Our Dog keeps being attacked

BAILEY67

BAILEY67

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We have a CKSP he is the most submissive dog we have had, he is no threat to any other dog or human (he'd lick you to death if nothing else)

When we are out walking and we come across another dog which isn't very often (we walk a lot in the moors etc) he run's back to you and stays by your side, acting in a very submissive manner when we meet the dog.

However tonight for the third time he has been attacked by a cocker spaniel, no damage to speak of, he has been socialised and attended puppy classes and everything, so i don't think its that he doesn't know how to behave correctly if that makes sense

Am at the end of my teather as to understand why this keeps happening is always bigger dogs too, he gets on well with small/medium size dogs?!

Can anyone shed any light? i have a shocked dog lying next to me he is so on edge tonight - when someone on the TV shouted he bolted to his bed

Its so upsetting :(
 
BAILEY67 said:
We have a CKSP he is the most submissive dog we have had, he is no threat to any other dog or human (he'd lick you to death if nothing else)

When we are out walking and we come across another dog which isn't very often (we walk a lot in the moors etc) he run's back to you and stays by your side, acting in a very submissive manner when we meet the dog.

However tonight for the third time he has been attacked by a cocker spaniel, no damage to speak of, he has been socialised and attended puppy classes and everything, so i don't think its that he doesn't know how to behave correctly if that makes sense

Am at the end of my teather as to understand why this keeps happening is always bigger dogs too, he gets on well with small/medium size dogs?!

Can anyone shed any light? i have a shocked dog lying next to me he is so on edge tonight - when someone on the TV shouted he bolted to his bed

Its so upsetting :(
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Sorry should be we have a CKCS! ;)
 
Maybe find the grown-up dog equivalent of puppy classes to get him back into the swing of it?

I need to do something similar with my dog I think, he had a nasty experience a while back. I thought he was ok, then yesterday we met a barking terrier and he tucked his tail and ran for it:(

I'm going to ask my trainer about it, it might be worth speaking to a few local obedience classes to see if they can help?
 
Try not to get upset yourself, hard as it is, it will magnify his fear and distress. Without being cold towards him, be brisk and upbeat, don't reinforce his feeling a bit sorry for himself.

When you see other dogs next time, don't tense up because you are anticipating what might happen - I have a very hair-trigger dog - if I am scared/tense, he get defensive, if I am not sure of the situation, he will lean against my legs, if I am calm and relaxed, so is he.
It is hard to do when you have had bad experiences, but be brave, be confident, and that will help him.

Are you still at training classes, and is it possible that your trainer could help?
Are there some soft bigger dogs that he could pal up with to help his confidence?

Some bigger dogs do seem do take submissive behaviour as a cue to attack, I don't know whether they see them as prey/vulnerable etc?
 
Is it the same cocker each time? Maybe he is a horrible little-dog-chasing-bully and it sounds as if thats the one that needs more training!

I think its a good sign that your dog ran back to you though and didn't stand up to him and fight.

Agree with Spudlet above - perhaps a few classes to get his confidence back might help him.
 
Thanks for all your responses, some interesting things to have a think about.

He goes to adult dog classes every wednesday and get's on well with every dog there large/medium or small. It just seems to be when we meet a dog we don't know in a strange environment.

I will discuss all the above with the trainer this wednesday, i am just so worried that one day he is going to come a cropper and that's what i get upset about - i have never seen him so edgy as he was last night, he wouldn't let me or my OH out of his sight all night.

Perhaps the issue is with me rather than him! :confused:

Thanks guy's - by the way, he is fine this morning on his walk, tail high in the air and trotting along which made me smile :)
 
You're not the issue at all, but thinking positive helps :)

It's just a matter of transferring the confidence of training classes to other areas, it's hard to use strange dogs as guinea pigs.

Oh and trusting other people not to let their little darlings bully yours.....
 
do you think your dog group would organise a group dog walk? So your trainer is there and you can go out with bigger well behaved dogs that aren't going to scare yours?

My pup got attacked at 4 months and was terrified of dogs even approaching too fast. We went on a group dog walk organised by my dog trainer for him and after that I didn't have any more problems. He learnt that they weren't out to get him!
 
Take a bloody great stick with you - and a free swipe at the next thing that goes for him.

Probably not helpfull, but.......................
 
amymay said:
Take a bloody great stick with you - and a free swipe at the next thing that goes for him.
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I was waiting for someone else to say it, being cowardly and afraid of flaming, but I'd also be inclined to introduce boot to arse if the owners of the other dog can't or won't call it off. Your dog being small and submissive is no excuse, if the other dog is inclined to take advantage in that way it should be on a bloody lead. :mad:
 
When I first had my dog, we rehomed her a year ago, she's now 2, a few dogs went for her so now she tries to get in first before she gets attacked herself, its really embarressing, but she doesn't do it with all dogs and she doesn't do it OFF the lead so not sure whats going on, I think I'll have some lessons with her, maybe she needs more socialising or something. I do feel sorry for you, because it happened to me. I love Cesar Milan and have tried to adopt some methods but its difficult when you dont' have the man there himself !
 
Noisygirl on-lead problems are more common as the dog feels restricted/unable to run and can feel tension coming down the lead from the handler (relax :))

You can't have too much socialisation.

I'm not a big fan of going at other dogs with a stick, you can then cause them more problems and make them more inclined to go in and attack before people can get in there first - wouldn't like them to see any little old ladies with walking sticks as targets :o

By all means, make big loud BUGGER OFF! type noises, but I don't see how hitting dogs with sticks solves anything, sorry, and would make an already tense situation much worse. IMO :p
 
CaveCanem said:
Noisygirl on-lead problems are more common as the dog feels restricted/unable to run and can feel tension coming down the lead from the handler (relax :))

You can't have too much socialisation.

I'm not a big fan of going at other dogs with a stick, you can then cause them more problems and make them more inclined to go in and attack before people can get in there first - wouldn't like them to see any little old ladies with walking sticks as targets :o

By all means, make big loud BUGGER OFF! type noises, but I don't see how hitting dogs with sticks solves anything, sorry, and would make an already tense situation much worse. IMO :p
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Yeh I think I contribute to it sometimes, also I think when she barks she wants to play rather than being nasty, although I have heard a different bark with different dogs, maybe cos I think she's going to do it I'm passing it on and she thinks its something to be scared of, I've seen a few methods on dog borstal like squirting water at her or dropping/shaking a coke can with stones in it, but as I'm no expert I dont' know if these circumstances warrants this method of correction and she loves water so dont' want to frighten her with it, although I don't want that behaviour either.
 
Noisygirl, check out the advice I gave Nofie on the 'Strong Dog' thread you just posted on, focus training is a great way to get your dog to look at you and not fixate on other dogs and helps with all other sorts of training :)
 
If my dog wasn't actually trying to eat the other dog, I would take great exception to anyone whacking him with a stick:mad: If a dog is full on attacking, hitting it with a stick will only intensify the situation, and make it even more serious. Either way, it will achieve nothing!

Aversives like rattle bottles / water guns etc can do a lot more harm than good if the timing is not absolutely spot on. In the case of a fearful dog are no good anyway as they only make the dog more afraid, making the reaction even worse. Much better to follow CCs advice and get a good 'watch' command sorted - this method has worked really well for a friend of mine and her gobby jrt:)
 
I think that the fact that i did give the other dog a bop on the nose did aggrevate the situation, it lead to my OH and the other dogs owner exchanging a few fruity words.

I just went onto autopilot and wanted to protect my dog, the other dog had our dogs whole snout in his mouth at this point you see, am not proud of it but had to protect my dog.

I picked our dog up and took him straight home and left my OH and the other dog's owner shouting the odd's this probably didn't help because i was probably re inforcing the fear in my dog.

The other dogs owner even had the cheek to suggest that our dog had caused it, i think i would have hit him with a stick if he'd said that when i'd been there never mind the dog :)
 
Heat of the moment and all that, but next time I would not pick him up - also you put yourself in harms way if the dog is up there with you, better he can run and escape himself. So he goes up, in your arms, to you, and you take him home - reinforcing that the walk is a scary place.

If it happens again and if you can, within reason, rather than hit or kick, lift the attacking dog up by the scruff or the collar and leave it there for a few seconds, cutting off the air supply will make the other dog let go and it will calm down before the owner arrives - not that you should have to make that decision anyway. Dogs, eh???

When the attacking dog is hyped up, any stress, aggression, tension can make it want to go in harder or hang on tighter. Keep everything very calm and relaxed even if it is the last thing you want to do.

Sorry if I sound like a total pain in the arse :o and I hope you don't have to do any of this, because I hope it doesn't happen again.
 
CaveCanem said:
Heat of the moment and all that, but next time I would not pick him up - also you put yourself in harms way if the dog is up there with you, better he can run and escape himself. So he goes up, in your arms, to you, and you take him home - reinforcing that the walk is a scary place.

If it happens again and if you can, within reason, rather than hit or kick, lift the attacking dog up by the scruff or the collar and leave it there for a few seconds, cutting off the air supply will make the other dog let go and it will calm down before the owner arrives - not that you should have to make that decision anyway. Dogs, eh???

When the attacking dog is hyped up, any stress, aggression, tension can make it want to go in harder or hang on tighter. Keep everything very calm and relaxed even if it is the last thing you want to do.

Sorry if I sound like a total pain in the arse :o and I hope you don't have to do any of this, because I hope it doesn't happen again.
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No way are you a pain in the arse, I realised when writing the previous response that picking him up wasn't the best thing to do - just protection mode kicked in.

I will bear everything everyone has said in mind, the thing that bugs me is what he does to deserve the attacks?! :)

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I mean look at that face! :)
 
He is gorgeous :) My dog has been involved in a couple of scraps over the years (very minor, and the usual altercations you get at the dog park) and squirting a bottle of water over both parties has worked a treat in all situations. Either way I think the other person had a bloody cheek, accusing you of starting it.

Is your dog neutered? I've seen submissive, unneutered dogs targeted by other males, whether the opponent is intact or not.
 
Prosefullstop - you might have hit on something there, he isn't neutered. Perhaps that has something to do with it he has also been attacked by female dogs - maybe they thought he was going to try to be frisky with them! ;)

Ive got loads to discuss Wednesday night now :)
 
Ultimately, some dogs are just ****s - with ****ty owners. This Cocker Spaniel can read your boy like a book. He knows exactly that your boy is non-confrontational and submissive and takes advantage. If he was a human male equivalent he would drive some suped up piece of **** and wear copious amounts of gold jewellery and aftershave. He would be a mouthy, cocky little turd - but only when his mates were around. I will not stand for bullying behaviour from my dogs and don't see why you should. Next time you see this Spaniel, keep calm, don't panic and carry an aerosal and spray it in the buggers face.
 
BAILEY67 said:
Prosefullstop - you might have hit on something there, he isn't neutered. Perhaps that has something to do with it he has also been attacked by female dogs - maybe they thought he was going to try to be frisky with them! ;)

Ive got loads to discuss Wednesday night now :)
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I see it all the time at the dog park. The unfixed male dogs that are calm and steady get along with the others, and attract lots of flirty females. The unfixed males that are soft and timid tend to get snapped at and bullied the second they walk through the gate.

My Stella would love your boy, though. Tackle is tackle where she's concerned :D
 
blazingsaddles said:
Ultimately, some dogs are just ****s - with ****ty owners. This Cocker Spaniel can read your boy like a book. He knows exactly that your boy is non-confrontational and submissive and takes advantage. If he was a human male equivalent he would drive some suped up piece of **** and wear copious amounts of gold jewellery and aftershave. He would be a mouthy, cocky little turd - but only when his mates were around. I will not stand for bullying behaviour from my dogs and don't see why you should. Next time you see this Spaniel, keep calm, don't panic and carry an aerosal and spray it in the buggers face.
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Love this, absolutely fantastic :)

We haven't seen chav cocker tonight :) must have missed him which am gutted about :D

Prosefullstop what type of dog is Stella?
 
Also, forgot to add - due to PMS, can't you tell - if the little git isn't wary of your boy, make him absolutely terrified of coming anywhere near you!
 
BAILEY67 said:
Love this, absolutely fantastic :)

We haven't seen chav cocker tonight :) must have missed him which am gutted about :D

Prosefullstop what type of dog is Stella?
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Stella is a Boston terrier. She's a total boy magnet. It's quite embarrasing, really, as male dogs flirt up a storm with her, then she flirts back, sometimes by rolling on her back, but as soon as they get too frisky, she snaps at their noses, runs off, with a whimpering male dog in hot pursuit.

Hmm, this thread is starting to sound much like the god's-gift-to-men one in SB!
 
My OH has vowed to do just that! he wants me to wait for him to come home from work before we go for walks, i normally get home before him go by ourselves.

He is just totally fed up of us being picked on and me being upset ;)

Weve been talking about the water bottle but need to be careful with that, right moment and everything.

Im so glad i posted this now i was feeling so down when i posted the original yesterday :)
 
The exact same thing with my newest dog.

He wasn't neutered and because he was submissive he was always an easy target. Getting him neutered solved the problem totally.

Maybe you should get him neutered?
 
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