Puppy keeps on getting mugged. Remind me what I'm meant to do again please.

[grouchyoldslubbers]

sorry sorry

another puppy Q thread by me.

This is the third time this has happened now and I'm getting so hacked off and flustered I've kind of forgotten what it is I'm meant to do.

We're out and about on walks. Most of the time puppy is on lead but I have started letting her off lead as she is pretty much stuck to my anles like glue and I'm fairly confident that so far we have a good recall to her name and the whistle.

What do you do when an off lead dog appears and basically starts mugging your dog? Knocking her down, biting her neck (not hard but she was still yelping) jumping all over the top of her and generally being thoroughly loutish. Puppy is terified, ears down, tail underneath, cowering (usually underneath me), lying on her back, eyes wide open.

What am I meant to do?

Picking her up is a no no (I think)

Putting her on the lead so she can't run away I think is counter productive.

Showing any fear or fretting yourself is bad.

Today I was SO pissed of at this twat of a man and his ill disciplined dog I told his to get his dog under control - and then you get the usual "he's only playing, he's only little, he's only being a dog" etc etc

I will probably get flamed for this but I think you might just need to chill out a little and let your puppy get used to situations like this.

She might be 'terrified' as you put it because she can sense your anxiety about it.

I had two puppies at once and they had two puppy friends we used to walk with and they would bowl each other around, snap at each other, pull each others fur etc. and it was all part of them playing and learning how to interact.

Even now they're nearly 3, my two have daily play sessions which look like fights to people that don't know them and they'll take it in turns to be submissive or dominant and snap and snarl at each other and then they are the best of friends and lay down and groom each other for the rest of the night!

I think that's just how dogs are and you have to let them get on with it. Your pup needs to learn to interact like this.

Well I'm trying very hard NOT to be giving off anxiety vibes. I do a very good impression of an underwear model looking off into the middle distance.

I do understand that she does need to get used to situations like this but when does enthusiastic playing go OTT and just become, well rude and potentially harmful? I spent a long time today looking as cool as a cucumber but after a good 5 mins of her being knocked over again and again, being growled at and 'play' bitten and her not giving ANY sort of hint that she was enjoying the interaction whatsoever I stepped in and asked the owner to take his dog away.

I don't think that's unreasonable is it?

I disagreewith notjustapuppymum and feel that it is our job as the owner to protect our dogs. One dogs idea of playing is obviously not the same for all dogs.

I would ask the owner to remove their dog and keep very up beat for the sake of my dog but I would be fuming! If as I expect that the owner has not control over their dog I would physically remove their dog if possible.

What will happen if you continue to let your puppy be mugged is that she will learn that aggression is the only way that stops this from happening.

minimu, how would you go about removing/restraining the other dog?

I'm still fuming tbh, it's bad enough that it happened once today but when the same dog came back for seconds and then I get a lecture from its owner about him just playing etc etc ...well, let's say I became quite firm.

If it is safe to do so I would grab the dogs collar and pull them off. Obviously often easier said than done!

If you can keep your puppy walking near to you most of the time then the "playing" should be near to you.

If the other dog is non aggressive but full on I would stand between my dog and the other dog and shoo it away whilst asking the owner to remove it. You do not need to explain why you want it removed your dog is entitled to its own personal space.

If your puppy is really distressed I would pick them up and with a cheery comment remove them from the event. The puppy will expect you to protect it - if you don't it will have to protect itself and that can only be done by aggression. So I see your concern about passing on worries but if were being mugged I would already be worried!

I do pick my walks, and when I walk to make sure I do avoid people that have dogs I do not want mine to meet. Our local common is really handy but I never walk my dogs there due to the type of dogs that get walked there!!! or more to the point the type of dog owner that walks there and thinks it is acceptable to ignore their dogs behaviour.

I do find it quite hard to distinguish between playing and when it becomes a bit OTT (my hubby is much better at this) and things with my two and with one of them if he meets another dominant male dog, do get a bit borderline sometimes and obviously then I do step in.

I wasn't suggesting you don't protect your pup if she is in danger of being hurt by another dog.

at underwear model!

Thanks minimu and notjust.

I think I'm going to have to avoid the large area of common ground by my mother's house as it is too full of dogs off the lead with owners that could't give a monkey's. Such a shame as it is beautiful and by a shallow bit of river where she can paddle about . She's going to need to be a bit bigger and more confident (and me more confident too) before we go back.

I'm happy that I can step in much sooner now if things are getting out of hand though.

grouchy do you go to any puppy socialisation classes or have any puppy friends she can play with?

It would help her and you get more confident and also help you to learn to distinguish between what is playing and what is going ott.

Because my two boys are so boisterous I'm quite blase about the whole playing/fighting thing so could be misinterpreted as someone who doesn't give a monkeys but in reality it's just that I know my dogs.

I wanted to attend some puppy classes but unfortunately because of childcare I can't attend any atm (they are in the evenings or on the w/e). I'd have more luck if I go to a standard beginners class but my first attempt at one of those didn't go well last week.

I have plenty of friends with dogs as do the pils so she is not being starved of doggy interactions, just the puppy variety. I've arranged two walks this week with other (nice!) dogs so fingers crossed she'll have a more positive reaction to those.