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Unleashed small dogs

3K views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  gotahaveaGSD 
#1 ·
I took Lola (4.5mths old) for a walk last night around the neighborhood where we crossed 2 small unleashed dogs.
The first one,a boston terrier ignored his owner's call, walked up and started sniffing Lola non aggressively but the own was visibly panicked.
He yelled all the dog and it pissed me off because I didn't want Lola to feel like she did anything wrong.
A few houses later she was charged by a shih tzu that snapped at her while running circles around her.
I stayed calm as it was 2 little kids out with the dog but I was pissed.
I know this will happen again and I don\t want to come off as the mean neighborhood lady with the GSD. How should I handle a loose agressive dog next time.
I;m not afraid of Lola getting hurt but one snap from her and their dog would be seriously injured.
I'd love advice please.
 
#2 ·
I'd rather be known as the mean old neighbor lady than have any loose dog harassing my dog ... my first allegiance is to protecting my dog.
 
#5 ·
You don't have to scare your dog when you tell someone to put his dog on a leash or not to let their dogs run loose.
 
#16 ·
Oh, I did tell them all of the above but I mean, what do I do physically to stop the small dog from getting at my dog short of kicking it ?

Punch it?

Seriously, the little dogs can be a large problem - I surely wouldn't let my dog get bit by some lunatic dog!

Esp. with a puppy - stay between your dog and the other dog. And if it seems like you can't block them - kick away. Protect your baby!

BTW short swift kicks are a lot more effective than long punt like kicks!
 
#7 ·
I have the worst problem with those small dogs!! Around here they usually have no training, lunge, and challenge our dogs.
Thankfully, the neighbors have realized they need to avoid our two reactive gsdogs.

We now sit and treat our dogs when a little walks by.
 
#8 ·
I think it's good to associate it as much as possible with good things - carrying treats to mark her good behavior, then keep you in front of your dog/away from them and keep walking.

You can also sternly tell the dog to go home. Obviously if big, threatening dogs were approaching, you'd need to take a different role, but it's good for our dogs to learn how to deal w/these things well and it sounds like your girl does. I have a dog who sounds like Regan in the Exorcist when he sees a strange dog approaching... :(
 
#10 ·
I think it's good to associate it as much as possible with good things - carrying treats to mark her good behavior, then keep you in front of your dog/away from them and keep walking.
I utilize the small dog as a training tool (a distraction). I'll pretend that I'm totally ignoring the small threat, while asking my dog to either do something different (Look!) or if my dog is reacting, then I'll ask my dog to continue walking forward, rewarding when my dog focuses on me and not the small threat. I do not ask my dog to sit, or stay. I want to remove him from the distraction.

I'll sweep out a leg and kick the dog, or shove it, or what ever it takes to keep it off my dog. But I try not to let my dog see ME react to the other dog. My reaction to the threat will dictate how my dog reacts. If I start screaming or scolding or shouting, it will cause my dog to react. I want my dog to ignore.

A bigger dog will cause a different reaction from me. That all depends on the size of the threat to my dog. If I don't feel I can safely ignore the dog and utilize the distraction as a training tool, then I will go into defense mode.

My focus and my responsibility is for my dog. I don't worry about what other folks will think, or if I make Suzie Dog Walker mad because I kicked her dog. I won't engage in a shouting match with the owner. If I do, I'm teaching my dog NOT to ignore but to react.
 
#9 ·
Check your laws. I had the same problem when I moved. I had so many small dogs running around my neighborhood off leash or wasn't funny. They are ALL aggressive and they are all Chihuahuas. One bit my dog and to protect me, my dog, and the other dog I had to call animal control. Cause it originally snapped at me first.
 
#11 ·
Just this morning on the way back from the post office Raina and I ran into a lady with a small dog off leash. She carries her extendo lead in her hand like that actually means something. I told her two years ago when her dog ran up to Pyrate that if she ever saw me with my other dog (Raina) that she should make sure that she handled her dog and it did not approach me. Raina does not take kindly to small barky dogs running around loose. Pyrate was a saint and would not hurt even a small dog but Raina is different - whole different attitude (prey drive etc.) So today the lady saw me coming down the street and ran after her dog (dumb) instead of calling it. It ran in the street narrowly being missed by a pick up truck turning the corner. Luckily she grabbed it after that and Raina didn't get near it. I witnessed this all from down the street. Note- Raina remained calm the whole time (Yay!)I would do anything to protect my dog(s) but this lady doesn't seem to get it. Never would my dog be off lead, out of control, next to a busy street.
 
#12 ·
Lillie ... you said it perfectly!

There are many dogs in my neighbourhood, and without fail it's always the little ones that come running up to Kyleigh and I.

It took a lot of training, and teaching Ky to focus on me, not the other dog, but now Ky just looks from me to the yappy dog and back to me, and I swear there's an eye roll ...

I did the same thing ... put her in a sit, stood in front of her, and prevented the other dog from getting near her. All in a CALM manner. I didn't scream, yell, or flail around. Once the dog started to leave, Kyleigh and I would proceed to walk again. If the dog came back I'd face it and say LEAVE and point to the house. By this time the owner is usually out, all apologetic (yeah, whatever, it's NOT the first time fluffy has left the front step) ... and we just continue walking.

Bigger dogs - I've only encountered a couple of them, and while they've been off leash running up to us, none of them were barking / charging, etc. They were just big galoots coming up to say hi. I was still wary and kept my eye on them, but had no issues ... and Kyleigh wasn't frightened and didn't react.
 
#13 ·
Thanks the great advice, I will get some of her favorite treats out and work on distracting her next time.
She is very driven by her snacks so it should be just fine.

Lillie nailed it, I am trying to avoid her being reactive by staying calm myself.
I just wish people realized the danger they are putting their small dogs in by having them running around loose all over the place.

Also I just wanted to add that while I don't generally care what people think, I run a licensed daycare from my home and everybody in this little town knows everybody.
Me telling people off would hurt my business lol
 
#15 ·
There are three little dogs that are ALWAYS out running near their homes collarless and unsupervised. Very dangerous for them! I've talked to my neighbor who has a very nice Bernese and experienced the same problem and she has call AC numerous times -but no resolution. Fortunately, they are not aggressive and honestly I think they just want attention although I ignore them.

But what I do with Enzo is before we approach the area where they are I do a quick obedience session sit, down, sit, stand, down, look-at-me ect basic commands he has down so his attention is on me already before we enter little dog area. And as we begin to walk I ask for eye contact and feed feed feed as we walk through the little dog. I think this works for us because Enzo is always hungry before walks and the little dogs aren't aggressive or barking at him. I will also do this before we approach a home where there are "yard dogs" at the fence that bark at everything. Good luck! I just feel bad for these little guys since it seems their owners don't worry about their well-being during the day. :/


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#18 ·
I used to always have troubles with little dogs too.

Where I live now every one has a dog, and they are often in the back of trucks laying down out of sight till we walk by, then they pop up out of nowhere barking their fools heads off. Due to not knowing they are there is startles me and that travles down the leash. There are enough off leash dog here, that I do not walk in the neighborhood. That would be a recipe for disaster!
 
#19 ·
I too have experienced the little terror's charging my boy, I just charge straight towards the little dogs, and they turn and run when they see me coming straight for them lol. As far as big dogs I've only had one charge at us, and I did the same thing I did to the little dog, he didn't run but stopped dead in his tracks and focused on me, at which point so do I. Then I proceeded with my walk while keeping a firm "don't you dare" look on the big dog. I never use my voice on other people's animals as don't expect them to acknowledge it anyway.

I'm not afraid of dogs though and can remain calm while it's happening, so I don't know how others might handle a larger charging dog, as most I assume might panic, but the little ones? Just stomp right towards them, and they'll scatter, then keep it moving.

The little dog's in my hood haven't charged since.

Oh and Barack just wags his tail during all of these encounters and struts off with me... he knows he's with the "biggest dog" of'em all!:cool:
 
#21 ·
I used to think that people who let their dogs run lose were either rude, lazy, non caring, etc...
But one day a few months ago my youngest son left a door open to our house to
go and say hi to a friend, when my dog ran outside...

She ran out barking at another dog...She really looked and sounded scary...
Thank God she just wanted to play and the other leashed dog owners were very kind about it..

So lesson learned.....Accidents can happen and i will not be so judgmental...haha..

Now i keep a few treats just in case...Also i look at it as a learning experience for my dog. Most of the time the 2 dogs are fine and just want to play..

Funny growing up most EVERY family who had a dog used to just let it out to do their business...Most dogs just ran wild..haha..No problems back in the day..

Now we are all horrified when we see a lose dog. haha..
 
#22 ·
I had something like this happen to me and my GSD maya last week at a petco. I walked in and a small mixed bread dog charged us as soon as we entered the store and maya "answered back" and the lady just about had a hart attack. She looked at me as if were my dog that started it.

It drives me crazy that people let there little breed dog do just about anything it wants to without correction and just think its funny. If we would let our GSD's do the same thing we would be in court definding our dogs life.
 
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