Bullying at the dog park

Cosmo is often bullied at the dog park. He is always submissive to other dogs and just wants to play but more often than not he is warned off and/or attacked (no broken skin yet), even though he's instantly on his back. A friend suggested to me that he may not have learned the social ropes as a puppy. For instance, he does have an intense stare, but I assume most herding dogs do. Any ideas or suggestions for better doggie relations? We really feel for him. He's getting more shy about interacting given his many past encounters and rejections.

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Permalink Reply by Sandy Clarke on March 2, 2011 at 11:17am

I hadn't thought of trying to build his confidence with more agressive play. He does love a good tug session. He is neutered, so that doesn't seem to be an issue. I plan to find an agility class so he can learn some new moves in the company of other focused dogs. Thanks for the very thoughtful response. We'll keep everyone posted on his progress.