This bloody dog <sigh>

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Just back from a morning walk. On the way back from the school, we met a man walking a six month old lab puppy. The owner and I said hello, then I held Jas so that he could just sniff the pup's nose. The pup sniffed and tried to play. Then it yelped :( Not entirely sure what Jas did, but he definitely made contact. No injuries to the pup, thank God. I held Jas back and put myself between the dogs, apologised profusely to the other owner, and fussed his pup for a moment. Owner was fine about it, pup seemed happy enough. Jasper watched with his tail between his legs and his spine curled slightly. When we got to the field, I let him off lead and he ran about with two other dogs quite happily. He's usually ok with a quick hello on lead, but I've noticed him being a bit funny with younger dogs (he's now 14 months). Obviously, I will now make sure he doesn't greet puppies on the street. Anyone had similair? You might remember that a few months back he became narky with other dogs if they approached him while he was playing fetch with a ball. I've stopped taking the ball out for walks, and he is now ok with other dogs off lead.

We have a puppy he's absolutely gorgeous but a non existent pain threshold. He tries to play with everything and in his enthusiasm the other day he got accidentally slightly knocked by a rottie think ant playing with polar bear. He literally screamed the owner of the rottie nearly had a heart attack and then he got up and carried on playing. So maybe it was nothing significant.

I hope so. But he did make a grumpy noise when he made contact, so I don't think he was being particularly friendly. Weirdly, this used to happen to Jas all the time. Most dogs we met when he was a pup had no time for him, and more than one either lunged and snapped or growled. I've never had a dog before, so I find it all a bit bewildering tbh.

Was he not just warning the puppy off. My puppy lives with an older dog with a very smart tail the older dog is very proud of it its a very smart tail but doesn't actually see it as a toy unlike the puppy. This morning whilst out the puppy was hanging onto it whist they were walking along. The older dog pulled a face the puppy looked bewildered squeaked slightly and looked pathetic for 5 seconds and then grabbed the tail again the older dog snapped into the air the puppy looked baffled and grabbed the tail again the older dog now turns round "I told you to F..k off" puppy cowers and squeaks and chases a leaf.

Have you had him castrated? He really should be "done" and that will stop any aggression issues developing.

It doesn't sound like he was that bad this morning though, i maybe think you should keep hellos on the lead very short and sweet. I have a naughty JRT who can be an utter bastard when he is on the lead, but off lead he is fine. I tend to keep him on the lead though as he is lousy with recall and a bad influence on his younger, less cantankerous brother. So i just walk straight past other dogs when they are on the lead as he tends to alway react. Sometimes people approach and its usually ok, but he does do a very good devil dog impression and i don;t actually do anything other than pull him away and tell him not to be a grump.

I remember your ball issues, and you coped really well with that, i would just not encourage encounters on the lead. I always find that if any dog is going to kick off, it is when they are on the lead. Yes, there will be times when you can't avoid and when dogs off lead approach, but i generally cope ok, my dog is small so if he has a go, the other dog will usually back off and it if all kicks off i can just grab mine by the scruff of the neck and hoik him out of trouble. If your dog doesn't expect to say hello to other dogs when he is on the lead he will become better at ignoring them. At least, that worth a try.

I am actually not overly bothered by dog fights as they tend to be lots of snarling and rolling around but no real harm done, so im quite calm about it even when other dogs start on mine - but other owners do get very upset of course as it always looks and sounds worse than it actually is. On the whole, that is, thankfully i have never really had to deal wiht a fight where anyone has been hurt.

He was castrated at 6 months, 2girls, so his testicles are merely a hazy memory. He is a cocker/springer cross, so by nature a complete loondog. We got him at 12/13 weeks, and I don't think he was socialised before this. He's great with people (have always taken him on the school run, so small people are no bother to him) but sometimes he reacts to other dogs. I hate the looks you get when your dog is being all gobby or behaving like a turd

well i bet mine is more turdy than yours - he does still have his balls though as i couldnt bring myself to have him castrated He is managable and i actually wouldn't change him for the world i secretly think hes hysterical when hes gobbing off He is wonderful with my DD, and tolerates the "new" dog really well - which surprises me because he is so biligerant with other dogs, the "new" dog, a rescue JRT of about a year now (minus testicles) gives him a hard time - biting his ears and shaking, getting hold of his collar and doing that "killing" action - and poor old Dog1 just takes it or makes a token resistance, i think he quite likes it. They have never had a "fight" but playfight all the time and it just make me laugh. We call it the bitey face game.

My dog doesn't react to all dogs and i have no way of predicting if he is going to like another dog or not so i tend to pull him back, which of course make it worse! I would seriously just not make an issue of it, don't force introductions - dogs feel vulnerable when on a lead so often attack is the best form of defence. If you watch how they behave when they are on the lead or when they meet when they are off lead it is very different. So don't push it, just train him not to greet when on the lead, pull him past, have a treat handy so that you are more interesting than the dog, hold it in your hand, walk past the dog and give it too him once the other dog has gone. He will soon learn that its better to ignore. I should probably tke my own advice, but like i say, it doesn't bother me and generally i find other owners (probably because he usually goes for bigger dogs) just laugh i off.

Older dogs will tell younger dogs where to go, it's one of the benefits of no longer being the baby. It sounds like he was just issuing the usual warning, so dont' worry too much. As he's been castrated already he will settle down a bit (although I note the breed, so the settling down will be relative!!!). Dogs socialising does inevitably include a bit of sorting out the alphas from the betas so don't be too hard on him!!

I use the 3 second rule for greeting dogs on leads ,apparently this is long enough to say hello and too short for any trouble and I must admit it works for mine. Off lead he has absolutely no interest in other dogs , on lead he goes hysterical if he is not allowed to say hello so I use the 3 seconds and it seems fine.

Totally agree with Floalnomand - meet greet and keep walking.

Also agree no need for long hellos. I don't feel the need to stop and chat to every other human being I meet in the street!

I only let my boy approach when he knows the other dog, and we keep it short and sweet. also cos I'm crap at small talk

We saw the same pup this morning, and Jas was desperate to get at him. I refused to let him get anywhere near. My confidence is a bit shaken, tbh.

Don't worry, it will settle down - but don't be nervous or at least don't let it show - because that will transfer straight down the lead to the dog, you'll behave differently, the dog will pick up on it and think its the other dog causing the problem and it becomes a vicious circle. Just relax - you sound like a really responsible and good owner, you just need to start enjoying your dog.