We went to a puppy party at the vets last night. Willow was happy and relaxed and interested in saying hello to all the other pups and people. Next to use was chiwowa pup and it growled and went for Willow. Willow shooted backwards and everytime after that another dog came close she would shoot back. After a while she started barking and snarling at the other more boisterous terrier who was a pain and kept jumping on the other dogs. She has been chased on the lead by a dog off the lead knocked over by another large lab. I am concerned about the barking and snarling as she has not shown or is not at all agressive. She is booked in adult obedience classes in March so will get used to being around other dogs. She sees labradors out on walks and is not scared of them but other other dogs she shoots backing away from them. I can't let her off the lead until she has been on the course it covers recall and loose lead walking. If she hears a loud noise or encounters other dogs she is in flight mode so can't rick her running off scared. She goes up to other dogs wagging her tail but low so none threatening I think she picks up on their body language if they come at her fast is when she backs away.
@WillowA lots of us pointed out the importance of early socialisation when Willow was much younger, and you said it wasn't possible to attend classes. That's unfortunate - but this is the outcome. I would not attend this puppy party again because vet nurses and vets are not specialists in canine behaviour and if they are not run well, they do more harm than good. No puppy should be displaying aggression in a puppy class. Terriers which are boisterous and whose behaviour is unwelcome by other dogs should be interrupted in their play. I used to run puppy classes at a vet's and it is one of the hardest jobs there are, to supervise early puppy interactions well. Yet they are frequently run by completely inexperienced vet nurses... Of course you can let her off the leash before attending a class, and should - there are many excellent resources online for training recalls, you don't need to wait to attend this one particular class - which might not even be any good!
We were all split up into 2 groups willow was put into the boisterous one she is fine if dogs don't come charging at her as the labs we meet in the street are older and placid. The trainers are very good I went to watch a class and chat to the person who run them they work with a lot of rescue dogs and I feel I can trust them not like the other. I don't feel confident in the recall atm My rescue springer used to run off and I am afraid she will do the same. She is on a flex lead and comes back when called on that.
They did a musical chair type thing where the dogs walk around and sit when the music stopped Willow won. She was OK when the treats were being fed and ignored the other dogs and concentrated on me.
My dog is the complete oposite. she loves other dogs so much! When she gets to meet new dogs she wiggles up to them sniffs them and plays with them like a maniac!
I don't know if we have just been lucky, or have done a good job socializing our dogs, but all of them have been friendly to other dogs, and normally happy to meet them. All of them were field dogs, but none of them hunted. Ginger took a dislike to all German Shepherds after she was bitten by one, but was good with most all others. Tilly will go up to meet other dogs, but in her old age does not interact much. Cooper will go up to any dog that does not act aggressive. Like all of our dogs she is pretty good at reading other dogs. She tends to avoid small barky dogs. She (just like Tilly when she was younger) will compete with other dogs playing fetch in on land or in the water, but it is friendly competition. Cooper can get her back up if she feels threatened or does not like another dogs behavior. If one of her Sammy friends tries to mount her, she will often just return the behavior, but I have seen her tell another dog that it was unacceptable in no uncertain terms. Years ago at a lake we visit, I got a photo of Ginger swimming in with a stick, which was also held by two other labs she had never met before that day. So we had a Chocolate, Yellow and a Black all swimming in holding one stick. Cooper has done the same thing, with one other dog.
This dog is weird today she saw 2 black labs and was pulling and straining to get to them. I think she can sense any that are not friendly and reacts to that.
