forums: Behavior

aggressive puppy

8 posts, 5 voices

	back to Behavior topics
Participants in this thread:	joycestairs Squirrell64 Tailspin samwhitaker1985 cowgirlchick78
joycestairs 3 posts	i got a puppy 2 months ago..she is now 5 months old and is spaded. my problem is when she sees another dog she goes crazy..growling and showing teeth..if she had the chance she would fight with other dog.i would love to take her to the leash free park to play but i cant due to her aggression..what to do about it. i tried to find animal behavorist online in our city but to no avail..so all ur help would b appreciated..thx and by the way she is an australian shep mix.
Squirrell64 Lincoln City, OR 1 post	Hello, I have had the same problem with both of my dogs. Princess has been here the longest, and after she taught Tank (he was a sweet puppy, at first), she stopped. The biggest mistake is letting the dog get away with it as I have for so long. They were terrible in the car until the last two weeks. I have been working hard on making them stay in a sit while I drive, and learning the “quiet” command. I sometimes park at the beach and sit in the middle seat and have them “stay” & “quiet” while others walk their dogs. They have improved a bunch. Patience and repetition, just like training class. Good Luck!!!
Tailspin Toronto 97 posts	You can try to find a positive reinforcement trainer with behaviour experience in your area…puppy class and obedience work make a huge difference, especially in the herding breeds. As for the aggression..you do not mention whether you worked on socialization when you first got her. Early puppyhood is a very important time for learning about other dogs and the world in general. Find a good yummy high value treat that works for her. Use it only for her dog aggression. Teach her a “watch Me” cue…by luring her eyes to your face with the treat..reward, repeat..do this inside first until she knows it well. Then..when you go out walking..and you see a dog, try to figure out how close you can get before the barking/growling reactivity starts and then back up a bit. Have her sit, and then use “watch me” and reward her handsomely for all the time she is looking at you. Once the other dog has passed or is gone, stop rewarding. Do this EVERY time you see a dog. The hope is that you will be able to get closer and that she will eventually look at you automatically as she will learn that other dogs mean treats….this can help her develop positive associations to the other dogs. THen, and only after much work, can you attempt introducing her to dogs. Chances are, a dogpark will not be the best forum for her and classes or agility or something where she can “work” will be much better for her, and less stressful for you.
joycestairs 3 posts	i finally took my dog to the leash free park and let her walk around the outside and meet the dogs and the people told me to bring her in but i was leary so i left her on the leash in case and after a few minutes i let the leash off and guess what..i was so proud of the way she acted with the other dogs..she played and ran with about 6 of them..she was awesome and that made me proud.now its going to be a evening thing for her and i.
joycestairs 3 posts	its been 3 weeks bringing my puppy to the dog park and she is awesome..she gets excited when i tell her we are going to the park..she runs and plays with the dogs and has fun.she doesnt show agression there.. she loves it there.
Tailspin Toronto 97 posts	Glad to hear it’s going well Joyce! Amazing what a good run can do eh?
Aug 14, 2008 2:25am samwhitaker1985 125 posts	Dog-dog aggression is a very serious matter. Until your dog’s successfully treated, keep him a safe distance from all other dogs (“safe distance” meaning the minimum amount of space he needs to remain calm and unstressed). Even if physical contact is never made, managing a dog who’s pulling and lunging on-leash is very difficult—not to mention stressful for all parties—and attempting to defuse an attack in progress is downright dangerous. Here’s more info: http://dogtime.com/aggression-toward-dogs.html
Aug 15, 2008 4:15pm cowgirlchick78 36 posts	samwhitaker1985, tailspin,squirrell64 – good answers. joycestairs- since your excursions to the dog park with your dog off leash you seem to say that she is fine with other dogs. Is she still okay while on leash while you are out for a walk, at the vet’s office?? If not, that is still aggression- leash aggression and you still have to solve the problem. Try to find a trainer in your area that works with reactive dogs. Also, try reading or getting the DVD from Turid Rugaas on “Calming Signals” and “On talking terms with Dogs”. Very informative on the body language of the canine and how you can learn it. There are many signals dogs give off to you or other dogs and some are quite subtle and it takes practice to learn them. Two dogs at 700 meters apart are already communicating. Very good info to know. And if you are going to a dog park, even more important. If a dog I see in the park or somewhere when I am with my dog and I see some of the “back off” or any type of aggressive body language I remove myself from that environment. You too, give off signals to a dog. Dogs really do not want conflict. There are pros and cons to dog parks too. And, Sam is most correct in not to attempt to break up a dog fight!! There are ways to do it but you must know what you are doing or you are going to get hurt and maybe seriously. Also, in dog parks, if you call your dog to come to you and if that moment some other dogs show up, your dog will probably not come right away because she has to settle the meeting with those new dogs that showed up first to avoid any conflict between them… and then she should mosey on to you. It is not disobedience, she just needs to take care of the “dog” situation first. Turid explains it well. Number one rule is to always be in control of your dog. Have fun and play safe! http://www.canis.no/rugaas/index.php http://www.relatingtodogs.com/about-dogs/Dog_pa…
New User New Post	formatting help for bold: bold for italic: _italics_ You'll be asked to sign in or register on the next page. or cancel
	back to Behavior topics