What To Do When Your Dog Is Being Bullied
What are the signs of ‘dog bullying’ and how can you prevent your dog from being bullied by other dogs?
There are dogs out there that bully other dogs when in a ‘doggie environment’, such as a dog park, dog daycare, or a beach area designated for dogs and their owners. Often, bullying takes place in large groups, regardless of the size. Most of these dog bullies are of the large breed and prey on smaller dogs, although there are also smaller breeds with a strong, dominant personality who bully on other dogs of all sizes.
The next time you take your dog to the daycare, the park, or other places where there are other dogs around, observe how he behaves toward the other dogs and vice versa. Find out if your dog is being bullied by other dogs or if your dog is the one who does the harassing to other dogs.
Dog bullying comes in many shapes and sizes. You can tell that your dog is being harassed by other dogs if he is being surrounded by them, ganging up on him, jumping at his face, and growling at him, often for no legitimate reason. Below are other signs of a dog that is being bullied by other dogs:
1. A dog that is almost always happy around other people and dogs, but nervous and scared around the ‘bully’ dogs.
2. One that is repeatedly mounted.
3. One that is continually being taken away from his toys, water, or certain spots.
4. One that is being attacked, beaten, pinned to the ground, and pushed around.
5. One that is continually being menaced.
6. In worst cases, one that is being bitten or badly hurt.
These acts are not right and should not be tolerated. Repeated display of these behaviors is not only hurtful to your dog in a physical way but can also be mentally damaging.
It is important to find out what is causing the harassment to occur among these dogs and put an end to the improper behavior. Some dogs are just real bullies, without any direct reason for acting that way. Keep in mind that in many cases, it only takes one bully to rev up other dogs and follow his behavior. In this case, separating the dog from the playgroup will solve the problem.
Another reason for dog bullying is improper or lack of supervision from the owner or staff member in the daycare. Dogs that aren’t properly watched over tend to get out of control while playing, and that’s when the bullying starts. Therefore, when you take your dog to a daycare, make sure that there are enough staff members to supervise all the dogs and that they are being looked after at all times. And lastly, whether it is at the park, the beach, or your neighbor’s house, make sure to keep an eye on your dog at all times.
