by Susan Williams, Behaviour Manager
These challenges and responses get layered on fairly quickly; a paw on the shoulder, a close up stare or a growl can quickly escalate into a fight. More often than not, one of the dogs will fold and will signal his acquiescence and then the fun can begin.
It is important that during these meetings you are watching and praising good behaviour and, if you see that the meeting is not going well, you immediately redirect your dog's attention to something else. It is always better (and safer) to separate the escalating dogs before a fight breaks out. Stopping the escalation is as simple as calling your dog away from the other and moving in a different direction. They may meet again on another day, and each time they meet with positive responses, don’t forget the praise!
Of course, some dogs just don’t like each other, no matter what you do. Just like people, no matter how socialized and well balanced they are, it is possible that your dog will never become friends with certain dogs in the neighbourhood.
If your dog is scared or insecure, make sure that the time he spends meeting other dogs is short to avoid overwhelming him. Make sure the experience is positive, encourage your dog with your voice and praise him when he shows he is being brave. When it’s time to go, always call your dog away from the other dog—don’t pull on the leash. This teaches your dog that he can turn and walk away on his own and doesn't trigger a reaction from being physically pulled.
Attending a function for dogs, such as Paws in Motion, where there are hundreds of other dogs around, is a unique situation. It is exciting and fun for us to take our dogs to this type of event because we get to show off our pets and have people meet them while supporting a great cause.
The most important thing when taking your dog to an event like this, is to make sure he can handle being around other dogs. You’ll both meet every type of dog there is—some will be nice, some won’t. Some will react because there are just too many dogs around and some will ignore all of them.
Try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for your dog. Bring treats to reward him when he is good but also remember to give him a break from the excitement now and then. Take him for a bit of a walk away from everyone and rejoin the fun after a few minutes. Be relaxed and happy and your energy will transfer to your dog. If he meets another dog that is not quite as happy and there is a bit of an altercation, don’t overreact. The best thing to do is calmly make sure he is not hurt and then move on to show him it is over and there is still much fun to be had with the other dogs. Additionally, always keep in mind that a public event like Paws in Motion can be a great outing but you have to know your dog and realize when he has had enough and is over-stimulated or just tired. When it’s time to go home, both the animals and humans that participated will feel great after a day of good exercise, socialization and making a difference in our community.
Very few dogs live in splendid isolation; they’re bound to meet another dog at some point in their lives. Almost every dog wants to meet another dog to play and interact with and it’s important for you, the owner, to understand all of the ins and outs of the proper introduction process.
How your dog responds to a meeting can depend on a number of factors: his temperament, level of socialization, previous experiences with meeting dogs, whether he is on a leash or free and, importantly, where the meeting is taking place—some dogs will do better where they feel safe and secure and others are better meeting in neutral territory.
Friendly Meetings
When well balanced, well socialized dogs meet, it’s a truly joyful experience. They’ll usually run towards each other wagging their tails, their mouths open and friendly like they are “smiling” at each other. They are so elated they cannot contain their excitement in their own bodies so they wiggle, jump and investigate each other using every single sense to familiarize themselves with their new buddy. Dogs can read other dogs a good distance away and this will make them approach each individual dog differently. However there are some over-enthusiastic dogs that ignore what they see in other dogs and may excitedly run up to a timid or insecure dog expecting to get the same enthusiastic greeting…which probably won’t happen.Tense beginnings
Some dogs are not immediately friendly. This could stem from insecurity, previous bad experiences with other dogs or the size of the dog. These dogs will go through a series of subtle and not-so-subtle responses in order to form an understanding between each other. Some dogs feel a need to establish rank, so they may offer a challenge and will often approach other dogs at right angles with a tense body and erect ears. The dog that is being challenged can choose to return the challenge, submit, or run away. If the dog decides to return the challenge, he may turn and stand parallel to his challenger and rest his head on the dog’s back. This is not a cause for alarm but pay close attention as things can escalate from here.These challenges and responses get layered on fairly quickly; a paw on the shoulder, a close up stare or a growl can quickly escalate into a fight. More often than not, one of the dogs will fold and will signal his acquiescence and then the fun can begin.
It is important that during these meetings you are watching and praising good behaviour and, if you see that the meeting is not going well, you immediately redirect your dog's attention to something else. It is always better (and safer) to separate the escalating dogs before a fight breaks out. Stopping the escalation is as simple as calling your dog away from the other and moving in a different direction. They may meet again on another day, and each time they meet with positive responses, don’t forget the praise!
Of course, some dogs just don’t like each other, no matter what you do. Just like people, no matter how socialized and well balanced they are, it is possible that your dog will never become friends with certain dogs in the neighbourhood.
Scared and Unsure Dogs
For a scared dog, make sure an introduction takes place in a quiet, calm space. With too many dogs around, the experience may prove to be distressing and negative for your pooch.If your dog is scared or insecure, make sure that the time he spends meeting other dogs is short to avoid overwhelming him. Make sure the experience is positive, encourage your dog with your voice and praise him when he shows he is being brave. When it’s time to go, always call your dog away from the other dog—don’t pull on the leash. This teaches your dog that he can turn and walk away on his own and doesn't trigger a reaction from being physically pulled.
Size Differences
With small dogs it is best to set up a play session with other small dogs to help your little friend learn to meet and read dog body language. It also makes it less likely that your dog will be hurt unintentionally. A good rule of thumb is if one dog is 50% bigger than the other, they shouldn't play together unless they live together or know each other well. Otherwise the small dogs are easily hurt by the bigger dogs and a play session gone wrong can cause fear and aggression towards larger dogs.![]()
Paws in Motion
Attending a function for dogs, such as Paws in Motion, where there are hundreds of other dogs around, is a unique situation. It is exciting and fun for us to take our dogs to this type of event because we get to show off our pets and have people meet them while supporting a great cause.
The most important thing when taking your dog to an event like this, is to make sure he can handle being around other dogs. You’ll both meet every type of dog there is—some will be nice, some won’t. Some will react because there are just too many dogs around and some will ignore all of them.
Try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for your dog. Bring treats to reward him when he is good but also remember to give him a break from the excitement now and then. Take him for a bit of a walk away from everyone and rejoin the fun after a few minutes. Be relaxed and happy and your energy will transfer to your dog. If he meets another dog that is not quite as happy and there is a bit of an altercation, don’t overreact. The best thing to do is calmly make sure he is not hurt and then move on to show him it is over and there is still much fun to be had with the other dogs. Additionally, always keep in mind that a public event like Paws in Motion can be a great outing but you have to know your dog and realize when he has had enough and is over-stimulated or just tired. When it’s time to go home, both the animals and humans that participated will feel great after a day of good exercise, socialization and making a difference in our community.