So both of my dogs have developed this bad habit of barking like fools when we pass other dogs. They jump around, jump onto each other if I'm walking both, and look like if they broke loose they'd tear up that dog. I've managed to get them to leave them alone most of the time, but if the other dog does something like bark, whine, pull towards them, or run mine go nuts!

Now mind you, it looks horribly frightening I'm sure for the other people, but some owners are stupid and just let their dogs do whatever as I'm sure we've all experienced. I've had several dogs run up to mine during their frenzy. It ends in tail wags, play bows, and licking each other. Neither of my dogs are dog aggressive. I do agility with my pitbull mix and he asks like a nutcase the whole time we're at competitions because there's other dogs running by and everything else. My pitbull I'd love to do agility with, but we're working on our off lead skills still....but with the way he acts I don't even want to bring him into public fearing there will be another dog and it'll look bad on the breed ("those vicious pitbulls don't belong XYZ").

Any ideas on how to stop this?! Other than that they're pretty well behaved dogs. Like I said I do agility, and he's fine in the ring and off lead no issues. In the house or out for walks they're perfect until another dog appears (they could care less even about horses). I'm stumped!

I think that your town has an "under control" (although not necessarily "leashed") ordinance, right?

How common is it when you are out with your dogs to encounter loose dogs?

Yes, it's a control ordinance. Seeing loose dogs is pretty much a daily occurance. They're not strict about even having your dogs under control. Our neighbor's dog is always in our yard crapping on our porch and everything else Most of the dogs are not aggressive so it wouldn't be that big of a deal if my dogs would ignore them. I've talked to our Animal Control Officer, and the police know me from calling to pick up people's dogs that don't have tags, etc and I don't know where they belong at least monthly. We actually have a couple of GSDs down the road that are very aggressive towards people and animals. The dogs have bit 3 people, one was their 4yo neighbor (it ran into their yard). They went after my pitbull when I was running him on the bike (I managed to grab him fast enough so he couldn't react and cause a big fight, but he still has scarring on his side). Animal Control is aware of the issue, but nothing is done. So many people have complained about the people with the GSDs as they've been chased, their dogs have been bitten, etc but the dogs are still running loose in the front yard daily.

We have a BIG dog problem. To the point that I carry a breakstick with me even though my dogs aren't dog aggressive. I don't want to take a chance that a loose dog is and I can't stop a fight before it happens

Tiffany,
You are not going to be able to inure your dogs to other dogs if they constantly have to face them running up and bouncing around against them or you. That's the simple fact.
To work on this problem you need to be sure that the other dogs are not going to be running up into your face.

I hesitate to say this on the open forum, but if I were you I'd take a more proactive approach to the aggressive dogs (that nobody does anything with) and they'd just disappear. Hopefully to some caring home, unlike they have now.

If my dog isn't learning, I'm doing something wrong.
Randy

 Quote: TiffanyGriffin

... We actually have a couple of GSDs down the road that are very aggressive towards people and animals. The dogs have bit 3 people, one was their 4yo neighbor (it ran into their yard). They went after my pitbull when I was running him on the bike (I managed to grab him fast enough so he couldn't react and cause a big fight, but he still has scarring on his side). Animal Control is aware of the issue, but nothing is done. So many people have complained about the people with the GSDs as they've been chased, their dogs have been bitten, etc but the dogs are still running loose in the front yard daily. ... We have a BIG dog problem. To the point that I carry a breakstick with me even though my dogs aren't dog aggressive. I don't want to take a chance that a loose dog is and I can't stop a fight before it happens

Where else can you walk your dogs? I mean, drive to and walk them on leash?

That's a disaster waiting to get a lot worse.

When you decide to try and fix the problem, work on only one at a time. Once both are under control singularly, then try to work on the two together.

Howard

There's trails I usually end up walking them on in the nice weather, and now that my hours at work changed it is possible to bring them to the city next to me. I have brought them there to walk one at a time. My problem with it is that, we still end up with the barking fits, and of course I end up with the looks and the people grabbing their kids. I've tried taking classes to work on it in an enclosed environment. Once they see the dogs after the first class they could care less though. It's the strange dogs on the street.

I'll try bringing them into town a few days a week to walk them there. Any tips on exactly what to do when it happens? I've tried the "look" command and treats (they both know it well....but they don't listen in this circumstances at all), They have prongs that I walk them in and the corrections don't phase them. They have gotten better while we're actually in motion, but if they happen to be stopped going to the bathroom or what not they really lose it. Somebody suggested bringing a tug toy or lure type of toy and trying to transfer their energy on that? What are your opinions on using that method?

 Quote: tiffanygriffin

.... Once they see the dogs after the first class they could care less though. It's the strange dogs on the street. ..... I'll try bringing them into town a few days a week to walk them there. Any tips on exactly what to do when it happens? I've tried the "look" command and treats (they both know it well....but they don't listen in this circumstances at all), They have prongs that I walk them in and the corrections don't phase them. They have gotten better while we're actually in motion, but if they happen to be stopped going to the bathroom or what not they really lose it. ....

I'd probably do two kinds of work, especially since you have two dogs (because it's much trickier to work with two at once "on the road," as Howard has pointed out).

I would work with each one separately at home, starting in the hallway, then the porch, then the back yard, then the driveway (you get my drift ), with focus and distractions. I would carry extreme rewards. The distractions could be the other dog sitting off to the side, the other dog playing fetch with someone, someone eating, the other dog eating, and so on. Even if this sounds irrelevant, it makes a new habit of focusing on you and being rewarded excellently for doing so, no matter what is going on around you.

Then on the road trips, I would start with obedience (again with fabulous rewards) at the edge of the sphere of influence. Do they freak out at 20 feet? Then get to within 30 feet and practice basic obedience and marking/rewarding.

In between, on the road trips, I'd do what you have learned is effective: I'd march right on by. Stopping for potty is on your command, so for now I'd be stopping only after sussing out the immediate area.

In other words, I'd use several tricks from my bag.

Staying at a non-reactive distance while rewarding fabulously for focus on you really does trigger a new habit, if you don't rush anything.

JMHO.

Oh Connie.....me, I just break out the DD collar and take care of it right there. It works really quick on softer dogs and the negative effects are small. Usually it only takes a couple corrections. I then give praise, treats (if they'll take them) or tug when they stay cool around the strange dogs. Of course, I don't bombard them up close with dogs right out of the gate. I at least give them plenty of room to start with.

 Quote: Howard Knauf

Oh Connie.....me, I just break out the DD collar and take care of it right there. It works really quick on softer dogs and the negative effects are small. Usually it only takes a couple corrections. I then give praise, treats (if they'll take them) or tug when they stay cool around the strange dogs. Of course, I don't bombard them up close with dogs right out of the gate. I at least give them plenty of room to start with.

Well, we aren't very far apart.

It sounds like they have been bombarded up close with dogs right out of the gate, though. I would want to work with them in another venue.