Lying down when meeting a dog on the Lead

Only Ronnie and I again.

Hope you're all well and enjoying some early spring weather ?!

From the tittle this explains my question, basically Ronnie will lie down like a sphinx, then run towards the dog when it's closed enough, but not to all dogs younger dogs he just lies down then gets up normally. Anyone have experience of this before ? Did google it but was bambozzled with ( aggressive anxiety off so called experts ) he isn't either of those It's playful for me, but should I correct this with say a sit command ? If I could video the other dog owners faces I would, one lady yesterday was all arrrrhhhhh his cute then when he jumped up he was eeekkkkkk but she was fine when it was over, she gave him a big fuss. I must add it's not all the the time this more off the main roads, he is very good around the road he'll 99% walk at heel of at least half a nose in front.

it's quite a common behaviour & it's usually when the dog wants to wait for the other dog to come closer.

the only thing i would caution against is allowing the sudden surge forwards as this can spook both the other dog & the owner, as you have seen.

does it happen on lead or off?

Hi thanks for the reply.

No it doesn't he is fine off the lead, and yesterday a 14 week old pup he just got up gentle, just on the lead, so any advice of stopping the lunging would be appreciated.

Turn round and run in a play way in the opposite direction before he's got anchored into the crouch. Anticipate that he's going to do it and redirect his attention somewhere else fun.

You'll find it easier to teach him 'this way' away from other dogs. Do it with a treat or a toy and really make a big game of it so that you are, when you use it for real, more fun than the other dog. Tuggy toys can work well provided you have the game in your command, that he'll give it when you ask.

Anticipation is always the key to these situations, though. You need to give him something positive to do that's incompatible with the unwanted behaviour before he goes into his other behaviour. In this case, know the distance where he'll usually crouch and call him away just before.

Once you've got his attention with you, then you can turn back, again paying attention to any sign that he might be about to crouch. Turn again, with a big fun 'this way!' for more play any time you need to so that you get that alternative positive behaviour locked in his mind.

Simply because of people's expections, I personally think you need to show control earlier and more solidly with a bull breed than with others. If people see a lab doing it they'll expect play but many would see the exact same behaviour in a staffie as 'poised to attack'. By using the above method, you should not only stop the lunge, you should also show your dog as being fun and controlled.

Ta LizP I shall I have made him sit before which he will do.

Wasn't a issues more interested as the reason, as been told that's how they baited bulls ? By lying down to lure them in, but agree re a Bull breed and all the negative press they sadly receive.

One kind lady said to me yesterday " you are getting him castrated aren't you " while her dog hits Ronnie with his paw on the nose

Some text missing off my last post *

He is still lead tug of war but he is has more controlled of it now. Is just the bottom of the lead and will make him sit for a few minutes, if that fails chain lead is out. It's like he is doing it because it's the dog law with humans I have to do it to test you haha

After he has calmed down he walks to heel sits waits at every road like a police dog, people must think what a well trained dog you have.

Yeah the Lunge is my real problem as he is such a big dog, it's ok with me but anyone else it would be a issue. Even a lapost or a area he wants to sniff he'll Lunge would this be the same technique as LizP ?

Thanks you Jamie

Oh if anyone wants Ronnie has a Twitter thing @RonnieBodger I struggle to pop pictures of him on here, will pop plenty on there of him...

Dogs don't lure other animals (apart from humans with their cuteness), they are chase predators. I don't know much about how bull baiting used to happen, it's not a subject I really want to explore, but I simply can't see how a dog could lure a bull by lying down. Why would a bull want to go to a lying down dog, and how on earth would a dog's DNA change to transmit such a unusual trait, even if it was trainable?

I'm pretty sure it is, as gillybrent says, just waiting for the other dog, and a result of not being able to act as he'd like (going straight up) because of the lead.

no, dogs don't lure their prey/bulls - they never have. the bull used to be chained & several dogs set on it. barbaric.

Thanks for the clarification... I think...

LizP wrote:Thanks for the clarification... I think...

It's awful, isn't it?

Hiya yes I didn't understand I either re the lure as Dogs are prey driven.
Hence my question

Yes very very barbaric practice what they used to do, to so called tender the meat up, just plain wrong.

Very clearly a normal puppy game, like a play bow maybe ?! Off his leash this morning another dog in the field managed to keep him focused on me and our game of fetch the stick. He has a obsession of trying to get two balls and then he just lies down in the middle of the field and plays with them, it's very funny so have been using sticks ( I know you're not supposed to play with sticks with dogs )

If he loves sticks invest in the Kong Safestick - they're really good & come in different sizes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/s/ref=is_s_ss_i_2_9?k=kong+safestix+large&sprefix=kong+safe

Thank you I shall

In my experience laying down is a submissive move allowing the other dog to see he has reduced his size so as not to be dominant, I'm not sure they are clever enough to adopt this as a way to lure in and then launch.

I do agree with the others in that the launching might be all fun for Ronnie but can be a bit of a shock for another dog and their owner so would advise trying to break that way of interaction. We use the KongStix mainly as my girl used to actually eat the wooden versions and I think they are simply safer, the added benefit is that she only has it as a chase toy and therefore as soon as its out her attention is straight on to it and is used as a fantastic distraction device

The 'play bow' or laying down to encourage play isn't submissive - it's an invitation. A show of friendliness & expectancy, but that isn't always recognised by the other dog or, indeed, the other owner!