My dog was jumped at 13 weeks by two dogs bigger than him in puppy kindergarten and while my dog was screaming the instructor said to "let the dogs work it out." We never went back and I found a new trainer.
My dog was "reactive" towards other dogs after that and the new trainer helped me to greatly lessen the problem. The new trainer said I had to absolutely ensure that no dog ever got to my dog again.
I've read over and over on this forum how people have protected their GSDs from other dogs in public, and I wondered, "What I would do?"
Usually I go at late hours to my favorite park, but today I went earlier. Well, while I was giving my dog a drink of water from a bowl I brought at a park water fountain, a loose dog came up. I turned around and there was this bigger dog. Without thinking, I got my pup behind me and told the man and woman walking by to get their dog. They weren't concerned, and did nothing, and kept walking.
The dog kept advancing and came up to me and I blocked him. He looked like he was interested in my dog, so I tapped him with the palm of my hand on the side of his muzzle and he stopped.
Then the lady rushed over and screamed at me for hitting her dog. I said, "Your dog is not under control, get him away from my dog. My dog has already been attacked by another dog." She grabbed her dog (rougher than I touched him) and she said to me, "You're making your dog a wussie!!"
I knew better than to say anything. I wanted to say, "Well, there's a whole bunch of GSD owners (on the forum) who know what I'm doing!!"
The best news--my boy never reacted at all. He knows his momma has his back??
My dog was "reactive" towards other dogs after that and the new trainer helped me to greatly lessen the problem. The new trainer said I had to absolutely ensure that no dog ever got to my dog again.
I've read over and over on this forum how people have protected their GSDs from other dogs in public, and I wondered, "What I would do?"
Usually I go at late hours to my favorite park, but today I went earlier. Well, while I was giving my dog a drink of water from a bowl I brought at a park water fountain, a loose dog came up. I turned around and there was this bigger dog. Without thinking, I got my pup behind me and told the man and woman walking by to get their dog. They weren't concerned, and did nothing, and kept walking.
The dog kept advancing and came up to me and I blocked him. He looked like he was interested in my dog, so I tapped him with the palm of my hand on the side of his muzzle and he stopped.
Then the lady rushed over and screamed at me for hitting her dog. I said, "Your dog is not under control, get him away from my dog. My dog has already been attacked by another dog." She grabbed her dog (rougher than I touched him) and she said to me, "You're making your dog a wussie!!"
I knew better than to say anything. I wanted to say, "Well, there's a whole bunch of GSD owners (on the forum) who know what I'm doing!!"
The best news--my boy never reacted at all. He knows his momma has his back??