How to nip nipping in the bud?

[Tanya]

We don't really know a huge amount about Louis's past history - he was practically thrown out of the door to the lady from the rescue who went to collect him. It's believed he was crated and not really walked for the few years of his life, and possibly bullied by another dog.....

He is fine with me, OH and most of the time with the other dogs. He does have a tendency when he wants to go on a bed that Daisy is on to stand next to it and wine and paw at the bed until she gets up. This has resulted on a couple of occasions with a little scrap between them, but it's over in seconds.

When I've been out with them on cocker meets, he has been fine with all your dogs hasn't he? - running round off lead through the woods without any issues ???

However, when we are on the beach, or at the park, and he see other dogs approaching, he starts barking and continues until we pass them. (At the moment he is still on lead, as he's still learning a recall and the birds are just too tempting!)

I had them loose in the enclosed dog section at our park the other day, and some people came up to talk to us with their dogs on the other side of the wire. First of Louis ran towards these dogs at full speed and then barked at them for a bit. He was then putting his nose through the fence and the other dogs came up to sniff and say hello, and each time just as it got to the point where he should be sniffing in return, he would give a very quick little snarly nip and came away with a few hairs in his mouth! :Z

Last night I took him to the local dog classes, which are very unorganized, but a great place for him to meet and get used to lots of different dogs. He was fairly shy throughout it and stuck to me like glue, but towards the end he was accepting a treats off of other people and opening up a bit more. I wasn't letting him get crowded by other dogs, but again when one came up quietly to sniff and say hello, he did the quick snarly, nipping thing instead of returning the sniff.

I know this is a result of total lack of socialization as a young dog, and possibly the result of having been bullied - he now likes to 'get in first' before anyone can have a go at him?

How would you deal with this? I will continue taking him to dog school for socialization, and keep him on the lead around other dogs for now, but when I'm with you lot and your crazy cockers, he is fine off lead.....???

[AngieBaby!]

I dunno the correct answer to this one but will follow everyone's suggestions with interest!:044:

[Fluffy]

I would carry on with his classes and keeping him on the lead,i think it,s sometimes a matter of going back to basics and training all over again,ballache i know,but,it may well pay orf chick,:075:he,s sounds like he,s doing well though babe,so keep up your fabby work with him,and i,m sure it will reward you all in time,,not much use i know but it,s all i can advise chick...good luck xxxxxxmeant to add,when he realises he doesn,t have to get in there first sort of thing,and that all is calm in his world now,i reckon it will all fall into place for him xxxxx

[terri]

its very hard to tell you what to do without seeing what the dog is like in situations where he tries to nip..is it out of fear, fear agression is harder to treat...
also not sure how old the dog is..if young it can be corrected..but will take lots of time and patience..sometimes dogs do it out of habit, because they have been allowed to do it and get away with it..and this is correctable..but harder work and more effort needed..a behavourist may be needed...

yes the socilisation is a great starting point :044:..when hes good..always reward the good behaviour..taking it very much back to basics..
and treating him almost like a puppy..a paw/step at a time..
the more socilisation the better..but in a controlled way..don't let him feel crowded..or threatenend in anyway..that he can react to it..if that makes sence..

a long line lead is an excellent start..:044:
you need to try and read the dog before it can react..if you think hes going to react and nip...try and lead him away gentley..not by tugging/ dragging him ,distract with a toy/ or tasty treat..then for not having a go at the dog approaching..over the top with praise..ect..its going to take time..and lots of patience..but you can turn a dog around..
very much go back to basics....:075:and keep doing what your doing...

if you see another dog approaching..and your dog is barking...then turn and go the other way..until your dog is calm...if you have a friend...that has a calm dog..you can try getting the calm dog & owner to walk towards you..and just keep repeating..until your dog..is not barking /pulling and walk towards the calm dog..treating and over the top with praise..when hes doing what you want....as i said you will need lots of patience..and reputition..so he can see other dogs are not a threat and he deos'nt need to react, once you have the basic control..you can work on this in bigger situations..it will take lots of time..but will be worth it in the long run..

[Tanya]

a long line lead is an excellent start..:044:
you need to try and read the dog before it can react..if you think hes going to react and nip...try and lead him away gentley..not by tugging/ dragging him ,distract with a toy/ or tasty treat..then for not having a go at the dog approaching..over the top with praise..ect..its going to take time..and lots of patience..but you can turn a dog around..
very much go back to basics....:075:and keep doing what your doing...

if you see another dog approaching..and your dog is barking...then turn and go the other way..until your dog is calm....

Thank-you Terri, that sounds like very sensible advice :044: The 'trainer' at the class said a sharp 'no' and a jerk on the lead was the way to go ^^ ......I didn't take much notice of that ;)

He's 4 or 5yrs old, the previous owner said she didn't really know, even though she'd had him from a pup :041:

[jean]

tanya you know what peppers like .. fine if shes left alone but if shes crowded she shows her teeth and has a wee air snap.. shes learnt it does the job and sees unwanteds off. she is a bit fear aggressive.. shes had no real issues apart from a big doing from 2 off lead labs whan she was on lead resulting in puncture wounds this just reinforced her belief that alll strange dogs arent to be trusted. however as you see at meets if she is free and able to run away she relaxes and actually has a good time with the other dogs.
Louis is probably the same and if hes been neutered he will have lost what littel balls he did have ( pardon the pun ) and will lack confidence making fear aggression worse. when hes on a lead or in a confined area you may find his behaviour worse. Pepper got so stressed at dog classes I stopped taking her.
Liath loved it and the more attention the better. I suppose maybe I gave up a bit easy but as you can see shes fine off lead. Once the initial meet and greet is over and shes managed to avoid being sniffed to closely or indeed sniff others.. (she only does that when she feels secure ).. she has a ball.

good luck!:053:

[Kimberley]

Tanya, this sounds very much like my Coco, he was 4 months old when I got him, owners didn't know if they wanted to keep him or not, he'd had no jabs, so he had only been in the garden with his mom and dad, not socialized at all. Don't know why, still at 3 he will not approach men, he used to growl and show his teeth, know he only backs off, Breeze has helped because she'll go to anyone who show's her attention, so Coco thinks it might be OK to follow her. The same with some dogs, never shown anything when we have been out with the other cockers, but will politely make his presents know with others.

Keep on with the training classes, they really helped Coco, as a pup he would nip me, but I think it was with frustration, he was trying to tell me what he wanted, you may think I'm a fool but even tonight he shocked my neighbour, She called me and I was at the top of the garden, he came to tell me he barked several times and jumped up me, it was then my neighbour attracted my attention, she said Kim I can't believe what I have just witnessed Coco came to tell you I was calling you, I think it amazed her. But them he tells tales on Breeze, he goes balistic and keeps running to me, when she starts diggin in the plant pots to hide bones. When I call the OH if he upstairs and I'm downstairs, Coco runs to the OH and again barks profoundly as if to say hurry up, your not paying attention. Coco definately can take control.

[Tanya]

.......however as you see at meets if she is free and able to run away she relaxes and actually has a good time with the other dogs.

Louis is probably the same and if hes been neutered he will have lost what littel balls he did have ( pardon the pun ) and will lack confidence making fear aggression worse. when hes on a lead or in a confined area you may find his behaviour worse. Pepper got so stressed at dog classes I stopped taking her.

Once the initial meet and greet is over and shes managed to avoid being sniffed to closely or indeed sniff others.. (she only does that when she feels secure ).. she has a ball.

good luck!:053:

Yeah very like Louis, so long as he's not crowded he's ok. He isn't stressed at the dog classes, just a bit insecure, so I'll continue with those and see how he get's on :044:



it was then my neighbour attracted my attention, she said Kim I can't believe what I have just witnessed Coco came to tell you I was calling you, I think it amazed her.

Clever boy :046: We've only had him for 3 months now, so it's still early days really, I'll just take things steady with him :044: