Do you know it? You've suddenly got a new friend or family member with a dog that your dog doesn't like that much? Or maybe it's the other person's dog that doesn't like your dog?
Instead of just letting the dogs loose together (and not knowing if it will go well or badly) - nice, relaxing walks with the other dog on a leash can be the way to either friendship or tolerant behavior towards each other.
Not all dogs necessarily like the head-on encounters (which they often have when they meet off-leash). So instead, you can let them walk together and enjoy each other's company - without greeting at first.
Of course, this requires that both of you, with leash in hand, can read the dogs' body language so that you don't cross their boundaries. Many dogs will show calming signals; look to the side, snarl, yawn, turn away, etc. if there is "too much" contact between the two individuals, who may not immediately see the reason for the dog encounter.
After that, you will gradually be able to get closer and closer together, and eventually it should end up that the two Fido's can be loose together without you and your friend having to worry - and maybe you can even look after each other's dogs in the future.
But why can't they just like each other?
You have to remember that dogs, just like humans, can have preconceived ideas about another dog (maybe your dog has been attacked before, maybe he's scared of black dogs, maybe something else entirely). And if this new dog reminds you of something, that could be the reason.
In addition, the breeds also each have their own individual way of behaving. And this can sometimes clash a bit with each other. For example, Labradors and shepherd dogs can sometimes speak slightly different languages, because the Labrador is a little more physical in their play, where the shepherd dog is more sensitive and would rather play running games or fool around with a little playbows. Sometimes one is just wilder than the other and this can also create a bit of misunderstanding, and to remedy this, you can possibly take the wild dog on a leash, so that the other gets the experience of having control of the situation.
Sometimes dogs misunderstand each other (just like humans), but with a little getting used to and good experiences, you can actually experience insecurity or even unfriendliness towards each other turning into friendship with play or maybe just the dogs being able to function under the same roof at family dinners without them interacting.
Some dogs are also completely indifferent and get along with all other dogs. That's great, but remember that even if your dog gets along with everyone else, it's not certain that other people's dogs will get along with yours.
All dogs - as a rule - want to avoid conflict. Like humans, they want to form good relationships and have canine friends. But sometimes, past experiences or just the dog's temperament can make it difficult to meet new adults when your dog is no longer a puppy.
You know your dog best and know how to best make new friends. Remember to do what feels right for you in the given situations. Never pass the responsibility onto another dog owner who may not know your dog.
The video below is a walk where the three male dogs started with a lot of distance, as the white Tibetan Terrier was very unsure of the dark Eurasier. He has met the Labrador before. As you can see in the video, after a 30-minute walk, they are actually quite relaxed in each other's company. In the long term (after MANY MORE) of these good dog encounters, we hope that the three boys can be together without a leash, at home in our respective gardens. But we are trying to gradually get them used to each other, so that they can demystify each other without coming into conflict with each other.
It takes time to get adult individuals used to each other who have not chosen to be friends, but if it happens under good conditions, you can end up with new canine friends.
Author: Tina Hougaard, owner of Hougaard & Hund and PowerDog
Teach your dog to get along with others
Do you know it? You've suddenly got a new friend or family member with a dog that your dog doesn't like that much? Or maybe it's the other person's dog that doesn't like your dog?
Instead of just letting the dogs loose together (and not knowing if it will go well or badly) - nice, relaxing walks with the other dog on a leash can be the way to either friendship or tolerant behavior towards each other.
Not all dogs necessarily like the head-on encounters (which they often have when they meet off-leash). So instead, you can let them walk together and enjoy each other's company - without greeting at first.
Of course, this requires that both of you, with leash in hand, can read the dogs' body language so that you don't cross their boundaries. Many dogs will show calming signals; look to the side, snarl, yawn, turn away, etc. if there is "too much" contact between the two individuals, who may not immediately see the reason for the dog encounter.
After that, you will gradually be able to get closer and closer together, and eventually it should end up that the two Fido's can be loose together without you and your friend having to worry - and maybe you can even look after each other's dogs in the future.
But why can't they just like each other?
You have to remember that dogs, just like humans, can have preconceived ideas about another dog (maybe your dog has been attacked before, maybe he's scared of black dogs, maybe something else entirely). And if this new dog reminds you of something, that could be the reason.
In addition, the breeds also each have their own individual way of behaving. And this can sometimes clash a bit with each other. For example, Labradors and shepherd dogs can sometimes speak slightly different languages, because the Labrador is a little more physical in their play, where the shepherd dog is more sensitive and would rather play running games or fool around with a little playbows. Sometimes one is just wilder than the other and this can also create a bit of misunderstanding, and to remedy this, you can possibly take the wild dog on a leash, so that the other gets the experience of having control of the situation.
Sometimes dogs misunderstand each other (just like humans), but with a little getting used to and good experiences, you can actually experience insecurity or even unfriendliness towards each other turning into friendship with play or maybe just the dogs being able to function under the same roof at family dinners without them interacting.
Some dogs are also completely indifferent and get along with all other dogs. That's great, but remember that even if your dog gets along with everyone else, it's not certain that other people's dogs will get along with yours.
All dogs - as a rule - want to avoid conflict. Like humans, they want to form good relationships and have canine friends. But sometimes, past experiences or just the dog's temperament can make it difficult to meet new adults when your dog is no longer a puppy.
You know your dog best and know how to best make new friends. Remember to do what feels right for you in the given situations. Never pass the responsibility onto another dog owner who may not know your dog.
The video below is a walk where the three male dogs started with a lot of distance, as the white Tibetan Terrier was very unsure of the dark Eurasier. He has met the Labrador before. As you can see in the video, after a 30-minute walk, they are actually quite relaxed in each other's company. In the long term (after MANY MORE) of these good dog encounters, we hope that the three boys can be together without a leash, at home in our respective gardens. But we are trying to gradually get them used to each other, so that they can demystify each other without coming into conflict with each other.
It takes time to get adult individuals used to each other who have not chosen to be friends, but if it happens under good conditions, you can end up with new canine friends.
Author: Tina Hougaard, owner of Hougaard & Hund and PowerDog