In which I inadvertently train an attack command.

[mbc1963]

So, my dog is dog-reactive. I keep Buddy leashed if I'm near other unfamiliar dogs, and we rarely run into trouble because mostly dogs are also leashed and owners listen to me. However, occasionally, we run into a loose, barky dog who charges us. I typically yell, "GIT! GIT!" with the hopes of driving the dog away. (I know, I know - it sounds like I'm joining in the barking, and I'm reinforcing Buddy's fear, etc., etc.. Try telling the primitive, reactive part of my brain how to act logically when a big dog is charging at me and I'm worried I'll be stuck in the middle of a dog fight!)

 

Outside these situations, Buddy only hears me say "GIT!" when he's rolling in poop, and I'm stomping my feet trying to get him to stop. He knows what it means in that situation, absolutely. He laughs at me as he refuses to stop. Then he play bows and tries to start a game of "Tag the poopy dog." Never too interested in that.

 

So today I was raking leaves and the neighbor-dog Lily was pining for me and Buddy through her fence, so I brought her over to entertain us while I worked. Buddy likes her, and will often play chase with her, or at least lie about with doggie company. Lily came to me and starting lolling in my raked leaves, and I was teasing her, saying, "GIT out my paaahl a leaves, you consarn dog!" Foghorn Leghorn accent and all. I said it a once quietly, then once louder, and suddenly, Buddy was charging and snapping at Lily, driving her away from me.

 

At first I couldn't figure out what had happened - if Buddy had just gotten jealous all of a sudden, or if he'd thought she was threatening me? Then I realized: it was hearing me say the word "GIT" which generally I say to dogs who are charging us, threatening us. Buddy has learned that dog + GIT = "Spring into action! Attack!"

 

::Sigh::

 

The stupid things we teach our dogs without meaning to.

 

I'm going to try to banish that word from my vocabulary.

 

Mary

[IPSY]

So, my dog is dog-reactive. I keep Buddy leashed if I'm near other unfamiliar dogs, and we rarely run into trouble because mostly dogs are also leashed and owners listen to me. However, occasionally, we run into a loose, barky dog who charges us. I typically yell, "GIT! GIT!" with the hopes of driving the dog away. (I know, I know - it sounds like I'm joining in the barking, and I'm reinforcing Buddy's fear, etc., etc.. Try telling the primitive, reactive part of my brain how to act logically when a big dog is charging at me and I'm worried I'll be stuck in the middle of a dog fight!)

 

Outside these situations, Buddy only hears me say "GIT!" when he's rolling in poop, and I'm stomping my feet trying to get him to stop. He knows what it means in that situation, absolutely. He laughs at me as he refuses to stop. Then he play bows and tries to start a game of "Tag the poopy dog." Never too interested in that.

 

So today I was raking leaves and the neighbor-dog Lily was pining for me and Buddy through her fence, so I brought her over to entertain us while I worked. Buddy likes her, and will often play chase with her, or at least lie about with doggie company. Lily came to me and starting lolling in my raked leaves, and I was teasing her, saying, "GIT out my paaahl a leaves, you consarn dog!" Foghorn Leghorn accent and all. I said it a once quietly, then once louder, and suddenly, Buddy was charging and snapping at Lily, driving her away from me.

 

At first I couldn't figure out what had happened - if Buddy had just gotten jealous all of a sudden, or if he'd thought she was threatening me? Then I realized: it was hearing me say the word "GIT" which generally I say to dogs who are charging us, threatening us. Buddy has learned that dog + GIT = "Spring into action! Attack!"

 

::Sigh::

 

The stupid things we teach our dogs without meaning to.

 

I'm going to try to banish that word from my vocabulary.

 

Mary

 

Ohhh nooooo.....Poor Lily ! At least no harm done..LOL...

[desertranger]

Oh my. That's important lesson for us all.

[Shetlander]

Sorry, chuckling over the Foghorn Leghorn accent (love that rooster - did you toss in any "Ah say Ah say"s?). Dogs in general and Border Collies in particular will pick up on words without our realizing sometimes. This sounds like a good example. And that is without adding a some Border Collies' (Quinn) tendency to think they get to help discipline other dogs without occassional reminders that no, they do not. I think saving GIT for errant dogs on walks is wise.

 

And as far as using GIT when a dog charges you, I have to say that I've been very successful using a stern voice, sometimes a stern yell at loose dogs that approach us on walks. "Adding to the barking?" I never saw it that way, although I have seen dogs bark convincingly enough to chase off dogs. I think that if the dog is your typical fairly sane pet (which fortunately seems to be the case in my neighborhood), a stern human voice telling them to go away is something they are likely to obey out of habit or simply good sense. Now, if I was encroaching on their property, that would be a different thing where they might have more the sense they guarding/protecting. But even the most untrained, pushy dogs around here seem to understand they are leaving their true jurisiction when they hit the pavement of the street (no sidewalks in my subdivision).

 

Glad it all worked out well in the end (Ay say Ah say).

[pansmom]

I too hate the idea of getting up in the middle of a dog fight. But the only thing that seems to work in my experience if we can't pick up and get away is to put myself between my dog and the charging dog and step toward them while staring them down. That generally stops them. I don't think it matters what, if anything, you say. Although I may unconsciously be making the universal "no" sound while doing this. I honestly can't remember. The anger at loose dogs and bad owners gives me lizard brain. But the amusing thing is that if I look back at Vala during/after these encounters she's eating it up. Once I saw her do a long distance muzzle punch at the other dog. Like "That's right! Stay away, jerk!"