I was thoroughly frustrated and annoyed on a client’s behalf this weekend. She has worked really hard with her fearful, reactive dog and they were both starting to enjoy their walks. They had passed without problem a free-range JRT and two Labradors behind a fence and the chickens and cats they encountered. They knew to walk quickly past a neighbour’s house where lived a large, not very friendly looking, German Shepherd.
But last week the owner was outside cutting the grass and though he ran towards his gate, he was too slow (we always are where dogs are concerned) and the dog ran out, charging towards our client and her dog who, understandably and probably sensibly, froze. The owner came panting along behind but by this time his dog was standing over my client’s dog, who was terrified.
Worse, the owner seemed too scared of his own dog to grab hold of it – probably sensibly given the description my client gave me of the dog’s expression and manner. Everyone was fixed in the tableau until the GSD completed a thorough sniff and decided to move off himself, when the man shepherded it back into the garden and closed the gate.
Unfortunately, that incident has set my client’s dog back hugely. Straight after that incident she lay down and wouldn’t move for fifteen minutes and my owner thought she might have to carry her home. Since then the poor dog has reverted to her fearful keep-away behaviour and it will take some time to get her back to where she was.
This is one reason why it is never, ever OK to let your dog run up to another dog. It doesn’t matter whether your dog is the friendliest dog in the world or not, the effect on the other dog can be devastating. Please, please, always keep your dog under control and never allow them to pester someone else’s dog.
Having a reasonable recall is an essential part of good dog training. If the GSD owner had had any sort of recall with his dog, the traumatic experience my client’s dog suffered would have been avoided.
What’s your recall like?
Keep training and keep safe,
Carol