Crazy Neighborhood Sheltie

[kstraub73]

I think I just need to vent for a minute... I take our two shelties (Bella and Oreo) for a walk every morning. If I don't, I get the "stare down" from Bella until I do. She is relentless lol.

Anyway, there's a sheltie house that we go by on our walks, and have for years now. The dad has made comments about our dogs being so well behaved, how he had a sheltie growing up but this one is just nuts lol.

Usually when we walk by you can hear this dog going crazy barking all through the house at our dogs.

Twice now (today being one) this dog has charged my dogs - both times I think the mom has been in charge because she's the one who has run after him. One time was when she was taking the trash out and the dog escaped through the garage door. This time he was loose in the fenceless back yard and just came barreling around the corner at us. Scary.

Granted, our Dakota did that too.. he would go barking right up to the person or dog and then just halt. Never did anything, but this dog has nipped each of my dogs once now. No blood drawn, they're okay thankfully, they just yipped. And of course, my adrenaline just shoots sky high in protector mode. Bella was the recipient today, and she was just nervous the rest of our walk. Poor little girl. (I checked her over good when we got home and she's fine now)

I love shelties... But this one is just crazy.

[SheltieChe]

mmm, bring a bunch of kibble and cookies next time with you on the walk, if she charges again sprinkle it at her generously. Lots of shelties should be all about food...

[kstraub73]

I may have to try that. It doesn't happen often enough... and I'm not sure if he/she could even be distracted enough to notice. :)

[celloyogi]

Do you belong/attend any training club or classes? Maybe the next time they comment to you about how well behaved your dogs are, or how crazy their dog is, you could invite them to come to one of your classes. I wouldn't bring it up out of the blue (would probably be counter-productive) but maybe they've never had their dog to classes. Worth a try, anyway.

If they never walk their dog, so he gets pent up energy and frustration, ask if he's behaved on a leash. Maybe you could try having him join you for a walk (without your dogs first, to test him out). I've met a lot of rescue dogs who are completely nuts until they're on a leash, and then behave themselves. Or dogs who are territorial on their own turf but docile and behaved outside their area and/or in unfamiliar areas.

Dogs like the one you mention are being set up for failure by their owners. Even if he's not out to do any real harm, if he happened to nip someone's kid, or nip people's dogs too often, eventually he's going to get himself into trouble - all because his owners did not leash him and didn't take the time to work with him/his issues.

[dblock]

Dogs like the one you mention are being set up for failure by their owners. Even if he's not out to do any real harm, if he happened to nip someone's kid, or nip people's dogs too often, eventually he's going to get himself into trouble - all because his owners did not leash him and didn't take the time to work with him/his issues.

Yes, you are right, they are being set up for failure, and their owners are completely clueless about this, last week Beau and I were walking and came around a corner where a Pomeranian was off leash, the owner an older man who I later learned has Parkinson's made no attempt to call the dog as he came running down the street, nor, did he make any attempt to get the dog, so, I stuck my foot out to keep the dog from running up to Beau's face(Beau hates this when dogs do this) A lady from a restaurant came running out cussing me and threatening to hit me and the old man was threatening to hit me, as well as knock me to the ground. I don't care off leash dogs running up and approaching without permission are a menace to everyone concern. The old man stood a good foot and half taller than me. Had both his hands up and the woman had her hands up in my face,

I walked away and went home, I called the restaurant to complain to the boss because the worker had no right to make a decision for me and my dog, but, instead of passing me thru her boss the woman patched me thru to the police station. Unbeknownst to me a cop car had come up behind me during the tale end of this incident. And, luckily, for me it was a cop I knew. He said, he saw the dog come up to me, and I told him that this problem was getting ridiculous among dog owners who feel its okay for off leash dogs to approach you with out asking, yet, your not suppose to put your hands on them. I also reminded him, that since he came up behind and saw me, that he saw that both of my hands were down at my side, and both the old man and the woman were lucky that with my panic and anxiety disorder they were lucky that I didn't haul off and punch either one of them. They were both extremely threatening, and tried to prevent me from walking down the street
And the cop actually thanked me for not punching the crap out of them