Not Allowing Your Dog To Play With Other Dogs...

[smooch]

I answered other. But in saying that if I had a smaller dog for Smooch to play with it would be ok. He had a spinal stroke a few years ago and never fully recovered from it. I am scared if our larger kelpies knocked Smooch over he would get hurt. Our other dogs play hard and crash into each other at times. I am probably over protective of Smooch.

[Bjelkier]

I will let my dogs meet and play with other dogs onlead provided I can read the body language of the other dog and its friendly.

Offlead play with other dogs isn't common for my pack. Samoyeds have a very different style of play to a lot of other breeds, that coupled with the way they look means that many dogs (even friendly ones) can take their body language for aggression or dominance when in fact its play.

I am happy for them to play with other Spitz breeds (and certain other breeds I know and I tust 100%) I know well but I wont allow them to play with random dogs and we don't go to dog parks.

[aussielover]

Yes I let my dog play with other friendly dogs.

She only has a few dogs she's really interested in playing with.

The rest she just ignores or greets politely if I allow it.

I don't encourage interaction on lead and I wouldn't let her run up to a dog on lead, although plenty of people let their dogs run up to her on lead, lucky she is friendly.

Not keen on her playing with small dogs as being quite heavy she could inadvertently hurt them. But she loves playing with a JRT and mini poodle, both of which seem quite hardy dogs and get the better of her anyway.

I've not found her to be overly distracted by other dogs during training and she has never run off during training to play with a another dog.

If I had another dog and was raising it for competition or work, I would probably do things differently (neutralisation, under supervision of a trainer) but I guess I got lucky with Mindy and despite heavy socialisation with other dogs, she has remained people focussed and not overly interested in other dogs, but still able to have a good play with them every now and then.

[huski]

My dog can play with other dogs if I tell her she can but she very rarely has an interest in play with other dogs and that's the way I like it

[huski]

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

Having a dog that doesn't have a high value for other dogs or having a dog you don't let play with every dog it comes across is not the same as having a dog that is not well socialised.

Socialisation is about far more than letting your dog play with others.

I personally see no benefit in having a dog that has a high value for others, but each to their own.

[PAX]

My dogs can play with other dogs but would rather play with me:)

[Zug Zug]

My old girl can't be trusted with dogs she doesn't know unfortunately. She gets anxious and snaps at them.

But with dogs we know it's great - and we have a few that we visit regularly so she doesn't get isolated. She is a bit in love with a friend's kelpies. It's good for her.

We do obedience as well, but she stays with me unless she is in a formal stay situation where all the dogs are under control. I don't let her mix with dogs generally - I have learned that she is not good in these situations.

My other dog (who died recently) loved other dogs and loved to play. So I gave him the opportunity to play off-lead whenever it was safe to do that. He seemed able to diffuse just about any situation - he was a real charmer!

Obedience club was a great place for him to mix from time to time, but also at friends' houses and with their dogs.

[corvus]

How you connect with your dog when around other dogs makes a huge difference IMO. Both my dogs are very social and enjoy playing with other dogs, but that doesn't mean there's much in the way of competition for their attention. I'm sure they don't even think on who is more fun. They just do what they have been heavily rewarded to do and check in every few minutes.

As for socialising, I don't think it is best for my dogs that they only interact with dogs I like and trust. We meet dogs everywhere we go, and many are not models of canine civilisation. It's hard to avoid them, so I think it's better to be able to confidently handle them. Provided it's in a non-aggressive way.

[Jumabaar]

My guys only interact off lead with dogs they know. They are off lead around dogs for training- flyball, obedience and agility but they don't interact with others then.

I guess I don't go to off lead dog parks because I am at training most nights and at dog shows or trials on the weekend. My dogs are constantly coming into contact with other dogs on lead, or when they are focused off lead. I am happy with this socialisation. If I meet a dog with a nice personality I will let my dogs play, but with most of them they are not that interested- generally because the dog I chose for them to interact with is boring, giving me the opportunity to reward when they check back in, so when we meet a more interesting dog when it is not by choice they still check in because they know it is worth it.

[Sayreovi]

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

Having a dog that doesn't have a high value for other dogs or having a dog you don't let play with every dog it comes across is not the same as having a dog that is not well socialised.

Socialisation is about far more than letting your dog play with others.

I personally see no benefit in having a dog that has a high value for others, but each to their own.

I agree 100%

I very rarely allow my dogs to socialise off lead with other dogs and really they hardly ever play with them when off lead anyway as one is usually scouting the area, another is running around flat out usually chasing a ball while the last one is trying desperately hard too keep up with the ball chaser!

They will all play together at home so they aren't missing out, they just tend too like each other (and know the limitations as well) and me better ;)

All three are very well socialised in the way I want them to be, I can take them anywhere and do anything with them, they will happily say hello on lead but I don't see off leash play with random dogs good or necessary for their socialisation when that dog decides it doens't like mine suddenly.

I much prefer controlled on lead interactions, the ability to protect my dog quickly and easily, and have them find me more rewarding then something else.

[Agility Dogs]

The point is I think it can be very dangerous to not socialise a dog as much as possible.

Having a dog that doesn't have a high value for other dogs or having a dog you don't let play with every dog it comes across is not the same as having a dog that is not well socialised.

Socialisation is about far more than letting your dog play with others.

I personally see no benefit in having a dog that has a high value for others, but each to their own.

I agree 100%

I very rarely allow my dogs to socialise off lead with other dogs and really they hardly ever play with them when off lead anyway as one is usually scouting the area, another is running around flat out usually chasing a ball while the last one is trying desperately hard too keep up with the ball chaser!

They will all play together at home so they aren't missing out, they just tend too like each other (and know the limitations as well) and me better ;)

All three are very well socialised in the way I want them to be, I can take them anywhere and do anything with them, they will happily say hello on lead but I don't see off leash play with random dogs good or necessary for their socialisation when that dog decides it doens't like mine suddenly.

I much prefer controlled on lead interactions, the ability to protect my dog quickly and easily, and have them find me more rewarding then something else.

[Stutterfly]

As much as I can, I want to socialise my Bertie, with dogs, cats, people, whatever! However with a little Chihuahua, extra care is definitely needed, and I will always be cautious around new people and pets.

I believe it is good for him though, and he was very interested in watching a friend's staffy/bull arab digging for China at the beach yesterday - so I'll keep trying.

[Ons]

depends which dog as my dogs are all different

When I took Onslow to the beach I allowed him, with the owners permission, to play with other dogs. I knew basically how Onslow would react to those dogs and I was correct, he had a great time. I probably would allow Tilly the same

Flash and Latte would not be allowed to. Flash not at all, Latte I may after meeting the dog under strict guidance and everything is okay. Flash has a tendency to be bossy, the other dog may react to that and then flash would react back, much better to be safe than sorry.

Mocha is very little, I allowed him to play with a beagle and labrador at show training the other day and he had a great time as they did so he is friendly but because he is very little I would be cautious.

I have a friend who has alot of dogs and my dogs play regularly with her dogs and stay with her so they get heaps of socialiation with them. Even Flashy has a great time and they accept him as he is.

[dee lee]

Yes I let my dog play with other friendly dogs.

She only has a few dogs she's really interested in playing with.

The rest she just ignores or greets politely if I allow it.

We are similar.

Mostly when we are at a park near other dogs, we are either running or playing fetch. In both instances my dog is rarely inclined to leave my side (or her ball) for another dog.

Other times, I judge each dog on a case by case basis. And make sure that I am close enough to intervene if the other dog begins to bother my dog.

Generally speaking Honey really couldnt be bothered with other dogs, but I have to admit, if she does find one she wants to play with, I let her. Its nice to see her play and enjoy herself, she didnt know how when we first adopted her.

[Mason_Gibbs]

I used to take my dog to dog parks and let him play with strange dogs, he used to love it , however after I tried to give another dog a home ( It was only here for a short while as he bullied my dog) my dog is now quite unsettled around some dogs that he doesnt know and I think it makes him uncomfortable - some dogs he is fine with and others he will now cower away from which is a huge pity as he used to be very confident. I do allow him to play with all my friends dogs who I know though

[J...]

I am very careful about which dogs my two get to say hello to and play with. I don't let them play with dogs who are bigger or heavier than them, and I rarely put them in a situation where they would be exposed to random unknown dogs off lead.

Zee has unfortunately had a few rough-ups and scares from other dogs, all agility dogs who were supposedly fine and weren't under control :rolleyes:

Both Darcy and Zee are happy to say hello (providing they don't rush up to or chase Zee!) and occasionally will have a play, but most of the time they are far happier play wrestling and running around together. They would both rather play with me if I give them the option.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Jess.

[OSoSwift]

Mine are very well socialised. They do not worry about dogs of any size working near them, or kids, or cows, sheep, cats, birds or a nosey Alpaca!

They will work down town when work is finished for the day. They love people of all sizes and types.

Lewis will interact with other Whippets, but really couldn't care about any dogs that much. Rommi does like other dogs and played with heaps at PPS and to be honest to then take her to dog club was a pain in the butt. She was far more interested in the other dogs than me. We did get there but after that my dogs will be well socialised but will rarely if ever actually play with dogs outside our pack or dogs very close to us. We do have multiple dogs if a dog is an only dog that is different.

[corvus]

There's nothing more interesting than watching dogs talk. Except perhaps watching Grey-crowned Babbler families. No, I think dogs are still more interesting. Seriously, the most interesting talk goes on between dogs that are not familiar with each other. All these new rules come into play, they modify their signals, exaggerate them to make themselves more clearly understood, and if they play they change their play style to suit the new dog. I have learnt so much from watching my dogs talk dog with other dogs. It's kind of like, you can learn a list of words and even some grammar in another language, but you really need to hear it being spoken to start to understand the deeper nuances to the words and how they are used in different contexts. The more I watch my dogs talk dog, the less anxious I feel about dogs I don't know mixing with them.

[OSoSwift]

Yep I love watching dogs talk as well it totally intruiges me. I don't my dog being injured or frightened by another dog who's owner doesn't have a clue and thinks it's all fine. Mien do mix with otehr dogs, my own pack and a few other trusted ones, so they do get to talk dog, what they don't get is injured , bullied or frightened.

[Zombie Bait]

With brembo I have decided it is easier to not let him play with other dogs. He was well socialised as a pup, but I think I broke him somewhere along the way. He doesn't have all that much interest in interacting with other dogs, too busy saying hello to the humans and checking out all the different scents. He has massive issues with entire males and has gotten it into his head that he must show how big his imaginary balls are and take them out first. He is also very protective over myself and Sierra so he tells dogs off for getting too close to either of us. Much easier to leave him at home enjoying a bone whilst I take Sierra to a dol meet.

Sierra was not socialised as well as brembo and as a result the first time I took her to a dol meet she submitted to 4 beagle pups cos they scared her. She is much better now, still has a fear of little dogs (runs away from them with her tail between her legs) but enjoys playing with dogs the same size as herself or other ridgebacks. She loves miss monsters male ridgie bakari and is a total tart for him.

The best time they had was at a park in Ipswich with some other dol dogs. Ams had 2 of her own dogs and 2 or 3 foster dogs, greytmate had 2 of her greys and carebear was there with her shepherd. Brembo and ams's Ash decided they liked each other, were both of about equal dominance, similar size, both desexed males, so decided to "run" the pack together. To watch the symmetry they had and how relaxed brembo was, was beautiful but alas has not repeated itself again and now I will not take brembo to these outings as it's too stressful on both him and I.