There is an experiment I want to do with my dog...

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Whippy's lead aggression is back worse than ever. We'd almost solved it until training was halted by my broken arm and lead walking stopped.

This means at least once a walk I am forced to shout "Please call your dog back, mine is aggressive" followed by much body blocking by me while they try and fail to restrain their dog, on warmer days this happens on average 5 or 6 times a walk

I want to walk her at the same time every day, until people start to recognise her and then walk her off lead, same route, same time, same walkers and allow her to run up to their dogs and note whether there is any difference in the amount of effort they put into restraining their dogs when they believe their dog is danger compared to the amount of effort they put in when it is my dog getting stressed. It would also be interesting to note whether they still believe it is "cute" or "just what dogs do"

Of course anyone who knows me knows that Whippy is the sweetest thing off lead, a completely different dog. They also know I would never do this, it is not fair to allow her lead aggression to go on for longer than necessary for my own amusement. But the mere thought amuses me greatly

PLEASE, PLEASE do not allow your off lead dog to approach leashed dogs, if they can't be trusted to recall immediately, keep them leashed.

[toboldlygo]

I think you've slightly missed the point, Whole. Nobody is calling for all dogs to be on leads (except for the occasional frothing dog haters) - only those that are allowed to go barreling up to on-lead dogs with the owner miles behind shouting 'it's okay, he's friendly' while one's safely leashed but reactive dog turns themselves inside out with fear at the bristling jumpy maniac that's just beset them.

[Dontletthemgetyoudown]

My labrador was fine a placid friendly dog until he was attacked by a jack Russell while he was on a lead. We were working on getting over that when he was again attacked while on a lead by a Staffordshire Bull terrier.

He will now bark and growl and warn your dog off if they run towards him when he's on a lead and to be honest I dont blame him. I have my dog under control on a lead walking nicely you have the out of control dogif it isnt iimmediately returning to you. Why should my dog be at fault? My dog still needs exercise and why should he be pts because at least two other dog owners had aggressive dogs with apparently no training.

Its always someone elses fault yes its lovely to habe an off lead walk with a dog that has perfect recall but if yours doesn't you really cant blame the person whos dog is on a lead. I have spoken to the police and dog warden about this and they both said it would be the person with the off lead dog at fault should a problem arise not the in lead dog.

[GrimmaTheNome]

Whole - your lovely well behaved dog doesn't need to be on a leash. It sounds like she's under sufficient control - if she's not going to be bothering other dogs or people she probably doesn't need perfect recall even.

The OP and many of the rest of us walk our dogs off lead - the point is that we know we are responsible for their behaviour. Presumably if someone warns you that their leashed dog doesn't like other dogs you can easily enough ensure she doesn't bumble into them - in the same way you wouldn't let her wander in front of a car or whatever.

[olidusUrsus]

I'm not saying your wrong, but why can't you muzzle your dog? Did I miss the explanation?

[GrimmaTheNome]

That might stop her snapping at other dogs, but it wouldn't help with the fact she's stressed by these encounters.

[ihatethecold]

Can I ask?
What is BAT training?

[Pawprint]

Another professional dog walker here - sorry, I haven't read the whole thread. It sounds like the aggression stems from fear. Having said that, what we call "aggression" is a dog being a dog!

Have you tried clicker training? I've found it useful.

All the dogs I walk (at most, five at a time) walk well on leads and I rarely let them off. Having said that, I own three dogs myself and two of them bark at every dog they see. There have been times when people have allowed their children to rush up to my dogs and I always say, very stridently, not to touch them.

Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own dogs and you are right to keep it on a lead.

If you clicker train, you can then click and reward the dog as another dog approaches, so that it develops positive associations with encountering other dogs.

[Pawprint]

Another professional dog walker here - sorry, I haven't read the whole thread. It sounds like the aggression stems from fear. Having said that, what we call "aggression" is a dog being a dog!

Have you tried clicker training? I've found it useful.

All the dogs I walk (at most, five at a time) walk well on leads and I rarely let them off. Having said that, I own three dogs myself and two of them bark at every dog they see. There have been times when people have allowed their children to rush up to my dogs and I always say, very stridently, not to touch them.

Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own dogs and you are right to keep it on a lead.

If you clicker train, you can then click and reward the dog as another dog approaches, so that it develops positive associations with encountering other dogs.

[Pawprint]

Eek sorry for double post!

[olidusUrsus]

No, but at least it would take away the worry that if a dog who can't be recalled approaches, it wouldn't be bitten.

[SelectAUserName]

SelectASpaniel is a rescue dog who has fear-related dog-reactivity. He has never bitten in the three months we have had him but will bark, snarl and lunge at another dog if it gets too close. We are actively working to improve the situation, using counter-conditioning.

Every time some thoughtless person lets their off-lead dog charge up to him out of control while he is on-lead, or has their stupid extending lead at its fullest extent (oh, how I hate those things) so they end up twirling in ineffectual knots while their dog leaps around like a mad thing, it sets back our progress and undermines our attempts to make SAS a well-socialised member of canine society.

If your dog potters along happily with its focus on you, oblivious to other dogs whether they are on or off-lead, fabulous. Enjoy your relaxing walks with your lovely dog. If your dog pricks its ears at the sight of another dog and thinks about investigating further but returns to you with instant recall when you spot these signs and pre-empt a potentially unwanted interaction, fabulous. Thank you for being a responsible and aware owner.

If you think your dog's right to run off-lead trumps everyone else's right to have a stress-free enjoyable walk despite it having an unreliable recall; if you watch your dog hare off towards an on-lead dog and make no attempt to bring it back under control or are completely unable to do so; if you are too busy chatting or listening to your iPod to notice your dog is forcing its unwanted attention onto an on-lead dog - then YOU are in the wrong, YOU are the thoughtless, irresponsible dog owner and YOU are to blame if any injury results. YOU. Not the owner of the under control, on-lead dog regardless of any issues the latter might have.

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Exactly, Select.

It's not even the ones who barrel up to us and then make a hasty retreat or amuse themselves with the other dogs when they read Whippy's body language that bother me, so much. They're not exactly conducive to our training, particularly BAT, where the reward is to gain more distance from the object of fear (bit bloody difficult when the thing has me cornered and is insisting on diving all over me and my dogs) but Whippy can cope relatively well with those ones now.

It's the ones that insist on sniffing her arse, while the owner is meters behind yelling "It's okay, she only wants to play" While Whippy is huddled as low to the ground as she get, shaking with fear and snarling her tiny wee head off. They are the ones who get me feeling all stabby.

Why should my dog have to say hello to every dog she meets? Why can't people just accept that we might want to be left in peace and respect that instead of forcing us to interact with their ill mannered hounds?

I wonder how these owners would feel if I chased them around the park, asking them to say hello to little Incy, my pet tarantuala or other common object of fear. Incy only wants to be friends after all.

[duchesse]

Completely agree with Kittens re dogs creating their own social relationships. They aren't helpless babies, they creatures with their own social norms.