On our way to the beach and a crowd of kids with nets, buckets etc were coming up. A bit too much to expect Charlie to walk passed nicely (we are still learning) so we did a sit while they went by. A dog off lead came next and we continued to sit. The owner said his dog was fine, I said it's ok, it's good practice for him to learn not to lunge towards other dogs when he is on the lead. The chap told me I would make Charlie nervous of other dogs. I think this is rubbish (although I do know some dogs can get nervous on the lead if they can't get away from other dogs, Charlie's problem, if anything, is he pulls and lunges to go play). Is there anything in what the chap said? I can't see my solution being to let Charlie off his lead whenever we meet another dog - in this scenario, Charlie would have played but also probably jumped all over the kids that still weren't very far away.
Re: Sit while other dogs pass I think what you did was perfectly fine. I think we do an exercise that does just this - the "meet and greet". 2 sets of dogs/owners approach each other from across the training square, get dogs to sit without interacting, owners have a chat/shake hands etc, then move on without doggy interaction. You have it spot on in my opinion. Way to go, Julie and Charlie jac
Re: Sit while other dogs pass We do the same training technique as Jac. Dogs need to learn it is NOT always ok to rush over and say hello to other dogs! Of course they need social interaction - but only when their owner deems it right! You did exactly right, Julie.
Re: Sit while other dogs pass Julie, you were right and the chap was wrong. Keep doing exactly the kind of thing you are doing. It's an excellent exercise that teaches calm self-control and will definitely not make Charlie nervous
Re: Sit while other dogs pass Thanks Guys - bit surprised to get such firm advice from a stranger! Thought was I was doing was ok, but it's so good to be able to ask. Charlie gets stacks of doggy and human socialisation - so much so that I think this is at the expense of training (but he is still so young, not yet 6 months). We are branching out to cows tomorrow, since we've done loads of city stuff we are now concentrating on country animals. I know the very early opportunities for socialisation have closed now, but I figure it's still worth doing. Must be better than nothing, I think. The good looking outside obedience classes that I found are full for August! Darn it. Got one more place to try tomorrow, but otherwise it's books out and design my own summer programme (warning: excess of dumb questions coming your way...)
Re: Sit while other dogs pass Julie, we are doing exactly this with our Charlie as he is nervous when some not all dogs approach on lead. Keep going. Helen x
Re: Sit while other dogs pass Julie,there is a group of people that live among us called 'Well Meaning Members of the Public'......membership of this exclusive group requires a very low tact and diplomacy threshold.I fell prey to them many,many times as Dexter and I began our relationship together......oh the fun we had!then I realized that just because they have had 10 dogs before( and usually not a Labrador) they didn't necessarily know better or more than me!However the balance to that is I have met some lovely people people too ( all forum members included in this ;D) who have helped enormously.I have found as well that it is usually the people who don't offer their indiscriminate advice who have the best advice to impart....and they do it with sensitivity . I know the official window for socialization is closing but I think you can always keep introducing new things to Charlie.I missed the official socialisation period totally.Dexter 's breeders had done a great job but they couldnt prepare him for the desert from the wilds of scotland....Im sure the way he was handled by them though made him the confident dog he is and so open to new things ( although its not always pretty when come across something new )you've done a great job with Charlie and it sounds like you are having a lovely holiday! I'm off to a Disney show today with 6 kids.......will be good fun and lovely.....but want my doggie back ;D x
Re: Sit while other dogs pass Thanks Angela, I think I'm meeting more of these people the more I'm obviously training Charlie. Today I've been told allowing Charlie to lie down when he meets people is making him "submissive" (he is developing a habit of lying on his back across people's shoes, begging for a tummy rub - since this has recently replaced jumping up, I'm not sure I mind very much. Plus, he gives everyone's shoes a good polish wiggling about...) Enjoy Disney and the kids. Dexter is missing you too (having got halfway through "the defence of dogs" this week, I know he really is).
Re: Sit while other dogs pass You should say "No, it won't make him submissive. And that'll be £2 for the shoe shine".
