# Weird Habit When Seeing Other Dogs on Walks



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Can you get a video of it (....using a person with a bag....no dogs getting stressed by it!)?

Is it predatory-like or confused? Is his weight shifted forward or back?

If you turn and go the other way does he resume normal walking?

A few thoughts:
- Find a class that does structured -working-up-to-walking-past-a-dog, like in the CGN/CGC. 
- Do repetitions of it at home with Blue (and convince someone to be his handler). This will give you both practice and give Ranger a familiar context for when he does see other dogs.
- Don't give him an opportunity to practice this. Avoid areas with dogs, turn when you see them, or sit if you're far enough away.
- Do set ups in places where dogs walk, be far enough away that he's not going to be distressed. When dogs happen to pass...feed him some tripe. Stay at that distance until he is tail waggy (or as happy as he gets) when he sees other dogs. Then move a little closer. 
- Train a food transport (....if you have _Agility Right from the Start_ there's a whole section on it...)...in other words, proper luring... get him to licklicklick food from your hand while you pass distractions. Don't try it on dogs until you have used it for other thigns for a few weeks.

I'd love to see a video!


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Hmm, a few questions I can answer now and others I'll have to get back to...

If we turn the other way, he pops up to normal and is much 'bouncier' for a few blocks. He might look over his shoulder once or twice but a little collar pop/verbal cue and he's back to normal.

I've practiced approaching Blue while both dogs are on a lead and Ranger doesn't care. At all. He recognizes Blue and never gets a chance to go low. He ignores Blue to the point where you'd think there isn't even a dog there, even when Blue is going batty because his friend is approaching.

I'm thinking it's more predatory as opposed to confused. It's tail low, head down, ears up and a very "slinking" way of walking. Not sure where his weight is...I'd think evenly spaced but not positive. He did this to a friend's italian greyhound and i was a little worried, but the italian greyhound marched right up to him and then ranger popped up, tail high and wagging, and they started playing. He does it to puppies too and is always fine with them. I find the interesting thing is that the smaller the dog, the lower he goes. 

He doesn't do this with dogs unless they're coming head on. We can follow other dogs normally, they can follow us, we can even walk past the off leash park and while he looks, it's just a normal 'look'; not the slinking, belly low thing. We've gotten to the point now where dogs across the street don't cause this behaviour either. It's just the normal look, and I can give him the watch me command and reward. But once he goes belly low, nothing can really break him off his focus (besides turning and going the other way).

I'll limit our exposure to approaching dogs until I can get us signed up for a class (probably in May when exams are done)...I'll see if I can get a video of him doing it. Bags, purses or even flashy shoes will occasionally get this response from him until he realizes it's just shoes, bags, etc and not a dog.


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

I find this thread very interesting because for the first time ever, Austin did this last night. It kind of shocked me actually. We were walking down the path and coming towards us were 2 somewhat out of control black labs. He saw them, crouched down and then once we got closer, he straightened up but paid no attention whatsoever to the dogs. This is even more strange, if you know Austin, because he will typically have to say hello to every dog we meet. 

The dogs didn't seem agressive at all, just rather hyper. I wonder if he sensed that, hence his crouching and disinterest in them. Just the night before, while out walking, we noticed 2 dogs coming towards us but he immediately starting wagging his tail and bolted towards them....it was his girlfriend Abby and her brother Murphy (the Irish Setters). 

I'm rambling, but anyway, I thought it was an odd behaviour for Austin.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Hmm, that is interesting Laurie. Ranger never wags his tail when he sees dogs...he only does so once he meets them. Very odd. I don't know the reasoning behind it but it's really odd that Austin did it when his normal behaviour is so different than Ranger's. These odd creatures!


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

Ranger said:


> Ranger's training has been a real work in progress since I got him 2 years ago. He's gone from completely unsocialized and knowing nothing to a social, well-balanced dog. His biggest challenge was on leash: teaching him to not pull like a runaway train, not lunge at passing dogs, and to remain calm when other dogs are barking at him.
> 
> Most of this we've accomplished. He no longer pulls, he's calm and focused when we pass houses/backyard with dogs barking at him...we even had a breakthrough last week when we passed 3-4 dogs on random front yards that started barking their heads off when he passed.
> 
> ...


I can just picture your dog sitting when he sees another dog. This made me smile. What you wrote is interesting. I suggest that you speek to a trainer about it.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

Is he crouching/stalking or trying to make himself smaller? What would happen if you just stopped when he does this. Does he continue to crouch/walk toward the dog?


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Well, he doesn't crouch as much when it's a bigger dog or the same size as him. Then he'll just drop his head and stare and slink, but not belly crawl. If I stop, he stops but remains in position like a statue.


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## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

Does it look like any of the signs below?




CLICKING WITH CANINES​*On Talking Terms With Dogs:
Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas
Turid Rugaas - Calming Signals Community​*Turid Rugaas, an internationally respected dog trainer and writer from Norway, spent many years
studying dog-dog interactions. She identified signals which dogs use to communicate nonaggression
to other dogs as well as to defuse potential conflicts between dogs. These signals,
which Rugaas labeled “calming signals,” are a universal language that all dogs possess and exhibit
practically from birth to maintain social order in their pack and resolve conflicts.
It is possible, and wise, for humans to convey non-aggressive intent toward dogs by noticing and
even adopting these signals. The most commonly used calming signals:​*Head turning:​*​exhibited when approached, or looked at, by another dog​
*Turning to the side or back:​*​a signal used when play becomes too rough​
*Licking:​*​quick display of the tongue to diffuse a stressful meeting with another dog​
*Freezing:​*​the dog literally freezes in place when approached by another dog​
*Walking slowly, or slow movements:​*​usually when in sight of another dog​
*Play bow:​*​an invitation to play, but a calming signal if front legs do not move​
*Sitting down:​*​often exhibited when another dog is approaching to signal “I’m harmless”​
*Laying down:​*​often used by higher ranking dogs to show they are not a threat​
*Yawning:​*​dogs often use this when they feel uncomfortable or stressed​
*Sniffing:​*​quick, short sniffs to the ground, or prolonged sniffing to diffuse situations​
*Splitting up:​*​dogs will walk directly between two other dogs to avoid conflict​
*Wagging tail:​*​used in certain situations to alleviate conflict or stressful situations​
*Ignoring:​*​dog’s will act as if the other dog isn’t even in sight to avoid conflict​
*Urination: *often dogs will urinate to diffuse a stressed meeting with another dog


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

C's Mom - I think you've got it right. 

Ben does exactly that. He always tries to make himself look smaller when he's around small dogs so they won't get so upset or excited. Our neighbors have Boston Terriers. One is very afraid of Ben. Whenever he sees them, he'll lie down on his belly, looking harmless. Or if I try to prevent him lunging across the road toward another dog, he'll lie down to invite the other dog to come over to him. I never thought it at all aggressive, more like he's trying to say, "Come play with me."


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## The_Artful_Dodger (Mar 26, 2009)

There are a couple of dogs in my neighbourhood that lay down and stalk approaching dogs. One is a rottie-shepherd cross that will crouch down and refuse to budge, but when you pass it lunges and barks. We avoid her. The other one I haven't seen for a while, but she was friendly and would want to play. I think it is a herding behaviour.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Sounds like Ranger is a bit confused and perhaps overly cautious when seeing new dogs and new things. Given his 'former life' in relative isolation he likely had very little exposure other dogs and has not learned how to 'read' them- although 'inate' in dogs - there is still a certain amount of 'learning' involved. He is being cautious, and not quite knowing how to respond himself - stares for an indication of what is to come - as if - if he takes his eyes off the approacher something will happen and he is not sure 'what' but once he 'meets' the dog realizes that all is well! (assuming the other dog doesn't take offense). It is quite likely that over time and with exposure he will learn to better 'read' the oncoming dog and human traffic and be more confident in his approach to them.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

C's Mom - he'll usually slow down, sometimes freeze, and that's about it. I don't count his sitting as that's a learned behaviour. Interesting about the laying down bit. He did that once when a barn kitty was unsure of coming over to see him. He laid down sphinx-style, kitty came over, then Ranger did his usual "pop up and hover"...then chaos ensued as kitty got scared and Ranger got excited. That's the only time I've ever seen him do that.

The Artful Dodger - occasionally Ranger lunges at the other dogs when we pass, but it's not aggression - just "I want to meet you and you are sooo close!". I'm sure it might look like aggression (especially when coupled with the staring) but it's usually when the other owner has pulled their dog off the sidewalk to let us pass. 

Charliethree - That makes sense. He has gotten better in the last 2 years and he's certainly been exposed/socialized a heck of a lot...I guess I thought I'd see more improvement by now or a lessening of the behaviour. Oh well, still lots of time to work on it. Your explanation does make a lot of sense - thanks!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Two thoughts that I have on this. First is, there's a possibility that he might be mixed with border collie and he is exhibiting herding behavior. Or he is in a playful mode and is trying to engage the other dogs. My mom's golden does the same exact thing when we are on walks and come up on another dog.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

fostermom - I've had the bording collie cross brought up before...the only thing is he doesn't show any other inclination to herd any time else. Kids running around, dogs runnning around...he gets excited, but doesn't try to herd. It's a possibility though. But then why would he also do it to people with low bags or flashy shoes? Unless he thinks that he sees a dog with them?

The stalking/crouching thing is something that happens ALL the time on walks and always with head-on dogs. It's not a varying behaviour, it's constant; can he be that playful all the time? Hmm. Lots to think about. I'll try to get a video of it, though that might be difficult seeing as how we're in the midst of a snow storm. I don't think many people are going to be outside today!


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