Strange agression with other dogs.
I have a 1 year old Corgi named Bruce and he lives with myself and my girlfriend in an apartment. He goes nuts when he sees other dogs and people while on walks. He hangs out on the balcony a lot and when he sees people there he doesnt look twice at them. Dogs he still will bark at.
Its strange to me though because he growls and barks like hes being mean but his tail is waging like hes happy and wants to play. We were on a trail the other day and this big nice German Shepard came by. Bruce did his usual barking and growling but luckily the Shepard was very well trained and just sat there and looked at him. Bruce did not attack but actually hid behind me and continued barking. Because of this I do not think hes trying to attack these other dogs. We have not gotten him fixed yet so I was thinking that could be another reason this is happening.
How do I train him out of this? Its embarrassing. When we make his leash short he still pulls until hes standing on two legs and almost choking himself. Any advice or help is appreciated!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
-
Not that this will help but Wynn use to growl at the BIG dogs when we were in Pet Expo...I finally figure out that I would tense up because I was afraid when he did this. Once I realized my stress went up I had to work on me being less stressed and having more fun. It worked for him...don't know why except he maybe felt my emotions????
-
Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
-
Classes may very well help with this behavior so you can work with him around other dogs in a controlled situation. Also, a good positive trainer may have some ideas. Bruce's behavior sounds fear based to me and he should be able to overcome it with help. Try sitting with him in an area where dogs walk by on leash and give treats everytime he can focus on you instead of the other dogs.
-
Permalink Reply by Jane on
-
Sounds like it could be fear or he's an "alpha-wanna-be" so I've heard it called. My cardigan is like this. He acts all big and tough from a distance, but if a dog gets close he's the first to flip on his back. I would highly recommend some positive based obedience classes.
Also you say his tail is wagging, but if he's docked it's probably impossible to see how high it's being held. I high wagging tail gives a different message than a low, relaxed tail wag.
-
Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on
-
This sounds like a variety of dog aversiveness. I had a GerShep that was dog-aversive (it's common in the breed), but it manifested itself in quite a different way. She was not afraid of other dogs; she just wished to rid the world of them.
You might consider trying to find a good dog behaviorist. I know...it sounds woo-woo...but there are people out there who know how to deal with what we humans would call psychological issues if we saw them in a person.
Possibly Bruce is scared of other dogs. I was taught, some years ago, that a frightened dog is a dangerous dog. Try to get him over this fear ASAP -- but please get professional help, to avoid bites to humans (including yourself!) and other dogs.
In the meantime, when in the presence of another dog, always position yourself between Bruce and the other dog. This makes you the "protector" in the doggy mind...not him. That's not a solution -- it's a stopgap. Seek professional advice.
-
Permalink Reply by Bogart the Cardigan on
-
Neutering would be a first step (unless you are a dog breeder). Maybe he wasn't socialized much as a pup. Playtime with other dogs might help. But first take him on walks with friends who have dogs, so he can get used to being around other dogs.
Rescue Store
Stay Connected
FDA Recall
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Recall
Groups
We support...
Badge
© 2024 Created by Sam Tsang.
Powered by
