how normal is it for dogs to occassionally scrap with one another?

[Owllady]

At training specifically agility
Mine has done it again today, so twice in six months but this is a different dog to last dog. It's a matter of seconds, lots of noise and fur rather than anything serious, though today she caught the other dog owners hand :( I'm mortified and feel really sad about it.

I went to my vet after who has suggested an adaptil collar which she is wearing now. I obviously apologised to the other owner who said it was both of them, not just my dog and the bite was an accident and her own fault as she put her arm in between them, but I do honestly feel awful about it.

I've been doing the control unleashed stuff, so maybe I need to 're read. She is fine at obedience, none of this at all. But after the first incident at agility she stays on line and is put behind a gate in between practice.

It just worries me how quick she is to react

Please be gentle with me

[EasyToEatTiger]

I think scraps are pretty common. One of our dogs really does not like other dogs much and we have to keep an eye on him all the time. He took chunks out of our oldie to the point we nearly had to re-home him just for the oldie's safety. This dog is also the biggest woos ever. He is far more interested in his job than he is in other dogs, so usually it's easy to distract him. I will keep an interest in your thread as I'm no expert in this kind of thing.

[Owllady]

Thank you easy. She has never done it out in public, I am worried she will so have gone back to long lining unless we are paddocked.

She loves other dogs. Or. Absolutely hates them

[Bowlersarm]

One of my dogs looks to pick a fight with certain breeds of dogs all the time, so I tend to avoid them. He's fine with dogs he knows, so I put a lot of effort into making sure he gets on with my friends who I walk with dogs, apart from that I steer clear of other dogs, and distract him if we unavoidably have to pass a strange dog. I appreciate you can't in a class though.

[Owllady]

So it's not just my dog then?
Do you think I am over thinking and over dramatising this then?

[Bowlersarm]

Most dogs I know don't look to have a scrap, but some do. I don't think it's the norm, but it's not unsual either.

I don't think you're overdramatising - it's horrible, for the owner and the owner of the other dog.

I'm not enough of an expert to advise though; I just know how to deal with my dog in that situation.

[Owllady]

I don't know that she does scrap but the two fights she has had at training (she has had no more outside of that arena) she has initiated them. She is also very sharp and quick to react.

[Owllady]

I don't know that she does look to scrap it should say, sorry.
I think it's the worry it will become habit you know. I already feel like I have to constantly think ahead on her behalf angled it's exhausting sometimes!

[EasyToEatTiger]

One of our dogs used to hate having his concentration broken. Perhaps it is the same with the younger boy. Although he's not a working dog, he is very focussed on whatever he is doing. Have you heard of the Yellow Ribbon thing? Dogs who need a bit more space for whatever reason can wear a yellow ribbon so that other owners know to leave a bigger berth.

[EasyToEatTiger]

Here's the link www.yellowdoguk.co.uk

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I'm a little uncertain exactly when it happened was it whilst she was doing an agility round or whilst you were waiting for your turn.
As someone who does agility it is very rare in our club, it has happened once in the three years I have been a member.
We do have volatile dogs who do agility some are so focused when working it is not a problem, there is one who will go off focus and she wears a muzzle (basket style to work) and they stand away from the other dogs whilst working.

[Owllady]

It's whilst we were doing our turn not whilst waiting. She waits outside of the arena
She hasn't done it anywhere else but in agility, as I said twice in 6 months
She not volatile, she's a rescue collie who is very sharp and quick to react

I have decided to give it up fir a couple of months anyway. Just carry on with obedience

I am just worried she may do this out in public, but as I said I now lead her any way.

[Canidae]

Did she run off the course to get to the other dogs?

[Owllady]

She ran to the other dog when she was closest to it on the course, it was a matter of seconds. She's very quick. I grabbed her harness but she slipped out of my hand.

[Owllady]

She was only interested in the one dog, not any of the others.