Thoughts if you will...

..Just taken Moo up to the quarry where she has previously been attacked ...

https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t40198-not-the-best-evening

Just taken her out and now I keep her on lead, a girl came up asking for money for a taxi.....Moo went all aggressive, growling, and pulling on leash, do you think she still associates the place with what happened, cause that really makes me sad?

How were you feeling when the girl approached you?

Bless her! If it's the first time she's been back there and somebody's approached, she might remember being hurt. She might also have sensed if you were nervous about it. I think she'll probably calm down once she's used to it again though!

Feeling a bit crap in myself but not anything I would have thought relevant to Moo Xx she didn't bother me, was more surprised she stood there whilst Moo had an out burst

Aww for you both janey, maybe she's picked up on feelings from last time she was there hope your both ok

Moo might have remembered, but she might also be picking up anxiety from you. Either way, time will heal.

Eleanor, we have been up most evenings since, this is the first time she has actually come across as aggressive her tail wagged so much when I got her to calm...just not sure what to do or if I should be even worried

Yer, most likely me. Not doing her any favors atm Xx

Honestly, I think she probably just thought the woman was a threat With what happened recently, it might have made her a bit nervous.

I hate it, evening walks used to be fun now I never know what to expect Xx

I know it must be nerve wracking for you, but you've handled it really well! xx

Ahhh Janey, Poor moo  Im sure she is just associating the place with what happened last time, I'm sure you and Moo will be fine soon

If only they could talk to us - or we could read what went through their little minds! Keep your chin up Janey .... she adores you and you her so I know you will both be okay   

Aww Janey, I think its just maybe Moo perhaps didn't like the girl? Especially if you have been back there since and she has been fine. Vinnie is like it with certain people and I trust his judgement if he senses something then I know there is something not right.

Don't worry too much sure everything will be fine. Hugs from me and Vinnie xxx

Sounds like it could have been more about nerves than aggression, how is she when approached by other dogs now ?

She has been fine, it was just what happened last night, really really odd....could kinda understand if it was bloke but it was a female, really really odd Xx

Did this girl take you by surprise ?

Well she approached us.....not really by surprise.

I'm more concerned that you are hanging around disused quarries at that time of the evening , I know it's yours an moo's place but do you really think its wise , you meet a gang of thugs one night , some random girl begging another ???

 

I know its not the nicest place at that time of night but its the closet....In fairness its only happened recently, and if I don't appear on the forum at some point call the police!

janey wrote:I know its not the nicest place at that time of night but its the closet....In fairness its only happened recently, and if I don't appear on the forum at some point call the police!

Well you know best yourself but can't help the fathering instinct inside me

As others say though , I think most likely you are on edge and Moo can sense that so chill

Thanks Dave Yer I think its a mix of everything at the moment and she is just picking up on it........

janey wrote:Thanks Dave :)Yer I think its a mix of everything at the moment and she is just picking up on it........

But on the other side of things I can't help thinking in those kinds of places at that time of night its not a bad thing if Moo behaves like that for obvious reasons , though I 100% understand where you are coming from and know / appreciate the thoughts behind it

True when you put it like that.... I just don't want it to become normal, but she hasn't reacted like that before so will see....

just back to basics i think

i was really nervous after sash was attacked and i know she felt it from me,its natural i guess to want to protect them after some thing like that happens,just give it time,and be careful late at night lovey  

it could of been becasue it was at night ... what did you do to get her to stop it?

dogs are very protective at night and plus what happen to just boost it an little

Definitely sounds like either an association or picking up on your anxiety or a mix of the two.

Try and keep your self calm if you think the situation isn't the best (i know harder done then said) and try going back to basics.

Chance is much much worse at night, and if i see anyone approaching us or someone hanging about, what i do is move chance to the opposite side of me to them, and a good strong leave it, works for us, but it needs to be before that person is on top of you, so you break any fixation or tension and hopefully stop any reaction. Lots of high pitched praise if they show no reaction. If it's someone stopping you to talk, try putting Moo in a sit stay and rewarding with any treats/toy she will take.

Also another thing, is to ask the other person to completely ignore Moo if she reacts, don't even look at her. Helps if you know the person, but i ask strangers all the time if i have Chance in a sit stay to ignore him no matter what and most of the time people do

 

yes they do remember certain places and associate them with past experiances. the girl may have approached the same as one of the people before or even displayed a similar kind of body language which could have triggerd the reation.
when training dogs as pups you have to be carefull with fear imprints and I guess even as an adult dog an extreme situation could cause a lasting impression. Im sure over time as she becomes to realise that the chances of it happening again are slim she will start to relax a little more.

Cheers all, its not her training so basics isn't gonna help, her training is set and no problems there, but I have never seen her react like that. The more I think about it, it must be her still feeling an anxiety about the place still. Just shocked me slightly.

There wasn't anything I could do but hold her back and get her home....

you need to make her sit and be quiet all dogs are nervous, wary on edge on night walks you can see it in their body language becasue of the attack it just made her a bit worse very protective

Steve wrote:you need to make her sit and be quiet ;)all dogs are nervous, wary on edge on night walks you can see it in their body language becasue of the attack it just made her a bit worse very protective

this ^^^

The reaction stills needs to be corrected and not just hoping it will go away!

No Moo has never been nervous before, she is great at sit and wait, perfect, this I could not correct, nor predict, it happened rather quickly and tbh honest I personally don't want to hang about getting her in a wait position after what happened.

Just hope its her/mine anxiety...

Lets hope it is your/her anxiety

But take it from someone who is used to it, correcting her and getting her to calm down away from the situation DOES help alot

Hi, it could be that she's picking up on how you feel, you must be a bit nervous as you don't know what to expect. My dog got attacked a couple of days ago, nothing like yours did thank god, but it shook me up and now im not enjoying my walks anymore because im concerned how Tash will react around other dogs and I think im conveying it to Tash. My husband says she's great around other dogs but im scared she'll attack first because she's scared.

Try a different place for both of you for a bit, till you're both a bit calmer

Thanks Jules

Honestly Janey (and I'm in Mum mode here) please don't go wandering around quarries in the dead of night! The girl who loomed up out of the dark asking for a taxi fare (yeah, as if) probably alerted Moo that something was not quite right here.

If you have to walk Moo at the dead of night, stick to well lighted and populated thoroughfares - please?

Its only called the quarry, its a park with a car park, tennis court, not really a quarry.... but yer, taken on board Xx

It's really a shame that this happened and that now it isn't as fun as it used to be before the incident! Moo may still be a little nervous because of what happened there and you are also probably a little nervous too even if you don't mean to be! It will get better will time! I wouldn't worry about it too much. Gwen gets spooked easily at night when it's dark! If someone approached us in the dark Gwen might get startled and bark or growl! Not too unusual that Moo felt a little threatened, especially because of what happened there!

Just a thought but could it have been one of the girls that were there the evening Moo was attacked? Maybe she recognised the smell or something..

You do have a point there, that hadn't really crossed my mind....I was just trying to get her away!

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if she recognised the smell or that girl smelt similar, who knows

I'm willing to bet it was association. Mine are very aware of where they are and will get antsy when we walk by yards where there have been barking dogs in the past (even if there are none). An attack would have set even harder. To break association, you have to have many repeated other associations with the spot or avoid it for a very long time (even then, you may not). These guys associate for a very very long time.  

Cheers Ben Xx