I dont know what to do with my dog

[marie111]

Some good advice on here and some very outdated dominance theories.
If I were you I would get a qualified behaviourist in, a reccomended one, not barkbusters. Most memeber s of the apdt or apbc are reputable.
I wouldn't appreciate any large dog jumping up at me or my dogs and you are lucky that no-one has physically hurt you or your dog because of this.
you also shouldn't have your dog on a long lead with a head collar on, you should have a harness on it.
Sorry if I sound harsh but I really think you should see a behaviourist to get correct advice.
Try looking here also, Dog Rescue Pages - UK rescue centre and shelter guide there are trained behaviourists on here who can advise but can put you in touch with reputable ones in your area.
It needs a lot of patience on your behalf and a lot of training.

 

[Missy G]

Some good advice on here and some very outdated dominance theories.
If I were you I would get a qualified behaviourist in, a reccomended one, not barkbusters. Most memeber s of the apdt or apbc are reputable.
I wouldn't appreciate any large dog jumping up at me or my dogs and you are lucky that no-one has physically hurt you or your dog because of this.
you also shouldn't have your dog on a long lead with a head collar on, you should have a harness on it.
Sorry if I sound harsh but I really think you should see a behaviourist to get correct advice.
Try looking here also, Dog Rescue Pages - UK rescue centre and shelter guide there are trained behaviourists on here who can advise but can put you in touch with reputable ones in your area.
It needs a lot of patience on your behalf and a lot of training.

I did used to use a harness on her it worked for a while ,but now she s stronger i found it wasnt doing nothing so now ive brought a head collar which has been an improvement on her pulling,i also found with the halter when the extension lead stopped i would get a big jerk from it,which wasnt very pleasent.

 

[fifitrix]

Refering to my post earlier, I said not an extending lead but a long line training lead, it is hard work as Marie has said, but it will pay off.

Basically in any dog ownership, the dog wants to be part of a pack and you have to be the pack leader, if you are not the leader then the dog will try to be dominant. The dog looks to you for leadership and you have to show it. Buggy is right in what she says and never underestimate your dog.

I had a big black lab and he was brilliantly trained and knew his place, but he was very protective of me and our house and garden. Unfortunately he bit a very good friend of mine's daughter and he had to go to the vet to be put down, not her choice but mine. I could never have trusted him again.

With the correct training your dog should be fine but never trust them 100%. I know now I get ticked off if my dogs are on the lead and yet some people think it is ok to let theirs run about your dogs. My dogs are on their lead for a reason, I am in control. I wish you all the best with this :hug:

 

[marie111]

I did used to use a harness on her it worked for a while ,but now she s stronger i found it wasnt doing nothing so now ive brought a head collar which has been an improvement on her pulling,i also found with the halter when the extension lead stopped i would get a big jerk from it,which wasnt very pleasent.

Not pleasent for you, can you imagine what its like for the dog having its neck wrenched on a long line with a head collar on? A harness is recommended with a long line for that very reason.
Maybes you need to keep it on a short lead with a head collar until you have some more control over it.

 

[Lellipop]

I own a big dog a rottie and have owned this breed for over 20 years and I never let my dog off her lead, She goes on long walks and enjoys them. She isn't aggressive towards people or other dogs but I do respect other people and dog owners who may not appreciate a 9stone rottie running at them while there out in the park. Enjoy your dog but do remember that no matter how quiet it may seem in the park there will always be a dog or person about for her to chase.

 

[Missy G]

Refering to my post earlier, I said not an extending lead but a long line training lead, it is hard work as Marie has said, but it will pay off.

Basically in any dog ownership, the dog wants to be part of a pack and you have to be the pack leader, if you are not the leader then the dog will try to be dominant. The dog looks to you for leadership and you have to show it. Buggy is right in what she says and never underestimate your dog.

I had a big black lab and he was brilliantly trained and knew his place, but he was very protective of me and our house and garden. Unfortunately he bit a very good friend of mine's daughter and he had to go to the vet to be put down, not her choice but mine. I could never have trusted him again.

With the correct training your dog should be fine but never trust them 100%. I know now I get ticked off if my dogs are on the lead and yet some people think it is ok to let theirs run about your dogs. My dogs are on their lead for a reason, I am in control. I wish you all the best with this :hug:

I do find it hard aswell when i do have her on a lead and dogs off the lead come running over ,she wants to play and im trying my hardest to pull her away ,and with her strength shes got it can be hard..i think i may have to go out for midnight walks,thatll solve me probs,there again someone else might be jumping on me then,thanks for all your advice ,i ll definatly keep her on the lead now and look in to some obediance training tomorrow.

 

[Lellipop]

I do find it hard aswell when i do have her on a lead and dogs off the lead come running over ,she wants to play and im trying my hardest to pull her away ,and with her strength shes got it can be hard..i think i may have to go out for midnight walks,thatll solve me probs,there again someone else might be jumping on me then,thanks for all your advice ,i ll definatly keep her on the lead now and look in to some obediance training tomorrow.

Debbie she is only young she will calm down with age and some training and I know where your coming from regarding those who let their dogs run wild while yours is on its lead

 

[Missy G]

Not pleasent for you, can you imagine what its like for the dog having its neck wrenched on a long line with a head collar on? A harness is recommended with a long line for that very reason.
Maybes you need to keep it on a short lead with a head collar until you have some more control over it.

I do use a short lead now on the head collar,dont use the extension lead no more.

 

[Missy G]

Debbie she is only young she will calm down with age and some training and I know where your coming from regarding those who let their dogs run wild while yours is on its lead

Thankyou its nice to hear that ,my husband and his friend who has a young dog say alot of its because shes young ,she ll calm down when shes older,but i think i ll still look in to some help aswell i dont want to just put it down to this,in case it isnt,im having the same prob with my daughter being a right dissobedient madam and doing all sorts of unusal things..but anyway thats another issue..but some people are saying she ll grow out of it,and others are saying if you dont sort it now it ll get worst,so im doing what i thinks best and trying to get help which is what i will do with my dog..omg thank goodness i got me husband under control!!

 

[w_davidson1@sky]

Watch Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer, on SKY3 weeknights at 6pm. Some of the episodes aren't as good as others but stick at it - he is amazing. He also has a website. Don't let others upset you about your dog, She sounds delightful! I had a Doberman who was 8 stone & was huge. People would freak-out when he was off lead but "HELLO!!!!!" would he be off lead if he were dangerous?

 

[Jewsey]

Dog Borstal is such a great programme, Max my dog sits and watches it the whole way through! Wish he'd learn something! But what the programme usualy proves that it is down to the inexperience of the owner and not the dog. It's just a case of knowing what to do - if you can't afford then see if your local dog rescue centre can help. I got Max from the Blue Cross and we had many many problems with him and they sent the behaviourist out to us twice free of charge - they'd rather the dog stayed with you than it ends up back with them. He did also suggest the stones in bottle trick, and they often use this on Dog Borstal!

I love this programme too, it gives some great tips.
I hope you get it sorted, he's just boisterous and will calm down with the
right training ...

Julie

 

[Zo Zo]

Debbie, when situations arise with your dog, and with your daughter, you must always remind yourself (mantra like if necessary!) that YOU ARE IN CHARGE. You are in charge of them, not vice versa. And they are your responsibility. If they misbehave it can't be anyone else's responsibility.

And I'm sure you were joking but you really mustn't start going out at midnight. Reading is full of dangerous people, even if you live in one of the better suburbs (don't know where you live) it really isn't worth the risk.

I am not a dog owner, I love dogs but I know the responsibility is too much for me (a daughter is enough to cope with, lol) so can someone enlighten me, what is wrong with having a dog on a lead?

 

[marie111]

Another thing is if your dog runs up to dogs who are on leads, this can be a huge problem, I used to own a dog who didn't appreciate other dogs coming into his space and would let them know in no uncertain terms.
I would carry on walking your dog, on lead, and practice the recall at every opportunity with plenty of yummy treats, chicken, hot dogs, cheese etc. not dried biscuits. both in the house and out.
Buy a dog whistle if you have to, dogs can hear tension in your voice and if you are getting impatient or angry, they can hear this and may refuse to come back, theres no tension in the whistle.

 

[beautyseeker]

My dog wont come back when she sees another dog, but she does not now run up to them as she once did as one sat on her and squished her a bit. She just walks slowly to see what they are going to do. Sometimes you can see from the owners reaction at seeing another dog so I put her on the lead then.

We went to loads of training classes, used clickers and it worked for a while. But becuse she is so cute people ALWAYS make a fuss of her when she goes up to them, so she thinks everyone loves her. I tell them to push her away and ignore her and some do and she then she remembers her training and walks on, she does not bother pushchairs and small children (thank god).

Training does work but you have to be patient and dont let your dog off the lead until you are confident with its behaviour.

:hug:

 

[ladybgemini]

Some good advice on here and some very outdated dominance theories.
quote]


There is nothing outdated about dominance, it is a fact that dogs need a pecking order.

I had a very dominant dog (staffy + lab cross) who turned out to be the softest thing you could ever meet. My dog trainer soon showed me how to make sure i was the dominant one and my dog was much happier for it. she would lean on me, not move out of the way when she was lying in the way, jump up people, nudge people for fuss, constantly want to go outside, then come back, basically making me jump through hoops for her as she thought she was the boss.

The vets and the trainer both said the same thing, she is a dominant dog and needs to be put in her place or she will become confused and possibly aggresive when boundaries are crossed. I was sending out mixed messages to the poor thing beause i didnt understand the dominance she was displaying, I soon saw where i was going wrong.

Simple things like eye contact, eating before the dog, going through doors before the dog and not letting them jump all over you and your furniture, are simple ways to put them in their place, very much like children (except the eating part lol), you wouldn't stand for a child to ignore you and treat you this way so why put up with it from an animal.

I would never have let her off the lead before the training, but afterwards she would do anything I told her to, she was very obedient after the many hours i spent training her and ensuring she felt secure and happy.

Sadly, Jess , is no longer with me now, but I know that she was a happier dog for being put in her place and me being the more dominant one.

If you google "dominance in dogs", you can find lots more info about it:hug:

 

[JackieMc]

but "HELLO!!!!!" would he be off lead if he were dangerous?

Unfortunately this doesn't apply to all dogs and their owners and is a bad attitude to have. My German Shepherd (who wasn't good with other dogs and was always kept on the lead) was badly attacked by some a***hole's dog who was off the lead - the most terrible fight occurred, the other guy stood there laughing saying his dog was always like this and I had to batter his large dog with a huge stick to get him off mine. I should have beaten the stupid a*se owner with it too. So no, it doesn't follow if the dog is off the lead it is friendly.

Responsible dog owners will ensure that their dogs will not approach/pester/run at another dog that is on a lead (there could be a damn good reason for it being on the lead, after all), my two are really well behaved but they always go back on the lead if I see someone approaching with their dog on the lead too, it's not nice and can be quite stressful seeing the fast approach of an unknown dog towards yours, and then of course your dog picks up on your stress and it can all go horribly wrong from there.

 

[marie111]

Some good advice on here and some very outdated dominance theories.
quote]


There is nothing outdated about dominance, it is a fact that dogs need a pecking order.

I had a very dominant dog (staffy + lab cross) who turned out to be the softest thing you could ever meet. My dog trainer soon showed me how to make sure i was the dominant one and my dog was much happier for it. she would lean on me, not move out of the way when she was lying in the way, jump up people, nudge people for fuss, constantly want to go outside, then come back, basically making me jump through hoops for her as she thought she was the boss.

The vets and the trainer both said the same thing, she is a dominant dog and needs to be put in her place or she will become confused and possibly aggresive when boundaries are crossed. I was sending out mixed messages to the poor thing beause i didnt understand the dominance she was displaying, I soon saw where i was going wrong.

Simple things like eye contact, eating before the dog, going through doors before the dog and not letting them jump all over you and your furniture, are simple ways to put them in their place, very much like children (except the eating part lol), you wouldn't stand for a child to ignore you and treat you this way so why put up with it from an animal.

I would never have let her off the lead before the training, but afterwards she would do anything I told her to, she was very obedient after the many hours i spent training her and ensuring she felt secure and happy.

Sadly, Jess , is no longer with me now, but I know that she was a happier dog for being put in her place and me being the more dominant one.

If you google "dominance in dogs", you can find lots more info about it:hug:

This is a nail forum so I don't wish to take this further here but do suggest you do your research about dominance in dogs in 2007 not 1977.
My dogs are well aware I'm not the same species as them so have no reason to dominate me.

 

[BABSann]

This is a nail forum so I don't wish to take this further here but do suggest you do your research about dominance in dogs in 2007 not 1977.
My dogs are well aware I'm not the same species as them so have no reason to dominate me.

This advice that Lady BG gave was exactly the same advice that my trainer gave me and that was 2 yrs ago not 1977

Much research has been done on this very issue and I have heard it mentioned on many dog programms including 'Dog Borstal',which is certainly NOT dated.

 

[ladybgemini]

This is a nail forum so I don't wish to take this further here but do suggest you do your research about dominance in dogs in 2007 not 1977.
My dogs are well aware I'm not the same species as them so have no reason to dominate me.

This article was updated in April 2007.

Kingston Humane Society (www.kingstonhumanesociety.ca)

 

[w_davidson1@sky]

Unfortunately this doesn't apply to all dogs and their owners and is a bad attitude to have. My German Shepherd (who wasn't good with other dogs and was always kept on the lead) was badly attacked by some a***hole's dog who was off the lead - the most terrible fight occurred, the other guy stood there laughing saying his dog was always like this and I had to batter his large dog with a huge stick to get him off mine. I should have beaten the stupid a*se owner with it too. So no, it doesn't follow if the dog is off the lead it is friendly.

Responsible dog owners will ensure that their dogs will not approach/pester/run at another dog that is on a lead (there could be a damn good reason for it being on the lead, after all), my two are really well behaved but they always go back on the lead if I see someone approaching with their dog on the lead too, it's not nice and can be quite stressful seeing the fast approach of an unknown dog towards yours, and then of course your dog picks up on your stress and it can all go horribly wrong from there.

Just read my message & have to agree it sounds irresponsible. I am an avid viewer of 'The Dog Whisperer' Cesar Milan. His approach is to practise 'calm assertive' & the results he gets are amazing. I think this guys attitude towards you & your dog was appalling, obviously a real bully!The only time Jasper approached(uninvited)another dog it (a Jack Russel)chased him away. I think it taught him manners, after that he always waited to be invited. He also never bothered kids,hence my offlead confidence. Wendy