splitter - not to use for two-dogs-one-leash, but like they're used in sledding, as a neckline - clip each dog's collar to it. That won't give them the ability to duck around each other. I'd avoid that option if you can manage with force of will, as it does trap the dogs next to each other and can lead to a bit of tugging each other around, and god forbid if they get annoyed with the other and start fighting...but if you're desperate it could help as "training wheels" as they get used to the new rules.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
Re: dog friends?
I do use a double leash. There are three parts - from my hand to the ring, then from the ring to each dog. They each have a harness and I clip to the front of the harness. This way they pull on each other some and less on my arm.
I used to have R on the right and J on the left. D was also a right dog, not usually walked by me. (Before the harness, he pulled me over several times.) Now we have two right dogs (and J as middle initials). RJ is good about switching sides when I say "side." This is to get her on one side or another of a tree in the woods mostly, but she'll do it for side of DJ and me, too. But she won't necessarily stay on that side. I don't want to march with them down the street strictly one on each side. Walking is their chance to read all the p-mail.
Brother and sister walk fine with each other. My question is how to help RJ get to know New friend better safely. I have RJ and DJ on the double leash. My friend has New friend. I have been trying to keep DJ in between the girls, because he is a good buffer. But he is not always in the middle because of the p-mail that must be read and answered.
So which walking positions are more/less threatening? ahead? beside? across the street? Should we offer treats? What signals would show that it is okay to let one sneak a butt sniff? What behavior means that they are not ready to be loose at the dog park? What signs mean they are accepting each other? These are the sort of tips I need.
I used to have R on the right and J on the left. D was also a right dog, not usually walked by me. (Before the harness, he pulled me over several times.) Now we have two right dogs (and J as middle initials). RJ is good about switching sides when I say "side." This is to get her on one side or another of a tree in the woods mostly, but she'll do it for side of DJ and me, too. But she won't necessarily stay on that side. I don't want to march with them down the street strictly one on each side. Walking is their chance to read all the p-mail.
Brother and sister walk fine with each other. My question is how to help RJ get to know New friend better safely. I have RJ and DJ on the double leash. My friend has New friend. I have been trying to keep DJ in between the girls, because he is a good buffer. But he is not always in the middle because of the p-mail that must be read and answered.
So which walking positions are more/less threatening? ahead? beside? across the street? Should we offer treats? What signals would show that it is okay to let one sneak a butt sniff? What behavior means that they are not ready to be loose at the dog park? What signs mean they are accepting each other? These are the sort of tips I need.
