Fighting on walks

A

Annette4

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 May 2008
Messages
4,526
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
My pair get on great at home and off the lead but under the current circumstances I'm having an old issue is rearing its ugly head and I wondered if anyone from AAD could share some wisdom.

Context for those who don't know my pair, both are high prey drive hounds (whippet and whippet x saluki).

Fizz has historically been a silent puller when she sees a rabbit/squirrel/cat but Dobby has always thrown himself around, barked and tried to tug on his or Fizz's lead. Last year while we were waiting for a muzzle to arrive he accidentally bite and ripped Fizz's ear while grabbing her lead. Dobby has also since been attacked a couple of times while on the lead (only the beagle made contact) so has become slightly lead reactive.....off the lead he's everyone's friend.

For the last year if one of us walks them together and they see something (normally a cat or squirrel but they have done it over a poo bag before) they will fight. They are muzzled so it's noise and jumping on each other but obviously not pleasant for anyone. I've tried all I can think of but what seems to have the most effect is telling them enough firmly and doing my best to get them moving forward again, even if it means turning round and going in the opposite direction for a few strides.

OH works 12 hour shifts 4 days at a time so up until lockdown, on his working days I've been walking them independently which gives me the time and space to work on what I need to with them both and Dobby especially has made great strides with his recall, reactivity and sport foundations. If I'm stuck for time I'll either rent a freedom field or there are a few walks a short drive away which they can be off the whole way round and we never meet a soul so again, stress free.

Walking them alternative days isn't ideal as even with brain games and training in the house, Dobby is bouncing off the walls (we only have a tiny yard so limited as to what I can do) but I'm willing to put up with that in the short term if I have to.

I was wondering if anyone had come across is before and managed to resolve the issue? I'm conscious this won't last forever but on top of other things at the moment it's sucking the joy out of leaving the house.
 
My old dogs used to do this because one of them used to bark at other dogs. The quiet one would go for the noisy one. I’ve no idea why but I always thought it was just a reaction to a stressful situation, where the quiet one felt threatened. I’d like to know why, even after all this years, so hopefully someone will know.
 
Sounds like redirected frustration and some resource guarding...and of course prey drive engaged.

One on one is good idea in the short term.

Are they on a split lead or two separate lines?
If not already on separate leads I'd start there and put on on each side. The better behaved one on your weaker arm.
Muzzled is a very good call! Well done many people won't take that step.

I often remove all "free" food and bowls when I'm looking to deal with tricky behaviour. So my dogs only get fed when they earn it from me. It brings the focus back to me on walks. We also only walk on empty tums. Mean but very effective. The nothing in life is free idea is that their good behaviour earns their breakfast and gets them to engage and focus better.
If not food driven then what's their focus and love in life- sqeeks toys etc? Use it to your advantage. Teach watch me and practice it constantly at home then try it on walks. Reward with whatever they love most. The fosters sometimes take a bit to get it but everyone likes to eat.

When they see something they want they learn don't get to have it without looking at you first-well that's the eventual result your looking for. Redirecting their attention back to you can also sometimes reduce the level of hyped up they get.
It's significantly harder with prey driven dogs then some othet dogs though.

I am also very much showing how very angry I am-voice and posture(I dont mean physical for the record) with all dogs when they decide to have little spats any where near me.
I own all the resources as far as they are concerned and scrapping over them is not ok. They are also immediately given a different command to do and focus on...watch me sit down etc.

It's stressful though :( trying to catch them before they notice and redirect focus onto you is probs the biggest short term trick I can think of.
 
Annette4 said:
My pair get on great at home and off the lead but under the current circumstances I'm having an old issue is rearing its ugly head and I wondered if anyone from AAD could share some wisdom.

Context for those who don't know my pair, both are high prey drive hounds (whippet and whippet x saluki).

Fizz has historically been a silent puller when she sees a rabbit/squirrel/cat but Dobby has always thrown himself around, barked and tried to tug on his or Fizz's lead. Last year while we were waiting for a muzzle to arrive he accidentally bite and ripped Fizz's ear while grabbing her lead. Dobby has also since been attacked a couple of times while on the lead (only the beagle made contact) so has become slightly lead reactive.....off the lead he's everyone's friend.

For the last year if one of us walks them together and they see something (normally a cat or squirrel but they have done it over a poo bag before) they will fight. They are muzzled so it's noise and jumping on each other but obviously not pleasant for anyone. I've tried all I can think of but what seems to have the most effect is telling them enough firmly and doing my best to get them moving forward again, even if it means turning round and going in the opposite direction for a few strides.

OH works 12 hour shifts 4 days at a time so up until lockdown, on his working days I've been walking them independently which gives me the time and space to work on what I need to with them both and Dobby especially has made great strides with his recall, reactivity and sport foundations. If I'm stuck for time I'll either rent a freedom field or there are a few walks a short drive away which they can be off the whole way round and we never meet a soul so again, stress free.

Walking them alternative days isn't ideal as even with brain games and training in the house, Dobby is bouncing off the walls (we only have a tiny yard so limited as to what I can do) but I'm willing to put up with that in the short term if I have to.

I was wondering if anyone had come across is before and managed to resolve the issue? I'm conscious this won't last forever but on top of other things at the moment it's sucking the joy out of leaving the house.
Click to expand...
My sisters littermate collies behave in exactly this way. Intervention from a dog behaviourist has failed to provide answers. In her case though, the dogs get a very inconsistent message because she is very strict whilst her OH allows, actually, encourages the dogs to rag their leads. In that scenario he is the problem, not the dogs. ? They have to be exercised separately. The cause is different in your situation, but the outcome is the same. Hope you find a solution.
 
My greyhound boys only did this once, I’ve never given them the chance again - they are too big to be having a full on fight, and as neither was muzzled it was very messy.

I just keep them apart - one walks either side of me - and they know they don’t interact while on a lead. It’s fun and games when we meet someone because I also have a hugely reactive lurcher and an even more reactive terrier now, but the boys learned really quickly that they stay one either side of me and that is it
 
They are either side of me on separate leads but I'm seemingly not strong enough to keep them separate well ? definitely going to work harder on focusing on me when we're back on separate walks or when OH is on walks with me (he's very good and does help when he's on his 4 off).
 
'If you can't bite the one you want (prey item), bite the one you're with (lead, other dog)'. It's redirected frustration. Either give them each something to hold or walk them separately.
It won't improve if you just keep doing the same thing, it's happened multiple times and it will have been fulfilling for them.
The only way to stop it really and then continue walking them together is to do Hand of God type stuff, IE, the world will end if either of you even think of doing that again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top