dominance problem

Sully Monster · #1 07-12-11, 11:29 AM

Ok so here is my problem. When we are on walks and Sull is off lead we can have problems with other dogs. If another dog runs over to me (which is normally a retriever or a lab so then frequently jump on me) Sull will charge over and dominat them.

Now personally i think it is rude to allow a dog to run over to a stranger and then jump on them but at the same time it is not good that my dog then tries to flatten them!! I wont allow him to run over to strangers and he does normally ask before he goes over to see another dog and wont go unless I say he can. Now he is off lead a lot running and playing and just being a dog, but can be a grumpy old man and is very dominant with other dogs - likes to hump them all etc.

He always has been a dominant (I knkow some people dont like that word but it is the best one for him) boy but we have done our best to keep a lid on this. So any ideas on how I can cure this problem of him flattening dogs when they come up to see me?

i suppose I should mention that he is 3 and is castrated

LOVEGSD · #2 07-12-11, 11:54 AM

I had this issue with Diesel Tam, he does not like other dogs jumping up at me at all.....so I have to ensure I do not allow other dogs to do this and Diesel sees me take charge and deal with it. I do also tell Diesel to leave and since I've been doing this he is now ok with dogs jumping up as long as I don't allow it.

I agree with you, it is rude for others to allow their dog to run over and jump up, what if you were a frail old lady or a child they could cause damage!

I think if you can see a dog approaching I would ask Sully to sit and watch you then as the dog approaches either tell him to leave or stay/wait so he learns that you deal with the situation not him.

Caryll · #3 07-12-11, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOVEGSD

I had this issue with Diesel Tam, he does not like other dogs jumping up at me at all.....so I have to ensure I do not allow other dogs to do this and Diesel sees me take charge and deal with it. I do also tell Diesel to leave and since I've been doing this he is now ok with dogs jumping up as long as I don't allow it.

I agree with you, it is rude for others to allow their dog to run over and jump up, what if you were a frail old lady or a child they could cause damage!

I think if you can see a dog approaching I would ask Sully to sit and watch you then as the dog approaches either tell him to leave or stay/wait so he learns that you deal with the situation not him.

Couldn't have put it better!

DelsMum · #4 07-12-11, 02:11 PM

Agreed!

raffaella · #5 07-12-11, 04:48 PM

Maya is like that too...she does not like dogs jumping over me and even worst when we are out training and I give treats I get the odd dog running toward me wanting a treat..she gets really snappy..(can't really blame her) it even happened this morning ,a big fluffy sheepdog came bouncing toward me and jumped up at me

..I said a stern NO to the dog as Maya was just about to tell him off..it did work..she was fine..but the dog then came back
to me

owner didn't do a thing

so I just shout GO AWAY..and he did!

GypsyGSD · #6 07-12-11, 05:32 PM

Very well put Lynn xx

#7 07-12-11, 05:45 PM

The reason they don't like it is because they're a protection breed, so see other boisterous approaches as a threat to their owner. While a group of dogs will have a range of dominant and submissive personalities (if you believe dogs have personalities), IMO its the owner's responsibility to ensure good manners at dog meetings, and curb any overt dominance. Most dogs are only dominant because they've been rewarded for doing that behaviour and not corrected appropriately.

I'm struggling to get a friend of mine to understand this with her GSD. He pulls (drags) her towards other dogs which are on lead, and she then can't cope with this so she lets him off-lead. She can't see how this re-inforces his pulling!! Her excuse is 'he always has to be the boss with other dogs'. No he f'in doesn't!

claire_88 · #8 07-12-11, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sully Monster

Ok so here is my problem. When we are on walks and Sull is off lead we can have problems with other dogs. If another dog runs over to me (which is normally a retriever or a lab so then frequently jump on me) Sull will charge over and dominat them.

Now personally i think it is rude to allow a dog to run over to a stranger and then jump on them but at the same time it is not good that my dog then tries to flatten them!! I wont allow him to run over to strangers and he does normally ask before he goes over to see another dog and wont go unless I say he can. Now he is off lead a lot running and playing and just being a dog, but can be a grumpy old man and is very dominant with other dogs - likes to hump them all etc.

He always has been a dominant (I know some people dont like that word but it is the best one for him) boy but we have done our best to keep a lid on this. So any ideas on how I can cure this problem of him flattening dogs when they come up to see me?

i suppose I should mention that he is 3 and is castrated

Extremely rude, i'm sorry but if it was our dog's doing that we would be slated and automatically categorised into having unruly aggressive dog's that narrow-minded people place large breeds into.

I think the down stay when dog's are approaching is a good method, and a firm NO from you, to the oncoming dog to let them know they are not wanted in your personal space. A dominant dog is usually that way because they feel they have to be.

xx

Sully Monster · #9 07-12-11, 07:32 PM

Thanks for the ideas. If we are walking and he meets other dogs I watch him like a hawk and as soon as I see his body language indicate that he is about to try and hump the other dog he gets a firm command and he now usually then gets off/doesnt hump. If he continues to try then he is put in a down so that he cant do it.

Part of the problem is that he can be wandering around minding his own business - maybe even running after his ball - and then if he sees another dog hurl over to me then he charges over and so the shouting/dominating match begins.

i can honestly say that my dog is 95% under control (can any animal truely ever be 100% after all). His recall is very good and he doesnt wander off making a nusence of himself. He is not very sociable in so much as he doesnt play etc but will happily greet appropriately and then move on. It is if he detects a more submissive dog that he starts to hump.

I usually find it is the labs/golden retrievers that are the main cultret of running over to me and they are usually very friendly but I just think it is rude and Clair you are so right if the roles were reversed we would have an unruley out-of-control dog whereas they just think because their dog is friendly that it is ok. Well it isnt and my dog is a grump but it would still be me that would be in the wrong if he did damage.

as a side point one day a dog did come over and challenge him and wouldnt back down. He was on lead and the other dog off. I then dropped the lead as I was in danger of getting caught up in a dog fight and he was unable to defend himself. As soon as I dropped the lead his body language changed almost saying "Right rules change". The other owner went mad but her dog had no recall and was aggressive towards mine. One of my pet hates is no manners in dog owners.

So what do we think? As soon as a dog approached put him in a down and shout No at the other dog? And what about at a distance? I have been trying to work on a down at a distance but of course this takes time. It is probably worth mentioning that my boy is not in the best health either

Caryll · #10 07-12-11, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anni

He pulls (drags) her towards other dogs which are on lead, and she then can't cope with this so she lets him off-lead. She can't see how this re-inforces his pulling!! Her excuse is 'he always has to be the boss with other dogs'. No he f'in doesn't!

She would not want to do that if Dempsey was the dog he was pulling towards - he would probably find out that he's not the boss he thought he was!