RalphSchafer

Thanks Adrienne for the additional information. Since your last post, we decided to pull Bailey from the daycare. During the summer season it gets very busy due to vacations and weekend getaways. On the last occasion we had Bailey there, they placed him back into the general population (haha) due to how busy they were and upon picking him up at the end of the day we noticed he had an large open gash on his lip that required a course of antibiotics. Of course, it could have occurred as a result of exuberant play but the fact that he sustained an injury that coincided with the facility placing him on the side where he's had all his past issues, was enough for me to make the decision to keep him out permanently. It was evident to me at this point that continuing to bring him to the facility was going to lead to a more serious injury, it was just a matter of time. That decision was further reinforced when I happened to chat with another dog owner at the dog park whose dog required multiple stitches due to a fight at the same facility. In retrospect, I should have listened to my gut, and pulled him a long time ago as I sensed he was having issues even before the first fight (cue the guilt). Since then I have found another daycare. We have not had him there yet (the trainer would like to meet him and interact with him first), but I was quite surprised by the stark contrast with the protocols of this facility compared to the other. First they have a full-time trainer (force free, positive-based) at the facility. Secondly, there is someone personally supervising the dogs at all times, usually multiple staff members if it is quite busy. The staff personally monitor the dogs and often interact with them, but at no time are the dogs left unsupervised. As well, they incorporate video should an incidence occur that requires further review and investigation. The staff members and owners were shocked that the previous facility did not supervise the dogs and left them to their own devices. The downside is it's a 30 minute drive, so we're looking at other options such as play dates with dogs we know he gets along well with. Thanks again, for all the help and advice!!

Hi Adrienne, Thanks for that great info (as always). It actually happened to me again today (I must have jinxed myself) before I had read this response. I had spotted a pair of stray dogs running together on my walk today, one Husky and another larger dog. Two larger dogs or more running together is the nightmare scenario, so I did an u-turn and went in the opposite direction towards an area with more people (in case the dogs came by and I needed assistance). On the walk, I was fortunate that I spotted the dogs off in the distance before my boy Bailey had noticed them, and fortunately the dogs didn't see us. The dogs later passed by the house after our walk so I noticed they didn't have a collar or tags on. Animal control was not available today (Saturday), so I informed the authorities, however the Husky (gorgeous dog) seemed friendly as he paid no mind to my dog barking at him through the window and I witnessed a few elderly people ride their bike or walk past him and he paid them no attention. I'm going to start carrying extra treats and I have found a citronella based spray on Amazon, so thank you. I'm also to work on attention heeling and emergency turns in the meantime. And, thank you Adrienne for the permission to use and reference your info for my blog. I reference you often from other articles I find on the internet that you have written, as I find they are the best source of information. I am affiliate for Brain Training and I have actually purchased and test-driven most of the popular dog training programs out there (over a half-dozen of them) and yours is easily the best program and the best value, so I recommend it with confidence. Cheers, Ralph

Good day Adrienne, A few days ago while walking my dog, I encountered a stray dog that was off leash and apparently escaped from a yard. This is the second time in a few months this has happened. In both instances, the dogs were friendly. However, it took some "work" to get my Golden Bailey to resume walking again due to the distraction of a stray dog wanting to engage with him. In both cases, the dog became distracted and wandered off. That got me thinking. Did I handle this correctly? Is there something I should have done? And, most importantly, what if the dog was aggressive and tried attacking my dog? What do you do in these instances? And, especially in the case of an aggressive dog? Hopefully, I never encounter the latter case of an aggressive dog but I want to be proactive and well prepared for any eventuality. Any advice or guidelines would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Ralph Schafer

Thanks for the input Adriene and JMFS (I'll check out your story). I was waiting to see how the last two weeks went before updating. We chatted with the daycare, and the owner said based on the video review it appeared that Bailey may have issues with male dogs, although he noted it might also be the intensity of play coupled with "too many" dogs (overstimulation leading to overwhelm). The facility is separated into multiple areas. The main outdoor area is very large and houses most of the bigger, younger male dogs and the play in that area can get very exuberant. The main area also has a large number of dogs. The owner kept him under close supervision the last two weeks and placed him in the side where there are far fewer dogs. The dogs on the "other side" are where the smaller and gentler dogs are placed and that can include older puppies and some older dogs. That side also has more females than males. Apparently, Bailey gravitates to the females dogs and there has no issues since placing him in this area. Today, he played with a female adolescent German Shepherd (very exuberantly, as she is a bouncy and energetic girl) with no issues. Last week, it was an older female Golden Retriever, and again no issues. Interestingly, when I think about his encounters at the dog park, any issues (growling and piloerection) has always been directed at males that are not fixed. He played with them fine until they tried mounting him, which is when he took exception. I'm still trying to seek out a qualified dog trainer, and I may have found CPDT-KA an hour from where I live, but I have not yet vetted them.

Hi Adrienne, Thank you so much for that thorough response, that was helpful. To answer your questions: What happened in the fight with the Rottweiler? Did he bite after he was pinned down? I see he ran away, but don't know what happened prior to that exactly, and if he did manage to bite too. - My understanding from staff was that he reacted aggressively during play and he instigated the attack by biting, however they only saw the beginning of the altercation - they did not see what led up to it. What triggered the attack is unknown. The Rottweiler did bite him and left some marks while he had him pinned down. The staff member called the Rottweiler off, and Bailey (Golden) ran off scared, so he did not bite afterwards or during, but he did instigate the encounter. - In the attack during the petting incident, he did bite the dog that was being petted after it growled at him. How is your golden's over all bite inhibition? Has he left any marks on the dogs? - My understanding is that he has not left any marks on the dogs, that they were both fine with no marks. Are there any dog trainers on staff at this daycare? - Not to my knowledge. There is a dog trainer about 30 minutes away that does work at a doggie daycare, so I was contemplating reaching out to her but I'm unsure of putting him into a facility with strange dogs, considering the recent events. Is this the daycare he has been going to since being a young puppy? - Yes, he has been going weekly since 4 months old, with no prior issues. The Rottweiler and him have played together as puppies, and up to last week were the best of friends. Have they made any suggestions on what they can do to prevent future incidents? Like not petting other dogs in presence of other dogs? - No suggestions were made, which I found a bit concerning to be honest. Do they by any chance happen to record play sessions so that videos of incidents like this can be watched afterward? - They do have cameras in monitoring all areas of the daycare. However, I'm not sure if they record the play sessions. I will inquire. Your concerns are very valid, as we don't want anymore fights to occur. Based on the info provided, it seems like the chances for repeated incidents are quite high so I would consider at least taking a break for now. - Thank you, that confirms my feelings. I have never subscribed to the notion that "dogs will work things out for themselves".

Good day Adrienne, My 20-month-old Golden Retriever has started fighting other dogs at doggie daycare. He is neutered and has been going to doggie daycare since he was about four months old. He has been well socialized since he was a puppy and, up until a few weeks ago, was known as the dog that got along with every dog, whether young, old, big, small, male, or female. Until recently, and only at doggie daycare, he has been the quintessential Golden Retriever - friendly towards all. A few weeks ago, the first incident was when he attacked a dog that growled at him while a staff owner was petting this dog (he wanted pets too). Then, last week, he attacked one of his best friends who he has played with for months without any issues. His friend (a Rottweiler), did pin him without doing any damage and he ran away frightened. Both altercations were observed and promptly addressed by staff who intervened, and he was separated and put into a timeout. I'm puzzled by this sudden aggression. However, I believe it is one of two possible reasons, although it is hard to know for sure. First, he has been going to a dog park and has encountered dogs that play very rough. Unfortunately, I was not present to intervene and recall him on those occasions, so I'm wondering if he might be learning inappropriate behavior. The other possibility is that he was nipped at doggie daycare a week or so before the first incident of him showing aggression, so the timing leads me to believe it could be the cause. However, the staff does not know whether he instigated it or not. Still, I wonder if he may have been attacked and is now reactive to similar situations. I appreciate you cannot offer advice without observing him. Still, I was hoping to get your thoughts on the situation. And should I pull him out of daycare for the time being? Staff are concerned but have not yet "banned" him and they have noted he is still welcome. However, considering this has occurred two weeks in a row, I'm concerned it will continue. Eventually, he or another dog will be hurt. Thank you for any insights you can provide.

Wow, Adrienne. Thank you so much for that very thorough response. I greatly appreciate the information and strategies you provided. I have printed out the response, and will implement these strategies immediately. I'm very hopeful as he is making wonderful progress. Yesterday, he just ran up to the TV without barking, turned around to look at me, then immediately laid down to wait for his treat (smarty pants), so we're definitely on the right track. The big test will be when there is a dog on the TV, something we have not had to deal with lately but I am now armed with some good methods to work him up to that trigger. Thank you again for all the help! Warmest Regards

Hello, I have a 1.5 year old Golden Retriever. Overall he is a great, well behaved dog - a real sweetheart. He does have a few minor "issues" that I am working on. One of these is the television. During the evening (his energy time) he will often run and bark at the TV, sometimes jumping up on it. Understandably, he does it if sees or hears a dog or another animal, but it can be anything from car chases, a hockey game, people fighting, or pretty much anything. But not always, sometimes he does it, other times not. I have been keeping some treats close by and when he runs to the TV I shake the treat container and call him over while saying "leave it" - this seems to distract him and it keep his excitement from escalating (the longer he gets focused on the TV the more ramped up he gets). I then ask him to lay down and I reward him. The frequency of his TV excitement seems to be diminishing (unless it is a dog) and he has caught himself on occasions where he has run to the TV then stopped and looked back at me, so it seems to be working. But, I'm worried that I'm teaching him to bark and run at the TV to just get a reward! Is this an appropriate strategy or would suggest doing something else or changing something about my approach? I'd appreciate any advice. Thank you!!