Overexcited Oreo

[Joy]

I'm really sorry you've had such a frightening experience Sophie. I do think you need to take this seriously as most dog 'fights' are just noise and movement, whereas this was a real bite. As others have said, I think you need to manage the situation by taking Oreo out alone or only with other dogs that you are really certain she feels relaxed with.
I'm not convinced that it was exactly 'over-excitement', but (bearing in mind you say that she can be wary of other dogs when you take her out from your home) tend to think the barking is a sign of stress. I think it would be a good idea to get in touch with a behaviourist who uses kind methods, as trying to work at desensitisation without suitable 'stooge' dogs is going to be difficult. There are many IMDT trainers in Scotland, some of whom are also behaviourists (John McGuigan being the most famous).

 

[Candy]

Just to add also, at our local dog daycare/ training facility, where Joy needed to go sometimes as a pup when Trevor was in hospital, I know they very much managed the order in which the dogs there went through doors from inside to out and vice versa when they were off lead. It was one of my the things that first impressed me about them when I visited to check them out without Joy, having realized I might need to make use of them. All the best in sorting this out, Sophie, I understand that it's not easy. Thinking of you.xx

 

[Naya]

Hi Sophie, sorry you’ve had to deal with such a difficult situation. I hope you are ok?
I really do think that @Beanwood broke down each stage really well. I know Harley will react with some dogs (chase them whilst barking, hackles up, growling, pinning them) but there is no rhyme or reason to which breed dog or location. I manage the situation by keeping her on lead if we see a new dog and waiting to see if she is relaxed as we get closer or getting edgy. From this I will either let her say hello if the other owner is ok with that, or we will walk passed them with me keeping her attention on me. Once she takes a dislike to a particular dog she will always start reacting if she sees it. It is hard to manage at times, but I find that by popping her on lead until she is completely calm really helps both of us.
I think it’s definitely worth Oreo only being with dogs she knows for a few days as this will help calm her. If she’s put with other dogs she may not have had time to get the incident out of her system and could react worse. I hope you manage to work something out that helps you both. Just remember we are all here for you xx

 

[Granca]

I’m so sorry you’ve had such a frightening experience. I don’t have anything to add. It’s probably worth keeping everything calm for the moment, going back to square one and trying to ensure that Oreo doesn’t pitch into over-exciting situations. She’s so lovely and you’ve already done so well with her, so don’t be discouraged.

 

[Atemas]

Just reading this all from the beginning and everyone’s replies. Some great advice. Sorry you have been hurt and upsetting that Oreo hurt another dog. You are already going to avoid that situation for a few weeks - you need some recovery time and a chance to put some training in place. It must have been very frightening

 

[Boogie]

I’m so sorry you’ve had such a frightening experience. I don’t have anything to add. It’s probably worth keeping everything calm for the moment, going back to square one and trying to ensure that Oreo doesn’t pitch into over-exciting situations. She’s so lovely and you’ve already done so well with her, so don’t be discouraged.

I agree

 

[Loraseal]

Just read and caught up.
I hope you are little feeling better today @Sophiedoodle as the incident was obviously very frightening and you found yourself in unknown territory.
Fantastic advice here and lots of food for thought.
You are doing a fantastic job with Oreo. Everybody is here for you.
X

 

[FayRose]

I've also just read through all this. What a wretched situation to have to cope with, well done you for managing as well as you did under very difficult circumstances.
Some helpful and thoughtful comments and suggestions here. I'm sure something will work when you get the chance to change some of those routines but I agree, it can be so difficult to see how to 'sort' it.
Good luck and I hope you heal quickly x

 

[snowbunny]

I hope you're feeling a bit better today, Sophie. Sometimes a little bit of time can help give us the distance to think a bit more clearly. It's never nice to see that the soft goofball creature you know and love can also have an unpleasant side at times - it's something I've struggled with myself with Shadow, who is honestly the sweetest thing in the world except in the triggering situations, when he is unrecognisable as the same boy.

I hope the comments and advice you've had give you the information you need to come up with a plan. Having a plan really helps me to feel more in control and more at peace with the situation. These things our dogs do are just behaviour, and all behaviour is modifiable, once we work out the "why" of the picture.

 

[M.F.]

do not let them barge through the gate together.

Curious to know why. I can see how it’s useful for safety—Snowie must wait till I’ve checked the road before I say “ok” to release him out of the garden gate. But I’m interested to understand how it relates to dogs interacting.

 

[Heidrun]

Curious to know why. I can see how it’s useful for safety—Snowie must wait till I’ve checked the road before I say “ok” to release him out of the garden gate. But I’m interested to understand how it relates to dogs interacting.

Doorways and gates are always locations for high arousal and can potentially bring out aggression in some dogs.

 

[Sophiedoodle]

Thank you everyone with your comments and advice. Understandably I‘m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment but have been working with Oreo and the 2 dogs she shares with this morning, getting her (and Ruby’s) complete focus on going through the gate. I got all of them to sit and stay sitting while I opened the field gate and walked 3 meters of so away from them into the field. I then let Ruby go first, followed by Harris, and let Oreo through last. No main issues with that, only the barking prior to opening the gate.
It does make it so so much easier that Oreo is food orientated, she will literally do anything for a biscuit. I’m will keep working on it throughout the day and for another couple of weeks just those three before possibly introducing another dog - but that will obviously depend on the progress she has made.

I am still feeling a little battered and bruised but nothing too much to worry about. X

 

[Sophiedoodle]

Oh and I’d also like to add that earlier on this morning, I did a little practice with getting them to sit and wait, opening the field gate, but then closing it again and not letting them out. I think this helped as they don’t know whether they’re actually getting to go out or just sitting and waiting.

 

[snowbunny]

Curious to know why. I can see how it’s useful for safety—Snowie must wait till I’ve checked the road before I say “ok” to release him out of the garden gate. But I’m interested to understand how it relates to dogs interacting.

Doorways and gates are always locations for high arousal and can potentially bring out aggression in some dogs.

^^ This. It's a very common flashpoint for dogs. The high arousal, the high level of the reinforcer (access to outside), potential prey chase sequencing, potential for bumping and barging. It doesn't take much for it to become unpleasant very quickly.

 

[kateincornwall]

Well done on your work Sophie . This puts me in mind of a lady who goes to Golitha Falls with her four dogs . She pulls up , they are all barking like mad , so she opens the estate car boot, out they tumble , barking and snarling at one another as they race over the lane . She tells me that they never have a cross word at home and yet they are clearly agitated and wound up beyond belief to the point of turning on one another x

 

[Sophiedoodle]

so she opens the estate car boot, out they tumble , barking and snarling at one another as they race over the lane

We have always told Lilly, and now Oreo, to wait before getting out of the car and will only jump out when we say they can. X

 

[kateincornwall]

We have always told Lilly, and now Oreo, to wait before getting out of the car and will only jump out when we say they can. X

Yes, its very important to do this , but its the same principal re gates , any obstruction really ! Its hard for young dogs to control impulses , so we have to help them to learn .

 

[Lisa]

So sorry you had this upset, @Sophiedoodle . It’s so frightening. I don’t have anything more useful to add than what the others have said so just wanted to add my support. No dog is perfect, all of them have their own personalities and “issues”. Some of those issues that result in the dog harming another dog or a human are the hardest ones to deal with emotionally. So deep breath, keep on with managing things to avoid these triggers for now, and once you have had some distance from it you will be able to have a clearer think about it all. In some cases I do think that you can’t train the deep-seated behaviours out of a dog (I could be wrong on that but it’s just my opinion!) but you can certainly keep working on it and manage the environment once you know the “triggers”.

 

[Bruer]

@Sophiedoodle

 

[Granca]

I did a little practice with getting them to sit and wait, opening the field gate, but then closing it again and not letting them out. I think this helped as they don’t know whether they’re actually getting to go out or just sitting and waiting.

That’s a really good idea. Sometimes it’s the expectation that something exciting is definitely going to happen that sparks things off.