bad luck or sexual maturity??dog attacks

[kelking]

hi boomer is now 9month male not fixed he hasnt changed behavior in the house nor have i noticed it outside on walks but in the last 4 weeks he has been attacked by 3 old male dogs (and i mean old with greying muzzles old)
the first time he was on lead and this black lab/gsd dog not on lead came over to us the man with him didnt seem concerned so i though friendly dog,he sniffed boomer,boomer just stood there hes very friendly and well mannered,we went to move away and the dog just a snap ripped his ear a bit i was mad at the owner told him he should have him on a lead and so on lucky boomer`s ear wasnt bad

second time on lead meet two young boxers one male one female that he knows well,then followed rusty a male 3yrs spaniel again all happy enjoy each other then comes a old boxer male off lead the lady was telling already to behave but choose not to put him on lead he came over and attacked boomer not the other males there this time no marks on boomer

we have just been out saw a old lab that boomer see`s from time to time very friendly but this time he wasnt he was growling at boomer luckly both were on lead so no fight

is this all bad luck?
or the older guys putting a male in his place?
boomer is very friendly not jumpy nor boistrus very calm and confident
ive got another dog that doesnt like other dogs i dont want this for him
should i keep him away from all dog?
ps he never fights back not that i wish him too

thanks hope this post makes sense ha ha

[bliss7373]

I do think that other dogs (even other neutered males) view an intact, adult male differently. Boomer is no longer a puppy - and other dogs are treating him accordingly.

It sounds like Boomer has been a very good boy so far - but his patience won't last forever. There may soon come the time that Boomer does not react so passively. It's up to you to keep him out of bad situations - you will have to be much more vigilant.

I don't think this means that you have to avoid other dogs entirely - but you do have to be more aware and more proactive where he is concerned. Consider avoiding areas where you know loose dogs are likely to be, don't assume other dogs are friendly even if their owners say they are, and think more carefully about the dogs you allow Boomer to socialize with, etc. From your experiences with your other dog - you know that if Boomer keeps having bad experiences, he may decide that it's better to go on the offense with strange dogs before they can attack him. You don't want that, so you'll have to start being more careful.

You can't always control other dogs or, especially, their owners - but you can control the situations you put Boomer in. Now that you know other dogs' reactions towards him might be changing, you can prevent trouble before it happens!

[SABELLESMOM]

Can I ask, does Boomer snif them back? The way it reads, with him on lead, you mightn't have allowed him to have the "required by dog etiquette" sniffing back. That's one thing.

The other, is one dog is on lead and one off. That seems to initiate more trouble than most people are aware. Perhaps someone can explain this better than I. So please do. However... <ahem>...let me try. The dog on lead has a limited space. Another dog has to enter his "territory" to snif, etc. Your dog is probably on a tight lead as you don't want him to learn the bad habit of snapping back.

Now, if your dog is not allowed to sniff back, the other dog is offended and retaliates. If he is allowed, and they still snap, then he's sending a signal that he is vulnerable and weak, somehow.

Next, perhaps he's not laking leave properly. I note that dogs usually look at each other at some point during a meeting. Is your dog looking? How is his posture? Is he standing tall, or cowering? Many signals are there if we but see them.

The last thing is, since he's on lead...therefore more vulnerable already, I suggest you do not stop at all. Continue your walk and he will not be vulnerable nor weak... he will be minding his own business and probably left alone.

[kelking]

hi yes in some cases he does sniff back this is when the attack happens,they seem happy to sniff him but not when its his turn

i wouldnt say he was on a tight lead before as he was alway ok with other dogs so i was never worried or stress when dogs came over

he stands tall, tail up wagging, i think he stands confident,
maybe they think hes being too conifident?

today he was more stand offish if dogs walked by turning head away as before he liked to have a good look when we passed
he was like you said minding his own business i think hes learnt

i think what you said about him sending a signal that he is vulnerable and weak, somehow may be true he is a very soppy gentle pup

could it be the rotti stare?he does like a good look at other dogs he will stand and stare(but with his tail wagging) untill they come near then he wants to play

anyhow iam paying more attention on whos walking my way,its such a shame because he does love other dogs and iam enjoying have a dog that i know i can take anywhere even if there is other dogs there,as my older female we cant do this she gets edgy when a dog is near i dont want this for him.
boomer get a walk in the morning so he can socialize without my female and her bad habits then they both go out again in the afternoon.

i was so angry at other people letting their dogs wander when ive worked so hard socializing him.friends have told me he need toughing up thats why hes picked on but i like him the way he is,he fits in great with my children and i

[kelking]

the old boxer didnt even sniff or try to just walked over then attacked his face area

[SABELLESMOM]

IMHO, a dog can't be too confident. I have two very confident bitches. No dog ever bothered them in this way.

He should give a good and proper snif back. It's doggy protocol, bad form if he doesn't. He should also look at the other dog. I'd be more concerned if he refused. A good confident, aloof look , however is different than a stare. Liken a stare to a human glare. It's confrontational. It's distainful. It's a challenge.

If that's all true, then let me ask if you tense up? You could be the one giving a cue to both dogs. If you're relaxed and confident it will travel down the leash, most importantly. But it will also be noted by the oncoming dog.

[kelking]

as i say i dont think i tense up as we have never had a problem before and i was enjoying taking him where other dogs were as he enjoyed it so much

is it showing weakness if he always lets them sniff him first?

[poohbearsmom]

It's not important for Boomer to exchange business cards with other dogs along a walk. It IS important for the humans to take control of situations before they get out of hand. It's more important for Boomer to continue on, and learn how to ignore other dogs, and maintain attention on you when you request it.

It does sound like Boomer has been a good boy, and likely no bad imprint has occured if he's not going into defense - this is also a good indication he's a very confident dog.

If stray dogs come at you while you're walking your boy, YOU need to run them off, and instill in Boomer that you are capable of protecting him. If Boomer decides you can't do it, he'll very likely take things into his own 'hands', and things could be an uphill battle with him regarding dog aggression. Best not to let a problem start in the first place.

As well, more fights start with dogs on leash than off, as they cannot inspect and meet each other naturally, but rather tend to meet each other head on, which is what instigates the fights. Tight leashes are a no no. If you are nervous, that energy you're putting out goes straight down the leash as well. Since most dog owners mishandle their dogs in situations like this, I do not stop, but say a cheery hello, and keep moving and get past the fellow exercisers.

Hope this helps.

[kelking]

thanks it does and did today,we were out walking me, boomer and holly along a path walk over a field.holly was on lesh as we saw a few dogs out and about ,boomer was just put on as a man with a small dog was telling us his was in heat
we walked on saw a staffie(bull terrier)off lesh and heading our way i stopped, the man with her was far back,the dog growled came towards boomer i shouted no!go!shoo!kicked out my leg abit it stopped growling but still came in for a sniff again i shouting by this time the man came i said there is a reason we have leads he didnt answer just got his dog and walked away
it gets me soooo mad,if my attacked that dog who would be to blame me the lady with nasty rottweilers(or thats what they would say) or the stupid guy with no idea
anyhow iam proud i stayed in control of mine and were ok

[keller27]

I took Khori out the other night for a walk and ahead of of us was a dad, his daughter, and their OFF leash GSD. Their dog of course starts coming up to us. I stayed very calm and Khori was very calm which I did think helped the situation. I had a hold of his collar and positioned myself in front of Khori. (Khori was behind me) I didn't say anything, just stood there, the GSD stopped about 20ft. from us. The owner called his dog off. I talked the owner briefly and Khori wanted to go over to say hi, but I didn't feel comfortable with that, because his dog was off leash. Khori wants to play, but then he starts feeling intimidated and stuff happens. I made sure that I praised Khori for doing a great job. If something would have happened, the bad wrap would have gone to Khori.

[Obelix]

It all has to do with the testosteron of your intact male.Other intact males can smell it from a distance and some of them are will follow their nature and come oner to see if your dog is a challenge to them.Depends a lot of the owner of the other dog how the situation evaluates.