Prairie_Gurl Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 I've got a 19 month old Black Lab mix that I do agility with. She's great at it, however, she started having a dog-aggression problem around last July. I'm not sure what caused it, she was great with dogs before hand. :( I've taken her to basic and advanced obedience, and that has helped a little, but not a whole lot. The obedience trainer said that she is VERY dominant, but could it be that she is over-protective of me??? I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me. If this doesn't get under control soon I'm afraid I'll have to stop doing agility with her!!! :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Is she fixed? Is the aggression directed at a paticular sex of dog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luka-pop Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Luka felt more comfortable around other dogs if I wasn't holding him. This way, he didn't feel as though he had to protect me. He also plays more with female dogs, less with males. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 28, 2003 Share Posted February 28, 2003 Is it possible that your dog had a bad experience with other dogs when you weren't around? This quite often can cause Dog Aggressive dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted February 28, 2003 Author Share Posted February 28, 2003 Yea, my dog's fixed, and I don't really think it's directed at one particular sex... but just a little more with females than with males, but she still has problems with males. I don't really think that it's possible that she had a bad experience when I wasn't around. When I'm not home she's either inside the house or out in my fenced- in yard. So, I don't know. What's "sterilization"??? I think I've heard of it before, but I'm not totally sure. Thanks for all ur replies!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted March 1, 2003 Share Posted March 1, 2003 Sterilization=Fixing=Spay/Nueter=Desexing, all the same thing. You may need to work at slowly accustomizing your dog to others in as relaxed and enjoyable a situation for your dog as possible, enlists any freinds with relaxed dogs you can. Praise all positive behaviours, use treats or toys or whatever she likes. Start slow. Also work on your watch or look command so even if your dog is not getting on with other dogs if she is focused on you she will not be acting aggressively towards other dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 1, 2003 Author Share Posted March 1, 2003 Ok. I'll keep working on her. By the way, does anyone know anything about the Gentle Leader head halter things?? I've been told to maybe try one, but I don't know if it will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary's Mama Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 How old was she when you got her? Did she have the appropriate amount of puppy socialization? Most people dont realize that a puppy learns how to behave with other dogs between 8 weeks and 4 months. If they are not sufficiently exposed to other dogs in that time frame, they will not learn canine ettiquette. This is why many breeders prefer to keep pups until 4 months of age. It sounds to me like your girl just doesn't know how to act in the "canine world". Unfortunately, it is not something that can really be fixed. You can work at minimizing the damage but you can never get that critical learning stage back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Foster Posted March 5, 2003 Share Posted March 5, 2003 My question is: Does this happen only on leash or does she have aggression issues off leash? Another question: What do you consider aggression from your dog? Is she showing her teeth when dogs get in her face or within a couple feet, does she go ballistic pulling/barking etc..., does she just sit and bark, etc.... Many dogs will have problems with other dogs while on leash. And then the revolving door starts...your dog gets a little aggressive while on leash, the next time you see a dog come near you, you tighten up the leash which in turns makes your dog think that the dog coming is trouble and you need protected so more aggression starts, this happens each time which is why it is a revolving door scenario...one thing leads to the next. This can then lead to the off leash aggression because now your dog thinks that you need protected from all the other mean ole dogs out there. You could try giving your dog treats and stuff to keep her attention when other dogs come near or when walking towards other dogs. Find the comfort zone for your dog and start there. See dog, your dog behaves, treat your dog--do this a few times, move a little closer and repeat the process. It will take time but it does help I have a bc/mix that is semi-dog aggressive. She has been attacked a couple times, the worse attack was by a golden (go figure)... We do flyball with all 3 of my dogs. My bc/mix can control herself while doing flyball because it is like her job. You dog may feel the same way at some point. But anyways, Charlotte was getting really bad anytime a dog came near her so I did the above and it helped. I still don't allow dogs within about 3-4 feet of her while she is on leash unless we are on the way to the race floor. She is not trynig to protect me...I THINK SHE JUST WANT DOGS TO STAY OUT OF HER PERSONAL SPACE. Yes I believe that dogs have space issues just like humans. I would not disclaim that your dog has been attacked without you knowing per se...if she is left outside unattended, even behind a fence other dogs could be coming up to the fence and they proceed to have a doggie argument of barking, running the fence line etc...I would suggest NOT leaving your dog outside unattended for more than a couple minutes. You never know what is going on behind closed fences :agrue: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 6, 2003 Author Share Posted March 6, 2003 Well, we got Shadow when she was 3 months old from the local humain society. Umm... I've always tryed to socialize her with as many nice dogs as I could... but it's hard because I live in a 30,000 population town that still hasn't grasped the idea that you should get a dog for companionship not just for a farm dog... don't get me started. Anywho, I tryed but I live in a neighbor hood where there is little to no dogs. And no socialization classes for miles. I wish I tryed harder though. As for on-leash/ off-leash aggression I'm not too sure. See, I started noticing the aggression when we were at our agility class. And at agility u have ur dog on leash until ur up for the run. So, I'm not totally sure, and I've been kinda scared to try for fear there'll be a dog-fight. I do give her treats when she's being good around other dogs, and when another dog comes up to us I try to keep her ocupied with treats. But, then again, she's very protective of her food, so once she notices the other dog she snaps at it. The problem isn't caused by food though, because we do not have treats when we are a obedience. I too, believe dogs have their personal space, and personal space issues... I haven't met a dog that doesn't have their own personal space. I don't know. I mean, I don't really mind taking that extra time and extra percosions (don't know how to spell that) for her, but it gets so annoying... especially when we're at agility... the waiting space is pretty small, and there are so many dogs, man. And your suppose to be having FUN... which is pretty hard to accomplish. And I'm not really known for my patience, thought I try VERY hard. Yea know??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 7, 2003 Share Posted March 7, 2003 Did you get her from a pound,store, or a backyard breeder? If a backyard breeder than your dog has some health problems i bet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 8, 2003 Author Share Posted March 8, 2003 I got Shadow from the local humain society. She gets regular vet care, but she doesn't have any health problems... the vet said she looked fine, and didn't have a problem. I don't think that's the cause of the dog aggression at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 yeah your right i dont know she's probally really protective Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 8, 2003 Author Share Posted March 8, 2003 Yea, I'm not sure. I don't think it's because she's too protective of me because she does it when she is with my dad, or my friends, etc. She's been doing pretty good at obedience so I'm gonna see if I can start trying agility again... we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 Good luck! I hope it gets better :niewiem: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 [quote name='Prairie_Gurl']I've got a 19 month old Black Lab mix that I do agility with. She's great at it, however, she started having a dog-aggression problem around last July. I'm not sure what caused it, she was great with dogs before hand. :( I've taken her to basic and advanced obedience, and that has helped a little, but not a whole lot. The obedience trainer said that she is VERY dominant, but could it be that she is over-protective of me??? I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me. If this doesn't get under control soon I'm afraid I'll have to stop doing agility with her!!! :cry:[/quote] Do you have any idea what she's crossed with? If she is crossed with a breed of dog that is genetically predisposed for dog aggression, you have a hard road ahead of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 8, 2003 Author Share Posted March 8, 2003 I'm not sure what she's crossed with. The humain society said she was crossed with a Rottweiler... but I can tell that she's not because she has absolutely no Rottweiler in her. (her pic is posted in the pictures). The vet said maybe Golden Retriever... my obedience instructer said maybe Border Collie... who knows. She could be part unicorn and I would have not idea (nevermind the horn sticking out of her head lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 Just looked, she's lovely. AND, ... black. Hard to tell what she's crossed with. Have you looked under a previous post to Hazelnutmeg concerning aggression in her dog. There are several [b]really good [/b]posts on training techniques to try. Good luck with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 11, 2003 Author Share Posted March 11, 2003 Ok, I'll have to look. Oh, and a little update... I'm gonna start doin private lessons in agility with her so that she can still do agility... just without all the other dogs... And yes, she is VERY black. Sometimes I lose her at night when we're out camping. The only way I know where she is is because she's always constantly right at my side. She's such a good dog, just that dog aggression!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted March 11, 2003 Share Posted March 11, 2003 Private lessons will help her with her agility but will only increase her dog aggression. Kavik is very eager to meet other dogs and barked like a madman to get at them. He also is faily dominent and will snarl at any dog that tries to mount him, put a paw or its head across his shoulders. He can be treat possesive. Taking him to obedience, a nice controlled environment, every week, with lots of other dogs there has been the best thing for him. He is still eager to meet other dogs and barks more than the other dogs in class, until class starts. He is less concerned about dominance behavs and can probably be trusted where treats are concerned now but I will not risk it just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 12, 2003 Author Share Posted March 12, 2003 I never thought of that... oops. hmmm... I guess I'll see if we can go to the regular classes every once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzoo9 Posted March 14, 2003 Share Posted March 14, 2003 You mentioned in your list that your dog is aggressive when he is on leash. Do you jerk him back when he goes to sniff other dogs? That might be sending him the message that there is something wrong with other dogs. Plus you mentioned you are fearful he might attack another dog. That is compounding the problem. If you are afraid, he may become afraid too. You need to exude the message to him that you are in charge, and he does not need to "protect you or himself." Going to more obedience classes and you being around other dogs with him might help so can psych yourself out. I am also sure your instructor taught you to keep your dog at your side when he gets upset, so he knows you are there and in charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 14, 2003 Author Share Posted March 14, 2003 I am afraid she'll get in a fight (trust me she wouldn't back off), but I always hide it the best that I can. which can be pretty hard at times. I try to make sure I'm not making any negative impressions of the other dogs... I let her sniff other dogs, and a couple she does run around freely with. But, when I see that she's making that eye contact with another dog, I direct her attention towards me. But, I do know that I DO make mistakes... otherwise I doubt she would now be dog aggressive. Thanks for the advice, and I'll keep trying to be more aware of my actions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted March 15, 2003 Share Posted March 15, 2003 Making the dogs break eye contact and refocus on you is a great technique - kudos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Gurl Posted March 15, 2003 Author Share Posted March 15, 2003 Yea, it does work very good. Usually dangling a hotdog in front of her nose, or cheese, works pretty well. It can be really hard, however, if the other dog returns the eye contact. But, it does help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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