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I have had a few instances where other dogs have been too aggressive in their greetings to Emma so now she is very nervous around other dogs. When we go to the dog park, she's ok as long as the other dogs aren't too enthusiastic in their greetings or if they pretty much ignore her. I would like to find out the best way to socialize her when other dogs aren't maybe too respectful in their greetings. I'm more concerned that if they don't back off when she warns them, that she may hurt another dog.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

What do you mean by too aggressive,alot dogs make noise when they play, what is your reaction? Is she feeding off you reaction, most of time dogs will work it out on their own.

I'd be interested to hear other people's thoughts as well. I'm on the other end of things with a very curious and playful 5 month old puppy who has no fear right now. At this point, she thinks every dog is a potential playmate and she's been put in her place a few times. Most dogs are pretty good (she has a tendency to run right up to other dogs and say hi) when she gets in their face, but once in a while the other dog will snap at her or chase her away. She even tried to chase a border collie with a frisbee one day and she really got told by that dog that the frisbee is NOT hers! She got laid out flat on her back with the other dog on top of her growling and gnashing its teeth (no biting though) but it sure scared her. I just sorta figure it's part of the socialization process and she needs to learn to read other dogs and make the right decision of whether or not to try and play with the other dog. She's getting bigger, is about 30 pounds right now and can hold her own, but I worry sometimes if I'm asking for an injury one of these days. She's really friendly and not aggressive at all, really good with little dogs. It's the bigger ones I'm more worried about. Ironically, her "best friend" at dog daycare is a huge mastiff that probably is 4 times her size and weight! LOL

Prairiedoug,

I'm with you too, my dog is always ready to play with whomever comes along. As a puppy, he ran right up to dogs, he has been put in his place a few times at the dog park, but thankfully nothing too serious has happened. He's also 75 lbs though, so I could see how someone with a smaller dog could be intimidated. But you know, sometimes it's the smaller dogs that are the best at putting him in his place! Now when he's at the park, he's better at gauging the other dog's reaction, he'll come up slow to some, but quicker to others. The only time he puts other dogs in their place is if another dog bumps into or jumps up on either myself or my husband.

Emmasmom,

What has happened thus far to make you think that your dog would hurt another dog? Does she growl, snap, bite? Remember, a bite is not a real bite unless it's broken skin, if it was her grabbing the skin of another dog in her mouth, but not breaking it, it's an effective warning to that other dog to back off because they're invading her space, and that's ok assuming it doesn't get out of hand. When she does have those good greetings with other dogs, make sure she gets lots of praise. If a dog is coming towards you with an exuberant greeting, you can choose to let her say hi, or keep on walking. Try not to tense up on the leash, as she'll react to that. Be as relaxed as you can, and greet the other owner (so your dog doesn't feel compelled to say hi for you). If your dog puts the other dog in it's place, its a good bet that the other owner has had this happen before, and if they are upset about it, all you can do is explain why your dog did what it did, and if it was a proper correction, do not punish her for it.

I"m not sure if you can get back episodes but a good one to watch might be the one with Mable in it. Brad clearly shows both sides, the approacher and the approachee (?) What their reactions mean, etc while out walking and in doggy daycare.

I took my two to Petsmart to get tag silencers & look for leashes and there were dogs that were tiny and some almost as big as my puppies, it turned out to be one of their training days. It was interesting to see how they would respond to different sized dogs. But they treated them as if they were all the same size, they just smelled different. I think one of the key things was my being relaxed about it, and telling the owners its okay, mine are good with other dogs. With us being relaxed the dogs could be too.

Hey there I'm the owner of the not so well socialized dog, meaning the old dog is a grumpy and aggresive old dog with other dog. He seems to be fine with the dogs he knows ie my bf dog and his parents too pooches but really can be agrresive with other dogs that are new...I'm definatly gonna be reading that chapter about proper socialization..but for now im resposible or my dog and his actions, he doesnt go off leash yet near new dogs, i think time will tell how we do there. Well just enjoy our long walks and lots of play time now with people and the dog friends he knows. I'd hope that the people at your dog park would be responsible enough to know that there dogs are like afterall they are there family. And if anything ever happened ie your dog got hurt by the other dog aggressive behaviour( i dont mean hurt cause they were playing) then you should get that person name and phone number so you can make arrangement ie if you need to pay vet bills and stuff, or if they are lot of trouble you can somehow report them.

If a dog approaches Emma too enthusiastically, she will growl and bare her teeth and will occassionally snap. I find the ones that intimadate Emma most are the ones who get "in her face" right off. I'm trying to find a solution to this socialization issue before she does actually break the skin of another dog. I did have an instance in the dog park where the dog approached Emma and took her warning as a sign of aggression and went after her and Emma just tried to run away with her tail between her legs. I find she is better with other dogs when she is off leash. I try to encourage her to make friends and I'm friendly and relaxed towards other dogs that come up to us in a calm way. There was one instance where a lab puppy came up to us as we were leaving the park so I had Emma on leash and Emma was giving him a warning but the puppy wasn't backing off. I finally asked the owner to call her dog back because I was afraid that Emma might hurt him. I had a loose leash so that Emma didn't feel trapped but I was more concerned for the welfare of the other dog.

Emma's an 80lbs. lab and it doesn't seem to matter what size the dog is. She's had a miniature pincher bolt out of the owner's car and come after her - of course the owner thought that was just the most hilarious thing ever!

I think that's part of the issue with Ella. If another dog is equally nervous or hostile, she takes that as a challenge and then they are into it. She will not back down.

She did that first day I ever took her to the off-leash park. She rolled belly up three times in a row and then the other dog literally attacked and injured her and since then. NO backing down.

I'm worried about escalation because she thinks she is protecting herself.

Paririedog - seems like your dog is being taught well by the other dogs at the dog park
She's being taught manners and how to greet other dogs. Some dog don't like the run-up-to-your-face greeting. It's not polite. So they see a dog running at warp speed and prepapre to be bowled over so they get their defences up and growl or snap to say "SLOW DOWN JERK"
Even a polite slower greeting to some dogs just doesn't go over well. That's just them.

Eventhough Keymo tries to greet 90% of the dogs he sees at the dog park, he's learned that not every dog wants to play and even a polite "hello" can get a growl from a dog.
He just walks away now, and moves on to the next dog like he doesn't care. "There are more dogs in the park"

Emmasmom - seems like your dog doesn't appreciate the in-your-face greeting, and she telling the dogs that do that - BUG OFF!
That's ok, even a growl or a little snap is ok - it's her "warning" and it they don't abide, she'll give them a stronger warning.

At Brad's seminar, we watched a video about how dogs give other dogs "warnings".
First comes a little lip curl, showing a few teeth, which says buzz off
The second could be a snarl, growl or even a snap
Then the LAST warning is REALLY in your face al out - that says - I GAVE YOU 2 WARNINGS NOW BUZZ OFFFFF!"

As long as any dog isn't getting truly aggressive and causing fear where you think (or see) true anger I wouldn'e be too concerned. Puppies need to be taught by other dogs.
I think most of us who are taking SO MUCH TIME to learn about their dog's behaviour, with help from people like Brad, can see the signs of a troubled dog with real issues.

EmmasMom, are there dogs that Emma DOES get along with well? Or is it only just the dogs with high-energy and greet 'in your face' style? Dogs, although dogs, are similar to people in many ways - they have their own little personalities, preferences, interactive and social tastes, etc. For example, there might be people or personalities that I love that you'd find yucky lol... Imagine - would you like it if some hyper, high-strung person came over to you, jumping all over the place, yelling, 'Hi! Hi! Hi! How are you? Hi! Look at me! Aren't I cute?!? Hi! Hi! Let's go play now!'? I'd probably nip and growl at them too LOL! Jessie, my Lab, will be 6 mos. this Monday, and is still a boisterous 'in your face' greeter. She's been nipped at a couple times by dogs who don't like this style. And you know what? I'm glad they nip and growl at her - that way she'll learn how to read dog body language better, and read the signs of dogs who want to play and like her energy, and the dogs who do not...

Here's a couple vids of Jessie being a goof at the dog park lol...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOl12OSF7vg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5pXZHVCEM4