Lulu And Other Dogs

[pop]

We've been out for our daily jaunt in the countryside this morning.  Everything was wonderful until we came accross another cocker spaniel who really seemed to unnerve Lulu and growled and barked at her and Lulu started to really yap and cry...it doesn't help that Lulu always tries to bat other dogs faces when she meets them...is it playfulness?  Anyway the other cocker [who was only 9 months and beautiful] was immediately put on a lead and away they went.  I couldn't settle after this and decided to go home.   The same thing happened yesterday with a dog on a lead but I got the feeling that that dog was aggressive.
Now I can't help feeling a bit nervous about her round other dogs , she's only 13 weeks old and I'd hate for her to get hurt.  We go to puppy training classes but the pups aren't allowed to play with each other or be off their leads together so what can I do? I really want to get her socialised around other dogs.
Any suggestions?

POP
xxx

[Annette]

I'd suggest you find a puppy class that does allow puppy play. I think that's really the main reason for going to puppy classes at all!

Young dogs have to learn how to play nicely with older dogs. In my (very limited) experience that does involve a certain amount of "telling off" or "putting in their place" by the older dog, but so far we have been fortunate to find really quite tolerant dogs who put up with so much, then let Buddy know he's being a pest.

Buddy does do all the bowing and jumping around you'd expect from a pup, and I think that's probably good.

He met more than his match today though with a VERY bouncy 7 month old setter who was very sweet but VERY VERY bouncy!

[Colin]

There is a difference between puppy socialisation classes and training classes - at proper training I wouldn't have thought it usual to allow the dogs to play off lead.

Pop  - do you have any parks nearby where you are likely to encounter loads of other dogs ? I'd head to such places specifically for socialisation purposes. As Annette says, it is important for Lulu to find her own way with other dogs without too much intervention from yourself - older dogs will recognise she's just a pup and give her quite a bit of leeway but will put her right if need be. It's all part of the learning process for her.

If there are no parks nearby, perhaps you could arrange to meet up somewhere with some of the other owners from the classes ?

[pop]

Thanks everyone for replying.
Colin, we do have loads of parks nearby that people take their dogs to but I am scared stiff that she will get hurt because she lets out some horrendous screams when some dogs jump back at her.  Do you think I should grit my teeth and let her get on with it?

Pop and Lulu
xxx

[suki1964]

Thanks everyone for replying.
Colin, we do have loads of parks nearby that people take their dogs to but I am scared stiff that she will get hurt because she lets out some horrendous screams when some dogs jump back at her.  Do you think I should grit my teeth and let her get on with it?

Pop and Lulu
xxx

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Grit your teeth and go for it

Shes letting out the screams because she hasnt yet learned how to cope. At 13 weeks its really important that you get her socialising and interacting with other dogs asap. She will soon learn how to behave as long as shes allowed to. Dogs are really good at sorting out their own pecking order for themselves and its a very rare occurence that pups get into trouble, older dogs are usually very tolerent with pups. As she gets older they wont be as tolerent and unless shes learned by then thats when the trouble can start.

A good way of getting them used to other dogs is to go to the same place, the same time and walk around with other regular dog walkers. I walk with a group of up to 5 walkers, with a range of dogs - one or two who didnt like Alfies puppyness - but he learned pretty quick which ones he could pester and which ones would tell him off and he walks off lead with no problems at all

[PennyB]

There is a difference between puppy socialisation classes and training classes - at proper training I wouldn't have thought it usual to allow the dogs to play off lead.

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Our training class does when they do recall training with distractions, i.e. other dogs, so everyone is off the lead to play and interact, then after 5 min recalled. We do this a number of times in class.

Ruby would get told off as a pup quite regularly and I just left her to it, but kept an eye on the situation and learnt a lot (as you can learn about all sorts of dog behaviour this way).

I agree about walking with other dogs in the same area regularly as this way (a) you make new friends, and ( your pup gets fantastic socializing.