Out of the Blue

[Sep 14, 2010, 10:33 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

After a number of unpleasant incidents, I now keep Hudson the wonder dog on a leash when we walk the doggie trail to avoid issues from her tendency to challenge other dogs. After working to make her aware that this is unacceptable behavior, I am growing optimistic that her attitude towards other dogs may be softening, as we've had a bunch of relatively peaceful encounters lately. This includes three yesterday, the last of which was like icing on the cake, as it was with a Newfie who had to be 150 lbs, teaching Hudsey a valuable lesson in deference.

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18.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 15, 2010, 03:04

Blue

strich wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 15:52:
How do you go about "making her aware"?

Reason i ask is I've got a shepherd who's fiercely loyal to us, the family. Whenever we take her and our other pup to the dog park, she growls and snaps at other dogs that approach us and try to be friendly. She's even gone so far as to intervene with our other dog's interactions with other dogs.

I've tried to keep her at our side, but she gets snippy and we end up having to take her out of the park. She's not a mean dog, she just thinks she's protecting us.

Sorry, I missed this before.

I have had Hudsey on leash, which offers more control than what you describe at the dog park. Around other dogs I just take close control of her as soon as she acts up with her barking and aggressive posturing and scold her calmly not to do that, and conversely praise her when she is good.

All dog training is about patience and persistence, but it's hard to out-persist a terrier. I can't say she's safe to be trusted off the leash without a muzzle; I'm not sure she ever will be. You may be facing a similar problem with a Shepherd. They are very smart and generally trainable, but their instinct is to protect their flock, and this may be tough to overcome.

All I can say is good luck with it.




Stephen "Blue" Heaslip Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life

17. Re: Out of the Blue Sep 15, 2010, 02:04 Hoop

I have friends with a full grown Tibetan Mastiff.
http://top-dogbreeds.blogspot.com/2010/04/tibetan-mastiff.html
A total softy.
BO BO
Short for "Bodacious" something something




Um .. Behind you...

16.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 22:28

xXBatmanXx

Newfies are pretty much the only dog my big black lab will play with - otherwise she is usually like "meh". Weird. I think she likes the sheer size and fluff of them...who knows. She is 95 pounds herself - so maybe it makes her feel good about herself. Who knows.




In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. / Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. Playing: RL

15.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 22:25

Bitterbug

You should take her at least three times a week for one to two months. Start hitting the park at off hours when there's not a lot of dogs there and work up. If you find that she bonds with some of the dogs more quickly than others, ask the owners if you can take their dogs off to the side so the can play. After every positive interaction with other dogs, give her a treat. strich wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 15:52: How do you go about "making her aware"? Reason i ask is I've got a shepherd who's fiercely loyal to us, the family. Whenever we take her and our other pup to the dog park, she growls and snaps at other dogs that approach us and try to be friendly.

14.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 19:35

Blue

Cutter wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 19:20:
I wubs teh Newfie dogs.

Yeah, I do too -- this guy was just awesome: Beautiful, and sweet as sugar. I just don't know if I could own a giant breed like that: The short lifespan of dogs is heartbreaking enough to deal with, much less the accelerated decrepitude of the big guys... The one we met is 8-1/2, which makes him a senior citizen already.

What's worse, another Mastiff owner shared with me the fact that whenever people met her and her dog, or heard about what kind of dog she had, they would very frequently comment on its shorter lifespan, which has to be a pretty oppressive conversation to keep having.




Stephen "Blue" Heaslip Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life

13.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 19:20

Cutter

I wubs teh Newfie dogs.




"Peter, breakfast for dinner is anarchy!" - Lois

12.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 18:00

space captain

Disciplining dogs is not really about trying to match the dogs intensity, or trying to match their level of physical energy by yelling or jerking them around or whatever. It works off and on, but if you "lose your cool" then a dog knows it and they wont respect it even if they do fear it. The most efficient way is to simply have a more dominant presence - although learning how to do that is a kind of psychological training that has nothing to do with dogs. Dogs will accept proof of your dominance if you can communicate on their level - which is instinctual and emotional.




Go forth, and kill!

11.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 17:52

Kxmode

teaching Hudsey a valuable lesson in deference. But, but, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

10.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 17:37

Ant

PHJF wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 17:09:
I don't even exercise.

Neither do I, and I am big boned.




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Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 17:09

PHJF

I don't even exercise.




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Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 16:33

xXBatmanXx

Are there rocks ahead?




In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. / Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. Playing: RL

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 16:03

Blue

Creston wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 13:50:
I doubt Hudson was impressed with the Newfoundlander being 150 lbs. Dogs never seem to understand the concept of size, for some reason. :)

I know what you mean about that regarding little dogs, but I am positive that size is a factor for Hudson. She is not small herself: She's a lean 55 lbs, but at 25" at the shoulder, she towers over most dogs she meets. She has only had the reaction I saw from her yesterday on two other occasions, once in meeting my uncle's old Mastiff, and the second time meeting his new Mastiff, each a monster weighing in at around 180 lbs. In all three cases (including yesterday) she would not make eye-contact with the other dog (normally her favorite provocative act), and in yesterday's case she walked an extra 10 or more feet out of our way to avoid getting too close to the Newfie (who was, true to his breed, as gentle as a lamb). The time she met my uncle's first Mastiff was the first time she showed any indication that there is a reverse gear in her transmission, as she backed away from him as if he might be explosive.

BTW, the Newfie had the best dog name ever, given his appearance: Fezzik.




Stephen "Blue" Heaslip Blue's News Publisher, Editor-in-Chief, El Presidente for Life

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 15:57

banddirector

Creston wrote on Sep 14, 2010, 13:50:
I doubt Hudson was impressed with the Newfoundlander being 150 lbs. Dogs never seem to understand the concept of size, for some reason.

Creston

I'll bet that if Hudson was off her leash she would've kicked the Newfie's ass ...




There's no place like 127.0.0.1

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 15:52

strich

How do you go about "making her aware"?

Reason i ask is I've got a shepherd who's fiercely loyal to us, the family. Whenever we take her and our other pup to the dog park, she growls and snaps at other dogs that approach us and try to be friendly. She's even gone so far as to intervene with our other dog's interactions with other dogs.

I've tried to keep her at our side, but she gets snippy and we end up having to take her out of the park. She's not a mean dog, she just thinks she's protecting us.




I don't believe in a lot of things, but I do believe in duct tape.

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 13:50

Creston

I doubt Hudson was impressed with the Newfoundlander being 150 lbs. Dogs never seem to understand the concept of size, for some reason. Creston

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 10:47

Redwood

Brian Wood is the definition of hero.

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Sep 14, 2010, 10:43

SpectralMeat

Now that was funny thanks for the laughs Blues and LittleMe !




Steam: SpectralMeat

Re: Out of the Blue

Sep 14, 2010, 10:39

zirik

why not call in the dog whisperer to help hudson? and we all get to see the blues family on television!

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