Need help - is she getting aggressive?

[MLR]

I've never noticed the e-collar keeping my two form playing. Or Chloe from chasing out of the playground after a squirrel if she really wants it bad enough. lol. (there aren't any gates) I think you're doing the right thing. Mine have a whole routine they do at the playground. First we go to 'their' picnic table and I unload their water bottles and my pop. Then after a bit I say come on and we go over to the toddler jungle gym and I walk up the stairs and call them to go down the dual slide together. Then they run around the jungle gym and come back up the stairs and go down it again. They do that about three times and then on their own head back to 'their' table and wait for me to come and give them a drink. After I rest for a minute I pretend to jog and they race across the soccer field if their aren't kids playing a game on it. On the way back, again if there aren't kids on it, they walk up on the big kids jungle gym and Herc goes down the tube slide. Chloe won't do that; she's afraid of it. Then they go back to 'their' picnic table for another drink of water and I sit and I make them lay down until they get their wind back. By then they are pretty mellow. About the only thing that would get them going by that time would be if one of their doggie friends happened by. I really wish we had an actual dog park here where I live but the playground is the next best thing. And a lot of people do bring their dogs there. Once we lucked out and there was a five month old dobe puppy, a boxer pup and a great dane pup all at the same time. They all had a ball while we owners stood around talking to each other. I agree with you; it's good for them to socialize with lots of other dogs. We can't be their constant playmates; it's just not natural, they need their own kind. To me that would be like us being dropped onto another planet where we were the only human being. I'd say just keep doing what your doing. Nothing happens over night. But she will get into a routine eventually and know what she can and cannot do without your having to push the button on the clicker to her e-collar. Chloe's fixed and she's got the temper of the two. That's why I also carry a muzzle looped to my fanny pack of dog treats just to be on the safe side. But even she's getting to the point where all I have to do is utter an Uh sound and she knocks it off. It all in the tone of your voice.

 

[lady Dobie]

We actually had a great night at the dog park tonight. We were there about an hour and a half. I kept her e-collar on the whole time. We worked on recalls and did some obedience while we were there, both to improve recall and also to put her in the obedience mindset. I used the e-collar a few times (the "nick") to remind her that "come" means "come", even if we're at the park. I backed it up with really, really good rewards every single time she came when called (beef lung is an amazing treat). It only took a couple nicks, and it went great. She was coming right away when called, even while playing. I would then immediately release her back to play, so it was a positive thing every time she came to me.

She did start to get a little vocal and nippy with a dog, so I gave her a nick exactly when the other dog turned and showed some teeth, so I think she thought it was coming from the dog! It nipped it right in the bud. She played very nice the whole time. There was actually a really good test - a couple of small, really yippy dogs came in and just barked and barked and barked. They started quite a group up, got that whole group really excited with lots of barking and noise. Shanoa got interested, started to go over, and I gave her a "leave it" and she walked away and played with some other dogs. Felt really good about that.

I'm so glad to hear you use your e-collar when out, Mary Lou. I was feeling like I really didn't want to do that, that it would restrict her play, etc., but I really liked having it on her at the park. To be honest, I don't think many people even noticed she was wearing it. But I knew that if I really had to get her to break away from something, it was much more likely to work with that collar on. Both her prong collar and her e-collar to her mean "obedience time", and I'm far more likely to get great behavior out of her. It doesn't even require correction...just wearing it makes the difference. I bet hers could be out of juice and she'd still behave much better.

Anyway, I'm still planning on working hard on recalls and doing a lot more obedience training while at the park. I think getting her in the "working" mindset while we're there will really help. Maybe even starting off with some obedience before she's released to play?

Any other suggestions greatly appreciated!

MC

this is great news to hear.. i think you are nipping it in the bud perfectly

 

[zoorox]

glad it went well.........I agree with panama in the recall. if good training is in place the problem in controlled . I also like a e-collar. zoo started his e-collar this year mostly for recall....as he felt he could romp at will and come back at his own pace. now he knows he MUST return when called. I almost never use the shock....I use the page button....just vibration and wham he does a about turn to me instantly. I only hit the shock button twice since I started useing the collar

dog parks......I train zoo outside the dog park.beside the fence....we dont go in. mostly because I dont trust the control most have with their own dogs. if a fight broke out....zoo is trained to bite. and I just dont want him in that situation.so all the other dog owners watch us train........and wish there dog was as well behaved as mine lol! we are so good we dont need a fence hahahahahahhahaa

 

[hrd2gt]

Good job Meadow! i was gonna say before I got this far, even with my lil italian... if they didnt come when i called, i would go get them... bring em back to where I was... then make him sit there for few minutes (time out) til i released him... then I would call him back right away to make sure he got the point and remember. be surprised how well that works, and sighthounds arent the most respectful dogs out there, LOL

As for dog parks, I love them, usually it is a good crowd, usually any bad dogs are novice owners and cocky ones... but they rarely care bout dogs enuff to take em out. We have Doggy Dip day a couple times a year and SOOOOOOOOOO many dogs go!!! the biggest trouble maker is usually Karma cuz she runs like an idiot between people and dogs with 2-3 dogs chasing her!! But 3 times i have gone... no fights... as we are talking about 100-150 dogs!!!

 

[JanS]

I'm coming into this thread way late, but I'm so glad to hear it's working out so well for you.

I don't blame you on the winter bike riding thing in Mn. It just wouldn't be any fun....

Do you cross country ski? That would be another way to get out with her and get some rather intensive exercise. Although, many of the groomed trails don't allow dogs, for obvious reasons...

 

[bucky5]

I agree with Ingridh...I am not a fan of dog parks....because most people (I don't mean this in a bad way) do not have a clue as to what being a responsible pet owner entails.
My dogs are highly trained service dogs(with very lengthy bragging rights) but if we are in public they are always on a leash and we stay out of dog parks.

 

[MeadowCat]

It's not as much the exercise as the socialization that I'm after. She enjoys other dogs so much that I really want to keep taking her there. For the most part, it's the same owners and dogs that I see, and they are people who know dog behavior and don't get worked up about things. It's just the occasional person who makes it a bad experience.

I'm going to keep working on training there and on recall, and leave her e-collar on so I have more control, just in case.

MC

 

[MyBuddy]

For the most part, it's the same owners and dogs that I see, and they are people who know dog behavior and don't get worked up about things.

If that's the case, maybe these same people can work with both of you, using incidents or even creating incidents to help all of the dogs. You can all be 'ready' for either a correction or a compliment....a great tool for training, especially when you are all on the same 'page'. There's a lot of times I wish I had someone to be the 'other' party, ya know? This could really work in your favor.

 

[MeadowCat]

That's a great idea, as I get to know them better. I'm going to keep that in mind.

MC

 

[hrd2gt]

hmmm maybe instead of biking, teach her to pull sleds like kjersti's dogs....