Our 7 month old puppy has starting barking frantically at other dogs we meet while out walking.  She has been well socialised from very young and never used to do this, but she was attacked by a large GSD when she was about 5 months old and since then she has got worse and worse about barking at other dogs.  She is very submissive and obviously wouldn't attack - she barks and backs off at the same time.  You can also see she really would like to join in and play if she wasn't so nervous.  We have an older dog who is beautifully behaved and never barks but the puppy doesn't seem to be following her example.  So far it hasn't caused a problem but I'm worried that one day a dog may take it the wrong way and go for her.  We've tried putting her back on the lead when we see a dog coming but she just barks even more then.  She has also now started barking at the other dogs in her obedience class.  Can anyone suggest any way we can overcome this?

It is a shame when a pup is set back by an attack, trust can be re-built but it is harder the older a pup is.

The best defence is to always lead your dog when coming across another that you do not know. Dogs under the age of 3 can always be unpredictable.

You need to start from scratch, of course give her some off lead walks, but when approaching other dogs lead her, if at all possible try to let her mix with dogs over 3 (you can usually tell) as they will not be as interested in running over chasing and dominating allow them to sniff, she will bark but should stop once up close, of course she will submissively roll, but if she finds the dog to not harm her confidence will gradually come back the more you introduce her the better and more confident she will become.

Lots and lots of socialising, confidence building tricks like tug rope play and allowing her to win also help, lots of praise and stroking when she meets a friendly dog. It will be a hard climb to win her back, but it can be done, just be so careful to keep her away from young unknown adolescent dogs.

Some interesting stuff under the heading of aggression HERE from the lady I train for.

Saved to 'Favourites', Goldmali. Excellent stuff.

I see you're in Surrey :)

Check out www.apdt.co.uk and Sarah Whitehead, she is good at helping dogs who show this kind of problem behaviour - at 5 months you have every chance of improving this and even getting your dog right over it, but don't delay because as each month passes and she continues to practise this behaviour, you will find she gets "better" at it and ultimately it may be really difficult to handle her and to enjoy being a dog owner.

I agree the site Goldmali has directed you to is excellent, this particular trainer helped me have some "lightbulb" moments! She's really good, she does also do work down South in Surrey (was that also what you meant, Marianne? :) ).

Lindsay
x

Is she definatley worried? as my dog sometimes barks at other dogs when he gets over excited, he meets dogs on lead then after a while he wants to be off running around. It's funny as it's a different kind of bark not a deep bark, and then sometimes he whines. Just a thought.

louise.....mine does the same, I think its frustration and excitement, it happens rarely now, used to be a problem but now he's an old man at 3 it takes a bit more to get him going.

Oh well not long to go, my dog has just turned 2, he has settled down a little, but is still very playful.

Thanks for the suggestion - I will check that out.  The link was helpful too thanks.

We've noticed over the last few days that with dogs who lie still when they meet she is fine, but if they run towards her she panics and barks like crazy.  Unfortunately she was attacked again this morning by the same dog as the first time which is going to set her right back.  We went to her puppy training classes tonight and she was OK with most of the dogs but barked at a couple of really sweet soppy dogs - I have no idea why.  The class leader suggested we should always stand between her and the other dog if she is scared to protect her and then click and treat whenever she is quiet or behaves nicely to them.  Do people agree?  This might work when she is on the lead but most of the time she isn't and we don't want to have to revert to walking her on the lead and I fear that putting her back on the lead every time we see another dog will also send the wrong message.  Any more ideas anyone?

If you let her meet dogs once you have put her on the lead, then i am sure she will learn it's a reward and not something to worry about. Obviously find out if the dog is nice and friendly first. Most dogs love there leads, or at least mine does he goes wappy when we get it out as he knows he is going for a walk. It's awful when another dog goes for your isn't it? We got attacked the other night by another black lab, and i am now worried my dog will be wary of black dogs.

I think you really need to be more proactive in avoiding areas where this dog is walked.  If you've run into him twice now, that's 2 times too many.  People think I'm mad due to the lengths I go to avoid the masses of dog walking public (not walking in popular dog walking areas or local parks), but it's worked and mine have fantastic well balanced temperaments.   It does take a bit of extra effort to find places other people don't go to, but it's worth it.  Of course you also have to make sure then that your dog is seeing friendly dogs still at training classes, say, because obviously they need to meet friendly dogs for socialisation too.

I would say that it's a good thing to stand between her and the other dog like this, if only because it will break her sight line of the other dog and might help you to get attention back on yourself.

Personally I would work on a "watch" command, starting at home, in the garden, then out on walks when no other dogs are around, before finally when other dogs are there.  Be ready to put the treat on her nose and take it away again to get her attention back when you come across other dogs.  She can't bark at the other dog and watch you.  Eventually, if every time you see another dog, you give the "watch" command successfully, she will begin to watch you immediately she sees another dog and seeing the other dog will become the cue for the command.

You should always be putting your dog back on lead when you see another dog anyway.  It's just dog-walking etiquette.  You don't want either dog running up to the other uninvited, so putting leads on and then approaching each other should just be normal. 

I have just been reading this string because our dog - 3yr old Puli that we got just over a week ago from a rescue - does bark like mad at other dogs when we're out walking him.  We dont let him off the lead yet at all as obviously we havent had him long enough to be confident he would come back.  He doesnt seem to be fussy at what size dog he barks at - yorkies, cavs, collies, labs, all shapes, sizes and colours - and yet at home he is the most laid back chilled out dog I have ever seen!  We are just continuing to takehim for walks and trying to keep some distance between him and the other dogs so he can see and bark from afar but sometimes it has been unavoidable to keep the distance and  we have just had to walk away as quickly as possible hoping the other dogs dont get too upset by him.  Do you think that this might happen less as we take him out more and more and he gets used to it....

Is your Puli barking in  an aggressive manner or more like GSD come & play barking  ? It could be he's trying to get the other dogs to interact with him & if he hasn't been socilized properly he mightn't be able to communicate properly with other dogs

I would suggest a good training club & lots of controlled mixng

I think it is aggressive - one dog owner decided he would still walk his dog toward mine to see if it helped calm him but I thought Louis was going to go for him so I moved him away.  If I lower myself down, tell Louis to sit and stroke him he does sit but carries on barking. It doesnt seem playful bouncy barking he usually stands still straining on the lead toward the other dog and barking.  I will try to find a training school - obviously he's quite new to the family so we have been concentrating on letting him get to know all of us and our home but that will be next on my list.  Thanks for the advice.  Maxine.

If I lower myself down, tell Louis to sit and stroke him he does sit but carries on barking.

Tell him to sit by all means but the stroking & reassurance is actually telling him his reaction is OK so he will continue barking whilst you do this

I do know Pulik like many herding/working breeds can be a bit vocal & know some that could out bark naughty Beardies once they get going

You might find a head collar could help control his reactions by giving the ability to get his attention away from the other dogs

having a dog walk directly towards yours isnt going to help much, thats quite a confrontational action. it needs to be done much more slowly,and in a roundabout manner, having had this problem myself when mine was young and still on occaision when in the wrong situation(dog approaching him front on,on lead etc) i think a group dog class would help too.

thank you for your responses, when I took him out last night one of the rough collies that he had been barking at the night before approached him from side on and Louis actually let him come and sniff and after a few sniffs barked and the collie left, later on though two ladies who had six dogs with them off lead let their dogs come charging towards him and he started barking so I asked them to call their dogs away - 2 collies, 2 jack russels, 1 golden retriever and one cross breed - they werent coming with the dogs and I didnt fancy getting in the middle of 7 as Louis was really barking at this lot.  The rest of the night and around the rest of the dogs I just kept him walking and said good boy to him and found while I was telling him good boy he watched them but didnt bark- so thanks for your advice everyone I'm learning a lot from you all,  Maxine.

The chances are he is excited, but worried about the other dogs as he hasn't been properly socialised with them.

Avoiding other dogs may actually be very frustrating, so the sooner you can get him into a controlled environment to be able to socialise with dogs the better.

My girls are pretty good with other dogs, and have a live and let live attitude, rarely are bothered by other dogs over reacting or being silly, but would put them in their place if needed, so the rescues I have fostered and the countless visitng dogs I have had with varying social skills have soon learnt to get on with them, and been a lot better with other dogs if not before.

Be worth contacting a behaviourist (through your vet) who may have appropriate stooge dogs.