A Great Walk Today!

With a group of about ten dogs, including two Great Danes! I was sat with Storm and noticed a man who I have spoken to and briefly walked with before, coming up the hill with this group of dogs he walks daily (he is a carer and walks these dogs for their owners who can't get out). One of the dogs, a Lab came up to see Storm and then about 3 others came running over. I said hello and chatting to the man, then asked him if he would mind Storm and I coming along on the walk, so that Storm could have some good doggy socialising time. The chap didn't mind at all (he is very friendly and easy going) and so, we all started walking, then went to meet his friend, who he walks with daily, who has two rescue Great Danes. So, we all went into this man's garden to get him and the Danes and Storm was really nervous of the Danes, as they were so big, especially the big male Dane, who was very interested in this new dog! Storm went all submissive, tail between his legs and ears flat and kept running away from the male Dane and also the Lab, who I was told isn't too good with approaching new dogs in the right way and gets a bit growly. But, the dogs were all fine with Storm after a few minutes, he was just being checked out, as he was the new dog in the pack!

Then we all went for the walk. So, there was Storm, one Lab, four Collies, one Jack Russell and two Great Danes all walking across the field around the bottom of Glastonbury Tor and lots of people were looking and a couple took photos of all the dogs. It was really great for Storm to be part of a big group of dogs and after the initial nerves and being unsure, it was like Storm had known all the dogs forever! I'm hoping to meet up with them all again soon and just hope they really don't mind me joining them on the walks!

Oh sounds like you and Storm had a great time! Parker would love walking in a pack of dogs like this but it would be my worst nightmare with Cherry as she doesn't like big dogs and Great Danes definitely come into that category!
She did meet a Great Dane pup at the specialist vets once and she was really nice with that so she obviously recognised it was a puppy even though it was massive!

sounds great i wish there were people like that around here i could walk with, asbo has gone a nightmare around other dogs.

Storm would have been exactly the same as Cherry IF he had met these dogs when he was on lead! He is really bad with bigger dogs if he is restrained by a lead and I suppose his behaviour off lead today (tail down, ears flat etc) shows just why he is so aggressive to big dogs when on lead i.e. he's showing his fearful of them.

It does sound like it, doesn't it! Merlin is the same. Not having the option to run away can turn nerves into fear.

I have read quite a few times that being on-lead can also hinder their body language when meeting new dogs - a bit like us meeting a new person with our hands tied behind our back.

Oh and I know that labrador Bit of a pest, wouldn't leave Merly and Rue alone when we met him on the Tor, they weren't happy as they were on-lead but despite their clear warnings he kept bobbing back for more of the same - a masochist nuisance!

Cherry just doesn't like big dogs whether on or off-lead! Tried having her off-lead (and muzzled) and she's behaved exactly the same as she would on-lead if given the opportunity! At least on-lead I can re-direct her attention and stop her being reactive. She is ok with large dogs if she's met them a few times and they are calm.

It might not have been the same one, as there are usually two who look very similar, but the other is a Collie cross, who looks almost identical (though a lot older) to Storm.