I can't find my old thread about Oban being too rough and mean when he greets his doggy walking friend, a GSD girl his size.  So here is a brief repeat.  It was strange.  He'd be mean when they met, then they'd play happily, then he'd be mean in the midst of a walk, then they'd play again.  The very first day we met without knowing each other they were fine.  Ms. GSD was never hurt but a few times her actions showed even she did not like it and she would retreat and cower a bit.  And she is not a timid or cowering type of dog.

Some things that helped:  I started being sure to be at the meeting place first.  I would try to start a walk so that we met Ms. GSD while walking.  I had him retrieve tennis balls while Ms. GSD was getting out of her car.  These were all good but did not completely stop his bad, grumpy greeting.

Then one day we met Ms. GSD unexpectedly while she was walking with her Dad.  I usually meet her with her Mom.  The two dogs met like they were long, lost friends and had a great play.  With my exceptional powers of observation I noted this.  (Toot, toot on my horn allowed, please, since it is seldom I get to do it.  :))  I stopped tellling Oban we were going to meet his friend before hand.  I had been because I got a kick out of how happy and excited he got, but I stopped it.  And lo and behold the rough greetings improved immensely.  It seems if my dog does not know ahead of time that he is going to meet his friend he is, well, he's friendlier.

But why?  Would anybody like to take a crack at analysing this very strange behaviour?  Know he will meet his friend, be rough.  Not know, be nice.  Huh?  What's up with that?

> I stopped tellling Oban we were going to meet his friend before hand.

I honestly don't think telling the dog means he knows what you meant.  So I don't see how stopping it makes a difference.

My thoughts are maybe you were getting him over excited and he then had to release it somehow. I'm sure you said the names of the other dogs in a high pitched voice? It probably got him worked up and he didn't know how to release this and ended up doing so in the wrong way?
Just a thought.
I know when I say to one of my boys a few other dogs names, I tend to say them in a high pitched excited name, and he looks alert and gets him gee'd up so to speak.

When I mention my dogs names to one another they look at me with their heads to one side and then go and look for their mates, so I think they do understand. The same if I mention my kids names to them, they get all excited and go and look out of the window. So the fact that Ms GSD's name isn't mentioned by the OP is possibly a good thing as her own dog isn't getting too excited.

My boy will actually grab hold of his mums ear and try to pull her along unless I stop him (she is 12 now :-) ) but it only happens at the beginning of the walk. Aren't dogs daft? :-p

Is this your old thread???
http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/122875.html
Lea :)

I honestly don't think telling the dog means he knows what you meant.  So I don't see how stopping it makes a difference.

But dogs do learn associations that one thig means doing another so he could well know that mum saying 'lets go see so and so' means we are going for a fun walk just the same as the dog knows that when you pick up a lead that you are likely to be going to do a fun walk, just that this association causes a more exciteabl reaction than the normal one.  It's just another association.  So while he may not be understanding the exact word he of course can know the assocaition.  I expect what ios happening is that because he's not gettting as excited and silly his adrenaline is remaining lower and that means he is able to greet more sensibly.  Lots of dogs when their adrenaline is raised mean that they can get over zealous, rude or even so hyped up that they are a bit aggressive - so I expect that is playing a part.  There will of course be other triggers that he will pick up ont that make that walk different o his others but it might be that because he isn''t staying in a state of raised adrenmalline for a longer time, ie from before you leave the house when you were telling him that you were doing something in particular and he was getting excited, it may well be that he can cope better because of that.

Hope that makes sense :-)

Lea.  YES, thank you, that is my original thread.

Even though I often said the other dog's name in a very low key voice he still reacted meanly.  I said her name low and unexciting deliberately to see if he would still react while in the house and he did.  But there must be something in the way I said it even then because the OH can say it and try to ramp him up but it does not cause the mean reaction.  I am the usual dog walker and the only one to take him to meet Ms. GSD.

Interestingly Ms. GSD can no longer be told ahead of time that she is meeting Oban.  Because she goes nuts with happy anticipation, bouncing off the walls and making it hard for my friend to even put her shoes on.  A relief to me as it demonstrates my dog has not put her off.  And the owner says my dog is the only one who elicits this reaction. 

I can say the same thing, Ms. GSD is the only one who makes Oban mean if he knows ahead of time.  If I tell him we are going to play with his cousin Bonnie, my sister's English Shepherd, he is not mean but happy when he meets her.

karenclynes, I think I understand you.  Perhaps it means Oban DOES like Ms. GSD better than most other dogs.  We certainly spend more time with her than any other dog.  Perhaps he knows it means a good long outing with a friend to play with the whole way.  Maybe he's like the little human boy in grade school who runs up and pulls the hair of the little girl he really likes.  :)

I have no doubt dogs learn associations.  I can relate stories involving anticipation of seeing Grandma that will make you smile.  I'm sure you can too.  Anyway, I seem to have found the key and I hope it lasts.

You say he is mean, but if his friend still enjoys meeting him, and considers him the best thing since sliced bread it isn't mean just over the top.  bit like the way some men meet and thump each other when pleased to see one another, nothing to do with meanness.

Dogs that know and trust each other can indulge is some very rough and seemingly aggressive play, anyone would think they were killing each other.

As others have said to me it just sounds as though he got over excited and a bit OTT.  Glad that this is working for you now and hope it continues.