little question, longer post

[call2arms]

Yeaterday Jessie and I were taking our walk at the park. I always look out for loose dogs (you can see really far, not a lot of trees out there, and there is only one side of the park where you can come from), and whenever I see one I just go the opposite way, make loops and u-turns, and the park is big enough so we don't even cross.

So generally we never come across a loose dog. I even tend to stay away from dogs on leash, just so Jessie dosen't start behaving like an arse.

Anyway... We were walking, and at the other end of the park I see a loose dog. I turn away, to realize that I will have to cross a lady with a yorkie. No big deal...

We cross paths (there are 2 concrete paths, we're not on the same) and both our dogs start barking a bit. Instead of giving me an offended look, the lady told me that her dog was not well-behaved with dogs when on leash, and I said, neither is mine... At that moment, (3 seconds after the encounter, we're facing each other), both dogs stopped barking, Yorkie looked away and Jessie, very surprisingly, plopped on the ground and started rolling on the grass besides me.

The lady and I chatted a bit, still on our different concrete path, I told her it was nice that she kept her dog on leash unlike so many people, and *small rave* she told me my dog seemed very well trained, she had seen me in the shuffleboard court where we practice tricks and off-leash obedience and a tiny bit of agility... Yay!

So my question is... From her reaction, do you guys would think that Jessie is more dog-reactive that dog aggressive? As soon as the "meeting and barking" ended, she was sooo relaxed!
I really have no idea, usually if we meet a dog and it's barking at her or vice-versa, I just keep walking and tell her to move it, so I can't really tell if it's "her fault" or "the other dog's fault" if you see what I mean.


On another topic, at the end of that same walk I met two 16-year old kids who petted Jessie, they asked me what breed, I said pit bull... One of the kids said that there are pit bull fights going on pretty close to my neighborhood, and that he knew where but didn't go. I collected info and made a complaint at the appropriate police dept (it's the second time this year that I hear about fights in that exact same place). I hope they catch those little bastards.

[PittieLove]

i dont know about te other question, but i do hope they catch those kids that are going to do a dog fight

My dog doesnt react to other dogs unless he feels that i am "weak"

[mnp13]

I think "dog reactive" is just "dog aggressive" without the engagement. Many dog aggressive dogs will calm down once they realize the other dog isn't a threat and there isn't anything to worry about.

[call2arms]

That's what I was thinking Michelle, because when she sees a dog that wants to scrap, she does not calm down. At all.

I guess it's "more manageable" to have a dog-reactive than a dog-aggressive dog, but it's kinda annoying because I can't really know if it's an "alarming" situation or one where she will calm down...

[Magnolia618]

Also, when you first passed the yorkie, you were probably a bit tense. Maybe after you started talking to the woman and she didnt freak out about your pit bull, you relaxed and your dog could sense that. Just a thought...

[call2arms]

Might be... It's hard not to be slightly tense when you don't quite know how your dog is going to react. I wish I could have a conversation with her.

[Carla]

I think sometimes when dogs are allowed to observe and give off proper body language to each other, it calms things down. If we immediately jerk on leashes, increase our pace and talk angrily, the dogs cannot give proper body language, which heightens the suspicion and/or fear in both.

Carla

[call2arms]

Well, what I generally try to do is let the leash slack, tell her to leave it quietly and keep walking. IF I am trying to get her to heel on the way to the park (don,t have a backtyard, so she's always revved up on the way there), forget it.