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I've asked a similar question a few times, but the issue has evolved. So, sorry for being repetitious, but it is important to me.
My first two dogs were very well behaved. They liked to sniff other dogs for 30 seconds and then lost interest. But they never did anything reactive or aggressive; they remained calm no matter what other dogs did.. My third dog is not like that.
She was fine until 6 months; then she wanted dogs to stay away from her and growled if they didn't. It got progressively worse for the next two years; until she would growl at dogs 20' away that weren't even looking in her direction. A trainer suggested a Good Citizen course. Surprisingly, it was very effective. Now she can walk a a few feet away in a good heel, as long as the other dog ignores her. If the other dog lunges at her, as 90% of them do, she will respond in kind; but they start it.
That got me to thinking that she in actually better behaved than 90% of the other dogs; she remains calm until they act up first. While my other dogs would have remained calm all the time, maybe I am judging her by an unrealistic standard. Just because she isn't as calm as my other dogs, she still does better than nearly all the rest (or at least those I run across; maybe the good ones walk someplace else)
1) Does this make any sense? Is she acting acceptably?
2) Is it reasonable to expect her to act like my other two, is it just a matter of personalities?
3) I don't recall so many dogs being so ill behaved. Maybe I just didn't notice, or maybe she somehow annoys them?
My first two dogs were very well behaved. They liked to sniff other dogs for 30 seconds and then lost interest. But they never did anything reactive or aggressive; they remained calm no matter what other dogs did.. My third dog is not like that.
She was fine until 6 months; then she wanted dogs to stay away from her and growled if they didn't. It got progressively worse for the next two years; until she would growl at dogs 20' away that weren't even looking in her direction. A trainer suggested a Good Citizen course. Surprisingly, it was very effective. Now she can walk a a few feet away in a good heel, as long as the other dog ignores her. If the other dog lunges at her, as 90% of them do, she will respond in kind; but they start it.
That got me to thinking that she in actually better behaved than 90% of the other dogs; she remains calm until they act up first. While my other dogs would have remained calm all the time, maybe I am judging her by an unrealistic standard. Just because she isn't as calm as my other dogs, she still does better than nearly all the rest (or at least those I run across; maybe the good ones walk someplace else)
1) Does this make any sense? Is she acting acceptably?
2) Is it reasonable to expect her to act like my other two, is it just a matter of personalities?
3) I don't recall so many dogs being so ill behaved. Maybe I just didn't notice, or maybe she somehow annoys them?
