# Suddenly dog aggressive



## luvmydog (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm really frustrated as my 1.5 year old GR mix suddenly appears dog aggressive. Our family went away & he stayed at a kennel that had a doggie playgroup option during the day. It seemed like a great place- positive reinforcement trainers on staff & many recommendations from others I know and trust. I signed him up for the playgroup option as he LOVED to play with other dogs. (I have made sure that he was in social situations at least 3X a week since we rescued him at 4 months old. He has always LOVED playing with other dogs at local off-leash parks, etc) After we picked him up, the first time we met another dog (a 3 month old puppy), he growled at him after initially sniffing/greeting. I chalked it up to him being in a bratty mood. THen he did it with another full-grown dog, then another. Now we know we have a problem. He hasn't ever attacked, and doesn't react when just passing by, but definitely is giving a strong "BACK OFF" when greeted. I can't say if this is just on leash, as I don't feel confident to let him off leash w/ other dogs at this point.

I'm so depressed as a big chunk of our lives was going to off-leash dog parks & romping w/ dogs (and socializing with their owners.) We could take him to so many parties/events and not worry as he's always loved everyone man or beast. I'm so worried that he will not recover from this. It's literally keeping me up at night worrying about having a dog-aggressive dog. Not just for the loss in social situations, but also just out of worry -- he's a bigger dog & the thought of him ever hurting another dog worries me.

I have had one session so far w/ a trainer & am working on implementing her suggestions. I plan to have more as we progress (or don't) I guess I"m wondering if this has happened to anyone else? And if so, did your dog recover/become trustworthy w/ other dogs again?

Sorry to vent here, but this really troubling me. I also feel HORRIBLE, as I believe something must have happened in that doggie play group that has made him this way. It makes me so sad to think I put him in that situation. I just feel horrible all around.


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## mickeychick (Jul 19, 2012)

I have two thoughts. First thought is some dogs are just more territorial while on leash. Is he okay when he's off leash and running and playing with other dogs?
Second thought is perhaps he is just correcting rude behaviour? Someone posted this article about a week ago, and I thought it was BRILLIANT!

He Just Wants To Say "Hi!" | Suzanne Clothier


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Exactly why I do not like doggie daycare... I have seen many dogs become dog aggressive from such groups. Very likely "something happened." I think working with a trainer is a great idea.


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## mickeychick (Jul 19, 2012)

Oh, I should also mention that it doesn't sound like aggression. If he's just growling, and has not attacked, I am pretty sure he is just correcting the other dogs behaviour and telling them to back off


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

I agree with Sally"s Mom, something obviously happened at the kennel/playgroup. Working with a trainer, you can turn this around and restore his confidence in meeting new dogs and make it once again a happy occurance.


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## luvmydog (Oct 11, 2012)

THanks for the thoughts.

I had also wondered if he was being aggressive, or reacting to the other (3) dogs behaviors. After working with my trainer, she helped me see that MY dog's body language is quite threatening when he's coming to greet. Maintains eye contact, makes himself "Big" (ears up, hackles up etc). He's also coming in "strong". He'll pull to get to another dog. (He's always done this before but because he wanted to play & we have constantly been working on the pulling. I would stop/walk the other way when he pulled etc. Trainer thinks this is adding to his frustration)

If I don't move him along quickly from the first sniff, he'll do more than growl...barks/bares teeth etc. Hackles are way up. The trainer thinks that he is trying to assert himself from the get-go.... Again, not knowing what actually happened in this day care it's hard to say why. I'm thinking a bully kept picking on him until he "learned" this behavior helped fend him off? Who knows, I'm driving myself crazy thinking about it! 

As for off vs on leash. I'm very wary to test it. We had a "mini" test of it today when he was playing w/ a friend in the yard & a neighbor let herself in the yard w/ her dog, (who my dog had never met). Her dog was a 10 year old Golden (About as non-threatening a dog you would ever meet). Mine went at her w/ hackles up, sniffed then seemed to be jumping on her back. I got him to come immediately & got him out of there. (Thank goodness for all of the recall training when he wasn't like this!!) I'm fairly confident this wasn't play.

Anyhow....I appreciate the article, but I think *my* dog is the rude dog in these scenarios.


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

I had a similar episode with my dog, being suddenly aggressive. I called it a "series of unfortunate events" which led up to my sweet little Jess turning into a dog I didn't know. We worked with a trainer, who assessed him and recommended a training program, which I might add, has resulted in no incidents for over two months. Like you, I love the off-leash time. Luckily, Jess has a strong recall. It took me a long time to let him off-leash, but eventually I did.
I now only let him off-leash in places where i can see ahead for a long distance. If another dog approaches, I call him back and put him on leash. He meets the new dog in the prescribed manner, and once they have passed, off he goes again. This is working well for us.
I know how upsetting this is. I hope this works out for you.


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## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

luvmydog said:


> THanks for the thoughts.
> 
> I had also wondered if he was being aggressive, or reacting to the other (3) dogs behaviors. After working with my trainer, she helped me see that MY dog's body language is quite threatening when he's coming to greet. Maintains eye contact, makes himself "Big" (ears up, hackles up etc). He's also coming in "strong". He'll pull to get to another dog. (He's always done this before but because he wanted to play & we have constantly been working on the pulling. I would stop/walk the other way when he pulled etc. Trainer thinks this is adding to his frustration)
> 
> ...


I hate to say this, but it sounds more likely he learned this behaviour from being the bully.... not from being bullied. If you place a dog with a group of very timid / fearful animals one of them will step up and fill the role of dominant. If the dominant dog is not one by nature but rather out of necessity they get uncertain of themselves and act in an aggressive manner.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

luvmydog said:


> THanks for the thoughts.
> 
> I had also wondered if he was being aggressive, or reacting to the other (3) dogs behaviors. After working with my trainer, she helped me see that MY dog's body language is quite threatening when he's coming to greet. Maintains eye contact, makes himself "Big" (ears up, hackles up etc). He's also coming in "strong". He'll pull to get to another dog. (He's always done this before but because he wanted to play & we have constantly been working on the pulling. I would stop/walk the other way when he pulled etc. Trainer thinks this is adding to his frustration)
> 
> ...


First, don't beat yourself up. You did a very reasonable thing with the daycare. The trainer sounds like he/she has head on straight. Keep working on what you're doing. 

Since your dog has been successful in off leash environment before, a good middle ground might be to find a couple dogs he's played with successfully before. And invite them for a play date, one at a time, in your back yard or theirs. It would probably help him to have a play outlet with a trusted familiar dog.

Don't get discouraged. I know how you feel.


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## shallwemichele (Apr 28, 2012)

I know how you feel also. Just lately we've had a incidents. With a couple I knew it was a problem of the other dog because those dogs have problems with many dogs. But this week Arthur seemed to get aggressive with a male Staff. who had gone belly up. (I'm not sure now if the aggression started after the dog got up.) Then it happened with a nice male Golden my partner said just wanted to play. And yet Arthur is around many male dogs, familiar and not, with no problem. I'm stumped, but plan to take the advice of a senior member of this forum, who suggests (among other things) making sure he doesn't have the chance to learn this behavior as a habit—I need to learn dog language and control situations. I'd be curious to know what kind of training suggestions have been offered or have worked.


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## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

Did you ask the folks at the daycare place if there was an incident?


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

shallwemichele said:


> I know how you feel also. Just lately we've had a incidents. With a couple I knew it was a problem of the other dog because those dogs have problems with many dogs. But this week Arthur seemed to get aggressive with a male Staff. who had gone belly up. (I'm not sure now if the aggression started after the dog got up.) Then it happened with a nice male Golden my partner said just wanted to play. And yet Arthur is around many male dogs, familiar and not, with no problem. I'm stumped, but plan to take the advice of a senior member of this forum, who suggests (among other things) making sure he doesn't have the chance to learn this behavior as a habit—I need to learn dog language and control situations. I'd be curious to know what kind of training suggestions have been offered or have worked.


Keeping in mind that every situation is different, I'll tell you what has been working for me.
Jess was assessed by a trainer who felt that he had a stable personality and was not a bully. He thought it was learned behavior. He checked his pedigree because he knew of certain lines of goldens here in Nova Scotia who were known to be prone to temperment issues.(Jess' pedigree was fine). He noticed subtle signs of a thyroid problem so we had a complete thyroid panel done. his Tgaa( a marker for auto-immune thyroid disease) was positive.
So, he meets any new dog on leash, I give the command "gentle" while making a big production of slowly opening the special treat (fresh chicken) which is reserved for meeting a new dog. He is allowed to get up close, if there is any indication of aggression, I was told to tighten up on the leash. He does the meet and greet, then gets his reward. 
It is very simple, but it has worked. The idea is to turn the experience of meeting a new dog into a happy thing.
As I said initially, this has worked for us but may not be the right thing for someone else. You need a behaviorist or a very experienced trainer to work with you.


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## mickeychick (Jul 19, 2012)

I was just going to ask about thyroid and I see you said they are going to have him tested for it. Could very well be the problem.


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