- Location
- Fife, Scotland
I am having a little issue with Oreo whilst at work. Oreo comes to work with me and stays in the kennel with two of her buddies at least 3 times a week (when mum and dad are both at work). We have a very good set up where they have a large outdoor space in each individual kennel, then a big open paddock for play time, and a large field to walk around with the dogs.
Oreo, along with at least 1 other dog who lives there (and she shares a kennel with), get overly excited when they know they are getting into the big field for a run - Oreo has learnt this, barking etc. from the other dog who started doing it a while back, but that is another issue (the constant barking with excitement!!).
She is quite happy with the dogs who live there permanently (3 retired girls, 2 breeding girls and a breeding boy), when getting taken around the field, but as soon as we throw in another dog, she starts becoming very dominant while trying to play. Often, the other dog will try and tell her off, which starts off a huge argument.
Yesterday evening, i was heading to take 5 dogs around the big field, Oreo, her 2 pals, plus 2 other dogs who are there for a holiday. They all get on absolutely fine in the paddock, but the over-excitement starts when i head towards the field gate. Oreo was jumping on one of the visiting dogs trying to get her to play, and the other dog snapped at her. As soon as i got them settled and stopped barking, i opened the field gate, and all hell broke loose.
The other dog went for Oreo, then Oreo, being the bigger dog, pinned her to the ground and grabbed onto her ear/neck. There is a lot of growling and head shaking and whining from both parties, but I could not for the life of me get Oreo to open her jaw. After a very long 2 or 3 minutes, of my grabbing onto Oreo, fighting off other dogs trying to join in, and crying trying to get her to let go, i finally got her away and carried her inside (all the other dogs just followed me back to the paddock. I then saw that the other dog was bleeding, so i immediately phone my boss and she came running straight over to help. She has 4 puncture wounds (2 from where Oreo was holding on, and 2 from one of the other dogs joining in). We gave her a clean, some metacam and put her on antibiotics to start the healing - thankfully she is fine and no need for stitches or vet treatment. I then had to see to myself as I had a couple of little puncture wounds on my hand, and another one on the back of my thigh - damn, it was so sore but i was seeing to the dogs before myself. I then went over to the bathroom and i have a decent sized, swollen tooth scratch which is now very bruised and still very sore (i'll live though!!).
My issue is, Oreo is the sweetest girl at home and is even wary of other dogs, but wouldn't hurt a fly. She's scared of Butterfly's for goodness sake! But when i take her to work, she is a TOTALLY different dog. She is the "Queen Bee". She is quite happy playing with the permanent residents as she did grow up there until she was 11(ish) months when she came to live with us. Ruby is her absolute best pal, and although they play rough, there is absolutely no worry that either would hurt one another. I just don't know how to stop her going for other dogs.
I was (and still am!) pretty shaken up from the whole experience last night and my boss said that, although the ending circumstances, that i dealt with the situation as well as she would've (even though my whole body was shaking and i was crying hysterically, i just collapsed onto the floor after from the exhaustion - it seemed to go on forever).
I do not know how to fix this "over-excitement" issue. I have tried putting her on a lead, and keeping her controlled and only letting her off when she has calmed down and is walking loosely on the lead - as soon as the lead is off, she races away and starts showing dominance. I have tried redirecting her with food (shes VERY food orientated) when i see signs of her being a little rough, but again, she comes and gets a treat, i release her again, and she will start all over again. I will spend the entire walk calling her back and releasing her again. My boss suggests to just exercise her with the permanent dogs, but i feel this does not solve the issue, it just avoids it, which I don't want full time, but i will for now.
Please help!
Oreo, along with at least 1 other dog who lives there (and she shares a kennel with), get overly excited when they know they are getting into the big field for a run - Oreo has learnt this, barking etc. from the other dog who started doing it a while back, but that is another issue (the constant barking with excitement!!).
She is quite happy with the dogs who live there permanently (3 retired girls, 2 breeding girls and a breeding boy), when getting taken around the field, but as soon as we throw in another dog, she starts becoming very dominant while trying to play. Often, the other dog will try and tell her off, which starts off a huge argument.
Yesterday evening, i was heading to take 5 dogs around the big field, Oreo, her 2 pals, plus 2 other dogs who are there for a holiday. They all get on absolutely fine in the paddock, but the over-excitement starts when i head towards the field gate. Oreo was jumping on one of the visiting dogs trying to get her to play, and the other dog snapped at her. As soon as i got them settled and stopped barking, i opened the field gate, and all hell broke loose.
The other dog went for Oreo, then Oreo, being the bigger dog, pinned her to the ground and grabbed onto her ear/neck. There is a lot of growling and head shaking and whining from both parties, but I could not for the life of me get Oreo to open her jaw. After a very long 2 or 3 minutes, of my grabbing onto Oreo, fighting off other dogs trying to join in, and crying trying to get her to let go, i finally got her away and carried her inside (all the other dogs just followed me back to the paddock. I then saw that the other dog was bleeding, so i immediately phone my boss and she came running straight over to help. She has 4 puncture wounds (2 from where Oreo was holding on, and 2 from one of the other dogs joining in). We gave her a clean, some metacam and put her on antibiotics to start the healing - thankfully she is fine and no need for stitches or vet treatment. I then had to see to myself as I had a couple of little puncture wounds on my hand, and another one on the back of my thigh - damn, it was so sore but i was seeing to the dogs before myself. I then went over to the bathroom and i have a decent sized, swollen tooth scratch which is now very bruised and still very sore (i'll live though!!).
My issue is, Oreo is the sweetest girl at home and is even wary of other dogs, but wouldn't hurt a fly. She's scared of Butterfly's for goodness sake! But when i take her to work, she is a TOTALLY different dog. She is the "Queen Bee". She is quite happy playing with the permanent residents as she did grow up there until she was 11(ish) months when she came to live with us. Ruby is her absolute best pal, and although they play rough, there is absolutely no worry that either would hurt one another. I just don't know how to stop her going for other dogs.
I was (and still am!) pretty shaken up from the whole experience last night and my boss said that, although the ending circumstances, that i dealt with the situation as well as she would've (even though my whole body was shaking and i was crying hysterically, i just collapsed onto the floor after from the exhaustion - it seemed to go on forever).
I do not know how to fix this "over-excitement" issue. I have tried putting her on a lead, and keeping her controlled and only letting her off when she has calmed down and is walking loosely on the lead - as soon as the lead is off, she races away and starts showing dominance. I have tried redirecting her with food (shes VERY food orientated) when i see signs of her being a little rough, but again, she comes and gets a treat, i release her again, and she will start all over again. I will spend the entire walk calling her back and releasing her again. My boss suggests to just exercise her with the permanent dogs, but i feel this does not solve the issue, it just avoids it, which I don't want full time, but i will for now.
Please help!
but no she had her first season in June x
xxx