Signs of dog aggression?

[MastiffMillie]

Sorry to post again! This forum and your advice is invaluable!

Millie has been good with other dogs. Wants to play, plays nicely etc. However when she is on her lead and by another dog she barks and even growls!

For example, we were in the pet store today and there was an Italian greyhound in there (seen them? They are so small and fragile!) the owner bought her over, asked if they could meet etc. I said yes of course. I had to hold millie tight as she is a typical puppy and jumps in the face of other dogs which I know they don't like and i was afraid she was going to snap this tiny greyhound in half [emoji15]. So then we moved on to look at what we wanted to, in the same aisle. And she started barking at the greyhound and even growling.

This is not the first time she has done it, always on the lead. Is it wanting to play or could it be a sign of dog aggression?

Thanks!


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[Hector]

It's not dog aggression. How old is Millie? It's undersocialization. Train focus and engagement around other dogs and don't let your dog meet other dogs on leash and dogs you don't know. There is absolutely no point in having your dog meet other dogs on leash. Too much tension on the leash causes trouble. Train for a calm, controlled dog around other dogs - that's it.

 

[MastiffMillie]

Thanks Hector. She's only 4 months! We have been taking her to puppy classes and also making sure she meets lots of other dogs. Surely there are times though when you cannot avoid meeting on the lead though.


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[gilles]

she is just a normal puppy with a bit of a character no problem...just correct gently without pulling on leash hard. the best is to try to find a friend with a dog that she might growl at , and walk them together, you and the other person walking side by side and the dogs each on one side ( you both in the middle) the dogs must not face each other always side by side and you in the middle , as she calms down treat her and pet her.you can stop and tell the dogs to lay down still without facing each other. repeat this for few days.

 

[glen]

How your tensing will travel down the leash to your pup. Do plenty of work with her and until your happy with how she is don't risk doing meets like that. It's not that your going to not meet other dogs on the leash but be calm get her to sit relax. The dogs donto have to be all over each other,

 

[DennasMom]

This is how a perfect doggie greeting would go in my book:

1. both dogs are standing or sitting calmly by handler
2. owners say "hey, can my dog meet yours?" and both say "YES!"
3. dogs are given the "ok" or "release" to go visit the other dog
4. leashes are kept loose (or dropped... to avoid tangles), so dogs can sniff and circle at will
5. if in a store, owners step in before the play-bows begin and play-time ensues, say "enough" and/or "let's go" and resume shopping... if outside, and time allows... PLAY!

The dogs are never allowed to pull on the leash or drag their owners over to visit the other dog (I consider that "rude")... that can add too much energy to the greetings, which might explode in ways you don't want.

The dogs should not be physically restrained - as that adds anxiety to the meeting, which could tip either dog into a non-social attitude. I understand it's a young puppy... so, rules are bent on this one! But, the calmer you can get the puppy before contact with the other dog, the better.

After the greeting, when your puppy was then barking at the other dog - I'd interpret that as a "HEY! Come back!! I want to play/meet/sniff you again!!"... I would address the puppy, get her to sit and focus on YOU, and give her a treat for looking at you (and ignoring the other dog). Let her know what you WANT her to do when a strange dog is around (sit and look to YOU for guidance), and REWARD generously, so she wants to do it again.

And keep challenging her! Keep going out, visiting new places and new dogs... just be consistent - and generous with rewards when she does what you like (i.e. remain calm, sit, look at you, be quiet, walk away from other dogs, etc.). Puppies pick up on our signals quick at that age! They're always learning - even when we don't realize what it is we're teaching them.

 

[Hector]

Thanks Hector. She's only 4 months! We have been taking her to puppy classes and also making sure she meets lots of other dogs. Surely there are times though when you cannot avoid meeting on the lead though.


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Absolutely you can!! Stop the other dog from approaching and tell the owner you are training or tell them to back off.

 

[teodora]

Could be barrier frustration - how is she in the car/behind fences?
Barriers - leash is one of them - multiply any aggression a dog can have several times....

 

[fila4me]

Absolutely you can!! Stop the other dog from approaching and tell the owner you are training or tell them to back off.

Flower will be 8 in May and has never met another dog on leash. I never allow it. It's the practiced b*tch face that discourages other and leads to many apologizes if they don't heed my warning.

 

[Elana P]

Sorry to post again! This forum and your advice is invaluable!

Millie has been good with other dogs. Wants to play, plays nicely etc. However when she is on her lead and by another dog she barks and even growls!

For example, we were in the pet store today and there was an Italian greyhound in there (seen them? They are so small and fragile!) the owner bought her over, asked if they could meet etc. I said yes of course. I had to hold millie tight as she is a typical puppy and jumps in the face of other dogs which I know they don't like and i was afraid she was going to snap this tiny greyhound in half [emoji15]. So then we moved on to look at what we wanted to, in the same aisle. And she started barking at the greyhound and even growling.

This is not the first time she has done it, always on the lead. Is it wanting to play or could it be a sign of dog aggression?

Thanks!


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[Elana P]

Many dogs, tend to get snarky when on leash. There is even a name for it: 'Leash Aggression'.

Not sure however, if that's what's happening with Millie, at her age.

I've seen many dogs over the years, who were perfectly relaxed when meeting off leash, in an off leash dog park, then show aggressive behaviour when meeting the exact same dogs when on leash.

When my guys are on leash, I usually will stay at a distance from other dogs, unless it's someone that they know very very well. Even then I keep a close eye on things .

Greeting people is a different thing altogether.

 

[gilles]

walk Millie on leash with another dog who is not aggressive but keep the dogs each on one side and you and the owner of the other dog in the midddle. treat while walking . your position in the middle with the dogs side to your side is a body language signaling to the dog that everything is ok and there is no need for aggression....this is how dogs communicate by presenting their side rather than facing. facing can signal aggression intents. its basically the opposite than with humans, where facing is regarded as polite and turning is regarded as impolite

 

[Boxergirl]

What Gilles describes is how we always did our meet and greets. Starting with more distance between the dogs and slowly getting closer. Always with the people between the dogs. These were planned meets.

I don't allow my dogs to be approached while on leash. People around here thing I'm just darn unfriendly. And that's just fine with me.

 

[gilles]

What Gilles describes is how we always did our meet and greets. Starting with more distance between the dogs and slowly getting closer. Always with the people between the dogs. These were planned meets.

I don't allow my dogs to be approached while on leash. People around here thing I'm just darn unfriendly. And that's just fine with me.

better to be unfriendly than sorry.... when i walk kazimir and there is another person with a dog approaching i ask or basically i shout asking them to move away before they get close....rude or not i dont take risks with Kazi

 

[Elana P]

But then there's always the people, whose dogs are running totaly out of control, with the owner chasing after them, yelling.... "They're friendly, their friendly..."

Or the ones, with some massive hairy beast, who comes barrelling towards you at 80km an hour, with the owner shouting from half a city block away..." It's alright, he's just a puppy, hee hee hee." As the dog hits your knees at light speed, almost dislocating your knee caps.

"A puppy, eh?" You growl through clenched teeth, while trying to get you're knees to face forward once more, as your dogs are trying to protect you from the 'puppy', getting angrier by the second, heading toward a full scale brawl.

"Well, he's really four, but he still thinks he's a puppy...."

The "puppy" in the meanwhile, is trying to throw himself at you, gets nipped, yelps, and runs away tail tucked under.

The owner, gives you a tight lipped LOOK, and an angry head shake.... "He was only trying to be friendly you know, there is no need for that kind of aggression!!! Humffff...."

You limp home with your dogs, muttering %&#&#@ under your breath.

 

[gilles]

But then there's always the people, whose dogs are running totaly out of control, with the owner chasing after them, yelling.... "They're friendly, their friendly..."

Or the ones, with some massive hairy beast, who comes barrelling towards you at 80km an hour, with the owner shouting from half a city block away..." It's alright, he's just a puppy, hee hee hee." As the dog hits your knees at light speed, almost dislocating your knee caps.

"A puppy, eh?" You growl through clenched teeth, while trying to get you're knees to face forward once more, as your dogs are trying to protect you from the 'puppy', getting angrier by the second, heading toward a full scale brawl.

"Well, he's really four, but he still thinks he's a puppy...."

The "puppy" in the meanwhile, is trying to throw himself at you, gets nipped, yelps, and runs away tail tucked under.

The owner, gives you a tight lipped LOOK, and an angry head shake.... "He was only trying to be friendly you know, there is no need for that kind of aggression!!! Humffff...."

You limp home with your dogs, muttering %&#&#@ under your breath.

HAHA i hope this does not happen when i am walking Kazimir i dont think he will care much if the hairy beast running towards his owner growling thinks he is a puppy or not

 

[PippatheMastiff]

@Elana P. Hahaha that's hilarious!!! I'm afraid Pippa might be like that! She sees her friend (neighbor dog) and I let her off her leash and she runs full speed to play with him. But doesn't do that to humans. She keeps her distance from humans until she decides if they're nice. Then bounces around them never jumps on them. However, she adores kids and I'm afraid she might accidentally knock them over so I teach kids that want to play with her to stomp their foot at her if she gets too much and this works with her. She backs off. But I do get nervous since lots of people walk their dogs off leash around here. I try to walk Pippa at times when we're unlikely to encounter dogs she doesn't know.


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[Boxergirl]

My Albus is a DINOS - a Dog In Need Of Space. He came to me with generalized anxiety issues at 7 weeks. That sounds like a cop out. LIke making an excuse for poor or no training, but that's not the case. He was properly socialized from the day I brought him home screaming and trying to claw his way out of the car. He's 7 years old now. He requires daily skill training, confidence exercises, and medication just so that he can go outside and walk, mostly comfortably, around the block. Some days he wakes up a shaking dogball and going outside to potty is all he can manage. One off leash dog can set us back months in training. Our neighborhood is rampant with off leash dogs. I used to try to call out nicely to people, while doing a happy turn around so Al didn't get any nervous input from me. Unfortunately that seldom worked and we'd end up running (with me sounding crazily cheerful so Al thought it was a great game). I've kicked dogs. Thrown handfuls of treats at dogs. Brandished a walking stick at dogs. Al has been taught to scoot himself back between my legs or behind me and sit when another dog, or other scary object/person, is approaching. He sits there and shakes, but he no longer bolts. Nothing makes me more angry that being unable to take my dog for a walk in my own neighborhood. I've printed up handouts from the DINOS website and put them in mailboxes. I've personally gone back, after we've had an incident, to speak to other dog owners. Not one of them felt that their irresponsibility was an issue. Clearly I should have to load my dog into the car and drive to some secluded area to go for a walk. I've even called the police. Once I was told to walk my dog somewhere else. Once they actually did go speak to the person who habitually had their dog off lead - and would purposely UNLEASH his dog in front of my house and re-leash her once he was past. That dog passed and they now leash their current dog, thank goodness. It's just ridiculous how people don't take into consideration that it's not always about their dog - it's about the other dog and being a polite and responsible pet owner.

 

[Elana P]

I always think, that walking with one's dog(s), should be a calm, relaxing time, to refresh your mind and soul, to recharge your batteries, to commune with your pups and nature as a whole...,

YEA RIGHT!!!

I've run into some pretty stressfilled situations on my dog walks, that made my hair stand on end, and my blood boil (which doesn't help the high blood pressure one little bit), lol.

Over the years, we've had several unprovoked dog attacks.
Been peed upon by several dogs.
Have sustained a few 'dog head' knee injuries.
Have been dragged into the middle of a busy street by my own Danny (who is terrified of skate boards) when some rotten kids thought it was fun to make him run.
Several falls, sliding in the mud, slipping on the ice, tripping over dogs (or my own feet).
A couple of Skunk incidents, and a few near misses.
Strays following us home.
An insane, stalking jogger.
A couple of drunks.... a couple of more drunks.... and a couple of.... (well, you get the picture).
A deer scaring the hell out of all of us.
The wasp nest incident.
Carrying an injured sixty some pounds dog home.
Carrying a slightly dislocated 20 pound dog home.
Having to toss a Pittie puppy back over the fence, when she wanted to join the morning walk (every day, for over a year).

 

[MastiffMillie]

Haha! I think my dog walking years have been pretty uneventful in comparison!


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