How can I stop one dog chasing the other off lead ?

Hi everyone,

I need some help in stopping my male from chasing the female when they are off lead. They spend a lot of time together during the day and play fight alot - although this is starting to calm down a bit now as Theo is 10 months. Anyway, the real problem is if they go out together - which we try not to let happen too often in the hope that he'll just forget about it one day. Anyway, Figg will run off exploring and he just gets so focused on chasing her, he's not being agressive ( although he has nipped her bum a few times) but I am not sure how to stop them.
We have tried letting them off the lead separately which does work although he will try and jump all over her when he is first off the lead, then will just trot off and ignore her. It seems that because she has to go everywhere at 100 mph (and will quite often run straight past him when he is on the lead as if to say 'come on') that he just can not help himself which results in me getting peeved at him cause he just ignores everything I say - Any advice please ??

Have you tried walking them seperately, does he listen to you when he is on his own but off lead?
Ours learnt to focus on us in a one to one situation. They do focus on each other when off lead, as in they chase each other, crash into each other etc. but they also respond when called every time.

thats the thing, he's really good on his own, he's just such a problem when he's with others. If he's on the lead and see's another dog he will sit there are bark his head off because he wnats to say hello, although we have discovered that he only does this in an open space so I'm guessing that it's because he thinks he should be off the lead and able to say hello, at least i have something to work on with this but the chasing.... He looks like a thug as well, you can see what people are thinking, great big vicous dobe chasing around after another dog

Does he chase other dogs as well or just your own. If it's just your own then it doesn't really matter what others think. I know some people see Dobermann and panic but they are no different to 2 labs chasing. I found it easier to train them after they had their mad half hour chasing around, I just changed the tempo and got them to do their sits, stays etc. in unison. I used to break up the walks with some in the field chasing the ball ( well Syd chases the ball and Rio chases Syd, her only interest in the ball is to stop him getting it) then some in the trees where there are less distractions and keep calling them back as soon as they get more than say 20 yards ahead and reward them. She soon got used to beating him back, also if I thought their attention was wandering I would disappear behind trees and make them come looking for me. To be honest Rio still watches Syd the whole time but she still does what she is supposed to. Does he focus on anything other than her, a squeaky ball or ball on a rope, something that makes you way more interesting than her. Syd's really easy anything you can throw for him to chase and retrieve and he becomes so focused nothing else matters, Rio is a bit harder as she focuses so much on Syd but she badly wants to please and is very competitive. It's a case of trying things to see what floats his boat and using that to your advantage.

Thanks for the advice trouble, he sounds like he's very similar to Rio, he just focus's and then it's hard to get his attention again (I'll just have to try harder). Occasionally he will chase another dog if it runs off, he just wants to have as game with anyone who will play but mainly it's figg. We try and take two fetch toys and occasionally they will play independently and be really good and others he will fetch his and keep hold of it and chase her - at least he can't nip her bum though
I will try changing the tempo as you suggest, I have hope as he is still so young and he's pretty good otherwise (apart from the pulling but that's another story !) Thanks

He does sound a lot like Rio, if she could work out how to hold two balls in her mouth Syd wouldn't get a look in, but then if he didn't chase the ball nor would she.

Also at 10 months he is slap bang in the middle of his teenage phase, so stepping up the training now will definately pay off later.
Rio excels at the agility side of things so we focus her on jumping over fallen trees and ditches etc. I sometimes think she's got wings the length and height she manages to jump with ease. Also she is a water baby so getting her to retrieve floating toys works really well.
I'm sure you'll find something that works for you.

Sounds like my boy as well
Ace (dobe) is 22 months and can get very over excited when off lead with the others. He will chase them and grab the back of their necks, and with Jazz (who is only 7 months) he will really throw her around. If I try & call him back when he gets to that stage he will just run off, and it will then take me ages to get him back again.
I now let them off seperately unless we are on narrow paths, where he doesn't seem to get so excitable. They will play with a ball together quite happily, but if Ace gets the ball he legs it and leads the others off accross the park!!
He is also very hard to get focused, and just wants to run at 100 miles an hour for the whole walk.
Gotta love those dobie boys eh?

Rachael

Only another 2 years till they start settling down I want to try and start training to do trial work or agility with him, try and focus his energy levels, only a few months left before we can start

I have the same problems with my Dobes as the rest of you.

If you go to the following link you will see what I mean.
http://www.dogsey.com/showthread.php?t=62487

Ok mine are pretty well behaved because once they start to get a little bit to boisterous for the park, I just shout No and then Here and all three of them just come straight back to me.

Jojo-eena, don’t forget yours are still only pups at the moment and they are going to want to play.

Most people will automatically assume that your Dobermanns are aggressive, but if the truth be known they are no different from any other breed of dog. If you keep a tight hand on them and train them correctly then they will become pussycats.

Just remember a well-trained dog is a happy dog, because all they will want to do is please you.

Colin