..at other dog owners not wanting their dog to socialize with your lab puppy simply because he/she is just being a lab (hyper/boisterous behavior)? I really do want to socialize him and have tried with the leash in parks but Tiger is excessively jumpy. In fact, I've had one owner tell me " Sorry, No" to my dog and when I mentioned his hyperness, he said 'Yeah' and I suppose that was his 'reasoning'. Of course these people do not have labs, so there is no understanding. Today a lady was nice with her new 4 year old dog but I let her know hes hyper and that's when Tiger started jumping. She replied to her dog , " Okay, that's not the dog to mingle with." lol. tiger is a sweet puppy who just wants to have fun. Am I alone in this?
Re: Do you ever get offended...? Well I've got past that stage because my dog, Lady is 4 now, but for pretty much the first 3 years, yes she could be massively hyper compared to other breeds of dog and yes their owners were sometimes less than welcoming. ;D
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I didn't let my dog socialise with other dogs!!! I wanted him to be concentrated on me and not go dashing off to play with all and sundry. He did go to puppy classes and training classes, so has learned to behave round other dogs. We do now walk with another Lab but during the walk they ignore each other but have lots of kisses to say goodbye at the end! I do have another Lab so he has had company. Would I get offended, no ;D The other people don't know what they are missing
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I've had this a few times and try not to take offence. I do get a bit frustrated with it sometimes, but nowadays tend to think 'fine, your loss' as Harley is a lovely pup who is a bit jumpy for the first few mins then calms down. If the other dog is in training or on a lead I don't let Harley go over as I expect the same when I'm training. Today an 8 month old boxer was in the field and the owner explained quickly that she was very hyper and jumpy and asked if it was ok to play......of course I said yes....they had 15 mins play time then we went out separate ways
Re: Do you ever get offended...? Tatze adores playing with other dogs and we meet lots on all our walks. 99% of owners have loved her. Some are wary, usually if they have tiny dogs - but most laugh at her exuberance and let their pooches play. Tatze knows the 'I don't play' signals really well as she was brought up with Gavin, my 15 year old Cavalier, who couldn't play at all due to his old bones.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? We did masses and masses of off lead dog to dog socialisation - maybe a bit over the top, but I think Charlie benefitted hugely from it. He has nice doggy manners, I think. So even if you are finding it difficult, I'd keep trying. Only twice we've been told no - once when Charlie sat politely and I asked if we could say hello to a spaniel. The owner replied that the spaniel was old and stiff and so best not. I thought this was more than fair enough. We also got thanked for asking, so nothing offensive about it at all. The other time was when Charlie said hello to a very, very, young lab puppy and was a bit bouncy and the puppy looked nervous so was swept up to safety and a cuddle. I also thought that was fair enough. I don't know if we've discussed this before about your options for off lead interactions? I never would attempt to socialise or indeed allow Charlie any interaction with another dog on lead. That would be completely different, and Charlie would be a nightmare. He can't employ his normal manners and signals on lead. I think both dogs have to be very used to doing this.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? [quote author=JulieT link=topic=5233.msg65716#msg65716 date=1396550850] I don't know if we've discussed this before about your options for off lead interactions? I never would attempt to socialise or indeed allow Charlie any interaction with another dog on lead. That would be completely different, and Charlie would be a nightmare. He can't employ his normal manners and signals on lead. I think both dogs have to be very used to doing this. [/quote] Agreed. As soon as I come across a dog on lead I pop Tatze on hers and we walk on by. Dogs are on lead for many reasons - medical, nervous, aggressive etc. But we are lucky that the places where we walk we find most dogs are off lead anyway
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I think Lilly, now approaching 4, is able to read signals. Some dogs she only has a cursory sniff, and moves on. others she has the lie and wait then pounce and play bow. I think mostly she gets it right. I do wonder though, when she does do the play signals, but gets an angry retort, whether she is reading the signals wrong, or whether there is "something" between the other dog and owner that changes the signals she sees at a distance. I really must read one of the dog psychology/signal books some times.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? [quote author=drjs@5 link=topic=5233.msg65721#msg65721 date=1396552282] I think Lilly, now approaching 4, is able to read signals. Some dogs she only has a cursory sniff, and moves on. others she has the lie and wait then pounce and play bow. I think mostly she gets it right. I do wonder though, when she does do the play signals, but gets an angry retort, whether she is reading the signals wrong, or whether there is "something" between the other dog and owner that changes the signals she sees at a distance. [/quote] She may not be giving play signals, she may be giving calming signals (she is trying to make the interaction go well). Lie down is a strong calming signal, usually given by a confident dog (er...according to my book... ). A still play bow may be a calming signal. It may be the other dog doesn't respond. Charlie's final attempt is to turn away, then turn his back. If that doesn't work, he wants out as usually snapping and barking from the other dog comes next.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I am afraid I am one of those owners! Ruby isn't keen on in yer face dogs. She doesn't like dogs jumping all over and ones that won't leave her alone. She is happy to have dogs do a quick greet but then wants to move on. Bella isn't that keen on other dogs either and often avoids chooses to avoid them on walks. Even as puppies neither dog was interested in bouncing all over other dogs. I actively encourage my dogs to walk on after a quick meet and greet. I don't take my dogs out to socialise and play with other dogs, in fact I purposely choose places to walk which aren't doggy playgrounds! I take them out for walks to exercise, train and have a good old sniff!! If I was to leave another dog to jump all over a Ruby she would very quickly tell them off if she had had enough of them. Although most dogs do understand these signals, some youngsters don't and sometimes push her too far. I just get fed up with the frequent comments of "let her(Ruby) tell him/her off" ! If walking in parks and busy doggy places I think you have to expect that you will come across some 'bouncy, in yer face' dogs. I know my girls don't like this behaviour so I avoid these places as much as possible and this way it keeps everyone happy! Chloe
Re: Do you ever get offended...? [quote author=rubyrubyruby link=topic=5233.msg65738#msg65738 date=1396555511] If I was to leave another dog to jump all over a Ruby she would very quickly tell them off if she had had enough of them. Although most dogs do understand these signals, some youngsters don't and sometimes push her too far. I just get fed up with the frequent comments of "let her(Ruby) tell him/her off" ! [/quote] Well, I don't share your view on socialisation, but maybe because I live in London and everywhere we go is a doggy playground, so I need my dog to be very good around other dogs. Needs must vary depending on where people live. I do share some of your frustration though - my dog would never tell another dog off. He just looks absolutely bemused by the lack of manners, is miserable, and tries to leave. The thing he hates in particular is other dogs humping. He minds this - big time. Puppies don't understand signals, they have to learn them. Although my book gives the result of a survey reporting that new born puppies yawn as calming signals with the earliest recorded at 7 hours....or they could just be sleepy! :
Re: Do you ever get offended...? Remembering back with my latest pup, he wasn't interested in dogs and only in retrieving, dogs would come up and he would totally ignore them, just wanted the dummy or ball. Now my other dog, he is a different kettle of fish :
Re: Do you ever get offended...? [quote author=JulieT link=topic=5233.msg65742#msg65742 date=1396556393] [quote author=rubyrubyruby link=topic=5233.msg65738#msg65738 date=1396555511] [/quote] my dog would never tell another dog off. He just looks absolutely bemused by the lack of manners, is miserable, and tries to leave. [/quote] I wonder if your Charlie will tell dogs off as he gets older and understands 'dog behaviour', I think this comes with Age. Hattie would not have told dogs off with few manners a few years ago but now as a confident middle aged lady, she does and quite rightly so I can't see what's wrong with it, isn't this is how dogs sort things out?
Re: Do you ever get offended...? [quote author=charlie link=topic=5233.msg65745#msg65745 date=1396557786] I wonder if your Charlie will tell dogs off as he gets older and understands 'dog behaviour', I think this comes with Age. Hattie would not have told dogs off with few manners a few years ago but now as a confident middle aged lady, she does and quite rightly so I can't see what's wrong with it, isn't this is how dogs sort things out? [/quote] No, I don't think he ever will, but it depends on the personality of the dog, I'm sure. I wasn't particularly suggesting there was anything wrong with telling off - so long as it's done maturely (and not just snappy aggression, excused by "putting a puppy in their place" nonsense or similar excuses for poor socialisation). I think he understands doggie behaviour exceptionally well, much better than most dogs we meet living a much narrower existence, but is just a very gentle dog. Very similar to Kate's Sam, I think. Although Sam is even more so.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? Absolutely as long as it's done maturely. I don't really think "putting a puppy in there place" is an excuse as this is what the mum would do and if you have a young puppy jumping all over an adult dog they may not like it and tell it off and this is what Hattie does when she's had enough, isn't that teaching the puppy manners and how it learns it's manners? As for poor socialisation, I don't think it's always that, I have seen the most placid of dogs tell another dog off when they have had enough, just barking not aggression.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I think a mature, well socialised, dog tells off a puppy sharply, effectively, and quickly - without any real aggression, and with justification, usually after a period of tolerating the puppy - the interaction doesn't start with the telling off, for example. I hear "s/he is only putting a puppy in his/her place" too often - used to excuse really quite rubbish, bullying, behaviour.
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I agree totally a dog should not start the interaction with a telling off
Re: Do you ever get offended...? I don't mind. I think I would prefer that to either dog get distressed. Especially if the other dog is an old dog. I can totally understand why some may be offended though, but like Naya said it's their loss. Lola and I would definitely say hello
Re: Do you ever get offended...? Why would I be offended? It would be pretty hypocritical as I'd have no qualms about avoiding a meeting if I thought that it would be detrimental in any way for Harvey. People have to do what they think is best for their own dog (whether their underlying reasoning is right or wrong!) That said, I've yet to turn down an encounter on Harvey's behalf - he's another bouncy 'I love everybody' type of lab : and we've been pretty lucky with the encounters that we've had.
