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Dominance Over Other DogsHere's something I was asked recently, together with my reply. "Hi Andrew, I wonder if you can help with a couple of problems. We have a 4 year old neutered Schnauzer dog, who I love, he is brilliant and keeps me sane. We seem to have a couple of issues though. At home he is very territorial, he hates cats and other small mammals, if he sees another dog on his patch he creates like mad. I've tried to distract him with treats but it's impossible if he's seen or is aware of the dog. Sometimes I can turn round and get him to walk away, and when he does well he's always praised or given a treat. But if the other dog even thinks of him he reacts.He has always tried to dominate other dogs and sometimes a spat develops which looks awful, but I am not aware of him ever biting another dog. On 2 occasions he has chased other dogs off but never bit them. He was bit by an Akita he approached a couple of years ago. We live in the middle of the West Midland conurbation so most of his walks are on lead, he is allowed off lead in certain safe areas (that's when he chased dogs off). He will give toys and sticks to me when asked, I usually exchange a treat for them. But if he steals another dogs stick or anything that has another dogs scent on it no way will he surrender it, he always runs off carrying it. Eventually he will probably hide/burry it and return sometimes much later, it depends how long it takes him to select somewhere. I have been told that he does this because I took toys off him as a pup, but we didn't, he will surrender toys, sticks, wine bottle corks etc. Can you please advise? Other dogs is the main problem because he is beginning to get a reputation. He was neutered because he was exhibiting a desire to dominate. He is brilliant with people." Regards, Hi Ernie, I seem to remember that when you asked for my advice on getting him to jump into the car I suggested starving him for a day before beginning, and then to try tempting him into the car with food. I'm inclined to suggest a similar approach here. Starve him for a day, and try and keep him away from other dogs on that day. Next day, armed with a pocketful of treats, go out looking for other dogs. You want dogs on leads rather than running free, so rather than go to the park I suggest you just walk the streets (so to speak!) As you approach another dog make sure you're *not* all tensed up and holding him tightly on a very short lead. You want the lead to have about 2 - 3 foot of slack. Make sure you have him on a loose lead with no pressure on the neck at all. The very second he makes the slightest attempt to lunge forward make a very loud, high pitched staccatto "uh-uh" call, as you simultaneously do a smart about turn and walk in the other direction. Keep repeating this process until he does *not* try and lunge forward, at which point immediately praise and give him a treat. Keep practising this on the fixed lead until he seems to have overcome the problem. At that point you could try puting him on an extending lead (ironic I'm now recommending one after my recent newsletter comment! But this is actually one of the few situations I can think of where it would be useful. A big bowl of humble pie for me coming up...!) Now repeat the exact same process as you gradually let the length of slack in the lead get greater and greater. What you're working towards is a simulation of him actually running free. So once you're at this stage you can head for the park and practice as near as possible to him actually being off the lead. You'll have to use your own common sense as to how quickly you advance through the process. A lot depends on how quickly you're able to find yourself among other dogs. Obviously if you have to walk for half an hour before you see one it's going to take much longer than if you see one every few minutes. So you might be able to take great strides in the space of just a one hour session, meaning within a few days you could well knock the problem on the head completely. Then again, depending on how things go it may end up taking several weeks. It's just a case of 'suck it and see' I'm afraid. Let me know how you get on.... Regards, Recommended reading - "Dog Training Blueprint To Success".
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