Playing with other dogs?

[Nik_B 3,790]

My Lab is 1 year old now. We've had a hard time through his adolecence but his recall is getting better even when he is with other dogs. He's a bright dog and doing well but there is one thing that is nagging at me.

 

I have let my dog play with other dogs as I understood that socialising is important. Having said that when he sees another dog he tends to lie down which I was told is his way of letting the other dog he isn't a threat and wants to play. The problem is when this is going on he is pretty focused on the other dog so it's hard to get him away at this moment. If I run away and hide he will be checking to see where I am and often come back on the whistle but mostly after he has greeted the other dog. I have been told that the dogs priority is to make sure he is secure with the other dog first and he wont want to turn his back on a dog he doesn't know as that makes him vulnerable.

 

At this age should I still be letting him have a play with other dogs or should I start to keep him closer to me? Half of me things he is still a puppy and needs to socialise and play but in the back of my mind I am worried that he wont be steady in the presence of other dogs later on when I start gundog training properly.

 

Thanks in advance

 

any other advice on where I should be up to at this age would also be appreciated. I had to stop getting ahead of myself when he his adolecence and go right back to basics with recall, still, stay etc.

[Lab 10,979]

My Lab is 1 year old now. We've had a hard time through his adolecence but his recall is getting better even when he is with other dogs. He's a bright dog and doing well but there is one thing that is nagging at me.

 

I have let my dog play with other dogs as I understood that socialising is important. Having said that when he sees another dog he tends to lie down which I was told is his way of letting the other dog he isn't a threat and wants to play. The problem is when this is going on he is pretty focused on the other dog so it's hard to get him away at this moment. If I run away and hide he will be checking to see where I am and often come back on the whistle but mostly after he has greeted the other dog. I have been told that the dogs priority is to make sure he is secure with the other dog first and he wont want to turn his back on a dog he doesn't know as that makes him vulnerable.

 

At this age should I still be letting him have a play with other dogs or should I start to keep him closer to me? Half of me things he is still a puppy and needs to socialise and play but in the back of my mind I am worried that he wont be steady in the presence of other dogs later on when I start gundog training properly.

 

Thanks in advance

 

any other advice on where I should be up to at this age would also be appreciated. I had to stop getting ahead of myself when he his adolecence and go right back to basics with recall, still, stay etc.

I'd try and keep him on a lead if he is going up to other dogs and you cant stop him. I say that cause if you are in a public place with another dog owner who has a dog thats not dog friendly then your pup might get bitten and it really the blame would be on yourself. Not a good start for a pup...

I think its perfcetly ok to let him socialise when you know the other dog

I know other people might disagree but i feel that at 1 year then its now time to start some proper training, others will say start earlier but i have always been under the understanding that you let a pup be a pup. I'm sure you have done some basics like sit, stay, heel and a bit of recall. We have pups at the same age so its always interesting to hear how your pups doing mate

[Nik_B 3,790]

What I am doing at the moment is to try to spot other dogs when they are quite far out, as soon as Ollie spots them I blow the recall whistle and start walking off in the other direction. Now most of the time he will recall providing the other dog is far enough away. I know many of the dog owners there so once he has recalled I send him back to the dog he spotted. I can usually recall him again from that but once they start to get closer he tends to lie down. I suppose he has to look after himself first and formost and make sure that other dogs know he is not a threat to them. I have watched them do this, once they have sniffed and checked each other out I can usually get him back. Every now and them he will not recall but it is much rarer now.

 

I supose I have good and bad days like Ollie does, some times I feel like everything is on track and others I think i'll never get him to a shoot. I'm torn about letting him play with other dogs as I have heard different bits of advice, some saying never let him play with other dogs ever. The difference in him in the last 3 months has been massive, before that his recall has completely gone and he was charging around fuelled by testosterone I imagine Having said that if I didn't let him meet other dogs I would never know if I could recall when there are other dogs about. Other dogs are the biggest distraction for Ollie.

 

Today I took him out and recalled him away from several dogs, then let him socialise and play then called him back again. We walked the edges of the fields so he gets to have a good sniff and then I did some stop whistle training and then for the first time worked on his walking to heel without a lead (cheating with a biscuit). I need to keep reminding myself about the huge improvement instead of the long term goal.

 

Will try to stick some videos up of his training and people can let me know what they think. Obviousluy normal dog walkers think he's doing well but they don't shoot/beat with their dogs so their opinion doesn't count.

 

Cheers

 

Today I am happy....tomorrow I might be pulling my hair out again

 

Cheers