# my dog wants to attack other dogs, please help!



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

What part of the world/country are you in?

Most "aggressive" behaviors are fear based ("Go away, you're scary! You arent going away, so I'd better act first before you hurt me!").

Leash reactivity can be difficult to change. We can help you find a good positive reinforcement training class.

In the mean time, avoid walks at locations/times where you may see other dogs (every time we get him over threshold, too worked up, we are increasing the probability of it happening again, plus he will be more aroused for hours/days). Use play in the yard and house as exercise until your training is further along.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

we're in the northwest/u.s., and so far training works well, even after one class. he was able to calmly sit and let other dogs walk around him. but also the training was not at our home. since then we haven't encountered other dogs, but i don't want to feel as though we have to hide either. we live in an apartment community, if we didn't i wouldn't mind his territorial issues as much.

i'm new to owning a golden, though, and i don't believe this is very common behavior is it?


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

It's not as common in goldens as in other breeds. But its not unheard of.

A class specifically geared towards reactive dogs is differnet than a class for basic training.

Laughing Dog Online * Home
or
Welcome to My Dogs Gym

might be p laces to contact and ask for a eferal to something closer to you.


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## mdoats (Jun 7, 2007)

Wow. Very scary. It's great that you're working with a trainer to deal with this problem. You've definitely got a big responsibility on your hands owning a dog like that. 

In addition to working with your trainer, you may want to look at a martingale collar that your dog can't slip out of. You may also want to talk to your trainer about whether it's a good idea to use a muzzle when walking your dog anywhere that he might encounter another dog.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

thank you for the links, RedDogs, laughing dog online is near where i live so i might just check them out if i'm not satisfied with this training. 

and i think i'll look into that collar too, i saw some that were similar in petco today, except they had a chain on them.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

DEFINITELY check out Laughing Dog. You can't get much better than Steve and Jen White for effective, humane behavior modification. (OK. I'm a bit biased b/c they're friends of mine... tell them Stephanie in CA says, "Hi!" when you call!)

But really - they're top notch. Great dog trainers and wonderful people, too.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

FlyingQuizini said:


> DEFINITELY check out Laughing Dog. You can't get much better than Steve and Jen White for effective, humane behavior modification. (OK. I'm a bit biased b/c they're friends of mine... tell them Stephanie in CA says, "Hi!" when you call!)
> 
> But really - they're top notch. Great dog trainers and wonderful people, too.


well now i'll definitely have to check them out!:


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## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

I have somewhat similiar problem - easywalk harness is my saviour since it's only on-leash behavior.

He was fine in classes (after sniffing each dog on lst nite) and fine in crowds of strange dogs (matches he's attended as "observer"). Trainers recommended treats as distraction, but that doesn't work. 

please keep me updated on what you learn.

on our leash walks I try to arrange "nose to butt" meetings, which works


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## Mayas way (Jan 23, 2011)

*good advise here (as always)*

Really like the follow-up here, and your training classes.
We had a similar problem with Maya (female) who would snarl growl (warning) younger dogs when jumping her face, throwing them down in submission; she would also charge other dogs and growl at their feet---NOT welcome behavior in our community park. Sus worked with the halter to get her more on the heel for her. I would check her with a (Ceasar-like) "pssshh!!", calm her and tell her "friends" on correction. Any overt agression in the park met with immediate leashing and end to the walk. She calmed at 2, "got it" by 3. My way took a LOT of patience.
We have maybe 20 GR's in the immediate area and a poll showed the females more prone to the grouchies, protection (especially momma) and lack of tolerance to space invasion. We do have one agressive male, and I have not seen him in quite awhile.
Maya has had 2 follow-up training classes. Though she responds to hand signals now, the classes were more for her to work it in a group, and socialize in close quarters. With an indpendent authority figure (who knows her m.o.) well.
She and her brother Casey do a very early 5am walk-run before my work, and an after dinner walk designed around privacy. I'm off Sat thru Mon and go out later with them specifically looking to socialize, train and work ball retrieving. It took time. I think she overcame the fear factor more than anything else.....she needed someone close by to potty up to maybe 3 years. ~Dave


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## rockchalkbettie (Jul 29, 2009)

LittleLouie, 
I am dealing with a very similar situation. My little gal, Bettie, will be 3 this summer. She is very territorial over her yard and the house. She barks at the mail man, I think this is no big deal. But, we don't have a fence in our back yard and when I come home from lunch every day, I let her out and we play fetch in the back yard for 20 minutes. Our neighbor across the alley also walks her dog down the alley during the same lunch hour. When Bettie sees this dog, she charges toward it and without biting, demonstrates very aggressive behavior. She has also done this when we are walking out the front door and there happens to be a dog walking by. I am totally confused about it. She can go to the dog park and get along with everyone, I take her to day care, and she is great, she has other dog friends that she hangs out with weekly, and they are great playmates. I don't get it. Please help me too!


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Bettie should not be loose in your yard, you should try to avoid taking her out at times where there is a chance of seeing other dogs. You should find a behavior professional who can talkk to you about how to do effective and appropriate controlled set ups and how to change her emotion from fear to feeling good about seeing other dogs near her home.


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## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

LittleLouie said:


> Whenever we take him on walks outside and he sees another dog, he snarls, growls, barks, and tries to lunge at the other...
> 
> He's not a vicious dog, and now we're in training. The trainer says he's a pretty scared dog, territorial, and protective. But this dog and most others never bark at us or pose any threat. He's a great dog, but he can't be acting like this!


That's great you are working with your trainer on Louie's aggression issues. Our 3-year old Roxy has fear aggression meeting strange dogs and our trainer has been very helpful. Roxy has improved a lot over the past year. Some training exercises that helped were:

- Private lessons with a non-reactive dog.
- Structured hour long off-leash play classes once or twice a month.
- Agility classes.
- Walking calmly past barking dogs in fenced yards. Keeping a "low stress" distance and feeding treats. Slowly reducing distance over time.
- I use the Sense-ible front hook harness.

At our play class last week, Roxy played enthusiastically with six other dogs without any signs of stress.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

I have a very similar situation with Riley. He'll be 4 in July, is fear-reactive/aggressive towards most dogs (though, I describe it as fear-"defensive" more than "aggressive" - he really doesn't want to get after another dog, he just wants the other dog to stay away from _him_.) And we, too, live in an apartment community with a lot of other dogs around. Walking him had gotten to be a real interesting experience, there for a while. My biggest fear was that he'd pull me right off my feet if he ever really wanted to. It almost happened, once.

I started walking him on a Halti and it has made all the difference in the world! It's the old 'control the head and you control the dog' thing. With the Halti, I can easily redirect his attention and completely avoid any prolonged eye contact with another dog (which was his biggest "trigger") before it ever happens. It's made it so much easier for me to get the behavior I want and then I'm able to treat and praise him, to reinforce it. It's weird, but after using the Halti, I don't know how or why I ever walked him around here without one!


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

LifeOfRiley said:


> It's weird, but after using the Halti, I don't know how or why I ever walked him around here without one!


That's what I was using with Louie, but it didn't work with us. you could move his head but the rest of his body would go the other way! 

My trainer recommended a pinch collar. :uhoh: I'd never used one before, much less seen one. I learned how to use it/not to use it, but now for the first time ever Louie actually listens to me and I'm able to have more control over him when we walk by other dogs at home. With this training and learning how to work with him, he is paying a little less attention to other dogs and it's easy for me to walk him away from view of the other dog, instead of dragging him away. However, this pinch collar is only temporary and I do plan on testing him every so often to see if he's able to behave the same way with a different collar. I'm really happy not to dread taking him outside or on a long walk, now.


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## LittleLouie (Feb 21, 2011)

Update: Just took Louie out, and we encountered his nemesis, the little pomeranian two apartments away. I was able to stop and talk to the woman walking her dog without any aggressiveness from Louie. First time ever!!!! I only had to give him a slight tug with the pinch collar a couple times, but there wasn't really any effort on my part. Right now I'm so proud of him and he two treats this morning!


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

LittleLouie said:


> That's what I was using with Louie, but it didn't work with us. you could move his head but the rest of his body would go the other way!


LOL. It's funny how certain equipment just doesn't work for some dogs. I had that problem with our Gunner when I tried the front-clip harness. He figured out how to turn his right shoulder into me and sort of lead with his left so that he could still pull when he wanted to. 

It's great that you're seeing such an improvement with Louie! I've never used a pinch collar, mainly because I don't have enough confidence in _myself_ to use it properly. But if it's working for you, that's fantastic!


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## tnearysong (Jun 16, 2013)

I need help. My 4 year old golden girl "gertie" became incredibly aggressive today at my brothers house. He has 2 dogs she has no problem with. When another dog was thrown into the mix today Gert kept a little growl going at him....we were there for 3 hours and everything was fine.. then suddenly when this new dog was not even near gertie in the yard gert pounced on him and a fight ensued...we took care of it right away but I have NO idea why she had this issue with this one dog...the dog was not bothering her at all! Gert is a rescue so I don't know her whole history...this dog was new to the "pack" but again...not bothering Gert at all!


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

tnearysong said:


> I need help. My 4 year old golden girl "gertie" became incredibly aggressive today at my brothers house. He has 2 dogs she has no problem with. When another dog was thrown into the mix today Gert kept a little growl going at him....we were there for 3 hours and everything was fine.. then suddenly when this new dog was not even near gertie in the yard gert pounced on him and a fight ensued...we took care of it right away but I have NO idea why she had this issue with this one dog...the dog was not bothering her at all! Gert is a rescue so I don't know her whole history...this dog was new to the "pack" but again...not bothering Gert at all!


Welcome to the Forum.

You have posted in a very old thread. I suggest that you start a new thread of your own, so that people who have the knowledge to help you recognize that there are new questions on this subject.

Good luck!


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