Yep, he's just trying to be dominant, I'm sick of pointing this out to you!

Ahem




One of my dogs has down a ten minute down stay out of sight with a bowl of food in front of her and one of the dogs going along the line of dogs eating it all........

Na na na na na!

Dammit I thought you would be in bed by now!!!

Ben did a down stay on the sofa with food balanced on his back

Must have been 30 min





OK not so much a stay as he was just lying there
and it was a big bag of crisps I was sharing with my mum

thats nuthin' SLB

my 5 month old puppy will retain a sit-stay INSIDE a fridge full of food WHILST wearing a duvet

thats nuthin' SLB

my 5 month old puppy will retain a sit-stay INSIDE a fridge full of food WHILST wearing a duvet

Our spayed GS, Zelda, will be 3 April 5. She was the star of her obedience classes and is remarkably sweet, loving, well-behaved, responsive, smart, gentle with people, even toddlers, with no bad habits except her mistrust of other dogs which began when she was 7 mos. old, at heel beside me when she was viciously attacked by a standard poodle and literally had the piss scared out of her. Also the neighbor dogs, older than she, have always been bossy and snappy with her. She is great with our cat and my aged dog, and has had a few doggy pals with whom she loves to romp, but strange dogs set her off.
We've had some dogs come to visit. When my husband kept her leashed she was aggressive, but when I released her and threw the ball or frisbee, it was just play time. She even shared her toys, taking turns with the other dog retrieving and just having fun running around.
I realize she has not forgotten being attacked, and now that she is a big girl, she obviously thinks that's how she is supposed to treat strange dogs. I would like to correct this behavior without curbing her protective instinct.
Once we were at a friend's house with other dogs. The neighbor's dog kept inching closer to my leg under the table and growling. My GS put up with it as long as she could, but when the other dog was too close to me, she barked at it in warning. My friend has an older rescued female who is wildly aggressive to Zelda, but she does not respond, only puts herself between me and this dog with no reaction at all. In the car, however, the sight of another dog sets her off.
When I am driving (on our country roads) and she starts barking as we drive by a dog, I brake somewhat suddenly, getting her attention on keeping her balance, and telling her, "Ah-ah" which is what I say instead of "no."
This is a dog on whose paw I can leave a bison meatball, tell her to leave it, and go out of the room. That meatball will still be on her paw when I return, even 10 minutes later. She is a great dog, but most uncomfortable about strange dogs, her only shortcoming.
Fortunately the local boarding kennel is run by a woman who is most astute about doggy dynamics and knows how to match Zelda up with likely playmates. Zelda loves to go there, and perhaps I should take her there more often.
Any insights are appreciated - but only from people who have high standards for canine behavior. My dogs do not sleep in our bed, get on the furniture, or jump on people. Frankly, I am not interested in advice from people who allow that sort of behavior.