Dog Community

Behaviour at the dog park

Posted : 3/26/2007 8:25:49 AM

My younger female Aussie gets along pretty well with my older Aussie/BC mix, who's a lot bigger than her (30lbs vs. 60lbs). She does try to rule the roost with him and they get mouthy with each other and rough house a lot, but they've never gotten in any serious dog fights. They steal toys from each other and she likes to bite at his legs until he's on the ground then pounce on top of him, and he tolerates everything she does very well, and dishes it back sometimes.

I was really good about socializing my older guy Tucker, he went through dog obedience class at 5 months old and part of their routine was to let the dogs off leash in the enclosure and play and socialize. So he's definitely not the issue. I haven't been so good with my younger one Krystal, who is about 6 months old, due to it being winter we haven't gotten out and about with her. Now that the weather is nicer, I've taken them to the dog park twice.

The first time, Krystal immediately started barking and growling at the other dogs as we approached the enclosure. So I put her in the small dog pen which was empty at first, and let Tucker in the big one with the "stranger danger" dogs. He immediately started to play and got along with everybody great. The female starting crying and seemed like she wanted to go in and play too. So I let her in the big enclosure and when all the other dogs came up to her she immediately got on her back and cried submissively. They all smelled her and then went about their way. She then hid under my legs and didn't really want to play right way. After about 10 minutes she found her "big brother" and started to run and play, and would go belly-up again every time one of the other dogs approached her.

Well, second time at the dog park, she did the belly-up routine, but when one particular dog would walk away after sniffing her, she would get up and run after him yelping, whining, and growling with her upper teeth bared and biting at his sides and back legs. He'd run away, and she'd chase him like this. I came over and stepped between her and him and told her "NO", and then she'd stop and seek out her Tucker and play with him. But every time this other dog came back up to her, she did the same routine, belly-up then when he walked away she went after him.

Is this aggressive behaviour, or insecurity on her part? Or insecure/aggression? What should I do to nip this in the bud? I'd really like her to be social with other dogs besides Tucker, and I don't want to be banned from the dog park!

Carolyn Kinsler

Posted : 3/26/2007 3:17:33 PM

Is your little girl spayed? Was the dog she was interacting with a male and was he neutered? It sounds to me like a young female thing. If she is not spayed she may be about to come into heat. If she is spayed and the dog was a male, he may have been interested anyways. I would think more trips to the dog park with your careful supervision would make her more confident.

C

Katy Harvey

Posted : 3/26/2007 3:31:15 PM

She was just spayed 3 weeks before this happened. The male--I'm not sure if he was neutered, I didn't check--LOL, he was an 8 month old lab mix (big, obnoxious, dog!). Maybe she just didn't like his forwardness and he was too rude and in her face. He certainly was rude to us adults. He'd sneak up on you from sideways and jump up and bump you in the face with his nose. Scared me to death one time! Also knocked over my daughter pretty roughly!

The only other dog there that day was an elderly female who minded her own business and my girl didn't even know she existed.

I'm hoping more trips will get her more socialized, I just don't want her to hurt another dog during the process.

Her snarling and nipping didn't seem to bother the other big dog, so I dont' think she was really trying to bite him to hurt him. But I don't want her to become truly aggressive to other dogs and her behavior did alarm me a bit since she went after him as he was walking away.

Cita

Posted : 3/26/2007 3:35:44 PM

Do you have friends with dogs that you could "practice" with in smaller, more controlled settings?

Katy Harvey

Posted : 3/26/2007 3:58:49 PM

Actually, that's a good suggestion....I do have a good friend who has a fenced in yard and 2 older females that would probably be a great place to take her. My friend has already told me to bring my dogs over, we used to bring my now deceased two older dogs there all the time to play with hers while we were visiting. I have just hesitated since my female was so darned hard to housebreak, I didn't want her having an accident at my friends house. But now that the weather is getting nice, I can bring her over and they can stay outside in the yard.

My friend's females are perfect examples of one dominant and one submissive, so my Aussie girl could have experience with both types. And the dominant one of her two is a 6 lb Pekinese, so she's not so intimidating that my girl would freak out!

Carolyn Kinsler

Posted : 3/26/2007 4:26:10 PM

It soundsto me like your girl was telling the male to back off. Some males are just obnoxious and I have always believed the girls should be allowed to say "back off" (both humans and dogs). She may have still smelled intact three weeks after a spay and therfore more interesting to a shall we say horny male. If the male comes back he obviously doesn't find her bahavior unacceptable. I think more exposure will teach her to handle rude males with more poise.

C