Dog to dog aggression while camping
We just completed 4 wonderful days at a county CG on a very nice fishing lake. The moment we arrived, we noticed a family with a pit bull running loose. I asked them to put it on a leash as we h...
Forum Discussion
Happytraveler wrote:
I guess you would say we failed in the socialization of our dog because he distrusted strange dogs after he got attacked by a strange dog.
That's exactly what happened to Charlie when he was around 10 months old. He was never the same after that incident.
No, what you failed to do is re-socialize your dog. After that incident, you just gave up, went and withdrew from outings where "strange" dogs are? I understand that it wasn't your fault, but c'mon. You and your dog gotta get back up on that horse!
I know it's a pain, but regularly, actively engaging other dogs will keep them from reacting aggressively or fearfully. My dog gets jumped, humped, growled at, barked at and sometimes pinned to the ground (usually it's the other dog just being overly playful), but he NEVER snarls or snaps and just moves on because I trained him to do that. I don't get out the k9 spray and start shooting the other dog. I don't pack up and leave. I don't get grumpy about it. We continue on.
In perspective, it's like driving your vehicle....You know there are offensive, belligerent drivers out there with no regard for others. You adjust accordingly. You don't go into rage mode. You don't start shooting (although you might feel like it) You don't throw anything. You don't stop driving your car because you had an "incident". Now, obviously, any dog that straight out attacks you or you dog and/or starts a fight, you need to do whatever you need to do. But a dog that simply comes into your space? What? Where the rules allow no leashes, my dog does that all time. He's just being social.
As far as I'm concerned, leashes are strictly for other people that either don't want dogs around them or don't want dogs other than their own around them. Or for dogs that are SO out of control, that only a leash can restrain them. That's not a dog that should be out in public anyway -- at least not til it gets properly trained and socialized. If ALL dog owners did this, there'd be a lot more relaxed dogs AND owners out there.
