Today on our walk I had the "luck" (or not) to run into a pack of Australian Shepherds. We were walking in the woods (Noah was off-lead) and then an Aussie approached him. Everything was fine, they were sniffing each other, then all of a sudden there was some aggressive barking and Noah ran back and hid behind us. Then two more Aussies came running up, both muzzled, with their owner shouting "no, leave it" etc. She held them back and let the others approach Noah. She also explained that apparently the two muzzled ones aren't "reliable" around cyclists and joggers (though I could tell they were definitely being aggressive towards Noah, and my little lad felt it too). I’m really surprised to have come across two aggressive Australian Shepherds; I always thought Aussies were easy to train and very sociable, so it’s really put me off. On top of that, Noah has now become more wary of other dogs at first :( it’s nothing serious, but still, what do you think? Is it the owner’s fault or are these two dogs just "nasty" by nature?
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Oh, I’d so love for Gandy to meet Sana; I’m sure it would reassure him and do him a world of good. That girl seems to have such a calming effect on all these pups who lack confidence! (And she’s absolutely adorable too) 😌
...Energie Solaire, when are you coming over to the UK? 😁 lol
Ahh, that would be so lovely! Let’s keep the idea in the back of our minds, you never know!
I had a bit of a laugh yesterday though. New park (new dogs) in the town centre. We got barked at pretty aggressively as we were going in by an 11-month-old Husky cross—a bit nervous, very reactive, but he didn't really worry me. After all, it's a dog park. He’s got a basic level of socialisation.
Sana froze. She went into "extreme politeness" mode. She didn't make any sudden moves. And if she did move towards him, she was very slow and fluid. After we (finally) got inside, we had a quick look around. There were a few dogs there. I pulled out a ball. The other owner said, "Are you sure?"
It was funny. If the other dog caught it, after about a minute max of prancing around with it, he’d drop it; Sana would eye it up and try to grab it without putting her life on the line. Because sometimes the other one would snap. But other times, he’d let her have the ball.
It was so funny, Sky. You should have seen the look on Sana’s face. When the ball landed right where both dogs reached it at the same time—or better yet, say Sana was slightly ahead... she wouldn't risk it. She sensed that if she leaned down at that moment, she’d lose eye contact and might get snapped at. So they had a little standoff. The ball just sitting there. Nobody touching it. Sana waiting for the right moment, a distraction, whatever. Or she’d lower her head a centimetre at a time, very slowly, keeping eye contact the whole time.
We played for a good 20 minutes; it was strange but really lovely. I got the ball back 100% of the time.
I’d call that "advanced socialisation". It’s amazing, the calming signals and all that. And the cause, too (fear). That Husky cross is like a lot of dogs. He tests you at first to see how the other one reacts. He’s expressing fear too. "I don't know you, I've never seen you, I'm feeling a bit worked up, I don't trust you, so I'm barking at you to see how you'll react. I’m ready for a scrap, but if you pass this test peacefully, that’s fine by me too." After that, things go much better.
Oh, I’d love for Gandy to meet Sana, I’m sure it would really reassure him and do him the world of good. This sweet girl seems to have such a calming effect on all those pooches who lack confidence! (And she’s absolutely gorgeous too) 😌
...Energie Solaire, when are you coming over to France? 😁 lol
But the cases that would have interested me the most have slipped through my fingers and continue to do so.
I’ve been following the story of a Dogo Argentino that was just put down via DocLine. A lost battle. Do you understand my curiosity better now? I’d like to understand. What would that family have needed for the outcome to have been different? The owner had turned down my offer.
Another interesting case: a lady who’s very well-clued up on dog training and everything. She doesn't allow her dog any contact with others. Too reactive. I offered to go for a walk together—the four of us. She refused. Then again, maybe it’s for the best; maybe my way of thinking is a bit twisted. We both have this deep-seated belief that nothing bad can happen to us, but perhaps we’re wrong.
Ah, here’s another example for you. Last weekend, we were walking off-lead in the countryside at a dog centre. In short, 5km of off-lead bliss. Suddenly, I heard a lady shouting; her 'recall had failed'. Her dog (a Griffon weighing about 5 and a half stone) is so reactive that she has to take semi-private classes at the centre. This allows her to hand-pick the other participants (dogs her dog gets along with) but, more importantly, to ensure there aren't any men around, as he’s terrified of men and can sometimes be aggressive.
The dog reached us in a total state of panic. He was howling, barking, and growling. My girl approached him, of course, being curious (LOL). That explains a lot, doesn't it? Surprisingly, there was no scrap; quite the opposite, actually—they were mutually interested in each other. By then, the lady had managed to catch up. She asked me to keep my distance for my own safety, and to be fair, the dog did look pretty intimidating. I suggested we walk together since the dogs seemed to be hitting it off, promising I’d keep my distance.
Long story short: after a while, I decided to try a little test. I simply sat down on the grass. The dogs had just finished playing, so the energy was quite low. I just sat there, looking off into the distance. The Griffon approached me. First, he gave me a sniff, and then he spent a good minute licking my face. This went on for so long that he actually let me reach out and give him a little scratch on the scruff of his neck.
His owner was absolutely stunned. We spent the remaining 30 minutes of the walk in total harmony. The dog completely forgot he was supposed to be scared; he even kept walking right by my side (dog on my left, owner on my right—can you imagine?!). He kept sniffing my hands, but I didn't push my luck. The seed had been sown.
I often get the impression that these 'reactive' dogs are only a few positive experiences away from finding their confidence and enjoying life again. It sounds like @Sana feels the same way.
@energiesolaire, I don't quite get it: are the owners you meet refusing to let their dogs play with yours?
The owners of so-called or presumed reactive dogs, yes, they are. Not all of them, but at least 3 out of 4, if not 4 out of 5. And I don't blame them. They are responsible for a dog they don't trust. Maybe they’re making up for my own foolishness. I'm pushing my luck (and my dog's). I think I'm starting to understand it better now anyway (I was trying to make sense of it).
A spayed female, small but sturdy and naturally submissive yet confident, as you can imagine, usually stays out of trouble. Our last two experiences were quite telling. I think I mentioned one of them before. A male Boxer, very aggressive. The owner has spent a fortune on behaviourists, but with no luck. He tried again the other lunchtime at the park, but he couldn't even get inside and let his dog off the lead. At the gate, the dog was on his lead, reared up on his hind legs. He was snapping violently at anyone (dogs, not humans) who came near, without exception... except... Sana. Honestly, it was ridiculous. I walked towards him with her, and they made contact. There was a break in the aggression that lasted a few seconds. Another dog approached, and the Boxer, still on his lead, tried to attack it. At that point, Sana was at risk of a redirected frustration attack. But nothing happened. She stayed right next to him, no trouble at all.
Yesterday, at a scent work class, once the session was over, we let two male puppies (a Beagle and an Airedale Terrier) play with my dog. Sana is all paws and teeth—a total whirlwind (she loves it). Everything is going fine, the owners are taking photos on their iPhones. At one point, we take Sana out of the mix. A few seconds later, the other two were scrapping! We had to pull them apart LOL.
Hi there,
> I used to think Aussies were easy to train and very sociable, but that has really put me off.
Socialisation and sociability are things that need to be worked on. If this training is neglected, a dog's behaviour—regardless of the breed—will be driven more by instinct than by proper social skills.
> Also, Noah has now become more wary of other dogs when he first meets them.
That’s normal, and it’s what we call sensitisation.
More info here: http://comportements-chien.blogspot.fr/2015/08/habituation-et-sensibilisation.html
> Is it the owner's fault or are her two dogs just "nasty" by nature?
Aside from rare cases of actual psychogenic conditions leading to aggressive impulses, being "nasty by nature" doesn't really mean anything. What I mean is that a dog isn't "mean" for no reason at all.
Besides, labelling the dog who acts hostile as the "bad" one and the one who seems scared as the "good" one is far too simplistic. Aggression and agonistic behaviours between dogs are much more complex than that.
So, telling you whose fault it is would be completely impossible as things stand.
@Mariegame, you gave me a real chuckle with your story about the raspberries. I’ve got a raspberry lover in my garden too! (Mind you, it’s the only fruit he’s actually interested in, so I just let him get on with it, to be honest.)
There was a time when my dog used to help herself to the raspberry bush, but now she prefers cherries.
energiesolaire, I don't quite follow: are the owners you meet really refusing to let their dogs socialise with yours???
Mariegame, you gave me a laugh with your raspberry story; I’ve got a raspberry eater in my garden too (but as it’s the only fruit he actually fancies, I just let him get on with it, to be honest).
