I need some help , meeting other dogs :s

[loza123]

Hi everyone, sorry its soo long

I need some help with my rescue dog, bob (did another thread when I first got him but can’t find it)
As some people know and some don’t I will tell you a bit about him.
Bob is a black CollieX Lab is 3 years old and we got him from rescue, he had originally been without another dog, scuff, which we know was a terrier yet he got a new home quite soon after he came in while Bob was left for 5 months, no one wanted a black dog and his great with kids but because of his size he could knock then over, so I can understand that. He showed no aggression while in kennels.

Currently, my mum and dad have been taking him to classes, basic obedience; the room normally has about 10 dogs in it which are all on leads. My dad tells me Bob is excited when he first gets in the room yet he does calm down.
Now I have all that out the way I can actually talk about what happened today. My mum took him out in the morning though only for about 10 mins and even though his the family dog I have been walking in the past few afternoons. I (Myself only) am starting to trust him off the lead if there’s no other dogs about and rather the taking him in the fenced off field I take him around the full field. Though today I took him on the first field (one of 2 fields) I decided to take him off his normal lead and put him on the 10 foot one just in case there was another dog (the council has planted a number of trees in the middle so you can’t see if there’s any dogs until your close) We saw a dog in the distance straight away and Bob saw it pricking his ears up I quickly got his attention and took him another way. We got up to the passage way that leads you onto the 2 nd field Bob was still on the 10 ft lead when we saw a border collie cross trotting towards us with no owner around, bob had seen it and was watching it. I felt because of the type of lead I had on him if he was to pull there would be a conflict and it’s the type of lead that can burn your hands.
So I made the decision to let him off, knowing he was better off the lead then on. So I let him off he ran straight up to the other dog and the dog turned around and started to run, bob was chasing him. Though it didn’t look like Bob was biting it yet the dog was either crying or yelping, while running. I started to shout hoping that would get bob attention it was ‘Oi!’ then anything else. Bob then stopped chasing the dog as the owners came and did a circle, stopped to look back then ran over to me and came right by my right leg with the hackles at his tail up. I shouted sorry across in case the dog had been hurt and carried on. The walk after that was fine he was happily chasing his ball on another field and listening to me. Now am wondering was he protecting himself, me, wanting to play, or wanting a fight. Or just wanted to get in there first in case he thought the other dog wanted to attack him? When we on the streets and we see a dog he will normally watch it and pull towards it, when I stop him from pulling he will do about 2 circles around me and watch the dog again. When he was on the beach with my mum and dad, Bob was off his lead and another dog was, apparently they didn’t go near each other and bob showed no signs of aggression. Another thing was I left the other lead somewhere and went we went to find it we saw a shih zu at the other side of the field, Bob saw it yet he wasn’t bothered by it.
Am a little confused about what to make of his behaviour, we are trying to get him used to other dogs but it’s... Hard.

Update! I have just had a word with my parents about it, as i was telling my mum how it went and they were saying that his had nipped another dog before, like the collie has come out and that whats they would do to sheep and then the dog would chase the sheep to were ever the farmer wanted them. So apparently he has done that before and that would explian why the dog was making the noises as my dog was nipping it on the bum not fully biting it. Hmm... Now how do i get Bob to realise dogd are sheep ?
lauren

[jacksdad]

first, I doubt your dog thinks other dogs are sheep. But he is a herding dog and you need to find ways to help him address the need to herd things.

As for meeting other dogs, there really isn't a pressing need to help Bob "meet" other dogs. While he dose need to be polite and calm around other dogs, you can accomplish this and never actually go up to another dog.

IF you have any doubt about how Bob will behave towards another dog, you need to keep him on a leash until you can address any behavior concerns.

Because there is a herding instinct needing to be addressed, I will pass you over to others to address that. I am sure it won't be long before someone else pick up where I left off.

[Mattie]

Hi everyone, sorry its soo long

I need some help with my rescue dog, bob (did another thread when I first got him but can’t find it)
As some people know and some don’t I will tell you a bit about him.

Your other post may be on the old board.

Currently, my mum and dad have been taking him to classes, basic obedience; the room normally has about 10 dogs in it which are all on leads. My dad tells me Bob is excited when he first gets in the room yet he does calm down.

Do you know how your mum and dad was taught to train Bob?

Now I have all that out the way I can actually talk about what happened today. My mum took him out in the morning though only for about 10 mins and even though his the family dog I have been walking in the past few afternoons. I (Myself only) am starting to trust him off the lead if there’s no other dogs about and rather the taking him in the fenced off field I take him around the full field. Though today I took him on the first field (one of 2 fields) I decided to take him off his normal lead and put him on the 10 foot one just in case there was another dog (the council has planted a number of trees in the middle so you can’t see if there’s any dogs until your close) We saw a dog in the distance straight away and Bob saw it pricking his ears up I quickly got his attention and took him another way. We got up to the passage way that leads you onto the 2 nd field Bob was still on the 10 ft lead when we saw a border collie cross trotting towards us with no owner around, bob had seen it and was watching it. I felt because of the type of lead I had on him if he was to pull there would be a conflict and it’s the type of lead that can burn your hands.
So I made the decision to let him off, knowing he was better off the lead then on. So I let him off he ran straight up to the other dog and the dog turned around and started to run, bob was chasing him. Though it didn’t look like Bob was biting it yet the dog was either crying or yelping, while running. I started to shout hoping that would get bob attention it was ‘Oi!’ then anything else. Bob then stopped chasing the dog as the owners came and did a circle, stopped to look back then ran over to me and came right by my right leg with the hackles at his tail up. I shouted sorry across in case the dog had been hurt and carried on.

The owners of the other dog are at fault, you should never have been put in this position where you had to take action because of their dog. Bob was just a Collie doing what Collies do.

The walk after that was fine he was happily chasing his ball on another field and listening to me. Now am wondering was he protecting himself, me, wanting to play, or wanting a fight. Or just wanted to get in there first in case he thought the other dog wanted to attack him?

As I didn't see what happened but am going by my own dogs Bonnie, Collie/Lab and Samantha, Lab/Rough Collie, I suspect Bob was herding the other dog away. Samantha used to try and herd my children as well.

When we on the streets and we see a dog he will normally watch it and pull towards it, when I stop him from pulling he will do about 2 circles around me and watch the dog again. When he was on the beach with my mum and dad, Bob was off his lead and another dog was, apparently they didn’t go near each other and bob showed no signs of aggression. Another thing was I left the other lead somewhere and went we went to find it we saw a shih zu at the other side of the field, Bob saw it yet he wasn’t bothered by it.
Am a little confused about what to make of his behaviour, we are trying to get him used to other dogs but it’s... Hard.

Open a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates and chill

Update! I have just had a word with my parents about it, as i was telling my mum how it went and they were saying that his had nipped another dog before, like the collie has come out and that whats they would do to sheep and then the dog would chase the sheep to were ever the farmer wanted them. So apparently he has done that before and that would explian why the dog was making the noises as my dog was nipping it on the bum not fully biting it. Hmm... Now how do i get Bob to realise dogd are sheep ?
lauren

Bob knows dogs are not sheep but he does have a herding instinct, Bonnie is the same, I just try and distract her when she starts. Trying to train out their instincts is virtually impossible unless you replace it with something else which is why I use distraction instead.

[loza123]

Thanks for the advice both of you:)

Today i took Bob out with my mum around the same field that i told you about at the start of this thread , we went around the field twice and bob was happily off his lead playing with his ball.At one point we saw another dog coem on to the field at the far end so we put him on the ten foot lead and carried on playing and distracting him, he did look at the other dog but we distracted him and he didn't seem that bother by it

Though we came to the end of our walk and were about to put him back on the 10 ft lead just incase there was another dog on the next field. We turned around and bob was looking at something we tried to get his attention but he went running off to a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. My mum started to worry and was shouting at bob to come back yet he wasn't listening. The owners of the dog screamed and there spaniel was again making some nose ,crying or something. Yet bob happily came trotting back soon after my mum was very mad shouting at him, Bob coward straight away and laid on his belly as she started shouting at him , telling him to 'Get Down!' and she hit him on the head ( which i completely disagree with, yet she thinks she did right -to hit him)

She told me to put the other lead on while she went over, apparently Bob was going for the ears of the dog and the man got a scratch from trying to break them up, which dog scratched him we dont know, the onwers also said that bob startled them.

When we got home my mum was saying how its not right for him to just run off and do that to other dogs i agreed but said if he has never really being taught then we cant tell him off when he doesn't know what to expect. My dog said that when my mum is shouting for him to come then then he should. Again i said when his in that 'zone' type thing recall wont work you have to get him before he is getting worked up ( a trainer also said to distract him and get him to come back before he has seen the dog) I do feel Bob is a playful dog yet he feels everything would want to play and , a friend said that if bob wen running up to a small dog it could be too much which is why they fight back and then bob would too or the dog wimps etc and bob thinks he wants to play . Another thing is that we think but i arent bob might have thought the dog could have been a rabbit since they are rabbits are around there. Before bob ran off his ears were up and he was looking, not stareing and his hackles werent up , so this believes me to think he does wanna play but he needs to calm down etc.

If anyone could offer any advice to this , it would be great.

[Mattie]

Thanks for the advice both of you:)

Today i took Bob out with my mum around the same field that i told you about at the start of this thread , we went around the field twice and bob was happily off his lead playing with his ball.At one point we saw another dog coem on to the field at the far end so we put him on the ten foot lead and carried on playing and distracting him, he did look at the other dog but we distracted him and he didn't seem that bother by it

Well done

Though we came to the end of our walk and were about to put him back on the 10 ft lead just incase there was another dog on the next field. We turned around and bob was looking at something we tried to get his attention but he went running off to a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. My mum started to worry and was shouting at bob to come back yet he wasn't listening. The owners of the dog screamed and there spaniel was again making some nose ,crying or something. Yet bob happily came trotting back soon after my mum was very mad shouting at him, Bob coward straight away and laid on his belly as she started shouting at him , telling him to 'Get Down!' and she hit him on the head ( which i completely disagree with, yet she thinks she did right -to hit him)

Your mum is teaching Bob it is ok to ignore her, screaming at a dog won't help either but the hitting on the head is abuse and if anyone saw her and reported it to the RSPCA in the UK, don't know were in the USA, your mum could find herself in court for abuse. It looks like Bob may be used to this sort of thing if he cowers down like this. Your mum MUST stop treating Bob like this.

She told me to put the other lead on while she went over, apparently Bob was going for the ears of the dog and the man got a scratch from trying to break them up, which dog scratched him we dont know, the onwers also said that bob startled them.

Bob needs to be on a long line clipped to a harness until he has been taught to come back when called, if he isn't taught he can't know.

When we got home my mum was saying how its not right for him to just run off and do that to other dogs i agreed but said if he has never really being taught then we cant tell him off when he doesn't know what to expect. My dog said that when my mum is shouting for him to come then then he should. Again i said when his in that 'zone' type thing recall wont work you have to get him before he is getting worked up ( a trainer also said to distract him and get him to come back before he has seen the dog)

Yes dogs should come back when called but as they are a difference species to us and speak a different language we have to teach them to come when called. Your parents had to teach you to speak and understand their language and how to behave with good manners but expect Bob to know, How can he?

I do feel Bob is a playful dog yet he feels everything would want to play and , a friend said that if bob wen running up to a small dog it could be too much which is why they fight back and then bob would too or the dog wimps etc and bob thinks he wants to play .

Bob may want to play but he doesn't know how to communicate to another dog, it is bad manners for a dog to run up to another like this and he needs to be kept under control and taught what is expected of him, at the moment he doesn't know because he hasn't been taught.

Another thing is that we think but i arent bob might have thought the dog could have been a rabbit since they are rabbits are around there. Before bob ran off his ears were up and he was looking, not stareing and his hackles werent up , so this believes me to think he does wanna play but he needs to calm down etc.

If anyone could offer any advice to this , it would be great.

The body language of a dog after a rabbit is different, rabbit is prey. You do need to get your parents to understand that Bob hasn't been taught what to do and doesn't understand, good luck with that, parents are not known for listening. You may be able to get your parents to come on here and read, that may help.

[loza123]

Thanks mattie:)

I agree with everything you have said, Bob will come back to us when there is no other dogs around and if we have him on the long lead then he will happily lave the other dog and follow us, well mainly me as am the one with more confidence. I also told my mum that am teaching him to leave things but my mum told him to leave something and i said how can he leave it if he doesn't no that leave it means he has to leave it? Bob seems ok on the lead yet when he does see a dog on his lead its like he goes ooo a dog a dog and tried to run normally he runs into the halti so his does 2-3 circles around me ,bless him.

But yeh i agree that he doesn't really no how to meet /greet other dogs

[Mattie]

Do you have the long line clipped to the halti? If so get it off, long lines should only be clipped to a harness, if Bob runs to the end of the long line and is stopped dead with it clipped to the halti it can break his neck.

[loza123]

Well its like a halti, no we have the lead attached to his collar i suggested to my folks about getting a harness and my mum said shes not buying one as she doesn't think it will help So i might buy one instead

[Mattie]

A long line clipped to a collar can also break dog's neck, a friend has seen this happen.

[loza123]

Hi,
Bob is currently on a gencon dog halter which seems to work well am just wondering if we was to buy a harness which one would you suggest?

[Mattie]

All my dogs have one of these harnesses http://dog-games-shop.co.uk/harnesses-fleece-lined, I find them very good and comfortable for the dogs and they are strong.

I have just looked at the gencon dog halter, one of the straps goes right up behind the ears, this is a very sensitive part to a dog and they feel pain there a lot easier.

[loza123]

Sorry Mattie its like 21 question lol. Bob can be quite strong am just wondering would that harness help?

[Mattie]

Answering questions is why we are here, we prefer for you to ask a lot of questions because you are more likely to understand what we are trying to say. It would be much easier if we were face to face.

I see you are in the UK, I am in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire,

[loza123]

Ahh , am from Hull, east yorkshire

[Mattie]

Ahh , am from Hull, east yorkshire

You are so lucky, a friend Jess lives at Hull, she is a very good, positive dog trainer who is also studying under Angela Stockdale. I can put you in touch with her if you want. If you meet her dog Lennox without me I will never speak to you again, he is gorgous.