Socialising, socialising and more socialising!

[mookie&me]

Nicky, I remember you saying Lola had had kennel cough, but had no idea it was so young or with such long-lasting effects. 22 weeks seems so old for her to have been venturing out into the world, and I really feel for you now having to work so hard, even though in none of the early part of her life was she ill-treated or neglected.

Really good post. I hope it helps people think again about 'badly behaved' dogs in the park and how it might not be the owners' fault

[Tulip]

After walking with Lola, I had no idea until you told me Nicky about her missing the 8-12 week window, she's very very social and well-behaved with other dogs.

[Joni]

I am straying a bit away from the actual point of the thread, but for me the hardest thing with Dylan is not knowing why. I have this belief (be it right or wrong) that if I knew why he was like he was I would be able to address it easier. I don't know if it was because he was not correctly socialised, whether he was attacked by a dog, whether he was bullied by his siblings, or whetjer his breeder did not care for him correctly and actually the damage was done when he reached owner no 1.

I guess I will never know but the truth be known it will do my head in for every day I own him. All I know is he did not know how to walk on a lead, he got tired after a 20 min walk, he had the incorrect amount of muscule that the breed should have at his age and he did not leave the breeders (from which the litter was an 'accident') until 6 months.

All I can do is add it all up.

I should add I got Layla at 16-18 weeks and she had never been out of the shed she was born in, and we have got through that, so it is possible sometimes to turn it around, i guess it depends on the dog. I also think although the ramifications are argulably worse with a people agressive dog, it is easier to manage as you can speak to people - like 'keep away from the dog' etc etc, you can't tell another dog to keep away as easily.

Whilst I feel so much for dogs with no manners, as Mookie&Me states, although it may not be the owners fault, they (the dog) don't have to be off the lead. I have let Dylan off and he has gone up to dogs and I regret that, and it will happen again unplanned I am sure, but whilst it may not be the owners fault the dog is bad mannered, it is their fault they are off the lead. I suppose the end result - depends upon how bad mannered the dog is!

I am not sure how much sense this post means to people, but I hope it is of interest from another perspective.

[Tulip]

I know where you're coming from. It means something to me. It's so hard and frustrating to see a dog you're working incredibly hard on take four million steps back for ever one step forward. I admire your work into them, especially Dylan, and feel incredibly humbled that there are owners out there like you who don't just give up on a dog when something more important crops up!

[nickycaplan]

After walking with Lola, I had no idea until you told me Nicky about her missing the 8-12 week window, she's very very social and well-behaved with other dogs.

She can be very well behaved, as you saw on our essex walk, but sometimes, just sometimes, she will be skittish and bully a less dominant dog - especially if she is on the lead!

[mookie&me]

Thanks for the post, Joni. I can imagine how difficult it is to not know the missing piece(s). You're absolutely right - it is of course the owner's responsibility to keep their dog under control, but there are a good many who walk theirs on the lead, only to face a barrage of abuse from an off-lead dog owner who's run up to the 'problem' dog and been snarled/growled at.

Off topic a bit. Sorry..

[Joni]

Yes you are right, I meant the same, but I did not put it so well - I shall put that down to tiredness on my part.

It is a shame all dog owners generally can't be more understanding of each other. I really only say something if an agressive dog comes up off lead or I have a dog come upto me and still 2 minutes on they are still not trying to call it back or can't be bothered or can't and don't come over. But if a dog just comes up to say hello I move away and I often apologise too! Anyway I am veering this topic back to the on / off lead - recall debate, which exists elsewhere, so sorry!

[Stacey100]

Such an important issue, g thread. I feel for you guys who have got dogs that through no fault of your own has developed issues through lack of socialisation before you had ownership.
Murf was kept back by his breeder due to damage to his ear that needed surgery so he too missed that important window, luckily, he didn't develop any anxiety or aggression isses, he was just very rude in the way of barking at everything and everyone, charging in (if he got the chance) without respecting others space and general poor manners around other dogs.

Luna, on the other hand was very well balanced when I brought her home at 8 weeks, I was lucky enough to have the interactions with her from 1 week old so knew her well, she took everthing in her stride.

We did have a blip similar to that of Tulips post, were a very large boistrous dog charged in and frightened her so she started to behave similar to Tulips dog for a while, barking at other dogs that got near but I worked through that and she has relaxed and meets and greets a lot more socially now.

I have been helping a girl up the street who has a year old German Sheperd bitch who is incredibly defencive when on the lead, goes apsolutely balistic when she sees another dog, it looks very aggressive and the girl is struggling to control and understand what to do.

Most people avoid her and have decided that the dog is agresssive when actually she is just very defensive and protective of her handler, it is not agression so when we meet on the walks I have started to help by just allowing her dog to be exposed to my two and not reacting by leaving when it reacts badly so as not to re-enforce that her behaviour will have the desired affect but only when she calms down will we leave, it doesn't help that the owner is now anticipating this reaction which therefor created the reaction now as the dog is feeling the owners anxiety and reacts accordingly. I am trying to explain this to the owner without causing offense so she can recognise this, it also doesn't help that she is not correcting the behaviour correctly but actually rewarding it by offering affection when the dog is in this state so again re-inforcing the dogs behaviour again, it thinks that it is doing the right thing. Crazy.

That is a case of a dog not properly socialised and disciplined correctly and will only escalate without any further support, luckily, my father is a police dog handler so I am very familiar with G Sheperds so I am not intimidated by her in the slightest.
Another good thing is that my two, especially my young one has also benefited from exposure to this dog as they behave calmly and are starting to ignore the dog when it kicks off so is teaching my two not to react to an unstable dog.

I saw a good opportunity to help and develop my two further. It is a shame there are dogs out there that are unable to interact with other dogs socially because of lack of training and understanding.