Bastard Dog Club

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Roll up, roll up! Anyone who has a Bastard Dog sign in here! Does your dog hate other dogs? Does he or she bark, lunge, growl or actually want to eat other canines? Are you regularly stressed, embarassed or rocking in a corner by your Bastard Dog's antics? Then this is your safe zone. Come hither and share your tales of woe, and also hopefully your successes.

Give us some background, thus:

BD breed: Spaniel cross
BD age: 18 months
BD behaviour: Jumps at approaching dogs and tells them to fuck off in a very vocal way.
BD training attempts: We're working on BAT, using tons of treats and actively avoiding interactions.
Frequency of BD incidents: Probably some kind of reaction every month or so, usually my fault.

Now, who's for gin?

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Er - my BD has absolutely no fecking excuse for his behaviour - he is not a rescue, has been in a loving home since the age of 8 weeks, been to puppy training, socialised etc - happily played with other dogs as a youngster, even had small terrier types hanging on to the claggie bits in his ears as he ran, without reacting, but yes, he was floored and turned over by a boxer for knicking his toy, wound up by a boxer on his regular walk, and then one day a black lab knicked his BALL and from then on it has been dog on dog aggression. Just recently I feel that he has displayed some fear in dog greeting situations, but now when meeting Geese. BastardDog

[bergedorf]

It is really good to know I'm not alone in having a reactive dog. At the moment she can hear the children playing upstairs and she's at the bottom barking her head off. They're not even playing Loudly - just chatting and laughing - but this is enough to put her on guard.

Behaviourist says this is anxiety which is why we have to keep everything so calm (no visitors and children not allowed to run from one room to another etc).
But seriously, I can't ban them from talking or laughing.

We've been told to just completely ignore it, so I'm here typing away with jaw set, staring straight ahead, wondering when this will ever stop.

On the upside she's Fine outside, so have already taken her on long walk. Just one bark at a jogger and a few yappity yaps at a paper boy. Not too bad for her. Though.. to be honest.. they Were the only people we saw at 7am this morning..!

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

This thread has made me inexplicably happy (recognition) and sad (poor pooches).
My BD is 6yo male terrier cross who had approx 5 homes before he came to us at 2yo. He is reactive, neurotic, hates males that are unneutered, barks at anything and everything,pees by the door when we leave him, has killed two sheep, has no recall at all if he smells something interesting and we still love him- how?

[digerd]

One of my Westie females was very jealous, and attacked my other who had been friendly to all other dogs. That also, affected her, and after that she went aggressive at all other strange dogs. But it passed after finding a new loving home for the jealous one who wanted to be an only pampered pooch. She had also attacked my Lhasa Apso who was non-aggressive to all and sundry, but it didn't affect her- she was sooo laid back and remained unphased by it.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

We are going to meet a new home boarder soon. She has dogs of her own, but has a large kennel/run in her garden so can manage introductions at Jas's pace. I really hope it works out

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Killed two sheep

How did he manage that without being shot?

My BD has managed two canada geese, a swoose and a duck so far.

[foolonthehill]

what's a swoose?...sounds very exotic!!!!

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

Sadly, he managed to get into a field of sheep and, trust me, it doesn't take much to scare/hurt a sheep. They evidently go into a state of shock. The farmer found him, and in the circumstances he was extremely understanding. Apparently, they are only allowed to shoot the dog on the spot, and thankfully he was spared. Spoke to the farmer later in the day and the two sheep had to be put to sleep. Horrible and upsetting for everyone, I NEVER walk near livestock now.

[ClaimedByMe]

After yesterdays attempt to amputate a dogs leg with her teeth BD has been on her best behaviour today, I feel very unsettled when she behaves.

[Scuttlebutter]

Cuebill, you're right - you have had a SOH bypass.
Like pretty much everyone else on this thread, I adore my BD, and am working on his problems - we are using BAT, and I take our other dogs to training every week. God knows, I've defended positive training and the many benefits of rescue on here umpteen times. Also, like everyone else, training is a long hard road, especially with dogs who have difficult pasts and ongoing health issues. No stealth boasting here - just sharing. Having a reactive dog is very isolating and wearing - knowing others are in the same boat is reassuring and helpful.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

Well, the boarder didn't work out. I just didn't get a good vibe. Thankfully, DH insisted that we look at a recommended boarding kennels on the way home and it is perfect. The lady who runs it showed us around and reassured me that there is a kennel block which looks out over fields, and that Jas would find it much quieter and less stressful.The place was spotless and all the dogs looked happy and relaxed. She has working cockers herself and was more than happy to deal with my ball obsessed nutjob on two walks a day. Phew.

[NotMostPeople]

Well I only confessed to one BD because my youngest dog is perhaps a bit young to get the title but she is a pain (13 months). She hasn't been trained as well as she should have because of BD obviously I shouldn't have taken on a second dog so quickly but BD wasn't a B then. Anyhow here I am and I've got to tackle them both. Today DH and I decided to keep them both on the lead and I showed him how to train Dog to walk to heal we had the most relaxing walk ever. BD only growled and one of the four dogs we passed and little dog walked to heal with DH beautifully.

So I've decided that for the short term I'm going to keep them both on the lead and walk them separately. It'll be a pain because Monday to Friday I do all the walks so I think I'm going to have to do two walks each morning and possibly the same again in the evening. I'm hoping that if I can at least get them walking to heal well separately I can then work up to doing it together. At the moment walking them on lead together is a nightmare.

[MagratGarlik]

My BD is very well-behaved when he meets calm dogs who, if he is on- lead are also on-lead. He is reactive if he is approached by of-lead dogs when he is in-lead, particularly if they are very full-on breeds such as labs.

We were recently walking with both dogs on-lead and three off-lead dogs came running over from the other side of the park. Whippy (BD) barked at them and lurcher girl (placid dog) panicked, slipped her collar and ran. We were very lucky to get her back. The owner if the three off-lead dogs blamed us because he "walks all the time in this park and I've never seen you before" .

[MagratGarlik]

Sorry, the typing in that last post was shocking. I blame my phone.

[digerd]

The rules are that if you have dogs off the lead and you see someone you do not know, you recall your dogs and leash them. That man was just showing his ignorance, inconsideration, and lack of common sense.

[TaggieCampbellBlack]

Non-BD collie has always been barky. Not agressive, just talkative and to let us know something or someone is coming in.

Much much much less barky since going deaf .

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Taggie - that's what ddog2 is like, but I am finding it really difficult to cope with, as are ds2 and ds3. I have tried praising and rewarding when she stops barking, and holding her attention with a treat so she carries on not barking even though the stimulus is still there, iyswim.

Is there anything else I can do to train her out of the excessive barking?

[ExitPursuedByABear]

A Swoose is a Swan crossed with a goose. (I am sure crossed is the right word .

You were very lucky not having your dog shot furcoat - round here they shoot on sight if a dog is in with sheep, no questions asked.

[gymmummy64]

BBBBBBdog tonight. Not with other dogs, but bastardly all the same. We've been on a roll, gymdog and I. Since xmas, a new, deep, genuine level of understanding. He trusts me to look after him around other dogs, he knows I am the centre of his world, we are connected, woman and dog. It's how it's meant to be.

So tonight, rather than take him into our small garden on the lead to do his final wee as I would normally do, I decided spontaneously we would venture forth woman and dog in mutual trust and understanding without a lead. Everything would be fine as such is our level of connection I am now practically a dog whisperer...

I had barely got to the bottom of the step outside the back door when I heard him shoot off and leg it over the fence at the bottom of the garden. HOW?? WHY?? It's weeks and weeks since he's done anything but go a few meters on a lead into the garden. He's been nowhere near that fence since probably November.

WHY when I start to trust him does he make me feel like he;s just been waiting for me to slip up so he can be a 'real' dog again??

it's 11.20, I'm in bed, he's still missing. Bastard.

Hope Cuebill isn't reading this...

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Missing

(I couldn't go to bed).

[Floralnomad]

I'd be out with a search party , where are you and we can get some volunteers!

[gymmummy64]

Not much choice Exit, we've been here before . I'm in bed, but not about to sleep. 2 hours is his usual absconding time. Back door is open and I'm going down every 15 mins or so. He's in the allotments behind the house doing goodness knows what, but I know he wont come back until he's ready. I'll still keep going out and calling him though

[gymmummy64]

I didn't mean to sound so complacent. I'm really not, but the allotments are relatively safe I think (well, for him, not the allotment owners). He's done this several times before (every time I think we're making progress with recall in fact) which is how I know 2 hours is the usual timeframe. It's his third time in the allotments and they are better than some of his other escape locations.

From what I understand of his past, he had free reign of large amounts of fields in Ireland. He's trying very hard I think but it's a big change from that to a long lead in West London

[Floralnomad]

Hope he comes home soon .

[starsandunicorns]

Not so much a bd dog but whippet/ corgi age nearly 7 doesnt do rain snow wind and and everything inbetween hates the dark so walks are in the day time does have brill recall however does sometimes runs away when she sees another dog turns round to stare at u while you doing you best to get her back and then you made to look like a crap owner. Needy. Barks when door is knocked not a massive problem but we live now above shops and people radomly knock the door as they go past. When vistors come in becomes more needy and makes out we dont give her cuddles. Follows me everywhere even to the loo. However is she a fab doggywoo and i think she misses our cat who would lay under her and demand a bath