Aggressive Dogs - what to do with them

[minimu1]

I just wanted to gauge your views. I am fostering a dog aggressive collie and have had been given many opinions as to whether this is the right thing to do.

He has bitten other dogs with his ex owner. He is now muzzled and under training to change his behaviour. However he will bark, attempt to bite and lunge if dogs come too close to him or will charge at them if they come across him. Obviously this is a long term project and no one can really predict the outcome.

Views are from both ends of the spectrum from he should be put to sleep, to great that he is being rehabilitated.

Do you have an opinion and would you be prepared to work with a dog aggressive dog? Should a dog like this be walked on public land?

Whoops. Wrong link. Here I mean.

Lol!

Think of it like Field of Dreams.... build it and they will come!!

Hoping you will get some good advice soon.

I'm really glad you are giving him a chance minimu. BC are probably my fave breed although I am sucker for most dogs.

Our collie is now 7 but when we re-homed him at 4 months from a rescue he was so aggressive towards other dogs it was crazy. We had to be extra vigilant on walks as he could smell another dog miles away and he was so strong he pulled me over many a time trying to get to dog ( he never managed), he had me in tears and I have scars from his claws where he was just going mental, it got to the point I would have to pin him down in the middle of the street to control him and calm him. He was scared, we learned he had had a very bad start in life. We took him to dog classes as he is so quick and clever it started to desensitise him to other dogs and he started making tenous 'friends'. He got bronze and silver kennel club awards before we moved away.

We also got a new puppy when he was a year, she is a poodle and he was never aggressive towards her. She is very laid back and confident and it has rubbed off on him, he never goes off the lead unless in an area where we know there is little chance of bumping into other dogs. He does though have a 15ft lunge rope that we use to let him go but guarantees a return if anything approaches. The older he gets the better he gets and he is a lovely dog our 3 year old niece loves him as does my SN little brother.

So yes I'd would do it in a heartbeat and walk him on public land as long as you are in control.