# How do I stop my dog charging at other dogs?



## alexpb22 (Jul 29, 2010)

I have a rescue Lurcher and she has this terrible habit of when seeing another dog at the park running up to it at full pelt (which being a Lurcher is pretty fast) in order to want to play with it. Usually if the dog isn't interested then she'll back off quite quickly but sometimes she encourages them to play even when they don't want to and she irritates them which usually culminates in me with me going and putting her back on the leash to stop her.

Observing other dogs in the park they all seem to be off leash, relaxed and happily mixing with other dogs and aren't that interested in dogs that they meet along the way whereas mine wants to meet every dog she walks past.

The other day I managed to stop my dog mid charge by shouting NO at her which surprisingly worked but then as soon as I walked a few more steps she charged over the to dog and ended up on top of it because she pulls up right at the last minute. There's never been a fight or anything (I do muzzle her off leash) but it's a bit disconcernting to the other owners especially on pathways and I really want to let her walk off leash and live a normal dog life.

In one instance I managed to stop her verbally charging at this other dog by shouting NO and then when the dog was about 3 metres from us she charged at it to go and play even though it was right by us. I don't understand why she can't run over at a normal pace and approach like other dogs.

We do have a dog walker who takes her out in the week and she doesn't do this with her pack of dogs but when it's me and her on my own she does it everytime and it makes me very reluctant to let her off leash.

Is there anything I can do or I am doomed to an unsocialised dog for ever?

At the same time when on leash she walks past dogs fine if they're calm but if they're running about past her then it whips her up and she gets all excitable and can lunge at them and wants to play. I'm guessing it's a similar rooted problem.

edited: to add detail about on leash


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Sounds like a dog that has either been starved of interaction with other dogs or has been brought up in a large community of dogs.

Best way to combat it and get a nicely behaved dog at the same time to enroll in some training classes.

Your dog learns to focus around other dogs through doing the exercises with you and other dogs int he class and they will no doubt have a few breaks where she can interact with them also.

What stuff do you do with her when you are walking about to keep her focussed on you and make your walks a bit more interesting than just plodding along on a lead?


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## alexpb22 (Jul 29, 2010)

We were planning on doing some classes in January so will see if that helps

I must admit I do "plod" along with her. Not sure what I can do to keep her interest and as she is muzzled I can't play ball games with her but in the past before I muzzled her even if we were playing games she'd charge off if another dog came on the scene. Living in London there are tons of dogs in the parks which makes it very hard to keep her attention on me.

Any suggestions on what I can do? I'd love it if she could just amble along like other dogs do, it would make walks far more pleasurable for both of us.


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## Amethyst (Jun 16, 2010)

Already good advice given about training classes, please do register with one. Most people myself included would be frightened if out with their dogs to have a Lurcher charge at them, perhaps especially if dogs, are small, elderly or frail.

If one came at my on lead dogs I would be prepared to defend them to be honest and give the owner a good "talking to." It's totally unacceptable and it could lead to your dog causing a lot of harm or being hurt itself one day.

It's good that you have acknowledged the problem and asked for advice, so many owners don't seem to give a **** 

Good luck in getting help, but until you do, keep your dog on it's leash, until you have developed excellent recall. If you can't control your dog, it should not be running loose anywhere near other dogs.

Let us know how things go. If you can let us know what area you live in, maybe someone can recommend a good training class


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

You don't need to be Triathlon fit to make a walk more interesting.

Basics:

Change walking pace.
Change directions.
Walk to a point of interest to a dog such as posts, bushes, trees etc and point to it to get her nose going then give her a few mins to have a sniff.
Change the surrounding so a park one day, streets the next, woodland the next and a high street the next. Mix it up a bit.
Take a pocket of treats and randomly treat her for paying attention or doing what is asked.

Intermediate (I suppose):

Go running or on a bike with her.
Play chase with her chasing you, not the other way round  
Get a squeaky toy and play hide and seek so that you go hide and squeak the toy and when she finds you she gets the toy to play with.
Make a toy she can chase:
Get a garden cane, some bailing twine and long fluffy something like a small cuddly toy or something. Tie the twin tot he cane and the toy to the tiwne. Now you can use it like a fishing rod and have her chase it about and catch it yet she is within yrds of you.

Advanced: 

Hire a dog costume from a fancy dress shop.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

You dont mention how old she is? Dogs do go through a stage where even ones that came before suddenly find other dogs more interesting basically thats all thats on their minds to interact with other dogs. Also she is a lurcher a sight hound so she is going to be stimulated and excited by movement. Thats why she probably reacts to dogs that are also running and jumping about and not so bothered if they are just plodding along. Thats probably why she also doesnt do it with the dog walker shes got her pack and other dogs to play with so doesnt run up to others or new ones so much.

Is she interested in treats, high value ones are usually hot dogs,chicken, cheese and liver cake. You could train her to recall with a whistle. Using the treats and even a toy. These ones now called skeneeze and others that look like squirrels with a tail and dont have any stuffing in them, They use them a lot at training for lurchers and terriers for recall and reward with a game.
You can start whistle training by walking around indoors and whistle and treat whistle treat so she associates the sign with a high value treat that you only use outside. When she has got the concept then use it to call her in from the garden for a day or two treating when she comes. You can alternate the reward with a game when she comes and a treat inbetween.
If/when that proves to be reliable then try it outside for recall.

When she is off lead you need to call her back periodically treat or play a game with her, then send her off again, in between put her on lead for a minute or two,walk on lead then release for free play again. This teaches them that calling her to you doesnt necessarily mean the end of off lead play. A lot of people let dogs off and then recall at the end put on the lead and take them home. Dogs get wise to it, this keeps them guessing.

If she trys to run off never run after her to catch her if you can, This turns it into a game of chase and you cant catch me. Try instead to get her attention (with the whistle if it proves successful) Then run in the other direction, hopefully she should run after you instead, making it easier to stop her focus on what she was doing and another way to get her to come to you.

In short all these exercises are to keep the focus more on you and make you at least as interesting as other dogs. Hope it might give you some ideas.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Sorry missed the bit at the end about problem on leash. If a dog is walking towards you. Then turn her 180 degrees in the opposite direction to break her eye contact and focus, then using treats rapidly treat one after the other or another good thing that works is the primula cheese in the tube (You can even get one with pieces of ham in it) dogs normally love it and after squeezing a little out to get the taste usually are so intent they just lick the tube trying to get it out. I would begin by teaching her the exercise with dogs at a distance. As the dogs go past turn her again 180 degrees so she is facing away again and carry on treating. No complete guarantees of course but worthwhile to try. One thing that can help if its proving difficult to turn her is a head collar as this gives you control of the head and its easier to turn and break eye contact and focus.


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Great advice from SDH and running in the opporsite direction is exactly what we did when Marts escaped out of the house recently - silly boy thought it was a great game and immediately came running after us - phew!!

Have to say i'd hate a dog charging up to me when out with Flynn, he's fearful aggressive of dogs and the encounter would be disasterous. You have to remember that not all dogs are happy to play with an over excited dog and a nasty fight could ensue!


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

May I ask why he is muzzled? Does he have a history of aggression?


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## alexpb22 (Jul 29, 2010)

I do muzzle her but only because she tends to eat of lot of stuff that she finds out and also because I haven't had her that long and I'd rather be safe than sorry. Lurchers sometimes nip dogs when running in play and although other lurcher owners know that, other people don't always appreciate it but it's not an aggression thing, they do it in play to encourage the other dog to run but she's not had any aggression since I've had her and didn't in foster. If a dog barks at her she stops instantly and walks off.

I do appreciate that people don't want a dog charging up to them which is why I'm seeing if anyone has any ideas and I know that if it was me I'd feel the same. It does make it difficult to exercise a dog that is born to run when you can only walk them on lead but I do do that and play games so do get round it but it isn't the best situation.

She is about 5 years old and her recall is good if not distracted but she doesn't know how to take time out when playing. I gather this is something that is taught to puppies in puppy school which I suspect as she was a stray that she never had the luxury of.

I do also have problems with her and SA which I can't seem to crack either so the whole experience has been pretty miserable from day one to be honest! I've never had a dog before that has needed so much rehabilitation but then again I've never adopted an adult dog that was a stray.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

I am sure someone has already mentioned it, but try the whistle training. Get her used to hearing the whistle, then immediately she gets a really high value treat like chicken or cheese or whatever she likes best. Keep her on a long line until you have cracked this. That way she can still get a run, but is not going to frighten anybody. 

There is a long thread at the top of this board on separation anxiety; have you read it? It gives some great advice.


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## dodigna (Feb 19, 2009)

I attend some groups where dogs learn social manners and funnily enough a lot of the dogs there are lurchers, they are born to chase aren't they 
The groups work with other savvy dogs breaking the chase by blocking or telling off the offending dogs, they quickly learn to approach more politely.

If a dog would bolt full speed at mine he would be told to back off in no half term although, strangely enough, if the dog happens to be a lurcher then he is all to happy for it... 

Many lurcher owners seem to teach whistle recall, they simply run too fast too far for voice recall to be enough and the whistle doesn't betray a possible sense of anxiety you might have in calling her and worrying she won't come back. Very sensible to muzzle her as well as they do nip! And often display all teeth in run that can be intimidating to other people.

Where about in London are you? The group I go to see is in Surrey and they run recall workshops from time to time.

ps: can you post a piccy of your lurcher please


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