FroxerMom
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Ugh. Sorry in advance for the length of this post. I'll try not to get too wordy, but I'll probably fail... :tongue:
Soooo, many of you know I got Daphne this past February from a woman who had both her and her brother. She was moving back to Europe and did not want to fly the dogs back there (they already flew over here once and did not do well in cargo). I do not know much about her first year, other than she lived in Hungary and Germany, and stayed in Amsterdam for a bit before flying to the US. Once she arrived here, there apparently was a neighbor in her former home, who had a few pitbulls and the darker colored one attacked Daphne bad enough to cause a little damage to one of her thighs. It was treated and she healed up nicely.
We quickly discovered upon bringing her home, that she does not appear to enjoy other dogs, especially larger black or brindle ones. She and my Boxer get along well most of the time, but they will scrap over food and bones. I obviously now feed them apart and give bones apart. If they do get into it over something, Daphne is an EXCELLENT listener and will stop right away.
You also have probably already read from other threads, that I walk Daphne every single day at 6:30 in the morning because I discovered not many people and dogs are out yet. We live right next door to someone with a large black dog. Joy. Daphne used to go NUTS when she saw this dog. Snarling, lunging, barking, growling, trying to get out of her collar, etc...I've pretty much put all my other interests on hold and have just been focusing on rehabbing her because she's such a neat dog. We've walked, and walked, and walked some more. We've practiced walking by dogs across the street. She no longer lunges or barks. She does not make a peep and basically just keeps walking and looks up at me for treats. I'm so proud of her!! She was doing amazing! Aaaaaaaand then some things happened and I fear we are going to regress with all this progress:
Neighbor #1 (right next door with large black dog): Owner was outside doing yard work. Dog was outside with her - not on a leash. Rocky saw us approaching and started to run over. I scooped up Daphne and was surprised when Daphne just looked down at Rocky who was growling and trying to jump up on me while holding her. The owner called Rocky over, he didn't listen so she came and got him and apologized. I praised Daphne like crazy while we walked up our driveway. I couldn't believe a large black dog was trying to get at her and she did nothing.
Neighbor #2 (a friend): Last week her dog (who Daphne also appears to hate - the feeling is mutual as he barks and growls when he sees Daphne) got out during the hurricane and charged up to us while I was walking her in between bouts of rain. Again, I scooped her up and Duke jumped all over me, tried to bite at Daphne (it was terrifying - my back got completely scratched up). Daphne for the most part, did the same as before. Just stayed in my arms, didn't bark or growl. Duke followed us to my door and I was trying to get everyone inside and he was trying to get in my house every time I opened the door. I finally managed to get inside and immediately texted my neighbor and told her Duke was loose and outside my door. She joked that he just wanted to join us on our walk and that ticked me off, so I told her as kindly as I could, that he actually was trying to attack Daphne and scratched me up in the process. I took a photo of my back and she was horrified and apologized.
Neighbor #3 (do not know this person at all): This afternoon I was walking Daphne to her usual spot to potty down the street, and this neighbor was outside on her driveway with her toddler and her unleashed small dog while on her cellphone. The dog stayed put on our way to the spot, but on our walk back, the dog charged right over before I could scoop up Daphne and started barking, growling and nipping at Daphne. Daphne was straining at her leash but not making a peep and not biting back. The small dog began jumping up and growling at my small daughter. The owner STILL ON HER CELLPHONE, was casually calling her dog over who was crazed and not listening to her at all. Every time I tried to scoop up Daph, I'd pull my hands away for fear of being bitten. I managed to drag Daphne away as the neighbor strolled over and told her dog to get in the house. She remained on the phone, said nothing to me, no apology, nothing. I was LIVID.
Daphne has had three instances of being aggressively approached by loose dogs in the last three weeks. Before the first incident I was about to take it to the next level with her and attempt to walk later in the mornings to see how she does. I also have a friend in the next neighborhood over who has a very non-reactive dog who was willing to try walking on the same side of the sidewalk as us to see how Daphne does walking past another dog. I'm frankly afraid to push her training because I'm worried these three incidences have just soured her towards other dogs for the moment. Even though she didn't react negatively any of the times she was approached.
What would you do? Try to progress to the next level of her leash training or would you continue to just make sure she really is comfortable seeing other dogs before trying anything new?
Would you say anything to the neighbor #3? It took everything in me to not scream at her to get off her &%$#@ phone and get control of her dog. I am so angry that her dog growled and jumped all over my daughter, who was scared, and I just have too much invested in Daphne's progress to have this happen again. She is SO close to being a totally different dog who *may* be able to actually go into a pet supply store or come with me to a park or something.
I'd appreciate any advice!
Soooo, many of you know I got Daphne this past February from a woman who had both her and her brother. She was moving back to Europe and did not want to fly the dogs back there (they already flew over here once and did not do well in cargo). I do not know much about her first year, other than she lived in Hungary and Germany, and stayed in Amsterdam for a bit before flying to the US. Once she arrived here, there apparently was a neighbor in her former home, who had a few pitbulls and the darker colored one attacked Daphne bad enough to cause a little damage to one of her thighs. It was treated and she healed up nicely.
We quickly discovered upon bringing her home, that she does not appear to enjoy other dogs, especially larger black or brindle ones. She and my Boxer get along well most of the time, but they will scrap over food and bones. I obviously now feed them apart and give bones apart. If they do get into it over something, Daphne is an EXCELLENT listener and will stop right away.
You also have probably already read from other threads, that I walk Daphne every single day at 6:30 in the morning because I discovered not many people and dogs are out yet. We live right next door to someone with a large black dog. Joy. Daphne used to go NUTS when she saw this dog. Snarling, lunging, barking, growling, trying to get out of her collar, etc...I've pretty much put all my other interests on hold and have just been focusing on rehabbing her because she's such a neat dog. We've walked, and walked, and walked some more. We've practiced walking by dogs across the street. She no longer lunges or barks. She does not make a peep and basically just keeps walking and looks up at me for treats. I'm so proud of her!! She was doing amazing! Aaaaaaaand then some things happened and I fear we are going to regress with all this progress:
Neighbor #1 (right next door with large black dog): Owner was outside doing yard work. Dog was outside with her - not on a leash. Rocky saw us approaching and started to run over. I scooped up Daphne and was surprised when Daphne just looked down at Rocky who was growling and trying to jump up on me while holding her. The owner called Rocky over, he didn't listen so she came and got him and apologized. I praised Daphne like crazy while we walked up our driveway. I couldn't believe a large black dog was trying to get at her and she did nothing.
Neighbor #2 (a friend): Last week her dog (who Daphne also appears to hate - the feeling is mutual as he barks and growls when he sees Daphne) got out during the hurricane and charged up to us while I was walking her in between bouts of rain. Again, I scooped her up and Duke jumped all over me, tried to bite at Daphne (it was terrifying - my back got completely scratched up). Daphne for the most part, did the same as before. Just stayed in my arms, didn't bark or growl. Duke followed us to my door and I was trying to get everyone inside and he was trying to get in my house every time I opened the door. I finally managed to get inside and immediately texted my neighbor and told her Duke was loose and outside my door. She joked that he just wanted to join us on our walk and that ticked me off, so I told her as kindly as I could, that he actually was trying to attack Daphne and scratched me up in the process. I took a photo of my back and she was horrified and apologized.
Neighbor #3 (do not know this person at all): This afternoon I was walking Daphne to her usual spot to potty down the street, and this neighbor was outside on her driveway with her toddler and her unleashed small dog while on her cellphone. The dog stayed put on our way to the spot, but on our walk back, the dog charged right over before I could scoop up Daphne and started barking, growling and nipping at Daphne. Daphne was straining at her leash but not making a peep and not biting back. The small dog began jumping up and growling at my small daughter. The owner STILL ON HER CELLPHONE, was casually calling her dog over who was crazed and not listening to her at all. Every time I tried to scoop up Daph, I'd pull my hands away for fear of being bitten. I managed to drag Daphne away as the neighbor strolled over and told her dog to get in the house. She remained on the phone, said nothing to me, no apology, nothing. I was LIVID.
Daphne has had three instances of being aggressively approached by loose dogs in the last three weeks. Before the first incident I was about to take it to the next level with her and attempt to walk later in the mornings to see how she does. I also have a friend in the next neighborhood over who has a very non-reactive dog who was willing to try walking on the same side of the sidewalk as us to see how Daphne does walking past another dog. I'm frankly afraid to push her training because I'm worried these three incidences have just soured her towards other dogs for the moment. Even though she didn't react negatively any of the times she was approached.
What would you do? Try to progress to the next level of her leash training or would you continue to just make sure she really is comfortable seeing other dogs before trying anything new?
Would you say anything to the neighbor #3? It took everything in me to not scream at her to get off her &%$#@ phone and get control of her dog. I am so angry that her dog growled and jumped all over my daughter, who was scared, and I just have too much invested in Daphne's progress to have this happen again. She is SO close to being a totally different dog who *may* be able to actually go into a pet supply store or come with me to a park or something.
I'd appreciate any advice!
