Fetch and aggression with small dogs

[tfeen19]

Hi ya'll - quick question from Costa Rica. Our 1 yr DDB (Ginger) is a pretty ridiculous fetcher. She will go through just about anything to find her ball, bring it back and lay it at my feet. Lately, we've been experiencing some aggression with small dogs. She's cool with big dogs, but she seems to want to go after the small ones. Is there a correlation between her obviously strong hunting instincsts and wanting to go after small dogs?

 

[DennasMom]

I think small dogs are just annoying...maybe she agrees?

I would guess it's more about the energy the little dogs are sending her versus a hunting/prey drive issue.... but I could be wrong. Hopefully you'll get some other (better) opinions from all the experienced people here.

 

[RockstarDDB]

Well i would tend to say yes. Prey Drive is a funky thing. My female neo goes after anything small squirrels cats chihuahua's. My Male DDB lays on the ground and rolls around with small dogs.he is completely baffled by cats and try's to get them to play. I would be careful with small dogs, Bordeaux do the bite and crush and shake. My first male got a hold of a few possum he smashed them with in 5 or 10 seconds.

 

[Rugers-Kris]

I would think prey drive as well. Some dogs have it pretty strong, some don't. Ruger is a crazy fetcher, too and he will run through a brick wall to get his ball and anything in his way is in trouble. LOL He has massive prey drive when it comes to small critters. He has gotten one squirrel and one cat that have gotten in the yard and couldn't escape fast enough. For Ruger, his prey drive does not extend to dogs, regardless of size.....It is as if he just knows they are dogs but any other small animal (probably large animals as well like deer or hogs but he has never had an opportunity to see them) is done for if he gets close enough.

 

[STEVSH]

We have the same issue, and I think it's both prey drive and annoyance. Topaz is English Mastiff x Weimaraner, so the prey drive is very strong in her. However, I have walked by (on leash) small dogs with her and as long as they are quiet and don't act like they are the boss (which they usually do), she is fine. She will still raise her hackles, because she raises them about 45 times a day, but she won't "React" otherwise. But if a small dog barks at her, growls, or stiffens, she will be totally silent and just lunge or zone in on them. She has to be boss. She hates bossy dogs.
Topaz is also very possessive. If another dog has something, Topaz will do whatever it takes to take it away from that dog. She is a bully for sure. Most big dogs will give it up and there isn't a problem, but if the other dog wants it too, then we have a fight. And if that dog is hyper or very active, then Topaz doesn't like it. So she feeds off energy given back for sure. But I also think there is prey drive in there as well

 

[Smokeycat]

I don't see a dog being fetch obsessed as a correlation to having a high prey drive unless there has always been other signs indicating prey drive as well. I've got a ball obsessed dog with zero prey drive, it's all about play with him. I would have to agree with DennasMom that the little dogs give off energy that she doesn't like.