Just wondered if anyone could shed some light on our puppys strange behaviour.
He is 4 months old, and is great with other dogs.

BUT

When we are out on a walk, if he sees another dog he will bark his head off, until he gets to it then he will go all submissive.

BUT then when we are at dog shows every weekend and there are dogs all around he doesnt make a sound when he meets one in the fields nearby of around the showground. and just either ignores them if i tell him too, or goes and plays quietly. (offlead)

Whats going on!???

He thinks he stands a chance of convincing the approaching dog he's a force to be reackoned with when it's 1 2 1,then, when the other dog gets close, he knows he has to offer submissive behaviour to be polite. But when there are other dogs about, who could be allies, he keeps his gob shut so he doesn't draw attention to himself ;)

Depending on the breed for example GSDs will bark to attract other dogs to play, my cavaliers will bark at dogs they think they recognize(LOL which means a lot of GSDs & other breeds with erect ears much to their confusion I must add)I do quieten them

Most dogs that are trying to warn off other dogs rarely bark but growl sometimes under their breath & barely audible but the stiffening of the body & type of tail wagging indicates to the other dog to keep away

It could well be your puppy is attracting attention & then showing submission because he is a puppy & wants the other dog to play that he doesn't know. My cavaliers will charge up to my GSD & then go into submissive mode to egg her on to play & 99% of the time it works

At shows they simply wag their tails & look hopefully at the other dogs

Hi Guest,

Without seeing the dog and its body language it is hard to tell. However, it could be that this behaviour is based on fear. The pup might be frightened of a lone dog approaching him, so it does its best at keeping it away by barking.

The fact that the pup does not bark at a dog show where there are many dogs about is because the pup is being 'flooded' with dogs and cannot concentrate on just one. This technique is sometimes used (very rarely, as it can be dangerous for the patient) when treating fear aggressive dogs.

Best thing to do is to ensure you are very happy and upbeat every time you see another dog, do not tense the lead, call your pup back, shout or be tense in any way, as your pup will sense this. So, everytime your pup sees another dog say 'ooooh! a dog, have a little game with your dog and/or offer him a titbit'. You want to condition your pup to look forward to other dogs approaching, rather than the dread he is feeling now when a strange dog comes near him. You obviosuly want to be upbeat and happy at a far enough distance, BEFORE your pup starts to bark. If he is barking then just ignore him and keep walking. You can even start to walk away from him, so that he loses moral support from you and he will soon stop his barking and follow you.

However, you really need to get to the root of this and you will only solve this by making sure your dog meets loads and loads of other friendly dogs. I am talking at least 3-4 new dogs per day (all meetings must be positive for your dog). This will convince your dog that in the main other dogs are ok and there is no need to fear.

You need to nip it in the bud or your dog may develop fear aggression. If you still have problems seek the help of a qualified dog behaviourist who will be able to guide you in the right direction.

Best wishes,
Patty