Experimental dog walking

[flick]

Someone I slightly know from the internet messaged me recently to ask about fabric shops in the area, as she was coming over for a trip with her other half and dog.

I idly suggested dog walking, but warned her what Bob is like around most other dogs, and she was entirely up for it, so we've just got back from an experimental dog walk.

Normally, if Bob sees another dog then it's either one of the handful he's fine with (in which case I stop to chat to the owners for a bit) or it's a strange or Known Evil dog (in which case we go a different way / get off the path so that they can get past us ASAP).

Today, we met up in the woods and waited while he tried to kill her. She wandered off (Newfoundland x, chill as anything, reminded me a lot of a more-confident Jodie) and he calmed down a bit. Over the following 45 minutes or so, they mostly ignored each other (she was having a great time roaming around the woods, while he was on the lead as usual. They had a couple of dubious sniffs at each other. Three times he suddenly lunged at her and got his mouth around her head while growling, but he didn't actually hurt her, and by the third time both owners were of the view that it was definitely getting more playful.

So I *think* that with time and supervision he could learn to get on with other dogs (on an individual basis), at least ones that are incredibly chilled out and neither aggressive back nor afraid of him.

And my internet acquaintance got to see at least four bluebells, after I'd said not to get her hopes up, so she was happy [g].

Comments

[batwrangler]

Yay, newfie mix! Yay, Bob! Yay, friend! Yay, bluebells! Yay, you!

[flick]

Yay, only getting her head in his mouth and not actually biting down!

[batwrangler]

Yes! It sounds like his behaviour falls within *dog* norms (and like he was deescalating) even though it is distressing to humans and to some other dogs. And gradual association with tolerant dogs will continue to improve Bob's ability to deal with other, less chill ones.

[flick]

Absolutely. It's just very difficult to do: one doesn't like to walk up to random strangers and ask if it would be ok to let your dog attack theirs a bit....

[batwrangler]

Of course not! Thus all the Yay!s above. :)

[andrewducker]

Glad it went well! And good for both of you for giving them the space to work things through.

[flick]

I was so please when I explained what he's like and she went "Meh, let them work it out for themselves"!