"Dog Agressive"

[Neighbor_guy]

I went back 15 pages to see if I could find anything, but no answeres or suggestions to my question, so here goes...

I have a 5 year old female lab. I am her second owner and have had her for better than a year and a half. She has been well socialized, has a good temperment, is great with my little girl (5), and listens well. She had some issues with separation anxiety when I first got her, but has gotten over it. I did have her spayed this past fall.

Now the problem... She has become EXTREEEMLY dog agressive. Chassing and barking at other dogs, popping her teeth, hair standing on end, the hole lot of it. It started with dogs going past the yard but has come to include neighborhood dogs in their yards, and dogs met while on her daily walks. Now to top it all off she is taking after people she recognizes as owners of dogs that have been by in the past. This dog is walked daily, at relaxed heal, and recieves a good amount of affection and attention.

People are begining to look over thier shoulders and avoid going by the house for fear that the dog is going to come out and chase. She has never bit, but there is always the first.

How do I stop this behavior????? She is a good, loving, and loyal dog. I'd hate to shoot her, but if she puts teeth to human flesh.... Any Ideas???? Sugestions????

[eric29]

Does she do this to people/dogs that she comes in contact with or people at your house, or just the ones that walking in the street. If she meets another dog does she want to fight.

If she not atacking and is fine with people that you allow to come to the house i dont think its an aggression thing. It could be just a scared protective type of thing. Many dogs try to act tough when they see another dog at far but when they meet and realize the other dog isnt a threat its just fine. And to the barking ect at people she might be just try to protect her area.

A simple barking coller or a shock coller could fix this.

[Surface Tension]

I'll start with socializing the dog with other dogs and people.

That is only a start.

Obedience training is more then teaching a dog to sit, stay, come, and heal. During obedience training the dog will take his place, wherever that might be depends on the handler. You strive for an obedient dog but just as important the dog relinquishes his independence, feeling of ownership, and depends on you. Repetition, consistency with praise and discipline. Don't let disobedience or bad behavior go without correction. So obedience training sessions might end but you'll always be using praise and correction.

An aggressive dog is a the dog that is protecting you or your property. The dog feels ownership and is being protector. That is not good. Its roll reversal time. The obedience training everyday and being consistent with discipline and praise with the goal of putting the dog in his place and then keeping him there.

At first sign of the dogs attention going from his task to distraction make the correction before it leads to aggression.

I see the aggressive dog threads over feeding bowls.

You won't change the dogs thinking by messing around with his feeding bowl. You need to get back the obedience training to get the dog back where he belongs and you back where you belong. Once you've established that the aggression at the feeding bowl will go away.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I agree with ST. Reestablish who the pack leader is. Be quick and firm with corrections. Correct the dog immediately and be 100% consistent.

[Farmboy1]

I agree with ST. Reestablish who the pack leader is. Be quick and firm with corrections. Correct the dog immediately and be 100% consistent.

Yep, what they said. The only thing I would add is to be consistent in corrections. Do not let someone else (wife, kids, etc.) do anything not consistent with what you are doing.

[Neighbor_guy]

To answere and respond...

No, she is not agressive with people who come into my house, more excited to see them and greets them only after I do. She will infact ignore all other adults, especialy women, who come into the house, untill I come home. It is only people outside, especialy dogs and those with dogs, and most specificly women with dogs.

To the others...

I thought discipline as well, but this is the most well behaved dog I have ever owned. And we have "refreashers" every day on her standing in the family. There is no chance this dog is or is trying to be the pack leader. She is a follower, always has been. Her standing is and always has been at the bottom of the family tree. Myself, my daughter, then the dog. The dog is the last to eat, the last in or out of the house or car.

The only independant thought this dog has is knowing where the sunbeam hits the entry floor and how to follow it to get as much exposure durring the day. Up untill this crazy barking nastyness.

This is literaly and issue that poped up shortly after she was spayed, and has only gotten worse over the winter and now spring.

I should add that with me and my family, she is a very timmid and docile dog.

[eric29]

It may not sound like a disipline thing but it is. You have to teach her that the barking ect is not ok. From what you said i really dont think you have to be worried about her attacking anyone. Shes more scared than anything. Im kinda going through the same thing with my lab. She always barks and growls at any passer bys. Ive been scoulding her and putting the e coller on her when she out and just give her a zap when she starts doing it. It seems to work but have to keep with it just like when you are training them to heal, sit ect. A barking coller would also work for this.

There may be some pyscological meaning to it maybe from the first owner or the vet experience but im not the dog whisperer so i would start with the obedience.

[fivebucks]

My last dog got similar to that as she got older. She was the most friendly dog to every person around and any dog she knew. But if there was a different dog around she had to be the alpha female and she could back it up at 90 lbs. I tried all sorts of things but finally concluded that she was just going to be a b!itch the rest of her life and never let her run loose in the yard. I think sometimes female dogs get this way as they get older.

[Surface Tension]

Is the dog kept in the house, kenneled, fenced, chained, or runs?

Could it be the dog has had some type of experience that is sparking this behavior. I'll give one example where a dog can be conditioned to be aggressive to one person or circumstance.

Mailman, he comes everyday at the same time. For whatever reason a dog can take that as a threat. Hes done nothing but show up everyday and deliver mail. So a dog can be exposed to situations and develop habits when your not around. For that reason my dogs are kept where they aren't exposed to people, dogs, cars, and so on. I want the dog in my control for those things so a pattern isn't going to develop without me around.

Can you turn that behavior around? Sure easy, have the mailman give the dog a biscuit when he delivers the mail. You've changed the stimulus but may have taken a short cut and there is still an underlying problem.

The discipline is going to make the problem worse if the dog is acting out of fear. See a women with a dog and get disciplined. It might stop growling but its still thinking. Calming the dog would be confusing the dog with praise and reinforcing her behavior.

If you want the dog to ignore the women and dog then you need to not make a deal over the situation yourself.

Use of correction in this case is to take the dogs focus off the distraction immediately before the behavior starts.

This is different though in that its turned into a pattern.

Just like the mailman, there was no reason for the aggression other then the dog decided the women was a threat.

I'd find a women with a dog that is indifferent to other dogs.

That women would be exuding with confidence and knows how to give a dog a command. Verbally greet her then hand her the lead and have her take the dog at heal. She might want the dog muzzled and she'll need to expect a fit from your dog at first.

Reitition.

Sort of a crash coarse on socializing with a women that will take control of the dog in a non threatening way. Or have the women give your dog positive reinforcement. That'll take care of any issues with dominance, socialization, protection, and confidence/trust.

Keep up the obedience training, make it challenging. Correction, discipline, and praise there will bring obedience and confidence. That there is the foundation for everything else.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Another thing I have thought of is how are you reacting when this happens? Do you tense up and change your behavior, expecting this aggressiveness from the dog? Dogs are incredibly perceptive of our emotions. They feed off of how you react. Keep your demeanor calm and cool (tough at times, I know!).

Case in point, our Dane is a true sweetheart. He loves people, dogs, etc. He's extremely friendly. I let people pet him all the time when we're out. Well, this kid stopped me the other day, and I don't know why. He wanted to pet him, but was terrified by the dog because he's so big. And his nervousness was apparent. Well, my dog would not sit still nor let this kid near him. I am 100% sure if the kid would have relaxed and calmly approached him, my dog would have welcomed a good scratch behind the ears.