So cross with H

lizzie157

We have a fear agressive b*itch, she doesn't bite but there is lots of snapping and snarling should she get to a dog she doesn't know or for some reason feels scared of. She isn't like it with all dogs and I look after a relatives dog regularly who she is fine with and she has certain dog friends she plays happily with. I've been trying BAT training with her and was thinking she was doing really well until yesterday. H took her out and had her off lead in an area where he couldn't see approaching dogs with the result that she ran up to a smallish dog and began snapping and growling, the owner then kicked her repeatedly to get her off and our dog ended up hiding in a bush. I'm really angry on a number of counts, can't really blame the owner though don't think I would have kicked she could have been bitten. I blame H, he blames the dog, can't seem to make him see he should have been in control of the stuation so he was at fault. I always keep her on the lead unless I've got a long distance view and can recall her before she goes over threshhold. H refuses to put any work in to correct her issues and I feel we 've just taken a big step back. The other dog wasn't physically hurt but it still should'nt have happened. I know we all make mistakes but H refuses to see our dog can't be allowed to do certain things because of her issues. Where do I go from here - am close to saying he's banned from walking her!

Enterprise_1701C

Can you both go out for a walk with her at the same time? With you in control, he can then see the times you can foresee a problem. He may have different ideas of how long it takes to recall her, or where she would go off the rails.

krlyr

I think your ban may be the step forward! We try to stop dogs practicing undesirable behaviour, so do the same with H. If it's practical I would just keep working on her issues myself and maybe once she's progressed a bit more, take H with you to certain walks. I don't often drag OH for our street walks because I have a fear reactive dog too (though he won't go out of his way to chase a dog, he'd rather hide behind me, but if we're cornered he will kick off) and I know he would stress out and that doesn't benefit any of us. So he tends to come along for the quiet field walks, usually when we're meeting up with a doggy pal of my two's, so there's 4 people to three dogs, the situation is a lot more controlled, we can easily avoid confrontations because everyone's keeping an eye out (this doggy pal has social issues as well so his owners are on alert too), they're the much nicer walks.
It means I get lumbered with most of the walks but it means I have full control of what the dogs are exposed to as well so it suits me. It doesn't have to be a permanent ban but I would at least suggest he doesn't walk her to the kind of places this incident can happen. Could you look into finding a field you could use/hire for walks once a week/fortnight or something and have H take her there? Someone near me has just started hiring out an empty 1 acre field with secure fencing so you can guarantee not to bump into other dogs, and my friend with the social-issues dog mentioned earlier managed to find a school that has a playing field separate to the school itself and they let her use it outside of school hours. It's got a big old locked gate so she can lock herself in and doesn't have to worry about meeting a soul, so her dog can stay off-lead the whole time. Or even finding a park with empty tennis courts he could use, or a secure fenced in area that only has the one entrance/exit he could stand by.

ali-t

Step number one is to ban your husband from walking the dog.

Your post/profile doesn't say where you live but I am in Scotland and have had contact with the dog wardens a number of times due to my fear aggressive dog who lunges and barks at anything and everything. He is never off the lead and I manage his behaviour well but someone in my village regularly contacted the dog warden as they were scared my dog might do something or escape. The new laws in Scotland do state that there only needs to be the fear of the dog for action to be taken and that action can include your dog being put down.

If your husband continues to not take care of your dogs additional support needs when out walking your husband could be the instigator to your dog getting put down. Stopping your husband walking the dog unless he is willing to keep her on the lead and support the training you are doing is a no brainer!

zaksmum

I would agree with banning husband from walking the dog. Like krlyr I do the vast majority of dog walking but at least that way, it's all under control and I know my dogs are safe and protected while they are with me.

My O/H pays little attention to anything that happens on dog walks and I've had one of my dogs limping home bleeding with him, and he genuinely hasn't the foggiest idea how it happened!

That's not acceptable.

OP, as your dog is fear aggressive, she could have been badly hurt by the man who kicked her. Or what if a child had been walking the dog your dog approached and a fight had ensued during which the child was bitten?

I'd stick to doing the walking myself if your husband can't be trusted to do the job properly or safely. Even when he knows how important it is to you. Bit inconsiderate really.

sunflower_2

mr sunflower would be over the moon with a dog walking ban

in the last 18 months he has taken our pooch out 3 times.

just refuses :mad:

art_for_arts_sake

lizzie157, what breed is your b!tch?

Fire_Fox

Have an animal behaviourist explain to H what should and should not be done?

lizzie157

Enterprise_1701C wrote: »

Can you both go out for a walk with her at the same time? With you in control, he can then see the times you can foresee a problem. He may have different ideas of how long it takes to recall her, or where she would go off the rails.

We' ve tried this, had a woman who had a male dog with aggression issues trying to give us tips H just said to me after she was a know all and I was daft for listening to her!

art_for_arts_sake wrote: »

lizzie157, what breed is your b!tch?

Shes a weimaraner crossbreed.
We are'nt in Scotland so the law is different ali-t. Zaksmum she has never actually bitten another dog, though I do realise it could happen, usually if the other dog goes for her she runs off. Aggression has never been directed at people but again I know this could happen, she is actually v. timid and doesn't really like being stroked by strangers and will run rather than show aggression.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Seeing as H's inability to accept responsibility for the dog could end up with her being put down for aggression, I wouldn't ban H from walking the dog.


I'd ban H from the house instead.

lizzie157

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Seeing as H's inability to accept responsibility for the dog could end up with her being put down for aggression, I wouldn't ban H from walking the dog.


I'd ban H from the house instead.

if only.....