Off lead encounters and dog 'mingling'

I think in the UK , where you're bound to meet off-lead dogs, that socialising with them does matter. Dogs don't necessarily have to play but they need to be able to come in contact with other dogs (and people of course) without being fearful or aggressive. Perhaps I've been lucky, but almost all the dogs we've met over the last few years have been friendly. I haven't met any aggressive dogs, just a few over-exuberant ones, and with those, I've just said 'let's go' and walked in the other direction. I did once haul off by its collar a dog who was intent on humping Molly ( and she looked unhappy). I'd say to @Jude that if you meet people with off lead dogs, then let your puppy off.

 

This is where I think waiting until 17 weeks is the key. We do recall a lot at home and in puppy class. They get used to other dogs but not on free runs, which makes them less sure when they are on free runs which (with our bold dogs) tends to be a good thing. It causes them to stay close and approach strange dogs cautiously.

I meet up once a fortnight with about 12 pups. We take them out. On different walks, it's a country park - in threes. All keep a sensible distance and are 'careful' when meeting other dogs.

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It very well also might be the case that in addition to breeding bold dogs, the guide dog programme breed responsive and handler orientated dogs.

I trained last week with a professional guide dog trainer (she had a week off work to train her own young dog in gundog work), and for sure the guide dogs are not breeding high prey drive dogs obsessed with their environment (for example) which is what most handlers on the course were dealing with (I was dealing with a dog obsessed by other things, but the challenges were similar).

Charlie, no matter what his start in life, would never have cut it as a guide dog!

 

OK that's encouraging to hear. Judy is just 17 weeks and I let her off lead a little earlier but not on every walk and not for long. Now I feel a bit more confident with her sticking close I won't be in such a hurry to reattach the lead if I see other dogs off lead. I think she'll be more of a pest with humans without dogs; in her mind they all love her and want to be jumped on...!

 

Good points.

Neither would Tatze, she's far to interested in people. One friendly word and she's a loopy puppy!

I also think the GR in the mix helps a lot. I *might* be getting a GS for my next pup - which could be when I eat my words lol!

 

The comment above was in reply to JulieT

Don't forget to do the hiding thing too. It really gets them in the habit of keeping an eye on you, which stands you in good stead with confident teenager dogs.

I always put Tatze on lead when no-dog humans are approaching. Some people give her squeaky encouragement then wonder why their pale blue coat is covered in muddy paw prints! Humans are far more unpredictable than dogs.

 

I think that's what I'll do Joy. So far I've been comfortable around all the dogs we meet whether they interact or ignore us so hopefully that's something Judy will feel as she gets more walks under her belt.

 

I will try the hiding thing! It sounds like fun and I haven't tried it yet but I can see that being a good game / training when we go up to the woods. Yes, what is it with people encouraging the jumping?! I let them know she's likely to jump up if they pet her and the standard response is 'oh that's fine!'... I've started to love the people who show no interest in my dog!

 

We are not too far away maybe we could walk together sometime

 

That would be great! A friend of mine from nuneaton says bosworth park is really nice for dog walks. When the little pup's a bit more sure of herself I'll definitely be taking her there for a trip out !

 

Winnie is just over 5 months and meets lots of dogs every day. She is becoming better at reading them, sadly 4 times she has had really nasty encounters were other dogs have gone for her. She hasn't been doing anything wrong, she's not a bold pup the other dogs have looked fine sniffed, wagged and then gone for her. It has knocked her confidence but meeting dogs is a daily occurrence as the woods are a popular dog walk.
I do get frustrated with owners who know their dog doesn't like puppies but still lets them approach and then it kicks off. I always ask if I see them approaching.
If it happens I reassure her then make sure we finish the walk on a positive.

 

I'm not familiar with Bosworth Park but always looking for new walks, hopefully they have a cafe where we can have a coffee and cake I'll private message you when I get a chance.

 

Well, tonight Betsy went to the quietest bit of Wimbledon Common that I know. She did not have her long line on.

I should say:

Betsy's recall has been consistent since she was weaned at 6 weeks old.
She responds to it with a whiplash turn in the home and garden.
She can recall and ignore her food bowl etc.
We've done just about every exercise possible around the house, garden and training field (including at Clicker Gundog Camp last week - when I discovered how far she would run without a bother on her).
She is 4 months old, and this was her first outing on the Common.
Up until meeting the dogs, I had done about turn walks and she showed no concern whatsoever when she couldn't spot me.

She ran up to 2 people with 2 dogs. I continued to walk. She followed the dogs (neither who wanted to play) and would have kept following them, and kept playing, only the people stopped. Annoyed. She jumped up at the people. They were more annoyed. The dogs wanted nothing to do with her. I kept walking, she kept following. The people got more annoyed - they wanted to go back to their car and the car park and their dogs were annoyed with Betsy and the people were glaring at me.

I went and got her. And she is back on a long line for the foreseeable future!

 

Ahh bless her, that sounds familiar. I employ the Mad-Eye Moody "constant vigilance" approach when I release Xena from the long line, but I stalk around with the line clasped tightly in my hands, ready to reattach at the first glimpse of THE PEOPLE. Fortunately the LAT c/t gives me the time to reattach said line.

These puppies are exhausting. It's hard to believe there'll come a day when they'll show calm and focus around people and dogs.

 

Betsy isn't as bad as Charlie was, but she is still pretty bad!

 

But she is only a baby yet

 

I think a huge help with our pups is puppy class. We do recall from other dogs from 12 weeks. We start easy - other dogs behind the pup. Then work up to the other pups all sitting in a circle with a gap, pup in the middle, person outside the circle recalling them out by 5 months old.


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This really is not about me neglecting Betsy's recall training , it's about Wimbledon Common, and puppy characteristics that I know all too well from owning Charlie. This little girl is on a long line for the foreseeable future. The environmental opportunities for self rewarding for a puppy like this are immense.

Plus, the people she ran up to were nice (although annoyed). But they might not have been, they might have been stupid, or nasty, and given her a kick when she jumped up.

 

Crumbs! I'm glad I live 'ooop North'!

Folk here are very relaxed about doggy encounters.

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The worst behaviour by far is when your lab puppy bounds up to people..and they just walk off with your dog..used to drive me insane!