Small dog - big fears
Last night at the dog park, something wonderful happened - we met another shiba inu (well, a mix)!! In Scranton, PA it is SO rare to see either shibas or akitas but there it was! A beauty of a red and white shiba! His name is Taro. He and my shibas ran like the wind, it was unreal. He was adopted last year, he's about 3.5 years old.
BUT - this dog has a major 'fear'(?) of bigger dogs! Every time a lab or boxer or a husky approached it for a sniff, it would start barking like made and snap at the dogs, inhibiting his bite, but not far off from a fight. He was fine with my shibas and my friends cairn terrier..
Why could that be?
BUT - this dog has a major 'fear'(?) of bigger dogs! Every time a lab or boxer or a husky approached it for a sniff, it would start barking like made and snap at the dogs, inhibiting his bite, but not far off from a fight. He was fine with my shibas and my friends cairn terrier..
Why could that be?
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Could be that he had a very bad experience(s) with bigger dogs. Jazz is an equal opportunity growl/warning bark - small or large, she just wants them to obey proper introduction rites.
Truly, he isn't my dog, he was fine with my dogs, in the future I'm sure he will be fine playing with my dogs, but I have never had a specific issue like that to deal with and I feel bad that I couldn't even give her any hints! Only larger dogs. She can't pinpoint a particular breed or gender or color or movement or anything specific. At 3.5 years its very possible just years of poor socialization are the cause but WHY only bigger dogs??
I'm no authoritative figure on the matter, but I told her at this point, she can just advance with creating positive experiences with big dogs to start 'fixing' the problem, right?
Maui was attacked by a black lab mix - so he basically attacks any black lab looking dog with no warning. Sounds to me, based on my experience with Maui, that the dog was attacked by a large dog.
In the current issue of the whole dog journal there is a really good article on the C.A.T. method for dealing with aggression, could be a good start for that lady and her dog.
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Maui doesn't have a problem with Kona?
I guess I took an interest in her problem because it was for one a shiba mix, and second I know we have some issues with Kitsune but I'm very grateful that he (or Tsuki) has never ever had any issues whatsoever in a neutral, social setting, like the dog park, with other dogs, big or small, male or female. And until Kobe came into the picture briefly, I never really experienced first hand that kind of dog-on-dog aggression, it was sort of intimidating. I mean I have volunteered at shelters where dogs were not good with other dogs and we didn't integrate while walking them or cleaning cages or what not, but none of my fosters ever got that bad. There was a food/toy possessive dog, but even he never charged full throttle attack mode. I think my scarred/bruised arm was sending me messages to tell this lady to get her dog on a leash because I would not help her break up a fight! Too soon! (how's your hand, Brad?)
Oh well, maybe we'll have to hope for other shiba friends that can play in a dog-public place.
Sigh.
On this note - there is an outdoor pet expo this weekend as well as a grand opening of a dog park near us. Kitsune is a social-phob. Would it hurt him more than help him to bring him out to the festivities? Thus far we've decided against it, but Tsuki will do marvelously. She's a social butterfly.
He made a really great breakthrough last week by going up to my friend at our door with only one warning bark and sniffing her upon entry to our house when he usually barks like mad and goes upstairs.
And then this week he let that same friend bring in her male cairn terrier into our house to see how Kitsune would do and there was no incident at all. I think our continued training and behaviorist sessions will be a precaution for him, I really don't think the whole foster-fight was all him and I think he's come a long, long way since we adopted him, socially.
Oh these dogs..
And while John held him, he let people pet him, then at the dog park, he approached one person, but that was it. Major milestones today!
And no fighting or anything, although I don't think he ever was that kind of dog anyway - he did growl at a white GSD, but he mounted Kitsune so I think that was a well placed and well deserved growl.
We got a TON of comments, most adults think "miniature husky" or "miniature akita" or "fox" but more kids know what they are.. because of a nintendo game? how funny.