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pookel
Oct 27, 2011

Ultra Carp

LeftistMuslimObama posted:

just put her in your kennel in your room. your dog dont give a poo poo if you gently caress in front of it.

Yeah, but what if I do? Awkward.

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Ausrotten
Mar 9, 2016

STILL A HUGE FUCKIN DICK
put a sheet over her crate so she doesn't stare at you creepily? i would say they arent judging you for loving in front of them but one of my dogs hides in the back of my closet and gives me horrified stares for the rest of the night if we have sex in front of her so

The MUMPSorceress
Jan 6, 2012


^SHTPSTS

Gary’s Answer

pookel posted:

Yeah, but what if I do? Awkward.

its a dog, it will poop on the ground while loving some random other dog in the middle of the street if it gets the chance. dont be a prude.

Verman
Jul 4, 2005
Third time is a charm right?
I know this very well. Our 9 month old vizsla likes to be in close proximity to us at all times. We've started working on establishing his independence little by little.

It's tough though, he can open our door and would probably prefer lay up and lock my face while we're doing the dirty. He doesn't care ... he just doesn't want to feel left out and it's weird.

When we keep him out, he comes into the room after with a very different demeanor along the lines of "what the gently caress was going on in here?"

Like children, dogs can make life akward at times.

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

Is there a list of standard things I should be teaching my dog? She can sit, stay, lay down, come, doesn't grab food from my hand, doesn't eat the furniture, etc.

a life less
Jul 12, 2009

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.

FogHelmut posted:

Is there a list of standard things I should be teaching my dog? She can sit, stay, lay down, come, doesn't grab food from my hand, doesn't eat the furniture, etc.

Not really. Aside from your list (which is good and covers the basics) you'll probably want a leave it cue, as well as a drop (for when your leave-it isn't fast enough). A "go to your bed" will be helpful to get him out of your way (bed can be a bed or a crate or whatever). Leash manners and really, really solid recall are important once you get outside. Solid name recognition is good (say name, give treat, say name, give treat). "Go pee/poo" is super helpful too.

A solid stand is good if your dog needs to be groomed. Backing up is good if you have a big dog in a tight space. Fetching things for you is a useful trick. But these are sort of flavour behaviuors, not key ones.

pookel
Oct 27, 2011

Ultra Carp

Verman posted:

I know this very well. Our 9 month old vizsla likes to be in close proximity to us at all times. We've started working on establishing his independence little by little.

It's tough though, he can open our door and would probably prefer lay up and lock my face while we're doing the dirty. He doesn't care ... he just doesn't want to feel left out and it's weird.
:eek:

Boyfriend's needy St. Bernard is well trained to sleep in the living room at his place, but he still tends to hang out near the hallway panting and slobbering, like "I heard heavy breathing! I can do heavy breathing too! Isn't this fun?" *pant pant pant*

Beauty did great just hanging out in the rest of the house with her bone when I shut the door on her last night .... although she did go cuddle with my 11-year-old a bit and this morning we found she had pooped in his room. Luckily he takes this as a sign of affection.

Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy
Ok I thought of a question. My GSD listens to me perfectly when we're outside alone, or if we're outside and there are people not too close. If I'm outside with someone else from my household and I give her a command she'll often look at the other person and kind of hesitate and wait. Usually I move between her and the person and she reluctantly sits or does whatever. Should I just keep practicing commands when other people are around, or what's the best way to make her better at this?

a life less
Jul 12, 2009

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.

Tsyni posted:

Ok I thought of a question. My GSD listens to me perfectly when we're outside alone, or if we're outside and there are people not too close. If I'm outside with someone else from my household and I give her a command she'll often look at the other person and kind of hesitate and wait. Usually I move between her and the person and she reluctantly sits or does whatever. Should I just keep practicing commands when other people are around, or what's the best way to make her better at this?

Maybe go check out the dog training megathread? Basically outside is really, really interesting and has an assortment of things which your dog really wants. It's easy (or easier) to gain compliance indoors when it's boring and you're the best thing your dog has got going on, but outside your words and desires come significantly lower on the totem pole.

To combat, understand what your dog wants and use them to your advantage. Cookies, toys, playing, sniffing pee spots, greeting strangers, etc. Then figure out a way to provide these things to your dog as a reward for good behaviour. Be aware of your environment and how distracting it is. Practicing obedience in a dog park may be too much for your dog. You may have better luck practicing the basics on your front lawn, or your porch. Don't ask for too much too fast, 'cause your dog won't likely comply and they'll get used to not complying, which is a precedent you really don't want to set.

Sometimes it's like giving a child some math problems to do. They're okay performing said problems in a quiet room, but will likely have issues and get distracted if asked to do the same at a rock concert. The more you practice, the better your dog will get, but you have to go at their own pace.

Ursine Catastrophe
Nov 9, 2009

It's a lovely morning in the void and you are a horrible lady-in-waiting.



don't ask how i know

Dinosaur Gum
Perhaps an odd question, but-- our terrier likes hiding things. Specifically treats. We'll find a treat she likes, she'll eat it once or twice, and then decides she likes it so much that not only will she not eat it, but gets horribly distressed when she can't find an appropriate place to bury it. I know terriers really like to dig and was planning on sectioning off a portion of the yard for her to go hog wild in, but 1. she doesn't have at-will outside access, and 2. the treats in question would probably get really rotted/nasty (peanut butter/chicken rolls, greenies, that sort of thing) if they were actually buried outside for any length of time.

My only thought was "get a couple of big balled up blankets" or something like that, but I just wanted to see if there was something I hadn't thought of yet. It's not anything problematic, but I figure if I can get her to always hide it in one specific area then she'll be able to go and get them out as well instead of forgetting them in the couch cushions.

e: It has now been 20 minutes and she still hasn't found anywhere to properly hide her peanut butter stick.

Ursine Catastrophe fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Apr 20, 2016

Ausrotten
Mar 9, 2016

STILL A HUGE FUCKIN DICK
Something like this maybe?

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

She just got her rabies shot today, which is good, because she has been expanding her making GBS threads territory in my yard recently which is annoying me. I guess I have to go back to taking her on the leash every time. Maybe now that she's official she can go poo poo all over the world.

Alan Smithee
Jan 4, 2005


A man becomes preeminent, he's expected to have enthusiasms.

Enthusiasms, enthusiasms...
full disclosure: I'm not a dog person. I've got a friend of a friend who's dog I personally witnessed get hit by a car. The dog is doing fine now and recovering miraculously well but the vet bills are around $5000 for a lot of ball fondling and turn your head and cough bullshit. Would it be feasible at all to negotiate a lower bill? I know people talk about negotiating skyrocketing human healthcare bills all the time

Ursine Catastrophe
Nov 9, 2009

It's a lovely morning in the void and you are a horrible lady-in-waiting.



don't ask how i know

Dinosaur Gum

Alan Smithee posted:

full disclosure: I'm not a dog person. I've got a friend of a friend who's dog I personally witnessed get hit by a car. The dog is doing fine now and recovering miraculously well but the vet bills are around $5000 for a lot of ball fondling and turn your head and cough bullshit. Would it be feasible at all to negotiate a lower bill? I know people talk about negotiating skyrocketing human healthcare bills all the time

you could try, but the reason human healthcare bills are so high is in part because of under/uninsured people still going to the ER and costing the hospital money, which they attempt to defray the cost of by overcharging people who do have insurance to cover it. you can negotiate the lower bill paying out of pocket at hospitals because of a combo of "oh, poo poo, we didn't realize you're paying out of pocket" and "anything is better than nothing, and if we say 'gently caress you pay me', you'll say 'welp i'm bankrupt' and then we get nothing because medical bills are unsecured debt". also those debts tend to be in the range of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

whereas i think a vet is far more likely to say "pay me or i'll see you in court", especially since I'd think it a lot less likely someone taking their pet to a vet will be willing to declare bankruptcy over $5k. it might not hurt to ask, but it also might make the vet not want to continue seeing said dog as a patient, so i'd tread carefully if your friend doesn't have an alternative dog care provider.

cyberia
Jun 24, 2011

Do not call me that!
Snuffles was my slave name.
You shall now call me Snowball; because my fur is pretty and white.

Alan Smithee posted:

full disclosure: I'm not a dog person. I've got a friend of a friend who's dog I personally witnessed get hit by a car. The dog is doing fine now and recovering miraculously well but the vet bills are around $5000 for a lot of ball fondling and turn your head and cough bullshit. Would it be feasible at all to negotiate a lower bill? I know people talk about negotiating skyrocketing human healthcare bills all the time

They could also ask about doing a payment plan of some sort? I'm in Australia but the vets I've dealt with have always tried to keep costs as low as possible and normally have signs up in the reception area asking people to discuss payment options if they are worried about not being able to afford a single large payment.

Ursine Catastrophe
Nov 9, 2009

It's a lovely morning in the void and you are a horrible lady-in-waiting.



don't ask how i know

Dinosaur Gum
Fun update to the backyard puppy adventures: I found a couple of oddly large droppings in the backyard after mowing it, figured that something was slipping under the fence, and then found out today while playing with our pup that our neighbors' dogs apparently found a way to yank an improperly-nailed-down part of the fence out and come over to visit. There's about 5 of them, all look like they're about 60+lbs, and apparently the neighbors knew about it and had "solved" the issue by putting an empty plastic garbage can to prop the slat back into place.


Thankfully(?) our pup was scared shitless of the giant things six times her size bearing down on her and ran to me instead of away, but the overall turn of events makes me a little less than happy.

Warbird
May 23, 2012

America's Favorite Dumbass

Belle's house training has gone unexpectedly sideways in recent weeks. If we stick to our normal morning/noon/after work/night pee schedule we're golden. However if we deviate in the slightest from normal arrangements we're looking at a puddle. I took a half day yesterday and had her on the bed with me while taking a nap. I got up to take some medicine and came back to a large puddle on my comforter. If this had been later than when I usually take her out I would understand, but we were a good hour before her normal pee time and she had shown no signs of wanting to go outside. I've got a trainer coming in to help with this and hopefully help address her separation anxiety issues, but she's killing my wallet on getting these sheets washed in the meantime.

Corb3t
Jun 7, 2003

We have an 8-week old French Bulldog/Griffon mix that is extremely needy - she follows us around the house constantly. While our work schedules are flexible enough, she is still left alone for 2 hours a day. I set up a little plastic gated area in our house with her crate, all her toys, puppy pad, food, and water, and I've played with her in the little area, but when we leave her in there when we leave, she whines like crazy. There have even been times where I've come back after 2 hours and I can still hear her whining from outside our place.

Any advice to combat this? Is it something she'll just get used to? We've only been doing it for the past few days.

Real_Horrorshow
Jun 22, 2004
Easily Aroused
Hello thread. Two weeks ago, I adopted Bella from a local shelter (my first dog), and have been trying to follow the advice in the OP is best as possible. I have lots of questions, one of them being proper etiquette around other dogs and their owners.

I was picking up Bella from her spay surgery today, and while the nurse was giving me care instructions, I accidentally let Bella wander over to sniff this bull terrier sitting in his owners lap. The guy blocks Bella, I apologize, and he says something like "control your dog, man". I feel terrible that I potentially put Bella in danger, but I guess I thought that kind of behavior was just expected in a small space with several dogs. If this owner is worried about his dogs behavior, shouldn't he have crated him?

In a more general sense, how should I handle future interactions with other dogs? Obviously asking the owner is a first step, but what if another dog approaches Bella? How can you tell when a dog might be aggressive, or whether it's just saying hello? Do I have to be worried that every dog we meet is potentially aggressive?

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

My dog is 17 weeks and still barks and cries for 5 minutes or so when we put her in the crate at night. Last night she decided she wasn't sleeping and barked for about 3 hours. I took her out after the first 30 minutes. And then again later. I've been cutting off her food and water several hours before bed, and she's been making it through the night for about 4 weeks. She get's exercise, we go on a two mile walk every day, in addition to fetch and tug of war and chewing on my hand when I'm trying to work during the day.

I don't know if she just hates being in the crate. I give her treats when I put her in there. She's quiet until she's done eating them. She has stuff to chew on. We've been doing this for 6 weeks now.

Is it separation anxiety? She barks at me even if I go out through the gate to get the mail. But she's fine all day just being in the same room not paying attention to me. Or she will go to the door and let me know if she wants to go outside, where she will go lay in the sun by herself until she feels like coming back in.

I don't know, I'm not comfortable enough yet to leave her out of the crate. And if its a separation thing, I really don't think she belongs in the bedroom.

Problem!
Jan 1, 2007

I am the queen of France.

Real_Horrorshow posted:

In a more general sense, how should I handle future interactions with other dogs? Obviously asking the owner is a first step, but what if another dog approaches Bella? How can you tell when a dog might be aggressive, or whether it's just saying hello? Do I have to be worried that every dog we meet is potentially aggressive?

Never assume another dog will be okay with your dog, and that your dog will be okay with other dogs. Just assume that they don't want to say hi unless proven otherwise.

I have a dog who hates other dogs. I manage him the best I can and we've been working really hard on his dog reactivity, and my vet office knows he can't sit in the waiting room if it's crowded so they get him back into a room ASAP. But sometimes poo poo happens (emergencies, appointments taking too long, etc) and he has to be out in the waiting room for a bit and I try to keep him distracted but I'd still be pissed if someone wasn't paying attention and their dog wandered over and set him off.

Yes it's my responsibility to keep my reactive dog managed BUT it's also good dog etiquette not to allow your dog to approach strange dogs.

People who let their dogs wander around on a flexi lead in vet offices should be strangled with said flexi.

Real_Horrorshow
Jun 22, 2004
Easily Aroused

Thanks, I needed to hear that. I guess I'm about as distractible as Bella is. I will definitely keep a closer hold on her in the future.

Cockblocktopus
Apr 18, 2009

Since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun.


Bag of Sun Chips posted:

We have an 8-week old French Bulldog/Griffon mix that is extremely needy - she follows us around the house constantly. While our work schedules are flexible enough, she is still left alone for 2 hours a day. I set up a little plastic gated area in our house with her crate, all her toys, puppy pad, food, and water, and I've played with her in the little area, but when we leave her in there when we leave, she whines like crazy. There have even been times where I've come back after 2 hours and I can still hear her whining from outside our place.

Any advice to combat this? Is it something she'll just get used to? We've only been doing it for the past few days.

Can she see you leave?

My beagle will freak out if he sees me leave (after a year and a half together he's starting to chill out about it, but only a little), but if we pen or crate him out of sight before I leave the house then he doesn't seem to notice that I'm gone.

He'd cry for nine hours straight when we first got him and was crated in sight of the door, but now we just crate him as far from the front door as possible and he just sleeps the day away. We sort of trained him up to that point by leaving him in his crate or in his pen, both in and out of sight, while either I or my wife were home at the same time but honestly he's happy enough taking a nap most of the time.

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

Here's another one thats actually starting to embarrass me: when we encounter another dog on the street, she gets submissive. Lays down and exposes her belly to the other dog. Mainly male dogs.

I kinda got it when it would be like a 120 lb yellow lab. But tonight it was a freakin 5 lb chihuahua. It was shameful.

I don't know what to do here.

TraderStav
May 19, 2006

It feels like I was standing my entire life and I just sat down
I'd rub that tummy personally

a life less
Jul 12, 2009

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.

FogHelmut posted:

Here's another one thats actually starting to embarrass me: when we encounter another dog on the street, she gets submissive. Lays down and exposes her belly to the other dog. Mainly male dogs.

I kinda got it when it would be like a 120 lb yellow lab. But tonight it was a freakin 5 lb chihuahua. It was shameful.

I don't know what to do here.

If it legit bothers you, pull off to the side and let the other dog pass. Dogs (and puppies) don't need to greet every single thing that walks down the sidewalk. Use food, toys and other highly rewarding games to keep her attention on you while you do so. You don't want her feeling like it's a punishment. It's just polite to keep your dog to yourself in most situations. I mean, almost everyone likes saying hi to puppies, but as your dog ages the puppy privilege will wear off.

Some dogs (like mine) dislike puppies in particular (they're rude and can be pushed around easily), so as a puppy owner I would check with the other owner before letting your dog approach. And even then, a lot of owners are clueless; if in doubt, avoid.

It's important for your puppy to have successful social interactions with other dogs -- avoiding them completely isn't good -- but it's better to have a few good ones than lots of risky ones where something can go wrong easily.

Dyna Soar
Nov 30, 2006
go to a puppy play date or a friendly dog park for socialization and teach your puppy not to approach anyone while on leash, dog or person without permission. you'll save yourself a lot of trouble later on.

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

a life less posted:

If it legit bothers you, pull off to the side and let the other dog pass. Dogs (and puppies) don't need to greet every single thing that walks down the sidewalk. Use food, toys and other highly rewarding games to keep her attention on you while you do so. You don't want her feeling like it's a punishment. It's just polite to keep your dog to yourself in most situations. I mean, almost everyone likes saying hi to puppies, but as your dog ages the puppy privilege will wear off.

Some dogs (like mine) dislike puppies in particular (they're rude and can be pushed around easily), so as a puppy owner I would check with the other owner before letting your dog approach. And even then, a lot of owners are clueless; if in doubt, avoid.

It's important for your puppy to have successful social interactions with other dogs -- avoiding them completely isn't good -- but it's better to have a few good ones than lots of risky ones where something can go wrong easily.

Usually we humans confirm if its okay for the dogs to say hello. This chihuahua was just running around dragging the leash while the owner was on his cell phone. This is at a park we go to on our walk. Not a dog park, but a lot of people bring their dogs there. There are some open fields which give me a chance to do a few sprints with her because the two mile walk doesn't even register as any type of energy drain for her.

She's the opposite with my sister in law's dogs. They're middle age and surly, and she just runs around them in circles barking and trying to get them to play. None of this submissive stuff at all. But then she's been with them for hours and hours.

This article makes me feel better though https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201501/rollovers-do-not-always-mean-dog-is-afraid-or-submissive



edit - An update to my previous post - I don't know what happened, if it was her or me, but on our walk yesterday she was the best dog ever. She walked next to me the whole time, barely ever pulling, hardly stopping to sniff anything. Normally she will pull for the first block or so before she settles in. Then at bed time she went in her crate and didn't make a sound. I can't explain dogs.

FogHelmut fucked around with this message at 16:03 on Apr 28, 2016

wtftastic
Jul 24, 2006

"In private, we will be mercifully free from the opinions of imbeciles and fools."

Real_Horrorshow posted:

Hello thread. Two weeks ago, I adopted Bella from a local shelter (my first dog), and have been trying to follow the advice in the OP is best as possible. I have lots of questions, one of them being proper etiquette around other dogs and their owners.

I was picking up Bella from her spay surgery today, and while the nurse was giving me care instructions, I accidentally let Bella wander over to sniff this bull terrier sitting in his owners lap. The guy blocks Bella, I apologize, and he says something like "control your dog, man". I feel terrible that I potentially put Bella in danger, but I guess I thought that kind of behavior was just expected in a small space with several dogs. If this owner is worried about his dogs behavior, shouldn't he have crated him?

In a more general sense, how should I handle future interactions with other dogs? Obviously asking the owner is a first step, but what if another dog approaches Bella? How can you tell when a dog might be aggressive, or whether it's just saying hello? Do I have to be worried that every dog we meet is potentially aggressive?

Keep you dog under control in public. Its not rocket science. Not everyone wants your spastic out of control dog up in their face or in their dog's face, and yes you should assume all dogs are dog aggressive if it stops you letting your dog wander around and greet whoever it wants.

pookel
Oct 27, 2011

Ultra Carp
I'm kind of a noob too, but why wasn't she on a leash? I assumed it was just good manners to never have my dog unrestrained in a public place. If she's not in a kennel, she's in my arms or on a leash. She only runs free in enclosed areas that are also private property (e.g. my friend's yard). And she is a super well-behaved small dog with a low prey drive who doesn't bark much and listens well.

Real_Horrorshow
Jun 22, 2004
Easily Aroused

wtftastic posted:

Keep you dog under control in public. Its not rocket science. Not everyone wants your spastic out of control dog up in their face or in their dog's face, and yes you should assume all dogs are dog aggressive if it stops you letting your dog wander around and greet whoever it wants.

You're absolutely right, I should not have let that happen. As you say, It's a simple solution, I just have to remember to keep her close to me.

pookel posted:

I'm kind of a noob too, but why wasn't she on a leash?

I actually did have her on a 6-ft leash, thankfully I'm not that stupid. Unfortunately, the whole vet lobby is only about 8 feet across, and I just got careless. Thanks to all for the advice; If a dog is ever up in your business in the future, I promise it won't be mine.

TehRedWheelbarrow
Mar 16, 2011



Fan of Britches

The Goatfather posted:



This is wilfred. He's a good dog, and we are bffs, but he gets anxious when I leave him and if some dire emergency causes him to raise the alarm while I'm gone he'll remain in that state of high alert and bark at every noise until I come home. Neighbors love him! I've mulled the idea of getting him a buddy so he'll have someone to hang out with when I'm gone, and as much as I love beagles I know all about the barky feedback loop so another beagle is out, but I've only ever owned beagles. Are there any breeds/groups to look for that might be less prone to joining in and continuing to barking at boats, bicyclists, dog walkers, and other threats to our sovereignty? Nothing bigger than a medium-sized beagle. I'd get a shelter/rescue dog for sure, so I might not have much of a choice (and the shelters here are full of beagles :( ). I guess I might be better with a rescue, where they might have a better sense of how much each dog likes to vocalize...

i was going to suggest a rescue, the biggest thing that struck me about doyle (redbone hound) was how utterly quiet he was, (which was attractive, i dont like a shitton of barking unless reasons and stuff) it kinda set a good precedent in the house for the other dogs. unless its thunder which the pit bulls just cant handle without getting scared.

witherlegs
Sep 29, 2011

Let's rotate the board.
Back again to seek more advice, hooray!
Potty training seems to have resolved itself, except for the fact that he seems to mark territory in new places. He was in the yard with my partner, who was talking the neighbor. When she went in her house, Roscoe followed... And promptly lifted his leg. He was rushed outside, but he had just been out for a potty break. I think this is tied into his aggression issues? He's been lunging at my partner when he touches me (i.e. putting his hand on my arm when he's talking to me, leaning down to kiss me, etc), and he's nipped at him a few times. Once, he broke skin. We tried having my partner be the one to walk him and feed him, and they've spent time snuggled together, but with our schedules sometimes I'm the one who is the source of all the "good stuff". I've noticed that, when I'm holding or petting one of the cats, he'll get very close and is very interested in what they are doing, and I'm nervous he'll go after one of them or nip at them.
The lunging and nipping is less frequent than it used to be, but it's getting more severe - at first it was lunging, then the nips; the last time he broke skin.
I have never had to deal with an aggressive dog before and I'm not really sure how to curb he behavior. He's great with other dogs, but I'm worried he would bite a kid or someone else. (He is a pug mix and had 22 teeth pulled, but still - he managed to break skin...)

Fraction
Mar 27, 2010

CATS RULE DOGS DROOL

FERRETS ARE ALSO PRETTY MEH, HONESTLY


Real_Horrorshow posted:

I was picking up Bella from her spay surgery today, and while the nurse was giving me care instructions, I accidentally let Bella wander over to sniff this bull terrier sitting in his owners lap. The guy blocks Bella, I apologize, and he says something like "control your dog, man". I feel terrible that I potentially put Bella in danger, but I guess I thought that kind of behavior was just expected in a small space with several dogs. If this owner is worried about his dogs behavior, shouldn't he have crated him?

Just as an aside, I never never let dogs interact with mine or vice versa in a veterinary/healthcare situation. Not only do you not know other dogs' temperaments & opinions on other dogs, but the vets is a stressful place and will put a lot of dogs on edge. And (unless this was a place that *only* does neutering) you don't know why the other dog is AT the vets. I had someone try to let their dog "say hello!" to my boy in the vets the other week, where he'd just been diagnosed with conjunctivitis, which can be pretty contagious. As a reactive dog owner, you become very aware of what your dog is doing & where it is - and it's always good when a non-reactive dog owner is also on the ball :)

Warbird
May 23, 2012

America's Favorite Dumbass

Belle crapped in her cage while I was at work this morning. However she had the presence of mind to pull away her bedding, crap on one side of the cage's floor, put the bedding back, and not lie on top of it for minimal mess. Good dog?

Abutiu
Oct 21, 2013

Real_Horrorshow posted:

Hello thread. Two weeks ago, I adopted Bella from a local shelter (my first dog), and have been trying to follow the advice in the OP is best as possible. I have lots of questions, one of them being proper etiquette around other dogs and their owners.

I was picking up Bella from her spay surgery today, and while the nurse was giving me care instructions, I accidentally let Bella wander over to sniff this bull terrier sitting in his owners lap. The guy blocks Bella, I apologize, and he says something like "control your dog, man". I feel terrible that I potentially put Bella in danger, but I guess I thought that kind of behavior was just expected in a small space with several dogs. If this owner is worried about his dogs behavior, shouldn't he have crated him?

In a more general sense, how should I handle future interactions with other dogs? Obviously asking the owner is a first step, but what if another dog approaches Bella? How can you tell when a dog might be aggressive, or whether it's just saying hello? Do I have to be worried that every dog we meet is potentially aggressive?

Also, in addition to what everyone else has said, remember that aggressive dogs need vet care, too. ;) I have one and work with my vet to try to minimize her exposure to other dogs (scheduling for slow times so we can get right into an exam room or sit in the overflow waiting room which isn't normally in use when it's slow, leaving her in the car if weather permits, etc.) but we have to spend some time in the main waiting room because we have to weigh her on the scale there, walk through it to get to the exam rooms, that kind of thing. When I first got her and she'd attack on a hair trigger I used to muzzle her, but I still didn't want other dogs approaching because I was pretty sure she'd still start fights, she just couldn't hurt the other dog--but that's still stressful and unpleasant for everyone. Crating can be feasible for lap dogs, but crates start getting heavy and awkward really quickly as your dog gets bigger. I also have better control of my dog on a leash than I would if I had to try to get her in and out of a crate in a busy waiting room in close proximity to other dogs (and I'm pretty strong and lug her empty crate around quite a bit, but I couldn't carry her in her crate).

So as far as your etiquette towards other dogs: unless you're in a situation where contact between dogs is explicitly expected (off-leash dog park is the big one I can think of), it's best to prevent your dog from approaching other dogs unless their owners give you the okay. Even if you're in an area that's a bit of a gray area (like a hiking trail without a leash law but that isn't designed for dogs), it's still probably best to try to prevent contact between dogs.

How you handle other dogs approaching yours varies depending on your and Bella's comfort levels. I don't like having random dogs interact with mine for a variety of reasons--I worry about their health, especially for my old dog who is a bit fragile; I worry that I may misread the body language or something and the dog may be more reactive than I realize; my dogs get plenty of social interaction and enrichment so greeting every random dog is just unnecessary stress, and I like having somewhat solitary walks. My views are also probably colored by having a dog who pretty much hates everything except me, and another dog who is fine with other dogs but is less fine with random people, so I'm used to keeping passersby away from us on walks and once you get used to running interference like that, the risk of greeting random dogs starts seeming not terribly worth it even when I'm walking a friendly dog.

That said, I know people and dogs who do genuinely like meeting new dogs, so if you and Bella are like that, then go for it. I'd still recommend trying to talk to the owner as the dog approaches (a simple "Is he friendly?" or "Is it okay if they say hi?" is usually enough), and make an effort to learn to read canine body language so you can tell if either Bella or the other dog are giving off "I'm not comfortable with this" signals.

Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy
Not sure if this is right thread for this, but does anyone have any recommendations for a dog harness like this:

https://www.google.ca/search?q=dog+...tXx5-5R1O0NM%3A

I am specifically looking for one with the handle on top.

It's for a GSD.

Real_Horrorshow
Jun 22, 2004
Easily Aroused
Wow, I really did not realize how lucky I was to adopt a dog that is nonreactive (at least, so far). Much respect to those of you handling that situation, and it's safe to say I will be erring on the side of caution from now on. I know I'm probably in for a few more rude awakenings along the way, so its nice to know I can come here to get set back on the right path.

Ausrotten
Mar 9, 2016

STILL A HUGE FUCKIN DICK
Are you looking for a harness to help you with mobility issues? Julius K9 makes a very nice version of the harness in the first image but I probably wouldn't recommend it for mobility-related tasks

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Tsyni
Sep 1, 2004
Lipstick Apathy

Ausrotten posted:

Are you looking for a harness to help you with mobility issues? Julius K9 makes a very nice version of the harness in the first image but I probably wouldn't recommend it for mobility-related tasks

Not for mobility issues. That one looks awesome, thank you :)

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