Dog going mental @ neighbours dog

Dog going mental @ neighbours dog

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PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
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Hi all advice and techniques required before we discuss with a behaviorist.

It's an on going problem we've been trying to control for the last 3yrs.

Our dog is well socialised and gets along with most other dogs, very rarely any conflict, if there is, it's only handbags not fighting.

Next door neighbours have a dog that doesn't get on or socialise with other dogs. When next doors dog is in the garden ours goes mental @ the fence, next doors dog responds as you would expect. We'll usually bring him back inside, and try to avoid letting him out if next doors dog is in the garden.

However it's getting worse, this morning he's going mental @ the fence & next door. Mrs PR tried to bring our dog in and he squared up to her, snarling, growling and baring his teeth.

When we've seen neighbour out with their dog (both on leads) they behave, although very uneasy. I've suggested we walk them together to try to socialise them a bit but my neighbours are reluctant to do this. Thier dog has previous for attacking other dogs so they'd rather just avoid dog walkers as much as possible.

Anyone with any bright ideas?

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
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Honestly as it has been going on for a while and he has now shown aggression to your wife I think you need to invest in a good behaviourist (and now before the warning aggression turns into a bite)

You will likely end up with well meaning but conflicting advice on here which could confuse matters and make things worse. (behavioural advice over the Internet is often a contentious issue!)

Is this the first time he has ever growled/ bared his teeth at either of you, ever?

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
quotequote all
Thanks Bex. He has done this before, but only when this one dog is is in the next door garden garden. It's a territorial thing I'm guessing.

Other dogs (both known and unknown to him) have come around without a problem.

We phoned the dogs trust today, they've promised a call back from their behaviorist.

bomma220

14,452 posts

124 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
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Do you have Pet Insurance for your dog? In some cases it's possible to get help from your insurers re behaviour problems, especially if your dog is becoming aggressive.

Mr GrimNasty

8,172 posts

169 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
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What if you kept your dog a few yards away from the fence with a temporary fence - rolled out chicken wire and metal stakes - would he still kick off?

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Thursday 26th May 2016
quotequote all
Mr GrimNasty said:
What if you kept your dog a few yards away from the fence with a temporary fence - rolled out chicken wire and metal stakes - would he still kick off?
Yes tried that. I'm presently reinforcing the original fence.................

It's ever so strange, the difference between normal and fence behavior. It's like something out of the exorcist. Out and about no problems, other dogs, children, cyclists, joggers, tractors, horses, sheep, cows, pubs (actually really really likes pubs) pub dogs, lawn mowers, cars, buses, lorry's, motorbikes, couldn't give a monkeys, but one next door dog................

bigbob77

593 posts

165 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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I agree with trying a behaviourist, but... Have you tried anything yet other than just bringing him back in? Like... telling him to stop?

I'm sure you have, you just didn't mention it above!

Does he know "leave"? If not, might be time to teach him. Then take him outside on a lead, start as far away from the other dog as possible and verbally correct him as soon as his focus shifts to the other dog, like when his eyes shift towards it. If he's already barking it's too late and much harder to break his focus, then it kinda becomes a fight between you and him.
It's in your enclosed garden so pretty much risk free, easy to try.

Try to make yourself more "interesting" than the other dog too. Carry his favourite toy. Walk him in circles around the garden but every time his focus shifts away from you, spin around 180 degrees and walk the other way very quickly, don't even look down at him! Things like that will help break his focus from the fence/other dog.

Although if he's ignoring verbal commands and as you said showing aggression towards you, then I would deal with that before worrying about barking at the neighbours dog.

I have something similar-ish with my young Border Collie - he walks really nicely to heel but when he sees another dog he becomes 100% fixated on it and becomes an idiot (he only wants to play). If I catch him with a sharp "leave" the instant his ears prick up or his eyes look over then he will keep his focus on me. If I miss it and let him go into idiot mode, it's like trying to walk a bag of caffeinated ferrets.

Edited by bigbob77 on Friday 27th May 09:43

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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Thanks BB all valid points.

When either of us are in the garden, we can divert his attention before he goes ballistic. Once ballistic and tearing @ the fence much more difficult, no amount of toys, treats or words gets his attention.

I've had some success with a super-soaker biggrin This takes the wind out of his sails and diffuses the situation long enough to take control.

The perfect situation would be for him to ignore next door, we like to leave the doors open and he likes to spend time in the garden. I've spoken to my neighbour again re walking both dogs together, I feel this would help, we'll see how we get on.

No call back from the Dogs Trust behaviorist yet, although I'm not holding my breath.

bigbob77

593 posts

165 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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If you have pet insurance, check if they cover the cost of a behaviourist. I found out that ours (Pet Plan) does! That may let you access more costly ones. Although there is a "disclaimer"... If you notify them of behaviour issues and later there's an injury/3rd party damage connected to that behaviour, they may refuse to cover it.

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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We self insure, I'm in the Garden @ the moment, revisiting clicker training.

I'm sure part of the problem is he considers it his role to protect us from dog beast next door.

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Friday 27th May 2016
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PositronicRay said:
We self insure, I'm in the Garden @ the moment, revisiting clicker training.

I'm sure part of the problem is he considers it his role to protect us from dog beast next door.
Maybe but it has gone too far that he is turning that on your wife whatever his reasonable for it.

Good luck with the clicker.

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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Starting to get there smile

Fence reinforced so dog can't see through. Clicker training going well, neighbour cooperating with "NO" over the fence when he hears dog. Trying to break the cycle, seems to be working.


bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
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thumbup

FailHere

779 posts

151 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
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The strange thing is I had the reverse when I had Bob the terrier, he was an older stray when he turned up so no idea what his life had been before. He was reasonably ok* on the lead, but you had to watch him off it as he had a tendency to run up to other dogs and try to flatten them.

Next door had a basset which he would quite happily "talk to" through the back fence, sniffing noses, wagging tail, no problem. Unfortunately if they met out at the front Bob would go ballistic.

We did go through behaviour therapy and he did improve slightly (*he did originally have a habit of turning grabbing his lead and snarling when he saw other dogs, which we got him to stop doing), but I could never trust him, I think he was just scared.

PositronicRay

Original Poster:

26,957 posts

182 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
quotequote all
I had an interesting conversation with a trainer from the Dogs Trust.

She said we had to "break the cycle", all the time he was going mental at the fence he was "practising his behavior"

So the old regime.
Neighbours dog would come out
Our dog would go mental/barking
Our dog would get a bking for barking, and bought inside.

In dogs mind.
Neighbour's dog is out
Want it to go away, start barking
While neighbours dog is out I'm going to get a bking so bark louder/harder to make other dog go away.

So the new regime
Noise from next door's drive or garden, dog gets a treat.

Dog thinks
Hmmmm next door dog not so bad, biggrin when it's out I'm treated smile

Not sure that's exactly how it works but so far so good.

Seems to associate noise/dog & cars/people on next doors drive with treat rather than "gotta see em off"

We're using mini treats from Wilko, he'd go through too many normal biscuits.

It's only been a few days but things seem better, and neighbours have remarked it's all a bit quieter. smile Roll on summer.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Sunday 5th June 2016
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Interesting as our Terrier goes mental when next door's; never walked!!!!, dogs come out; to be fair he only gets funny with them when they get funny with him, I shout at him to come in, he ignores me so I have to go and get him, I think I'll try the treat thing.

Alternatively perhaps I could make him deaf; our other dog is deaf and doesn't hear them, she only goes for a bark after she has realised our Terrier is getting all excited at the usual spot in the fence!!