I think I messed up with Gendry
So, over the past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed Gendry begin to bark at other dogs. The fur on his back stands straight up and it’s a huge challenge to get his attention back on me. I suspect he’s behaving this way out of fear because I made the mistake of letting him interact with “bullies” at the dog bark. (Note: I’m not talking about bully breeds, just dogs that have a very rough play style and don’t know when to give the other dog a break). I was too busy being socially awkward with the other owners to get up and leave when I noticed things were getting a little out of hand. This lead Gendry to get scared and act more aggressive in an attempt to tell the other dog to leave him alone. And now, I’m worried Gendry will begin to develop more extreme reactivity to other dogs if I don’t help him work through it now.
So, I’ve made a commitment to only let him play with gentle dogs and to take him away from the situation whenever I see it getting rough. But, is there anything else I can do to help his reactivity? He’s getting so big now that I’ve started to notice owners get a little nervous when he starts barking at their dogs. Also, some people have suggested that it might just be his age right now. He just hit 6 months two days ago. Is this just doggie puberty? Is it possible that it could get a little better on his own?
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