My name is Elaine and I am new here! Glad to be here.
I have two rescue dogs. They are both seniors rescued from a high kill shelter in Miami Florida.
One is purebred GSD and the other is a shep mix. The adjustment has been fairly smooth so far.
I've had one since late August and the other since October. Jack, my GDS mix was very gentle and
enthusiastic about other dogs at first. But after a few encounters with neighbor dogs that were snappish
he has become more aggressive toward other dogs himself. I am not sure how to deal with it. He pulls when he sees
a dog and then barks and barks and has to be pulled away. I have been reading about the basic techniques but
i also have to be careful as my boy is a senior and has very bad hips. any suggestions would be very much
appreciated! Thanks for being here!
You have to be careful not to signal to him that you are nervous because of an approaching dog. People tend to pull the dog closer to them when they see another dog approach. The dog often takes this signal to mean that danger is approaching. Don't do anything to get him closer to you until something happens. You might also get the book "Fiesto Fido" by Dr. Patricia McConnell. It should point you in the right direction.
Bill
http://www.skylarzack.com/rawfeeding.htm
Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring-it was peace. - Milan Kundera
HI Elaine, welcome. What I would do would be to change his focus and his perception of the oncoming dog. For the time being when you see a dog coming towards you, do not let him pull you, get him to sit and watch a treat. Once the dog has passed by, then give him the treat, provided he stays sitting and focused, do not reward if he lunges out or barks. In time your dog will see oncoming dogs as something nice, rather than something to get worked up about and bark at. This method takes time and patience, but it does work. Good luck.
Thanks for advice you guys!
I will try suggestions and also purchase the book that was suggested!