Puppy attacked by dog now scared

galaxy

galaxy

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Help!

On Saturday, my 4 1/2 month old German Shorthaired Pointer was attacked my a Spaniel. I had just gone onto the path behind our house and let him off the lead. He immediately went onto the grass and did a poo. I walked over and picked it up and sat him next to me. The these 2 girls (13ish) come around the corner with a Spaniel on a lead. They walk past me (going the same way as me) and go about 20ft and let it off and start playing ball with it. I finish cleaning up after Harley and continue on our walk. He runs slightly ahead of me. The spaniel then runs towards him. Just as he was about to reach Harley, I could tell something was wrong, I called him, but it was too late and the spaniel just launched at him, pinning him to the ground barking, growling and just creating (I'm not quite sure, it happened so fast, I was in shock, it definitly wasn't being friednly or playing!). Thankfully Harley got away quickly (before I could get there) and ran back to me with his tail between his legs yelping. Thankfully he was physically uninjured.

The girls then said to me "sorry, he has dog aggression issues". I was in such shock I just didn't say anything, just I'll stay back here with him while you go on!!

(I so wish I'd asked where they came from, told them that they shouldn't let a dog with issues off the lead, especially right next to another dog already off the lead, it should have been muzzled and 2 girls of that age are not responsible enough clearly to walk a dog like that!! But my rants are another issue!)

But now I seem to have an issue. He seems fine with little dogs, but We've met about half a dozen bigger dogs since, and every time, he turns and runs the other way.... He does come back, as the other dog hasn't chased him so he's come back. But if one of them barks, or starts to play, he just runs again.

So help!! I'm really worried that this will become a problem and that he'll then have dog issues as an older dog. I'm off to doggie training this evening and will talk to her about it, but would really like any other advice I can get!

Thanks
 
we had the same issue with our doberman but it turned to fear-aggression. the best i can recommend is take him to any type of puppy socialization classes, even if its obedience classes, so he learns that it can be fun to be around other dogs. we took ours to agility wen she was older enough and she is really good with other dogs. its annoying when other people know their dog has and issue yet dont bother to keep it on a lead!!!

hope he gets better!
 
Agree classes are a great idea, where he can meet friendly, steady dogs, and you could also find some walking buddies to pal up with.

Ultimately YOU have to remain calm, if YOU get nervous about how he might react, the minute you see another dog, he will pick upon that and either become more scared or try and protect his unit.
 
poor pup!
this is a real issue for me. Our dog was "jumped" on by a lab when she was around 6 mths. now it,s a bit like the "bully turning" she wouldn't go to another dog , in fact will make any effort to go around them, however if a dog runs up to her and jumps at her then she will turn on them , nothing more than "handbags at dawn!" but isnt a pretty sight and if it,s a young dog then there usually a bit of screaming from the pup.

I have said to people that she will snap and I am fed up with folk saying "dont worry my dog needs to be taught a lesson"
well i dont want my dog being used as a teacher and its just an excuse that their dog wont come back when called !

I keep her under control and on the lead if necessary but I get so annoyed when other dog owners cant and dont keep their dog under control and usually shout "my dog just want's to play"! well my dog doesn't.

We had an incident recently whilst walking in our local park when a pup ran over to us from quite a distance I managed to get my dog on the lead but it couldnt read my dogs signals(it was so young ) and in the end she got it well and truely on the nose. I could tell the owner wasn't happy and I didnt feel very good about it. but what do you do when someone else doesnt have proper control of their dog . it is so annoying the lady will probably tell people that we have a dangerous dog!!.

I show my dog in the bred ring and she is a registered Brittish flyball dog, we have never had any problems when competeing as there is never out of control dogs!!

I hope you get it sorted and enjoy walking your dog instead of being like me, spending my time trying to avoid situations and falling out with a lot of people!!
 
we had a similar issue with ours and she became not agressive but angry towards other dogs to try and hide her fear...
we got her out and about as much as possible, to small places and then progressed to places like badminton and burghley. we didn't let her interact with other dogs until she was at ease just being near them
she can still be nervous but on the whole is much much better.
 
just come back from class, where he was brilliant.

Dog trainer has just said to keep walking past the dogs and that he should get over it.

I can understand Maxweg that it must be hard. I don't let Harley go up to dogs on the lead. It annoys the hell out of me when I'm doing lead training and people let their dogs jump on him! Harley knows how to politely greet dogs, he's been shown at puppy class using some dogs that will tell him off when he steps out of line. So he's very good when meeting strange dogs and will stand and sniff, not leap on them, unless they both start to play. Harley's recall is really good. If I see a dog coming that I don't want him to meet (on the lead etc) and I call he'll always come back. Just on Saturday I didn't realise until the very last moment that I didn't want him to meet this dog! By then it was too late, and he didn't listen when I called.

Finegrs crossed this is gonna work itself out...
 
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