Dog Aggression Or Not?

southerngirl

Honored Member
I really want to be able to take my Missy to dog parks and other places such as the lake. Only problem is that I'm really not sure how she is with other dogs. When I walk her past another dog she'll whine and pull toward it most of the time her fur is flat, but every once in a while it is standing up just with certain dogs. When she's far away from them and not like right beside them she 'll try to drag me away like she's scared of them. I'm confused, so does she want to greet them or eat them? The reason why I've never really let her greet the dogs is because I used to have a dog who was highly aggressive toward other dogs and used to get in really bad fights with our older dog it was a horrific sight. So I'm scared that Missy being kinda small she might get hurt. How can I tell if she's being aggressive or she just wants to meet the other dog. Oh and I've been working with her and she has gotten much better at walking past other dogs
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
Well, maybe prior to introducing Missy to the verrrrrrry unpredictable world of dog parks,
why not have some friends bring over some dogs that you KNOW are NOT dog-aggressive,
and observe IF Missy can or can not play successfully, maybe even starting with just ONE dog?
if that goes well,
try 2 friends with dogs?

Since you DO have some concern about Missy's social skills,
or, if Missy has not had much chance to practice her social skills---------
i would not recommend taking her to a full-blown, exciting dog park, where there might be any kind of crazy dog there to upset her. Even just being IN the dog park might set her over her threshhold, i'd do some observations in wayyyyyyyyy less exciting settings than starting in a dog park.

for what it's worth---------and it might not be worth a thing, cuz all dogs are individuals----------my own dog, Buddy, a notoriuos gangsta who dislikes *most* other dogs-----------when Buddy WHINES, he "likes" the other dog.

when i hear Buddy whine, is good sign from *my* dog. This might not apply to ANY other dog than Buddy, but, for Buddy, a whine when he sees another dog is "oh, i want to play with HIM!".
IT MIGHT NOT APPLY TO *YOUR* DOG though.

but, i would not bring a dog to a dog park unless i knew for 100% sure, the dog can successfully play well with other dogs. Wouldn't cross my mind to even attempt that, but, that's just me.
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
My little brother plays baseball and I bring her with me to all his games. I'm thinking that she's whining because she wants to go see them. I have aloud her to play with my cousins puppy and she was fine with him. I could see if my neighbor would allow me to borrow his husky and have my brother walk his husky(Koda) and I walk Missy and if she seems fine with Koda's presence then allow them to greet one another. I know Koda is friendly cause she goes to dog parks all the time. Would that be a good way to introduce them?
 

running_dog

Honored Member
I'd also be careful about how many conclusions you draw about Missy's social skills from her behaviour so far. If you are worried then she might sometimes be reacting to your stress not the other dog. I think Tigerlily is right about getting a friendly dog to visit though maybe not at home - Missy might be defensive there - could you arrange to go for a walk together in a neutral place to start with?
 

southerngirl

Honored Member
I used to get stressed about it but I knew that my stress would go to Missy so I worked on it and no longer get stressed or nervous walking by dogs. There is a nice trail that I can take them on Missy seldom goes on it so she won't be defensive. Also I noticed that she reacts worse to dogs when I'm with someone else such as my mom or a friend. Could the reason why she acts like she does around other dogs cause she's overprotective over me cause when my I'm playing around with my brothers and they hit me just joking around she gets really mad barking like crazy at them.
 
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