Help with PRT and other dogs please...

Holly is my 8y old PRT, she is a happy, bouncy high energy dog, she loves people, especially kids and does work with autistic children.

A few years ago she met every dog she met by lying flat out, belly up, she was always very submissive until she knew if they wanted to play or not.

We were out for a walk on the local MOD range, loads of open space etc - 2 BCs ran up to her, she immediately rolled over and with no provocation both attacked, at one stage they were tugging her between them. That incident resulted in lots of stitches.

A few weeks later, whilst on the lead an off lead GSP ran up, sniffed her then flew at her head. More stitches.

Since then, any dog that runs up in her face she will growl, air snap and bark. I keep her on a lead around dogs she doesn't know.

If she meets dogs sensibly within 10 mins or so, depending on the other dog, she can be safely let off with them.

We have worked really hard on this problem with her, but it's like 2 steps forward and 11 back as so many dogs tank up to her. She reacts badly to dogs that run up to her quickly and despite trying treats/ball (she loves her ball!) nothing will distract her from 'shouting' at the dog.

Last September, I was out with the 6 dogs we had (we lost old Jack in December - old age - not related to the attack) an off lead Boxer spotted us and crossed 2 fields - all of mine were on leads and despite pulling them in behind me, the Boxer bit Kali (HWV) in the neck and got old Jack (15y) in the legs and thigh. My little Lurcher Jake although not bitten was very traumatised and screamed when the Boxer was attacking, the more he screamed the more Holly barked and snapped in the direction of the Boxer.

So, she now watches Jake and if he seems afraid of an approaching dog will react by growling/snapping at the invader.

I try to have her meeting safe dogs - she accepts dogs I bring home to foster etc - but how do I get her to be less reactive with dogs running up?

Help! Please. I don't know what I am doing wrong and I want to help her.

Thanks.

Sorry to ask again, but i would hugely appreciate any ones thoughts on what else i can try.

Can't help a lot I'm afraid but what is she like with other people holding the lead. I have a friend whose dog was attacked a couple of times while on lead & now tries to go for any strange dog he meets. The thing is now after working on him at training for a few months he only still does it when my friend has the lead & I'm sure her tension about what is going to happen goes down the lead & makes him worse. Could you get a friend to take the dogs out to see if she is better with someone else?

I had this problem with Cherry. I am afraid the answer I came up with is to work with her to reward her for behaving appropriately with other calm dogs and to stop "rude" out of control dogs getting in her face. I have a pet corrector spray and will use that to stop the other dog getting her to the stage where she "kicks off". Sometimes I will pick her up too. Cherry doesn't mind the pet corrector spray or being picked up.

Cherry is partially sighted and had been the victim of an attack by a Rottweiller so is not good with large dogs. She is now very good with small dogs and puppies. I am happy with this and work around the issues of her reacting to other dogs charging up to her as quite frankly I don't blame her for reacting to them and the owners shouldn't let them do this when they can see that I do have her on a lead.

First of all you are doing NOTHING wrong, it is the other dogs and their owners that are.

Have you tried using a pet corrector (difficult with so many dogs to hold)?

She is behaving perfectly normally and understandably and I am afraid that unless you can walk her where there are fewer rude dogs and owners or walk her with only one other companion so you can protect access to her, she will continue to rehearse a strategy which she hopes will work.

I feel for you, as your dog is suffering due to the thoughtlessness of others.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

I do have a pet corrector but a)it's hard to use thus and hold other dogs and b)my little Lurcher is afraid of it! Aghrr!

I try to stand out in front of her - the trouble is that it's difficult again, to do this when there are multiple dogs running up.

Last Sunday, she ignored a young Boxer, a Westie, a Border - they ignored her too. Out in front of us was a group of off lead Cockers and Labs, I moved down the beach away from them but all came tanking up - surrounding her, standing in front was impossible as they were surrounding her - she began to bark/growl and air snap - the owners did that face and said 'uh-oh typical terrier'

Distracting her with food does help - but not when the dog is leaping on her or in right in her face.

I took her to a training day last year - there was a GSD, 4 Collies, 2 Lhasas, several terriers etc - allowed to walk alongside them she gave a few low grumbles but walked with them (on lead) after a while she was allowed off and was totally fine. The trainer said that in her opinion Holly was fearful to begin with but settled quickly - and that preventing her from being in a situation where dogs could charge up to her would solve the problem - in an ideal world - perfect - but of course this isn't the reality!

I find that I now increasingly walk places where I avoid meeting dogs she doesn't know.

Dogs that she knew before she was attacked she remains friends with regardless of how long it's been since she has seen them. But - is this because I am relaxed knowing that she knows them?

She is growly to dogs in her face regardless of who has the lead but I would say worse with me.

Within the house she is friendly and placid to all the other dogs, she is never reactive over anything, they share food, toys and treats as they have always done.

Does anyone think a hi-viz vest saying 'nervous of dogs' would help?

She has never bitten another dog - however, I don't thinknit would be responsible of me to leave her off lead as she would react to rude dogs in her face. Muzzling her seems wrong - what do you all think?

I feel very frustrated that my happy dog who lay on her back and loved every dog has been essentially spoiled by the attack that happened. It makes me really sad.

Thank you for the replies.

Google Flying Dog Press, go to Free Articles and read "he only wants to say hi". And then come back................

OMG - that article is sooooooo spot on

Tess my little jrt will air snap at a dog if it is 'in her face'. She is a mature bitch and does not tolerate rude behavior from other dogs.

I use an extension lead and release the brake if a dog approaches her on a lead so she has the freedom to move away. I have no problem with her air snapping - if she wanted to bite them she would not be airsnapping.

Tess often meets my new doggy clients and if they are over the top she will snap at them and warn them to mind their manners. If they don't heed her warnings I leash them not her!

The article "he only wants to say hi" is my absolute favourite!!! It says it all!!!
Lou SA