Hi there,

Almost two year old Mini Eskie here. So, I've tried to socialize my dog as much as I can since I got him in March... with people he's still a little shy. I've gone to doggie classes and the dog park quite frequently. At the dog park he's pretty good. Sometimes he'll sniff up some dogs, and chase the little ones. There's been a few occasions I will have to kinda run after him to stop him from harassing another dog.

At dog class, I'd have to say he was one of the naughtier dogs. He had this slight obsession with this one dog, always getting excited when they crossed paths. Anyway, generally it looks like they are fighting as my dog goes for other dogs' neck. I personally think they are just playing, but it does look bad to other dog owners and I don't ever allow it to go further than that.

Is there any way I can stop him from continuing this behavior? (He also likes to chase joggers/bikers and I think almost nipped a jogger once). I've tried getting him to sit if we see a dog walking up to us, but he gets excited and can't sit still. Sometimes he'll sniff the other dog, but then there's jumping/ possibly growling and I try to stop it there.

Am I the problem here? Maybe I am too nervous? I just wish he could ignore other dogs. Help!

It seems that your dog was never socialized properly when he was a puppy. Now, it has become difficult for him to interact with other dogs and humans as well. Try to continue to get him out there and "see the world." He needs to become comfortable with everything around him, such as children on bicycles, icecream trucks, fire trucks, joggers, mailmen, etc. The more he is exposed to his environment, the easier it should be to take him outdoors.

However, he may require some training as well. He should learn simple "sit" and "stay" commands in order for you to be able to control him. Try visiting SitStayFetch: Effective Dog Training. Investing in some good dog training techniques would be a great start. Don't waste your money on professional trainers. Anyone can teach a dog to obey if they are using effective dog training techniques.

Hope this helps!!!

My dog has a high prey drive, and is inclined to chase anything moving faster than herself-- like bicycles and joggers. Not only that, but things on wheels used to frighten her (and scooters and scateboards still do), so she reacts by growling, barking, and lunging. I've been working really hard with her on this issue. One thing I always do, is when I see a jogger, a bicyclist, or other party approaching, I take her off the path, restrain her securely, and give the "wait" command. If she stands calmly and quietly, and does not attempt to approach the other party, I praise her with "good wait." If she attempts to approach or chase them, I correct her firmly. After the other party has passed we continue on our way. She has come a long way with this now! Pretty much the only thing she has issue with anymore is children on scateboards and scooters. We're still working on that one. She's friendly with other dogs, so that isn't so much of a problem for us, except she wants very much to meet and greet, and I don't get any exercise when we're visiting, lol!

Just keep practicing, these types of challenges take time and patience to work through! But most of all, remember to be CONSISTENT-- consistency is vital!

You should understand triggers and thresholds, counter conditioning and desensitization to help this dog. You need to change how the dog feels about other dogs and its a slow process, but once you change how the dog feels you'll get changes in the behavior. Books like The Cautious Canine, Click To Calm, Control Unleashed, Feisty Dog, are all good reads for someone with a dog like yours.

Thank you everybody! Those links and tips were extremely helpful.

I do believe my dog was not properly desensitized (I got him from a breeder but he was the shyest dog out of the bunch -- however, I saw tremendous progress after one month with me!)

He does know the sit command, but is always way too excited when he sees other dogs. I bring him out for walks at least twice a day, so he is getting well acquainted with moving things. My next plan is to bring him to park with actual bikers and skaters and follow "mydogiscute"'s advice!

Thanks again everybody. This forum is so helpful!