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kida
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Location: Hampshire, UK
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08-11-2011, 08:40 PM

Murphy goes bananas when he sees (Some) other dogs!?

Hi all,
Murphy the irish lab X we rescued has been with us for just over a month now. He is the most loving funny wonderful dog, and we all love him to bits.
We have sorted the ringworm out (drontal) and he is now nice and steady on Harringtons which seems to suit him well.

We were told he was good with other dogs, we saw him in the kennel yard with a staffie GSD and another lab and he was fine. He seems to like the golden retriever next door and kisses him through the fence, Max goes beserk at Murph, who just looks at me as if to say " look at him - all angry!" and lays down to watch Max get all riled up! We meet with a friend who has a labradoodle who Murph loves playing with and is very gentle with, BUT, if he sees another dog, who is quite a distance from us, be it we are in the car or on foot, he GOES BALLISTIC!! Barking trying to get off the lead pulling hackles up the works!! Obviously we dont know his past and cant get him nutured for another couple of months (condition of sale from rehome charity) but given his gentle nature in all other areas, ANY IDEAS? how do you start socialising a mutt that looks to others like he will murder their beloved pooch??!! ( he has NEVER even growled at us or any other human and licks the postman to death every morning!!
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WhichPets
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08-11-2011, 11:15 PM
When he reacts to the other dog is it through aggression or frustration that he cannot get to them? It's hard to tell reading your post as you say that when the neighbours dog reacts murphy is calm?
Hackles up are not always a sign or aggression but of arousal. My dog puts them up upon meeting other dogs or playing. When she is aggressive towards people (which we are working on) her hackles do not raise.

In any case it is obviously something that needs working on, I'm sure there will be plenty of people on here who can offer more help. I would suggest trying to find out what provokes the behaviour and at what distance. Work on finding and rewarding him at a distance he can cope with.
Dog aggression workbook by James o heare is a good read, as is the culture clash by Jean donaldson if you have not read that one already.
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smokeybear
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09-11-2011, 12:31 AM
Originally Posted by kida View Post
Hi all,
Murphy the irish lab X we rescued has been with us for just over a month now. He is the most loving funny wonderful dog, and we all love him to bits.
We have sorted the ringworm out (drontal) and he is now nice and steady on Harringtons which seems to suit him well.

Never heard that Drontal cured ringworm?

We were told he was good with other dogs, we saw him in the kennel yard with a staffie GSD and another lab and he was fine. He seems to like the golden retriever next door and kisses him through the fence, Max goes beserk at Murph, who just looks at me as if to say " look at him - all angry!" and lays down to watch Max get all riled up! We meet with a friend who has a labradoodle who Murph loves playing with and is very gentle with, BUT, if he sees another dog, who is quite a distance from us, be it we are in the car or on foot, he GOES BALLISTIC!! Barking trying to get off the lead pulling hackles up the works!! Obviously we dont know his past and cant get him nutured for another couple of months (condition of sale from rehome charity) but given his gentle nature in all other areas, ANY IDEAS? how do you start socialising a mutt that looks to others like he will murder their beloved pooch??!! ( he has NEVER even growled at us or any other human and licks the postman to death every morning!!
http://www.clickersolutions.com/arti...aggression.htm
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TabithaJ
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09-11-2011, 09:15 AM
Since you say he's friendly with dog when off lead and free to greet them, I'd guess this may be 'barrier frustration'. My Lab displays it too. It's frustration at not being able to get to and engage with other dogs that he sees.

It can look like aggression - barking, lunges, hackles up, etc. But it isn't.

If your dog is fine off leash, with no displays of aggression, then I'd guess it's frustration you're seeing when he's prevented - by a lead, being in a car, etc, - from meeting another dog.

Labs are often really sociable and raging extroverts They love nothing more than bouncing up to every dog they see to say hello

Possible solutions:

Have you tried the 'watch me'?

Start at home, when it's quiet. Hold up a piece of kibble or other food and command 'watch me'. When your dog looks at you IMMEDIATELY reward with the food.

Keep practising. Gradually get him looking at you for longer before giving the reward.

Then start doing it when out and about - again, a lot of practise is key. Eventually you can give the command as soon as you see or your dog sees another dog and your fellow will be too busy looking at you and waiting for his reward to go beserk at the sight of another dog.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Also - why are you having to wait before having him neutered? Virtually all rescues make this a condition which has to be fullfilled sooner rather than later. Just wondering
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kida
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09-11-2011, 09:28 AM
Morning,

Thanks for the advice - We are well down the road of learning recall, he comes back to me when i whistle and immediately shout COME BACK! worked on this for ages in garden then out when on and off lead and so far so good - but so far has always been on leash when he has done his ballistic thing with other dogs. I thought like Tabithaj it may be frustration at not being able to go over and say hello - but being a novice mum I did not feel it would be ok to take my growling,barking hyped up mutt across the road shouting "its ok he doesnt bite" to meet the other dog?? I was thinking of going to a training class that ive been recommended and seeing how we get on - as long as I fill them in before on what he is like? He is such a loving boy and I dont want to let him down, I want him to have some buddies and be able to play with other dogs. We had to sign form saying we would not get any surgery (other than emergency) done on murph for 4 months we assumed this was settling in period? kida
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kida
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09-11-2011, 09:32 AM
OOPS sorry meant ROUNDWORM
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