Bad Influence?

[sugar]

So Chubs has always been very good about being allow in our front yard. My family would sit out there with Chubs and people would pass by and Chubs either just looked (but stayed laying down) or he would slowly walk over to the fence (so slowly that by the time he got there the people passing were long gone). Our neighbor's dog across the street (to the right of us) has a Golden mix female (she and Chubs touch noses at the fence and sometimes run back and forth with each other so I nicknamed her his gf).
Anywho, they sometimes watch each other from their own front yards (she will bark at him in that whiney I want to play way, he stays quiet bcause he isn't a barker). Well, she has this bad habit of rushing to the fence when people pass her yard and barking loudly. I never really thought about it because heck, my dog was behaving! BUT it seems we are starting to notice that now if Chubs sees someone passing our front yard he is rushing/bounding over to the person. He never growls or barks but a dog like Chubs coming at you is going to scare people. I'm wondering if he learned this behavior from girl-dog next door? We are now puting him back on a leash while in the front yard (to be safe) but is there anything I can do to get him to not rush the fence?

Man, these basic manners sessions can't come fast enough!

[sugar]

Also, on our walk this morning a young girl was leaving her house with her mom (she was maybe 8 or so). Any way she was about to reach her own fence to leave and while I was passing with Chubs he tried to rush over to her. I got him to quickly just keep walking with me but I really was unhappy with his reaction. The rest of the walk we passed people with no issues (he was walking near me while people passed not really paying them much attention).

What do you think is going on?

[adoptapitbull]

Other dogs can definitely be a bad influence! I'd not let him be out when she is.

[erpitrescue]

It may be barrier frustration? But I was under the impression you'd only see that in dogs that are outside for a significant period of time.

[sugar]

Chubs is only out in the front yard is my family is out with him. Sometimes my folks sit on a bench we have there and Chubs gets to stay out with them. Most days he is only outside for about 20 minutes or less (and never tied up outside, and only with supervision).

[adoptapitbull]

Could it be the same scenario as when one dog is barking, growling, etc, another non-aggressive dog may become just like the aggressor? Like when dogs fight, other dogs will join in even if they had no involvement. Maybe he's doing what she's doing, because he thinks that's what he's supposed to do.

[emilys]

dogs do learn from each other. Mostly the bad things.

[sugar]

I think she is a barker because she is out for like two hours in the morning alone and a good portion of the evening she is again out alone so I think thats why she barks. Rarely do i ever see anyone out with her (and maybe they have a different walking schedule but I've never ever seen her out for a walk). If I walk over to her with Chubs she is very happy to see us both, but if I walk over alone she is terrified (her owners told me she was rescued from a puppy mill when she was a few weeks old). They never correct her barking, just really don't want Chubs to do it.

Starting to feel like those moms that look down on their son's girlfriends. "Chubs, honey, she's no good for you!"

lol

[suziriot]

Dogs can absolutely teach each other bad habits, but it's usually when they spend a lot of time together. Dharma was such a good girl when she came home with us and now she's learned all kinds of stupid behaviors from her brothers.

[erpitrescue]

Is there anyway to slyly work on her behavior- hang near the fence and when she is about to act a fool, call her over to you and reward for her coming to you?
I know it won't be immediate, especially since she is a bit fearful of you, but maybe can work on her bad habits and hopefully Chubs won't pick up any more or have her to mimic?

[sugar]

I've been doing that if I'm with him. I stand by the fence and she comes over and I talk to her and tell how good she is. She wags her tail and puts her two feet up on the fence (I REALLY don't want Chubs learning that one!), I try to talk nice to her if I'm alone but she doesn't bark at me but does run away.