hello everybody,

just found this site and it looks great think i'll stick around. i've done a search a could not seem to find this Q so here goes.

i have a 3 year old dalmation which i have had for a year, i had him castrated as soon as i got him as he had not been trained at all and had a number of problems, firstly he had a tendency to try to climb on womens backs, (the castration took care of that straight away)
secondly he was very hyper active and constantly barked and misbehaved(this one just took some exercise) however the third problem, i have not been able to solve. he is very aggressive to other dogs and dives straight for them when he sees them, he also tries to go for some people although has never biten anyone(probably cause he wears a muzzule when out most of the time) i have managed to successfully introduce him to my westie who is also male and is dominante over the dalmation, and also a mongrel belonging to some friends. training wise the only thing that needs attention is hes recall when outdoors but i'm finding it difficult as i cant have him without a muzule off the lead and therefore cant give him rewards, as for using along piece of rope with knots i dont think i would be able to keep hold if he saw another dog. pls help all advice welcomed.

Is it possible your dog is deaf. May be worth checking it out. Ja:)kie

The only help I can offer is use a Horse rope --much softer on your hands:D
Liz

hi jackie, i know the breed is known for it but no hes not deaf he can hear when we put the key in the door. horse rope hmm where do i get that stuff from?

If you go to a larger pet store or a saddlery you can get it .the one I got is about 30feet long and has a handle loop at one end and the clip at the other cost about £8.
I use it for a dobe
Liz

Are you sure he is not taking the signal from the other dog? Im only insistant because I know of the almost identical thing happening to some one with a dalmation they re-homed and it was only when the owner took the dog to the vet to be PTS that the vet wondered if that was the problem, it was. Jackie

The incident of deafness in Dalmatians is quite high as Jackie says and particularly when you have two dogs it can be quite hard to identify. I know people who have clapped their hands behind their dog's head and the dog had detected the draft and looked around! I know we are harping on about this but the signs do look very much that way.

Regards, John

My springer isn't deaf and he's exactly like this dalmation. He seems to hate other dogs and does everything he can to get at them and bite them. Any suggestions for a non-deaf dog?

Have a medical check done including a blood check and hearing, if he is healthy then it is down to training. But rule out any health problems first else you could be banging your head against a brick wall. And before you rush to castrate try Tardec to check what will happen, sometimes castration makes matters worse. Ja:)kie

Hi. I had a male dalmatian who was exactly the same as this - absolutely fantastic with everyone but loathed other (male) dogs. He wasn't deaf (was fully tested) but I agree, it could be a cause of the problem. Is he heavily spotted or lighter spotted? Is he black or liver? Does he have one/two blue eyes? Either of these could give clues to whether he is deaf. I agree - making noises isn't a good sign as he could only be deaf in one ear.

A male dalmatian who hates other dogs is a frighteneing. I didn't let mine off the lead unless i could guarantee there were no other dogs around, and I know plenty of other people who have the same problems. You must keep him on a long lead, because if he manages to grab a dog and they don't give in, he will bite, in my humble opinion!

Corrective training with these fantastic dogs can be hard as they behave totally in the house, but suddenly do "become deaf" when out on a walk! Did you get him from the Breed welfare service? If so, ask their advice. If not, please contact me and I will put you in touch with people who can help you... but in the meantime - a horse rope is ideal :) Good luck

One more thing - beware of high protein foods - they can make your dog aggressive and hyperactive - stay below 24% protein. I can recommend you a food if you want to get in touch

hi cloe thanks for the reply,

he is lightly black spotted with two dark brown eyes, he is lovely i'd post a pic if i could.

i didn't get him from the breed welfare service but would love to get in contact with anyone that can help, as for the food, he has dry food that has 18% protein.

now all i have to do is scourer the net for a horse rope, i live in north london if anyone knows of anyware.

thank you all for your responces.

hey jackie, when you say taking the signal from the other dog i pressume u mean my other dog, this would be a no as he does it when i take him out alone as well, if you mean other peoples dogs i cant possibly believe that every dog he sees whether on the lead or not gives him the signal.

i still dont think hes deaf as i can call him when i'm downstairs and he is upstairsand he comes however i will still book him into the vet to check for partial deafness. by the way what does "pts" stand for.

PTS unfortunately means put to sleep :(

Deafness in dogs can be a very funny thing - my parents spaniel was completely deaf, all the tests proved it to be the case yet she could still hear the fridge opening from 50ft :D :D :D

I hope you can get your boy sorted out - I'd love a dalmation but my husband has 'issues' with the feet on short haired dogs!!

Fiona
x x x

Sorry I meant the key in the door. Dogs have senses that we can only guess at, your dog may well have perfect hearing but have him checked and also blood tests and any other thing your vet thinks may cause his behaviour checked out. If when you have had a full health check and everything is OK then it is time to look for help in dealing with his behaviour.
No matter how much we would like to help it is very difficult to do so without seeing the problem first hand, in fact, we may suggest something that could make the trouble worse. Get the health checked out and then try and find someone to help you with the training localy. If your dog is a rescue then the place you got him from may well have someone they could suggest as they sometimes use trainers themselves.
All the best of luck. Ja:)kie

Hi Vincent

If you get in touch with the British Dalmatian Club they will let you know when the hearing testers are at a local show to you - most vets can't test for deafness - better to go to people who really understand the breed (you will have to check if they can check adults at the shows, I know they do pups there). It will also cost less than having your vet refer you elsewhere. The Club are working hard at eradicating deafness, so really are the best people to talk to. The Rescue Service will always always give lots of advice.

Let me have your email address and I'll give you details.

Does he just attack dogs or bitches aswell? Do you have any of his history?

Chloe

Have you introduced him to other dogs, and let people pet him with the muzzle on? I watched that on a show and it supposed to be effective. This way the dog realizes that it is o.k and it's not so bad. Soon no need of the muzzle. Junior likes to go after other male dogs, not so good for agility. I'm planning on muzzling him if I can find one to fit a boston. If not just more work on the watch me, leave it and treats with alot of praise.

thanks jackie, i understand tottally that its hard to give the right advice without ever seeibng the dog,

chloe, how do i give you my email address without putting it on public display?

he attacks bitches as well, chases off foxes and tries to catch birds, with people he has only ever barked and jumped up at them, with dogs and bitches he gets really aggressive but only shows with the ones that dont run away.

as for history, i know that he was not introduced to other animals as a pup apart from a yorkshire terrier the owners had, and i dont think he left the house much as when i got him at 2yrs old hes paws were still very pink and soft, like a babys bottom. after a week with me they started to go dirty and hard, so i'm assuming the softness and colour was due to only ever walking on carpet. i think they must have hit him as he was afraid to relieve himself in front of me for the first month, i would take him out he would do nothing then after taking him home and going to work he would go in the house i realised the problem when i was out with him 1 day he was desperate to go so he ran behind a tree so i couldn't see him.

Vincent, your email address is on displayed to forum members at the moment. It is visible in your profile, click on your username. If you want to 'hide' it, you can do so by using the 'options' link at the top of the forum page. Click on the 'hide email' field and scroll down and and click 'change'.

If you would like to contact Cloe privately, Cloe will have to do the reverse, because her email address is 'hidden' in her profile. :-)

Thanks Leigh - I've mailed him. Will put him in touch with people who can help sort the dog out with him.

Hi Vicent

We also rescued a three year old dalmation. We had no history whatsover and had to play it by ear. We had small daughters at the time so we spent time with the dog prior to the kids to check him out.

Then we took him to a known calm dog. We knew this other dog would not show aggressive behaviour at all and we thought this would be a good way for us to see what HE thought was his 'position in society'. They got on great and our dog showed no sign of dominance nor submissive behaviour.

Your dog may have been the dominant partner in his last home and is now in a new home being dominated. He does not like it. He HAS to dominate someone so thats what he is trying to do.

Understanding why a dog is doing something is half the battle. You need to show him that your other dog you have is not dominant. Feed the dal with a treat at home and the other dog second. Then switch places. When you praise, start with one dog and the next time start with the other. Show them that there are no favourites in your house. It should work with time and consistancy. You are trying to undo what the other owners allowed to happen, not nice for you but with time and effort it is possible. Letting him see other dogs getting on from a distance is a good idea too. It looks like fun and he will want to join.

Dals have the reputation of being a bit daft but they are far from it.

I hope things work out for you. It sounds like you are a great owner for this dal and willing to put in the time for him. Good luck

regards
Jackie (dallover)

Totally agree with the check for deafness, (and yes not by a vet if at all possible!). Dogs can have us fooled so well - recently a friend took over a dog who was 3, had had several different homes, was totally bonkers, and would nip, and it did turn out he was deaf as a post, he must have been through so much - had coped by teaching himself body language, different vibrations, etc. turned out he was actually quite clever :)

If he was really hardly ever excercised etc then alternatively you may just need to almost go to basics and just do lots of training, as his previous owners don't sound exactly clued up.

lindsay

hi there, regarding your aggressive dal.. i have had the same problems with dalmations, but dont rely on deafness being the cause of ignorance from him. they are far more intelligent than we give them credit for.
I find that people do not realise what is involved with dalmations, in general they are extremely lively and strong!
You might find that changing his diet will help a great deal, go for something natural without all the additives and other rubbish chucked in, this alone makes a difference, look carefully at the ingredients as i am sure if you knew what half of them were you wouldnt feed them to your worst enemy, let alone your dog. there are many good brands on market, wellbeloved for example is great.
The problems with the other dogs is hard work and as a dal is so strong it can be a task when confronted with another dog when out.
I would try simple things like taking with you on your walk something that makes a loud noise instantly.. for example a thick carrier bag, simple but effective. put it in your pocket so your dog cant see it. when your dog starts showing interest in another dog(ears up) get ready to get the bag by the handles when the dog begins to lunge towards the other dog or starts barking wave the carrier bag around towards him filling it with air and making a noise, this should give him an unexpected fright and give you time to get control of the dog. avoid eye contact between dogs, try getting in the way and blocking your dogs view of the other. Other people say that an empty milk bottle filled with stones makes a good noise - but it is larger to carry around.
Tricks like this should work well instantly but cannot be relied on overall. The dog needs to undergo training with a competent dog trainer. It is never to late, if they are older it just takes longer and its hard work but perseverence leads to enjoyment with your dog. A training class that praises good behavior e.g clicker training would be ideal but finding a good tolerant trainer is the first step. If or when your dog initially stops barking at other dogs you must praise him and fuss him but ignore him when he does bark and gain control. There are many important rules you should follow with your dog around the home to ensure he knows who is boss but a good trainer will show you more and concentrate on areas that would make life easier when out walking. You need to look at why the dog acts the way he does, when you understand how he thinks you can find solutions.
Good luck and enjoy your dal XXX

over the years ive handled many akward dogs in the ring , too much of a handful for their owners to show,---big breeds !! guess out of all of them which was the very only breed to of actually bitten me ????

To be honest, if they're too much for their owners to show, then they haven't been trained, and any untrained dog is a danger! Reputable breeders do their best to eliminate bad temperament (as the most beautiful dog is worthless if it has bad temperament), but obviously I don't know who bred this dog.

Personally, I've only ever been bitten by terriers (and one golden cocker)

ever heard of poor health-lack of confidence ??? the owners not the dogs, there can be many reasons a dog cant behandled by its owner,,,,--the dallie that did bite me was spoilt rotten, however we bought it an american training collar and i spent ages showing the owners how to get around theyre problems, !! we werent all born knowing everything

Surely no-one would show an animal that is in poor health? Aren't there rules about that (I'm assuming here you referto handling dogs in the showring - if not, I've got the wrong end of the stick :o and I apologise!

If it is in the ring - again, lack of confidence is usually down to two things - wrong temperament (the breed standard says they must be friendly and outgoing) due to a bad combination of genes, or lack of (or the wrong sort of) ring training.

What is an American collar?

Edit - just reread the post, and you did say it's the owners who had bad health and lack of confidence! That'll teach me to read thoroughly! I am a dur-brain :o :D

if you read it right---i state the owners-not the dogs!!!! :D

Dizzy meant poor health of the ownere. Takes some stamina to run adog like a Dalmation around the shoring!!!

:D

Dizzy - mea culpa!!! :)

But I still don't know - what is an american training collar? (Not all of us are born knowing everything :D :D )

AS CHARGED :D

They are a slip collar with a clip, as the collar is too small to go over the head. It gives you the option of using it as a slip or clip it to the other ring, and it is just a collar. when used as a slip/choke there is only about two inches of leeway so it is easy to keep right up high without it slipping, and only needs the lightest touch to be fully tight.

Many thanks, Brainless :). I'd never heard of them, and with all my years of showing I don't think I've ever seen one. We live and learn!

I don't generally handle one of my males as he's too much for me to get the best from so I have a fellow schip enthusiast handle him for me.
I have health problems which come on without warning - people have had to come into the ring to take me out and take over with the dog which doesn't do him any favours. This is a dog that has been attacked at a show as a pup and had his mum fall on him due to her disability, so really it's not surprising he works better for others.

Some dogs just shine more for a stranger than their owners, I handled a bulldog for a chap who had 3 in for the challenge, never handled one before but he went like a dream for me and won BOB. His owner told me later he knew he would do better with a strange woman than any of them. Personally I think it is a good thing if your dog will show for more than one person gives you a good chance to see just how they are coming on from the judges angle not a handlers.