My dog keeps getting picked on :(

[BobLoblaw]

Oscar is a collieXhuntaway around 9/10 months old we've had him since the beginning of February. He is a big wuss, he and Penny get on brilliantly but other dogs seem to dislike him. Twice in the last week he has been pinned to the floor on his back, by a jack russell and a king charles cavalier spaniel (I mention the sort of dogs because they are considerably smaller than him) and he whimpers and looks terrified :( . The jack russell was pulled off and Penny chased away the king charles cavalier spaniel.

He is a very submissive dog but I don't really understand why these other dogs seem to home in on him and I'm not sure how I should react/behave.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

[kid]

No advice but your poor dog.
Has he been to any socialising classes? Sounds like he might need to learn how to react around other dogs.

Hope someone can offer some advice, it must be horrible for him and you.

[BobLoblaw]

Oscar's signed up for some obedience classes but they don't start for another 6 weeks. We meet a lot of dogs, he played with a pointerX and a collieX today, he's very puppy like and playful but very submissive too.

It is horrible, he doesn't seem bothered afterwards but I am.

[mdoodledoo]

My dogs (Labrador & Goldie) are both soft-arses too and the Lab will always prefer to roll over and submit to a new dog 'just in case'. The Goldie won't roll over, but does stand stock still looking terrified while he's sniffed over and at the slightest sign of trouble he will scarper. They are 15/16 months old now and getting better as the months go by - they are learning to read other dogs more and more accurately and gaining in confidence to stand their ground a bit more and not give the signs of intimidation that other dogs read as weakness and then exploit. Mine meet lots of other dogs as we're back and forth to horse shows and walk in busy doggie areas - so that's helping as they're having loads of opportunities to learn.

They will still get bullied now and again - particularly by two at my stable yard - but they're learning how to assert themselves without being aggressive. I suppose my point is that our dogs are young and they're learning - we need to give them the leadership necessary for them to gain in confidence, and for me, that hasn't always meant rushing to their aid if they're feeling uncomfortable - I want them to learn the skills to decide for themselves if/when they want to get away. I obviously wouldn't let them get hurt and as their pack leader I won't tolerate anything too nasty going on or I'd lose their respect - but I can't solve every problem for them either.

Not great practical advice really I'm afraid - maybe just an example of how things get better as the dogs get older and more experienced? Give your dog a cuddle from me - poor little sausage - the lessons of childhood are hard for us all huh!?