Does anyone else’s dog get picked on?

Jen

Jen

So I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days and seeing if I’m overreacting but the more I’m thinking about it the sadder it makes me.

Stanley seems to get “bullied” by other dogs.

He’s literally the most friendly, loving, playful little angel and he’s got absolutely no force in him whatsoever. And over dogs always seem to take advantage of this.

He went to daycare twice a week from about 4 months - 18 months so he’s got amazing Doggy manners, lots of playbowing and gentle play. He can be a bit boisterous at times, but generally he’s really good and not over the top.

When we were at the beach on Saturday we went with my friend and her whippet, and the whippet was just awful to Stanley. Jumping on him, pushing him over, if he went to get his ball she would snarl at him even though she didn’t want it! At one point he was trying to get back to me and she was charging into him and knocking him over so I said to my friend about her dog being a div basically and she went and got her. Then me and Stanley just played some ball. I know the whippet is not aggressive, just domineering and unnecessary! They’re definitely not playing again anyway!

He will never ever tell another dog off, he just always comes back to me and sits with me. Part of me wants him to stand up for himself because he’s always bigger than these dogs so he could definitely batter them but the other part of me doesn’t want his lovely personality to be tainted!

Does anyone else have this problem? I never feel as though it’s aggression, just taking advantage because he’s so soft. OH says it’s doggy jelousy because Stanleys clearly better than them all :ROFLMAO: but I know that’s not what it is. I just don’t get why it happens!
 
Charlie

Charlie

Location
Argyll & Bute, Scotland
I would be proud of Stanley being so tolerant Jen. Charlie has minimal doggie manners and is the dog that pushes other dogs over etc. so he isn't allowed much off lead time with other dogs because of this :( I think he missed out on a lot of early socialisation before he came to us at 9 months, he just doesn't get it, we keep trying. Some dogs he is perfectly OK with but others no. Hattie is a complete star and puts up with a lot but she won't put up with puppies in her face or jumping all over her, she will gently bark at them which I think is perfectly acceptable because owners shouldn't allow that behaviour from their pups.

I think dogs are like children, some will put up with so much yet others won't. It's simply different personalities.

Whatever Stanley is a super young man to be very proud of, you have obviously done a fantastic job bringing him up. xxx
 
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Ashley

Ashley

Sounds like Stanley has lots of patience...I think you did the right thing by ending play, because you don't want to push Stanley to have to react. I also wouldn't meet up with that dog if they aren't playing well...what's the point. On leash walks together would probably be OK.
I think I posted on TLF a few times...Quinn gets bullied a lot, by this I mean it feels that certain dogs sense she is timid and really focus on her, lots of hard body checking and slamming, will not leave her alone even when her tail is between her legs, bark in her face and bite at her on her side/back (not the sneezing, neck biting play), she gets humped all the time and the dog will become obsessed with her. You can tell when it's not mutual play, as her hackles are up, tail between legs and she tries to get away. It's actually why we never put her in daycare. I really don't know what it is, as she mostly minds her own business (not a super playful type for the most part) and is puttering along a trail. She has been attacked once in a situation like this...I am pretty good at spotting the signs now and we leave immediately. Quinn has gotten more confident as she has gotten older and will snap and push back a bit, so obviously that can escalate so I always call her away and we leave if it's beyond fun play. 9 times out of 10, it is a shepherd or husky type breed, so Quinn is quite wary and usually will avoid those breeds completely now.
PS. I saw a whippet attack two different labs on a trail walk (we were behind the whippet and the labs were coming towards both times)...I don't know much about whippets.
 
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MellowYellow

MellowYellow

Poppy sometimes gets picked on; I think it is because she is so sweet and submissive, it encourages some dogs (mostly dominant bitches) to have a go at her.
 
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F

FayRose

Location
Close to Devon/Somerset border
Poor Stanley, doesn't it make you furious? You've a dog who is a tolerant, gentle character and yet he gets all the hassle from others :mad:

Quite simply, I think that's exactly the reason. Some dogs seem to be bullies (our way of thinking) at heart and when they come up against an apparent 'softie' they can't resist being 'top dog' for a while.
Happened a lot to us when we had our previous lab BJ, a total softie but he was also epileptic so my protective instincts were in overdrive. I told anyone whose dog started on BJ to back off - in no uncertain terms !

As others have said, you have to decide when to take him out of a difficult situation, but Stanley is a dog to be proud of. Just keep walking out with good friends, dogs that don't bully and enjoy that lovely boy.
 
Jen

Jen

Thanks everyone!

I think I’m just going to have to be a bit more selective about who he plays with and step in more. He might be too nice to do anything but I’m not!

I love that he’s got such a good heart, but sometimes I’d just like him to stand up for himself a little bit more. And it’s hard gritting your teeth and not throwing the dog out the way - especially because I know they’re not being aggressive but are just being domineering with him.

But he is who he is and it’s my job to be his voice. He can stick to playing with his best friend Basil, they always play lovely together :)
 
Xena Dog Princess

Xena Dog Princess

Location
Wellington, NZ
Xena is like Quinn - other dogs want to hump her, and she's too timid to do anything about it. She's also terrible at reading body language, I just don't understand it. We'll walk past somebody who's trying to restrain their snarling, barking, frenzied dog, and she's be pulling at the lead to say hello. Just...so stupid. Keeping all that in mind, I'm very careful about off-lead interactions with other dogs. When she gets over-threshold she'll bark in other dogs faces and chase them (whilst barking) to get them to play. It took me several times to realise that this was linked to her being over-threshold, so now when I attend a group walk/play I don't stay long and am out at the first sign of knobbish behaviour.
 
Lab_adore

Lab_adore

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Sydney, Australia
Maxx is obsessed with other dogs. He isn't aggressive or pushy but he thinks every dog should play with him and when they don't want to he becomes a pest. He keeps jumping around and bowing and trying to get them to chase him or play with him. He has his 'pals' at the dog park and they have a crazy time running helter skelter and playing bitey face. But we have to be so careful; he will pull and lunge towards every dog we see so we have to get him calm and into 'look at that' as quickly as possible. Then he is ok and just watches them go past. Mostly. But I get very disheartened at his behavior and I'm hoping it will improve with training and age. I don't want other dogs pestering mine so I certainly don't want mine pestering theirs!

I think Stanley is fine Jen, he is polite and nice and I hope Maxx will soon share some of those traits (not holding my breath though. Sigh).
 
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