Well I need some help. First and foremost, Chason is the first dog I've ever had to train and stuff. We had a trainer come to the house when he was 4-5 months to teach the basics. I refused to go to obedience training (long story) with other dogs for the basics. Chason is fine with small dogs and has no problem playing with them. But with dogs that are bigger than him...he freaks out. He challenges them and it just terrifies me. At the dog park I just swoop him up because I am just scared about him getting bit by ones of these guys. My brother recently moved back to California and he has a beagle-mix. Yesterday I went over to his new house and brought Chason to meet his dog. Oh, my gosh I almost had a heart attack. Chason and Petey wanted to attack each other. They were both on leash. What do I do? I need them to get along!!! I am open to any and all recommendations. Thanks
I take my dogs to the local parks and recreation dog training classes. They are cheap, $32. for 8 weeks [1 hour a week, 7pm, tuesday] It is a big fenced park. Dogs in class are from chihuahua to Dane in sizes, many pits and labs with problems lunging at other dogs. Truely aggressive dogs [growling, biting, snapping while lunging] are muzzled or cannot join. Dogs are not allowed to play with each other. The class teaches basic obedience but I like the socialization that my dogs get with 30 other dogs all doing the same commands around them. Most of it is heeling around the park. We look like an army. The dogs get used to the noise and presence of all the others and eventually focus on their owners as though the other dogs aren't there. All my dogs have done the class a couple of times, or more...
I agree. He needs to get around other dogs but also learn how to behave around them. I think taking him to obedinece classes will be a wonderful experience for you and better for him.
Yes you guys are very right. I have seen these types of large classes at our local community center. I will look into them right away before my Chason gets eaten alive one of these days.
One more thing....the dog whisperer on Oprah said that you should introduce dogs to each other by letting them sniff their behinds first. So..I would hold Chason's behind up to Petey and then do the same thing with Petey. Has anyone ever heard this, and/or does it work??
One thing I have noticed over the years is that many times dogs react to their owners' response. A person's apprehension about their dog's reaction to meeting another dog follows right down the leash. A good way to practice is to have your dog on leash and walk past other dogs. In the beginning especially don't be close enough that the dogs can actually physically interact. You should be very matter-of-fact, like it is an every day occurence and is no big deal and there is nothing to be concerned about. Start with the distance fairly large and as he improves with no reaction you can slowly decrease the separation. Don't forget the praise when he ignores. The next time you want Chason to meet Petey do it at a neutral location. Don't go to your brother's nor have him come to your house. Once they start accepting each other at a neutral location then you can try integrating it elsewhere.
That's great advice from Denise. I just wanted to add that if Chason does react to another dog at a distance, you should remain calm. Don't tell him "no" because you'll get tense and accidentally confirm to him that the situation is something he should be tense about. Instead, just act like nothing out of the ordinary is going on, and ignore Chason's reaction. Essentially, you want to show him that you are not worked up about the presence of another dog.
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
Thanks for the great advice. I am guilty of just that. Being overprotective. I'm sure he can sense my freaking out too. I will do just as you guys said and hopefully he will improve in no time. Thanks
He's so cute, how could you help it? I'm overprotective, too. None of those dogs in class comes NEAR my babies. But the prescence of the dogs helps. They really do learn to ignore them.
"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
