i have a three yr old huntaway x american bulldog. She has always been a bit grumpy with other dogs down but nothing too serious.
About a year ago we got another dog and due to issues with this second dog (who we have since rehoused) we stopped going to the park with Zoe (the current dog).
Since getting rid of the second dog and heading back to the park and the local dog club she seems to have gotten very snappy with other dogs and now growls and snaps at other dogs much more frequently, especially hyperactive puppies.
Any suggestions to help me through this stage and to get her back to being better with other dogs ?
thanks
aggressive with other dog - dominant dog
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If I'm not mistaken, if she's always been grumpy with dogs, the older she gets the less tolerance she's going to have, especially with "overactive puppies". Unless she's actually making contact with her teeth and fighting, sounds like she's just communicating, "Get off me, pipsqueak!" I wouldn't be *too* alarmed, but be sure you are always close enough to break anything up if it gets too rough.
I hope others can chime in here as well and help you out.
I hope others can chime in here as well and help you out.
Even better - learn to read your dog so that you can see when she starts to become stressed and take her away from the other dog/s/people who are raising her stress levels.
She doesn't need to be 'better'. She's already fine - as Noobs says, she's only telling them to get out of her space. You can help by blocking unwanted approaches and removing her from the 'arena' as soon as she indicates she isn't happy. Don't let it escalate to the point where she feels she has to grump - as soon as she starts to tell you she is unhappy, you be her safeguard.
She doesn't need to be 'better'. She's already fine - as Noobs says, she's only telling them to get out of her space. You can help by blocking unwanted approaches and removing her from the 'arena' as soon as she indicates she isn't happy. Don't let it escalate to the point where she feels she has to grump - as soon as she starts to tell you she is unhappy, you be her safeguard.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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Nettle to the rescue! Sometimes when I post from work I don't have tons of time so thanks for the additional (better) advice, Nettle.
If you can't buy a book on dog body language, try this post for a look at dog body language:
http://www.victoriastilwell.com/phpBB2/ ... php?t=2959
Nowadays I have become very tuned in to my dog's body language so I know when he can stay at the dog park and when I need to take him out. Your dog will need the same from you as well. Good luck!
If you can't buy a book on dog body language, try this post for a look at dog body language:
http://www.victoriastilwell.com/phpBB2/ ... php?t=2959
Nowadays I have become very tuned in to my dog's body language so I know when he can stay at the dog park and when I need to take him out. Your dog will need the same from you as well. Good luck!
This may well prove quite difficult as her heckles always go up when she meets another dog - even if she is not getting grumpy with it. I figure by the time the lip starts to curl it is past the critical point and she should have been removed from the situation before then ?Nettle wrote:Even better - learn to read your dog so that you can see when she starts to become stressed and take her away from the other dog/s/people who are raising her stress levels.
She doesn't need to be 'better'. She's already fine - as Noobs says, she's only telling them to get out of her space. You can help by blocking unwanted approaches and removing her from the 'arena' as soon as she indicates she isn't happy. Don't let it escalate to the point where she feels she has to grump - as soon as she starts to tell you she is unhappy, you be her safeguard.
When she runs and plays with other dogs she is very vocal also so that makes it quite difficult to assess the situation too.
I have read here and in other places that sometimes you treat them when around other dogs if they do not demonstrate dominant behavior - is this advisable ?
I would classify such behaviors as "dominant" - you won't hear that word a lot on this forum.
There's more to read in body language than just hackles being up and lips curling. There's turning her head and/or body away from the other dog, etc. Sometimes a quick snap to get a dog out of her comfort zone isn't a horrible thing, but it can be tough to get the timing right if things escalate beyond that.
Here's one thing I do at the dog park which has proven to be really helpful in assessing how my dog is going to "receive" another dog's greeting behaviors: As soon as you see a new dog approaching the dog park, go and leash your dog. Then allow them a calm greeting on leash - being careful not to get them tangled of course - and within the first few seconds you should be able to tell if your dog is okay with the new dog. If so, off with the leashes. If not, then she's already leashed, so you can head out.
Does that sound like something you can manage? My dog park is VERY small so it's easy to get my dog and leash him. If your dog park is really big and really well-populated, it might be harder. So I don't know if that will help you or not.
There's more to read in body language than just hackles being up and lips curling. There's turning her head and/or body away from the other dog, etc. Sometimes a quick snap to get a dog out of her comfort zone isn't a horrible thing, but it can be tough to get the timing right if things escalate beyond that.
Here's one thing I do at the dog park which has proven to be really helpful in assessing how my dog is going to "receive" another dog's greeting behaviors: As soon as you see a new dog approaching the dog park, go and leash your dog. Then allow them a calm greeting on leash - being careful not to get them tangled of course - and within the first few seconds you should be able to tell if your dog is okay with the new dog. If so, off with the leashes. If not, then she's already leashed, so you can head out.
Does that sound like something you can manage? My dog park is VERY small so it's easy to get my dog and leash him. If your dog park is really big and really well-populated, it might be harder. So I don't know if that will help you or not.
This is all well and good and I can move her away as you suggest but how do I get her to the stage where her hackles do not go up when she meets another dog. They always go up whenever she meets another dog. Even when we had the second dog they were up quite a bit.Nettle wrote:The hackles going up is your sign to move away.
Very slowly and with infinite patience. 
Watch the other dog's body language too. Her hackling-up has become a defensive habit, and the only way to make her feel less defensive is to move her away from her reaction distance and then reward her, while keeping her safe. The message is "You are safe with me" the underlying message is "This dog will not approach any closer than you feel comfortable with, and here is (insert reward of choice)".
Once the fear reaction has cut in fully, the dog will not respond to reward because a different part of her brain has taken over.
However if the approach of another dog means she is taken to a safe distance and given something good, eventually she will associate the 'something good' with other dogs in her view.
By the sound of it she wasn't all that struck on the other dog she lived with either. We humans are so keen for our dogs to have doggy friendships we often miss that what the dogs want is anything but.
What dogs want most of all is to feel safe
Watch the other dog's body language too. Her hackling-up has become a defensive habit, and the only way to make her feel less defensive is to move her away from her reaction distance and then reward her, while keeping her safe. The message is "You are safe with me" the underlying message is "This dog will not approach any closer than you feel comfortable with, and here is (insert reward of choice)".
Once the fear reaction has cut in fully, the dog will not respond to reward because a different part of her brain has taken over.
However if the approach of another dog means she is taken to a safe distance and given something good, eventually she will associate the 'something good' with other dogs in her view.
By the sound of it she wasn't all that struck on the other dog she lived with either. We humans are so keen for our dogs to have doggy friendships we often miss that what the dogs want is anything but.
What dogs want most of all is to feel safe
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
