I have a 16 month old male scottish terrier named Fergus. We have been training at petsmart. there is an 8 year old female dog that Sets Fergus off. He gets frantic and afraid. He still listens in class and does his commands but he freaks out if this dog comes near him.
Yesterday in class he was sniffing the big male bulldog when the old female dog enter the class, when the old female entered he nipped the bulldog on the head. Isn't wasn't a full-on growling bite, he was starteled and just nipped him. the bulldog wasn't hurt he didn't even do anything he just kinda sat there. The trainer assured me that it's nothing to worry about. Just to keep giving proper commands and correction when and if he does this again.
So, later on in class we were doing come when called, fergus did it he came to me no problem. BUT... when the old female dog ran past him he freaked out like he wanted to chase her. So i corrected him. i told him to sit. he did. then i said down and he wouldn't do it. So i pulled down on his lead and he growled and nipped me. Well i was not happy and I am confused.
Is this something to worry about or should i listen to the trainer and just keep correcting with a sit command when he does this? When he freaks out he is so afraid that I don't think he understand what he is doing. What is the proper thing to do? correct him or calm him down? Help!
Yesterday in class he was sniffing the big male bulldog when the old female dog enter the class, when the old female entered he nipped the bulldog on the head. Isn't wasn't a full-on growling bite, he was starteled and just nipped him. the bulldog wasn't hurt he didn't even do anything he just kinda sat there. The trainer assured me that it's nothing to worry about. Just to keep giving proper commands and correction when and if he does this again.
So, later on in class we were doing come when called, fergus did it he came to me no problem. BUT... when the old female dog ran past him he freaked out like he wanted to chase her. So i corrected him. i told him to sit. he did. then i said down and he wouldn't do it. So i pulled down on his lead and he growled and nipped me. Well i was not happy and I am confused.
Is this something to worry about or should i listen to the trainer and just keep correcting with a sit command when he does this? When he freaks out he is so afraid that I don't think he understand what he is doing. What is the proper thing to do? correct him or calm him down? Help!