Confrontations with off leash dogs - Page 1

Most states here the US have leash laws.  An owner must have their dog secured, even if it's on their own property.  Yet many think that letting their dogs roam the yard off leash to go potty or while they're doing chores outside is perfectly okay.  But then someone walks by, with or without a dog on leash, and suddenly these people's dogs go into dominant mode and start coming towards you, tails and ears up, with a "Hey, what'cha think you're doing on my street?" look.  

Now, I have no problems confronting these dogs when I'm alone.  If I'm passing them in their yard and they start coming up behind me, I'll immediately turn around, hold my arm in front of me pointing, and say in a firm voice, "Go."  They usually back up because they're not used to anyone being alpha with them, and run back home.  

But when I'm walking my dog, it's a different story.  She's not friendly with those kinds of dogs that come up to us in that manner.  Her hackles go up, she growls, and she starts dancing on the leash.  I've gotten her to ignore dogs barking that are fenced in their yards, which is a milestone, but dogs coming at us off leash are a different story.  Usually I try to keep walking, and keep her from turning her head to stare at the approaching dog (which would only escalate the situation).  Most of the time, their owners are yelling from the front porch for them to "Come here!" (as if THAT ever works!).  They always say, "Oh, she won't bite", lady, I'm not worried about your little mutt biting me, I'm worried about what her behavior will cause MY dog to do!  I just respond with, "She's not dog friendly" even though she can be (I've seen it happen! lol), because the average dog owner will think that their dog is perfect, and it's always the other dogs' fault if something happens.  Little dogs are the biggest assholes and cause the most problems.  If you're the owner of one, too bad, that's the way I feel.  

To get to my point.  I realize that correcting this behavior is something that needs to be worked on with MY dog, but until (if ever), I work that out, how do I handle these off leash dogs that approach us in a dominant manner?  Little dogs are annoying and hinder us on our walks.  But I'm mostly concerned with the large dogs that could do damage.

 To maintain the trust of your dog when strangers approach, project confidence and make sure you do not telegraph fear through the leash or by your body language or words. You do not want the dog to think you are anxious about people or animals approaching you. You want the dog focused on you, not the passersby. 

When a dog feels threatened by an approaching dog, human or other animal, he will instinctively try to do one of three things: escape, fight, or try to work things out. By staying calm and in control, you can help the dog work things out and realize that passersby are not a threat. 

But too often, owners pass their own anxieties onto their dog. A dog can sense his person is nervous about the approaching animal or human. Anxious reactions such as tightening the leash, yanking on the leash, and speaking in a tense or loud manner can interfere with the dog's ability to work things out with the approaching animal...and if he cannot escape, he might resort to the fight option. Anxious owner behavior also reinforces fear and distrust of strangers, making the dog more aggressive to other animals and people. 

 Adapted from the Dog Fancy article "We're to Blame for On-Leash Aggression" by Andrea Arden. 

* Teach your dog to look at you on command. Use a special word such as "look." Say the word and follow it with a reward. 

* Once your dog associates that command word with pleasure, keep activities interesting by changing the rewards. Teach your dog to carry a toy. This is an example of a "competing behavior." If your dog is looking at you or carrying a toy, he cannot bark at other dogs. 

* Act very happy when another dog approaches. (This may mean a conscious change in your own attitude and behavior in response to approaching people and dogs.) Consistently reward your dog with verbal praise combined with food, treats or toys when other dogs are near. Make your dog think other dogs approaching equals great stuff. Practice this exercise for at least a week. 

* Feed your dog dinner while on a walk. For each piece of kibble, ask your dog to look at you, sit or lie down. Use the food to reward your dog for ignoring or acting calm upon seeing oncoming people, animals and other distractions. 

* Try using a head halter instead of buckle collar. When used properly, it is a gentle way to control your dog. Also, knowing you have more control can help you relax. 

* Do not punish or reprimand. It usually does not work...and it can backfire. 

Carry Pepper spray! Worked for my mother. She was having the same problems a while back with 2 of her neighbors Austrailian Cattle Dogs. 2 Different neighbors. The one did just as you discribed and came at her and Bonnie while the other dog's owners were in the front yard. My mother sprayed the dogs. The neighbors were very upset and after a couple days both neighbors apologized in person and they have had no other incidents. Bonnie is the same way, even in her old age. Has never been on the friendly side toward other dogs. When I had got Bonnie I was 15 and knew nothing of socialization. My fault I guess, but I was just a kid training her by myself. I carry Pepper spray when I bike with my dogs. Where I live we have a lot of Pits that people feel they don't need to keep in their yards. It's a shame, and I'd feel sorry for the dog if I had to do it, but my and my dog's safety is the most important. Not the average pepper spray either. Something more like bear spray. Average pepper spray may just piss the other dog off. Your dog may get sprayed in the process. Please be prepared for that.

Melissa

I meant to say also, that I have complete control over my dogs at all times. They do not get agressive with the other dogs because I don't allow it. They wait for me to do something about the other dogs. It is a matter of control of your dog and being prepared for the other dog.

Melissa

   This dog, and I'm sure,many more like him, IS EVERY dog walkers NIGHTMARE. He was 7 months old in this pic. As a favor to a friend of mine, I took him home with me for a month for training. She wants to be able to take him to dog parks, AND LET HIM OFF THE LEASH.   He is SO dog aggressive, believe me, IT WAS NO PICNIC having him here. I was able to get him to go into his crate W/O his biting your arm off. He learned to walk nice and heel, without having to have the prongs of the pinch collar buried in his neck, and he accepted ONE FEMALE dog, THAT'S IT!     He has already bitten a couple of kids, not hard, but let me tell you this, his lite bites are BONE CRUSHING!    Well, they did NOT follow through with ANY progress I made with him.    I have known this dog since he was 7 weeks old. I told them over and over again, since he was a "little" pup, YOU MUST keep control of him from now, or he is going to be a DANGEROUS DOG!, and, that is just what he is.   I would have taken him and kept him when he first began getting unruly at 4 months old, Now, at almost 1 year, DO I WANT HIM? HELL NO.   He needs a professional trainer and he should never have been bought for an apartment dog.    I really tried my best to help this boy, he really loves me, but I love my other dogs toooo much to jepordize their lives.   This is the problem for many people that DO train and socialize their dogs, and want to go out for a good time walking with their dog. People that DON'T! I have given him his parvo shots and wormed him since the git -go, I couldn't even take him to the free rabies clinic for fear of everyone else's dogs safety. I took him to my vet for rabies shot, because I know, down the road, Proof of Rabies vaccine is definately going to be needed. I really hope this dog is not going to lose his life, due to a lack of training and exercise.

You can order muzzle spray online, pepper spray formulated for dogs.

Direct Stop/Spray Shield citronella spray usually works as well as pepper spray (sometimes better, since it doesn't provoke aggression due to pain). You can get it from amazon.com.

The on-leash dog doesn't have a problem when she alerts and growls at a potentially aggressive off-leash dog who is charging at her. She is responding appropriately to a threat to her well-being. If she knows her person can make the aggressive dog immediately go away with her magic spray, it will help a lot.

I carry bear spray (I'm in Alaska)!  We have been charged aggressively by other dogs - no amount of pleasantness on my part is going to stop that charge.  It's happened when I'm taking my kids for walks too, so it's not just me and my dog that I have to keep safe.  Georgia has dominance issues, but when on leash she is able to ignore other dogs in yards barking or dogs on the other side of the street.  If we are passing another dog on leash she does pull toward the dog, but ONLY displays aggressive behavior when another dog has initiated it. 

Opal

Hey Opal...I've crashed and burned a few times in skijoring on Hillside trails due to off leash dogs trying or even succeeding in jumping on mine in harness...I haven't skijored in awhile.  There are so many irresponsible people out there, half the time I'm out in public parks and walking trails, I have a bad experience with offleash dogs.  I carried bear spray the last couple of times I went for long walks on public land...it helps in unexpected ways..showing it to the owners of the dogs and telling them I'll spray their dog helps motivate them to get their "freindly"-aggressive offleash dog or DOGS away from mine.  Veronica