Quote: lucillehollander

So Robert, 150 dogs in 6 weeks, that's a lot and it seems you've done well. What's the game plan if dog #151 attacks your dog or otherwise shows aggression? Sometimes it seems like dogs can go from mild to wild pretty quick?

"What ifs" are kind of hard to answer. They should always be prepared for, but cant always be averted.

Sadly there are things in life that happen because of a third party that can not be avoided.

It would be like me asking you this....
1000s of cars pass your house where your dog is safely housed and not in danger of getting hit. But, what are you going to do on that 1001st time when a car loses control, comes into your house and runs over your dog at 45 miles per hour? I mean cars go from mild to wild in pretty quick?

No one likes rhetorical questions and if everyone lived their life in "what ifs", no one would leave their house, or own dogs to begin with.

Just my 2 cents.

 Quote: Dave Ferguson

It would be like me asking you this....

Disagree. Can't do much about cars and lightning bolts and stuff like that, but if you are putting yourself in a situation and you dog depends on you for safety, I think one should think out game plans. A car in your bedroom is a long shot, but the possibility of dog aggression is not; after all the word 'carnage'was used to describe dog parks.

I did not criticize actions, merely asked game plans if the other dog did not behave.

Hi Lucille,

No game plan needed as 2 dogs have shown real agression already. As far as I am concerned I am Case's pack leader and I stepped in, moved Case away and postured aggressively at both dogs who backed off.

Last week my girlfriend was playing with er GSD 13 week old puppy when a small dog became aggressive. I stepped in and physically pushed the dog back telling it loudly to go away.The owner stood and watched. When the dog aggressively moved in on my GF's GSD pup I grabbed it, smacked it on it's hind and sent it packing.

The owner then started screaming at me. Her argument was that I had "no right" to touch her dog. I calmly told her that unless she got her dog under control I'd do the same again and then we could call the police or the humane services and discuss this issue about her dog being off leash and attacking our puppy. She quickly cleared off.

I have no patience for the majority of dog owners who allow their dogs to misbehave whilst they are off leash. Our dogs are OUR responsibility and I'll be a strong pack leader every time. I see it as my role.

Rob

Hi Lucille

Each day Case and I run 1.5 miles through the hills from my house, to the dog park. We use the Buddy system from Leerburg.

We then run about 600 yards round the outside of dog park four times and then run back again.

While we run round the dogpark over the past 5 weeks we've frequently seen skirmishes and serious aggression going on. In addition it seems that there is a constant pecking order being established between many dogs. The owners seem to be seated, on cell phones or walking round the park watching their dogs.

Carnage may be too strong a description, but I've seen multiple small fights with one dog yelping for help with the owner 50-100 yards away. I refuse to let Case enter this fray. In one part because I don't want him messed with and in another because I fear, as an ex stray that I don't fully know, what he'd do to other dogs.

I guess I just choose to manage interaction on a 1:1 basis that works for Case and that I can intervene if necessary.

My "game plan" is one of pre thinking potential situations and not allowing them to occur.

Hope this helps
Rob

 Quote: Robert Holloway

I have no patience for the majority of dog owners who allow their dogs to misbehave whilst they are off leash. Our dogs are OUR responsibility and I'll be a strong pack leader every time. I see it as my role.

I agree. Part of the reason I ask for general game plans is that I want to start taking a dog or two to the park once they have some obedience training. But I am older and am thinking through how I would handle a dog altercation. I am not going to let my dog off leash at the park (not a dog park, it is just a regular neighborhood park) but other dog owners do.

 Quote: dave ferguson

No one likes rhetorical questions and if everyone lived their life in "what ifs", no one would leave their house, or own dogs to begin with.

I want a place where it is OK to ask questions, and figure out how to do things. It is perfectly OK if this is not such a place, I can go looking some more.
I don't see that I can truly be a responsible dog owner without thinking ahead about the 'what ifs' that are reasonably certain to occur.

 Quote: chris kuck

I have a friend who has a shepherd mix who, like my dog, has aggression issues with other dogs. I saw a post on his Facebook in which a woman gave him the advice to "socialize" his dog. She said that he should muzzle the dog and force socialization.

I'm curious about others thoughts on this. Isn't my understanding correct that my dog is part of my pack, and I shouldn't be socializing him with other packs? This question precludes introducing another dog into the home. I'm talking about taking the dog on a "play date".

I'd be curious to find out what others think.

Oh dear. People watch too much Dog Whisperer!

I can't think of a worse thing to do. If I wanted to have it become a *requirement* to have to muzzle my dog around other dogs, this is what I would do.

My neighbor told me about a woman who she sees at the dog park. Her dog is very DA and she is doing this whole forced "socialization" thing. Poor thing is muzzled and e-collared. She ZAPS him every time he shows any type of aggression.

All I could think when I heard this is how stressed out this poor dog must be.

Bad advice! Tell your friend not to do it!

If you have an only dog, having one or two very carefully chosen, supremely well behaved dogs that he likes in his life might not be a horrible idea.

In reality, this is much harder to find than most people would expect.

 Quote: lucillehollander

I want a place where it is OK to ask questions, and figure out how to do things. It is perfectly OK if this is not such a place, I can go looking some more.
I don't see that I can truly be a responsible dog owner without thinking ahead about the 'what ifs' that are reasonably certain to occur.

This is a fine place to ask questions. And, you have some valid concerns. Sometimes, it may help to give some context for your question(s) .

There are a ton of threads here about protecting your dog while out in the world. Try some searchs with keywords like "dog attacks," or "protecting my dog," etc., and see what you come up with.

Rob gave an excellent example of making sure you stay between your dog and any threat from another dog, and stepping in to prevent anything from happening. Constant vigilance is critical; things happen very quickly in the dog world. Unfortunately, unleashed/out of control dogs are rampant in the world. Having a plan to deal with them is a great idea.

leih

3 things I've found helpful in dealing with other peoples idiot dogs:

1. Train your own dogs from an early age to ignore all other dogs, leashed or not. We do not stop to "say hello" to anybodys dog. My dogs do not need any doggie friends.

2. Avoid idiots. Don't go to dog parks and when you spot someone who obviously has no control of their dog, head the other direction, cross the street, etc.

3. Always place yourself physically between your dog(s) and the idiot dog. A very loud and agressive-sounding "NO!" directed at the idiot will get most of them to back off long enough to remove yourself from the scene. But I wouldn't be above kicking somebody else's dog if I felt I had to. Somebody had a thread on here about a dandy looking walking stick that would make a good "persuader."

What should I do if that 1001st car is being driven by the 151st dog????? Can I switch fast enough from pack leader to crew chief???? What if that car is really an aggressive 4wheel drive??? Can I drag it off by its rear hubs??

I like rhetorical, it goes along with sarcasm very nicely.