question about doggy greetings?

[Lucy_Nottingham]

Ok, as most of you know, beau is a little bit...... erm....... keen lets say, when it comes to meeting new dogs.

I have to be honest and say now 9.9/10 I can stop him, turn him away, or he is just not bothered if I am in a super playful mood!
If the owner of the other dog says they are ok then i will release him to go say hello and its fine!

(arent u all impressed with my perseverence!?!?! hehe please feel free to say no!

hehe)

however, sometimes (and I admit there are still the odd laps where it all goes down the toilet!) he does run to say hello to another dog (esp if it is coming towards him in a playful manner!).

Beau is not in the slightest bit agressive! when it comes to otehr dogs he is the biggest submissive puff of a collie u will ever meet! He doesnt do the jump on the head, pull the ears super excited young dog approach to it all, he runs up, stops about 2-5m away, lies down and rolls on his back like the big submissive thing he is!
The other dog 9/10 will then come and have a sniff etc as he expects. But he then does the additional submissive act of trying to lick the other dogs jowls.......

here in lies the problem. Some dogs are fine and go ok ur nice WOHOO lets go play! (this is fine) but then others seem to really REALLY hate this and will snarl, bark, snap, or just go completely mental and lunge at him...... (cue me going ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!)

now is it bad that he is being this submissive?! he was well socialised to loads of different dogs in different situations growing up etc or is this possibly hte problem???

If they do snap etc he will come back to me straight away (he might be stupid but not death wish stupid.......... well not always!)

Just wondering, do all dogs hate having their jowls licked? or is it just we seem to have met the few that do? or is beau doing this inappropriate?

Sorry this has ended up being a bit long!

thank you!

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I would say that some dogs dont mind it and some do - I did smile to myself when I read your post, it reminded me of me

The youngish children who come onto the livery yard have learned not to come rushing up to me in their usual state of childish excitement about things... I just look at them and they creep away..... it sounds just like what those dogs are doing to Beau

I am so horrible arent I

But sounds like Beau is making great progress, he will learn with time that not every dog appreciates being approached even when the approaching dog is so submissive

 

[CorvusCorax]

Rolling on the back is not always straightforward submission IME. Both of mine lie on the ground, waving their legs in the air, it is also an invitation to play, but with an edge - when the other dog comes over, the one lying on the ground leaps up and bashes the other and runs off - HA gotcha!

So either the dogs who get aggressive see him as a prey animal, or thing 'he's trying it on, grrr!' - maybe these dogs have been caught offguard by a playful dog before and are trying to get in there first.

My dog just does not like a strange dog running up to him full pelt.

The way I have managed his dog aggression is to keep him at my left hand side, and another dog is allowed to come up to him calm and steady, sniffs, fine, if they get on, fine, after a while free, off you go, have a play.

That is how I like my dogs to be introduced, they meet/interact on MY terms, not his or the other dogs - I went in too fast, too soon with a friend's bitch last weekend and he had a massive go at her.

He got on fine with the male - her brother - and their older female, because they respected each other's space and boundaries.

We get a lot of dogs running up barking on the beach, a lot of them read his body language and back off, then are invited in for a sniff, some just back off and don't come back, some just come right on in and stuff their nose up his jacksie

I do urge you to keep trying with the recall, I would hate to think that he meets the wrong dog and gets hurt

And I know we have already flogged that particular dead horse, but it would and does annoy me when it happens out and about

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

O no I know CC thats why I am still working on him with it!

It is definetly improving in terms of introducing him to other dogs as calmly as possible (atm! Trying to find a new beau level of calm.......... )
I am so happy he is now noramlly good at staying either to heal or v close or just ignore them as that is a big improvement. but I know this one last slog is going to be the difficult bit. (you know coz the first bit was easy!

lol)

he hasnt ever done that smack them when he lies down thing. He literally lies, with his legs in the air, and will stay that way until the dog comes, has a good sniff and then sniffs his face, at that point he tries to lick the jowls, and that is when the occasional snapping occurs!
I dont mind him being submissive etc, its just if he is doing something wrong then i want to know to be able to stop him.

CC - honest he is getting miles calmer and better when meeting dogs, honest we are working on it! (and getting improvements!)

 

[CorvusCorax]

Oh I am not saying Beau does the 'haha, you think I am lying down but it is actually a big mad trap' thing

but maybe these dogs have had it done on them before and are wary.
Or they don't like having kisses!

Glad to hear he is coming on in leaps and bounds

When passing dogs and sheep now, B automatically comes in to my side and almost pushes me over, because he knows that is what I am going to make him do anyway

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

Ha, I wish beau would be that keen! Ok that can be our final aim!

I can say though that I can now walk beau through a field of sheep and he will stay with me!
How stupid is that! a sheep dog will ignore sheep, but other dogs are just too damn interesting!

he is only 18months so I am happy as to how good he is most of the time, its just the odd "puppy" moment we have that just lets him down (and drives me round the bend! but dont all kids hey?!)

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep, you're doing well, I keep forgetting how young he is

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

so do I I have to admit!!!
Coz we live with 2 spaniels (one 8yo, and one 6yo) and he just fits in its so hard to remember how old (or rather young) he is!
and I know thats not an excuse, but means that at least he is just being "babyish" (although please note, not an excuse)