Yesterday at the park my dobe was playing fine with another dog, but the dog kept barking, and growling at him and also trying to bite him, the owner was saying "its just play" which I agreed with.  Then my dobe started barking back and nudging the dog with his mouth.  The other dog (a jack russell) then decided to get nasty and was trying to bite my dobe, the more he got angry the more of a game my dobe thought it was. My dobe then got alot louder and was showing his teeth, trying to nudge him and nip him (but still playing).  Then the owner of the jack russell picked her dog up, saying she thought it was getting too rough now.  Some people walked by and they looked on as though this was my dog attacking the "tiny" jack russell.  It was fine while her dog was biting my boy's face.  This seems to happen often with my boy, he is pretty placid and loves to play, and quite often other dogs growl at him playing - but when he starts to growl and bark back (only playing) the owners seem to think he is going to attack. He is very vocal.  I would love to be able to do the same, and pick him up to stop their dogs having a go at him, like the other day when a dog walker had 4 dogs and they all came charging, barking and growling at him, my poor boy was terrified.  He is not too bothered about other dogs, sometimes he just has a sniff and we carry on walking, but if they will play he loves to play.  He will never approach a dog barking and growling.  He has been well socialised but if they come charging at him barking he will come to me.  If there is one dog it is not too bad, but more than one he doesn't like it - he seems to come to me to protect him.

Are you looking for advice?  Or just making an observation, as it's not too clear from your posting ........

Just wondering whether anyone else has the same experience.  I know that dobe's are very vocal, and I do talk to him alot - he whinges and whines.  I just find it very frustrating in the park when other peoples dogs charge, and bark at him and as soon as he reacts back - it is like he is some sort of monster!!!  He seems to bark when he wants to play.  He has only (so far) actually got angry once and that was alot different from his playful barking, but this was after the dog actually turned on him, they were playing and then the other dog obviously got fed up with him. 

HI      I have a dobe bitch who had brill  fun at the park until she was aproached by 2 off the lead staffies. . they were wanting to play but my dobe was only around 6 months and was terrified.as weeks progressed she would bark at other dogs but stand back behind me. Now at 21 months she has to be muzzled because she continously barks when she see's other dogs and other people. i dont take her out with the muzzle on i only put it on if she does start barking and her hair stands on end.She has realised that this is a punishment and is starting slowly to recognise familiar people that we pass every morning.I am waiting to purchase an aboistop collar and hope this will help us too.Maybe you should leave playing with the jack russell for a few weeks and then introduce them again. . They have there own language and we just never know what they were snappin about, whether for fun or otherwise.

Hope he continue's to be a good lad.

Pamie o

Please be careful - she's currently using a low level of agression to put off any thing that might get too close.  If you use punishment (and a muzzle should NEVER be looked on by a dog as a form of punishment) and for most dogs the ABOISTOP most definatly IS a punishment, then you a) run the risk of the dog skipping that level of warning and going straight for the bite, or b) the dog starting to think that whatever is around at the time of the collar discharging is responsible for their discomfort - and you really do NOT want there to be a child in the way do you?..............

I am puzzled why you feel the need to muzzle your dog for barking?

Could you explain how the application of this is designed to reduce or eliminate this behaviour?

I agree with Digger, a muzzle should not be seen as a form of punishment; in fact IMHO ALL dogs should be desensitised to muzzles and get used to wearing them from time to time in case they need to wear one at all in the future.

Again Digger is correct about the use of the aboistop collar, you are punishing the dog for barking instead of trying some behaviour modification which may take longer but will have much better all round "fall out" rather than suppressing the expression of her fear.

Desensitisation and counter conditioning will result in a dog that is more comfortable around other dogs and result in lowering of stress to both her, you and everyone else.

Punishment will only disguise and suppress problems.

After all, if you were scared of buses and screamed at the sight of them, would getting punished for screaming reduce your fear or just keep you quiet?