Playing with other dogs

[MohusParticipant]

Mohus

Participant

My dog doesn’t get along with other dogs. I think that is because he had a difficult childhood when she was not my dog yet. My question is: How could I get her to socialize more with other dogs?

Thank you so much!

[BreeParticipant]

Bree

Participant

That can be tough. Have you ever thought about trying to take her to obedience classes? That’s a place where she would be around other dogs and have a chance to socialize with them, but with a goal at the same time. Also, you’d then have a dog trainer or behaviorist on hand to help you if your dog gets hard to control.

[BrandonParticipant]

Brandon

Participant

My dog was like that when I first got her. The first time I took her to a dog park she just sat in the corner with a scarred look on her face. But the second time I took her to the park she was completely different, now she loves playing with other dogs. Does your dog get a chance to meet other dogs off leash? I’ve heard that sometimes they are more defensive towards other dogs while on leash. I’ve also heard that it could be partly due to the owner’s disposition, as in if you’re anxious then your dog will also be anxious because they look towards their owner (pack leader) for guidance on how to behave. Have you tried introducing your dog to other dogs in different settings?

[MohusParticipant]

Mohus

Participant

Thanks so far for these first ideas to socialize my dog. I gave some thought to taking her to an obedience class. That might just be the best way. I think one of the problems is, that a doberman almost killed her in her childhood. That happened before she came to us. Another problem is that we live in a house with a vet clinic in it so she has to hear and smell other dogs every day. She barks in our apartment to scare the other dogs off.

 

I already tried to let her play with some of our friends’ dogs. Sometimes I also try it without a leash, but she is always aggressive. She seems to try to protect me from the other dogs.

Thanks again for your help. I think I will follow your advices and I will talk to a professional dog trainer.

[RenasFishStoreParticipant]

RenasFishStore

Participant

My fiances dog doesn’t spend much time around strangers but loves everyone he meets. On the other hand, my best friends dog meets people everyday and wants to attack.