He just wants to say Hi

[*Lassie*]

Don't know if this has been put on here before but I love the intro, it's brilliant

http://www.livingwithdogs.us/articles/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf

[SuzAndTheDiva]

very good 

[RozandFly]

I absolutely loved this and I wish I had read something like this years ago - it explains such a lot about my past and current dog's behaviours.
The problem now is that the 10month old collie pup I have is turning out to be the 'overexcited and rude dog' as I've explained briefly in 'Heeling and New Dog'.
Great on the lead when noone else about but as soon as a dog appears, usually in the distance, he yanks to the end of his lead barking like a possessed thing. Dogs that we meet more close up he doesn't bark but tends to dive straight in and twice now this has resulted in him, quite rightly, being told off by the other dog (one was a g.sheperd-cross that Wally tried to climb on top of, to hump perhaps?!). After this he'll then sit but makes whining and yelping noises (wanting to play?) and then will occasionally jump at the dog again. I understand from this article, and through sensible comments from people here and of course Bev that with dogs you need to 'help him find a more appropriate behavior or remove him briefly from the triggering situation' but when that situation is 1/2 mile down the road ignoring him, how do you avoid that?
Ok, moaning over - in sum - fab article, just wish I had the sensible dog not the rude one!!!!

[kerrie and stan]

i cant read it

[Sweetypye]

some of suzanne clothier's articles are great and I have often posted links on other forums to this one when somebody thinks it is ok to have their dog out of control.

If you go to her site Flying Dog press, you can read all of the other articles.

http://flyingdogpress.com/sayhi.html

I particularly like the following article on aggression

http://flyingdogpress.com/casehis.html

[Justine&Rafe]

I've decided - I'm an argumentative cow...

I did like the article, thought it was witty and engaging, and really good at seeing the "other side" of the story.

However I would be mortified if Rafe ever attacked another dog for simply bumping into him.  And I would tell him off.  He has been attacked, and I didn't tell him off for defending himself.

But I wouldn't want him to barge into another dog.  And if he did, and he has in the past, I've told owners of dogs which have growled or snapped at him that he deserved it for being rude.

How else are puppies supposed to learn how to behave unless they have interactions with older dogs that will say no to them?

So, yes, I agree with a lot of what she said, but no, I don't agree that it is unfair to set high standards for your dog's behaviour. 

[Sweetypye]

 

I am sorry but I find your post completely contradictory!

First you say:

I would be mortified if Rafe ever attacked another dog for simply bumping into him.  And I would tell him off

Then you say:


[But I wouldn't want him to barge into another dog.  And if he did, and he has in the past, I've told owners of dogs which have growled or snapped at him that he deserved it for being rude.

 

And where in her article has she said that it is unfair to set high standards for your dog's behaviour?

THIS is what this article is all about!

Setting high standards for your dog so that you are aware of what is good etiquette and how to prevent  a dog exhibiting Tarzan like behaviour and NOT punishing a dog for protecting its space when it is invaded by a rude dog!

 

[*Lassie*]

Thought this one is good too
http://flyingdogpress.com/leadership.html

[Foxisle_crazy]

Don't know if this has been put on here before but I love the intro, it's brilliant

http://www.livingwithdogs.us/articles/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf

Woah someone email this to a certain dog day care!       

[-Alison-]

have printed this out to give to a couple whom I sometimes bump into in the evenings. Says it far better than I could

[*Lassie*]

Don't know if this has been put on here before but I love the intro, it's brilliant

http://www.livingwithdogs.us/articles/He-just-wants-to-say-hi.pdf

Woah someone email this to a certain dog day care!       

 

[Justine&Rafe]

Sweetypye, I agree that that was the main point of the article - the part I was referring to re high standards was this...

"Cream's owner and her instructors were unrealistically holding Cream to higher standard of tolerance than they would expect from themselves. After all, she is a Golden. Does that mean she or any other typically low-aggression breed should tolerate rude dogs making physical contact?"

And my answer to that is yes.  Because Rafe has avoided incidences of rudeness from escalating to scraps by not taking them on.  I don't expect the same form of high standards from other owners whose dogs may have come from distressed backgrounds.  I know Rafe's background - he has no violence in his past, and I do expect him to be tolerant of other dogs, just as I would expect him to be tolerant of kids pulling his ears.

In either situation I'd make sure he was removed from the situ before any harm happened, but I'd expect his initial reaction not to be an agressive one.

I AGREE with the article in the most part, BUT there's a difference between the ideal this article promotes and the real world of dog ownership!  Great if this can change some attitudes, but the dogs which cause the most trouble are ones where the owners don't really care about this.

[Sweetypye]

I expect the same standards from ALL dog owners regardless of the origins of their dogs.

One of the most important points I put across to clients is that there are NO excuses; "he is a rescue" is NOT an excuse to put your dog or any other in a position where it feels the NEED to defend itself; it is the job of the OWNER to risk assess situations and protect dogs from themselves and others!

I do not expect my dogs to be tolerant of certain situations because I do not allow that situation to arise, eg I would not expect my dogs to be tolerant of children pulling their ears unless I EXPECTED them to have to put up with this!

I think you have missed the vital point of this article, the first couple of paragraphs; was the woman being aggressive in this situation?!

[Justine&Rafe]

I've not missed the point.

I'm talking about the caveat to it.

If you expect all owners to be equally diligent then you will be let down frequently.  As is far too often the case, people get dogs and then do not do right by them.

If you expect your dogs to be generally very well behaved, then when they are approached by an undersocialised undertrained dog, and you can get them to e.g. just sit there while you deal with the other dog, you can avoid major problems arising.

Certainly if your dog snaps back in a lot of cases it won't escalate, but there will be cases where it does escalate.  And your own dog could get hurt.

[Sweetypye]

I have very low expectations of most owners and am rarely disappointed. That is why I make sure that I protect my dogs from situations which can get out of hand.

You have a flat coated retriever which has an entirely different outlook on life than a Weimaraner or a GSD; added to that if there was an issue it is always certain dogs that get blamed (see article) just for existing (eg it would be my GSD).

I am perfectly aware of the consequences of poor temperament and poor training that is why I spend a great deal of time ensuring that my dogs do not get hurt; this often entails me having to carry a large stick unfortunately as if the owners cannot or will not train their dogs, I often have to do it for them!