GreyBoy Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 My pretty newly blind 3 year old Grey, Polar, really dislikes a dog in my condo bldg. It makes it very difficult to be walking the halls or outside on a walk and run into this other dog and owners. Polar just automatically reacts very negatively toward this Vizsla and I swear can smell him or sense him from 30 feet away. He will start jumping in front of me, barking, and I react by usually stopping, telling him to calm down, and hold him by the collar. Their dog has not barked lately, but is just straining as well to get over to us. What is the best way to deal with this situation. I usually try to avoid going out when this dog is out, but it just does not always work out that way. Any advice would be great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) I'm sorry that you are facing this issue. I would imagine that your dog can smell and hear the other dog pretty well and knows when it is near. It sounds like Polar may be nervous/scared of this other dog and probably being blind has something to do with it. My impression is that Polar does not trust this dog and is letting both you and the other dog know it. Your dog, being blind, cannot protect himself well and is being placed in a situation that is not safe. He needs to feel safe that you will protect him. I would suggest avoiding the other dog for the time being and not put pressure on your dog to adjust to this other dog until he adjusts to being blind. If you see the other dog, just turn around and go the other way. You might want to let the other people know what you are dealing with. At some point in the future, you can try and desensitize your dog to the other one but they would also have to do the same with their dog. Edited August 30, 2017 by MaryJane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyBoy Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 That is such good advice. I do try to avoid and will continue to do so. I don't punish him by saying "no" or anything, just "calm down" and I keep him close. I have to admit I don't particularly like this dog either. I have made a lot of progress with walking down the halls and running into people. The ones he doesn't know we say hello and just keep walking. No reaction from Polar. To people he knows and recognizes their voices, he loves to get attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 That is such good advice. I do try to avoid and will continue to do so. I don't punish him by saying "no" or anything, just "calm down" and I keep him close. I have to admit I don't particularly like this dog either. I have made a lot of progress with walking down the halls and running into people. The ones he doesn't know we say hello and just keep walking. No reaction from Polar. To people he knows and recognizes their voices, he loves to get attention. You note that you do not care for the other dog -- it could also be that your dog is picking up that up and reacting to it. It might be that you see that the owners are not controlling the dog well or something else that is making you leery of being close. If you think that the other owners are not controlling their dog, consider carrying a walking stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Vizlas tend to be, uhm, energetic. They also have a docked tail, and my former dog park friends and I (when I had a mutt who I allowed off leash) noted that dogs tend to mistrust dogs without tails! I don't know how true that is, but it did seem to hold true throughout the neighborhood. I think it's a great idea (as a condo dweller who also has a dog who doesn't like non greyhounds) to just go knock on the Vizla owner's door and introduce yourself properly, and ask that the other person also attempt to avoid you. You might end up friends, who knows! But instead of stressing about it and as Mary Jane says possibly passing on your tension to your dog, maybe give it a try? Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 desensitizing is an excellent idea, but that should really be worked on with a professional trainer. mean while, knocking on the owner's dog and being super nice would be best. some dogs just sense something about another dog and that's it. my welsh terrier hated goldens with a passion. if i couldn't avoid them my welsh did a down stay and that was it. but he was an excellent in obedience classes(many many classes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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