Fear aggression is a long, hard slog

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

First off, I know how annoying it is that I keep banging on about this, so feel free to realise I'm the OP, click away and mutter about me being a PITA. It's ok. I understand.

Jas is 2 next week. He's been displaying aggressive responses to other dogs for around a year now. I sought professional help, and we practiced BAT training with some success. He now has half a dozen doggy mates that he can happily mingle with without reacting. He doesn't exactly play as such, but he doesn't jump at their heads going 'RAAAAAAH!!!' and scaring the shit out of me, the other dog and the other owner. So, you know, progress. The problem I have is new, strange dogs running up to him. I do let him off lead, and he doesn't approach other dogs, but if I see a dog beginning to approach I try and get him on lead asap. Today, he was on lead as we made our way home through the woods. As we rounded a corner, a large Husky was standing sniffing a tree. I stopped and looked for the owner, who was a little way away. The husky looked interested, and started to approach. I called to the owner that my dog wasn't friendly, and to please call his dog back. He dithered, and now his dog was less than three feet away. I pulled Jas behind me, and used the flinger in an attempt to create a barrier so that the humungous Husky wouldn't get closer. Utterly useless. Huskies are huge and strong. He laughed in the face of my barrier, and went around me. Next thing, the husky yelped and ran back in front of me, tail tucked and paw up, looking shocked. Jas was still behind me, so I don't quite know what happened. The owner finally grabbed his dog at this point, and told the husky 'it's your own fault' Anyway, if you've managed to read this police statement post, can you offer any suggestions in to how I can stop Jas reacting in this way? If it was one of his doggy mates, I know it wouldn't have happened. I'm gutted, because every time this happens, it undoes a lot of hard training and makes me despair quite frankly.

Perhaps the answer is to accept your dog will always be like that. Relax and keep your dog on a lead. Perhaps in time she may change. Has your dog actually ever hurt another dog? Dogs rarely result to actually biting. It is a last resort.

No, no actual biting. Just lots of anti social 'RAAAAAAH' ing. I know it could be worse. I'll see the behaviourist and see what she advises. She seems to think she can teach me some techniques in one session and is charging her lowest rate, as apparently this is an easy enough fix (if you know how). Then, we can attend training classes with her. She specialises in 'problem' dogs, so I suppose Jas will seem like a very mild case to her.

Same here. No biting, ever, but he could look - and sound - blooming scary with all the raaaary bluff.

I'll be keeping everything crossed for your session with the behaviourist.

Chickens, just wanted to pop by and offer an encouraging word and a large virtual gin. I really want to encourage you and also to remind you this is a long haul - not a short term fix. But the rewards are there and will come.

Mick's been with us nearly a year - he came last August, after a very difficult time (no fault of his). When he arrived as a foster, he was a scared, grumpy, very insecure dog,highly reactive to practically all men and frankly a nightmare on walks.

It's now a year later. He's confident and secure in the house, hugely affectionate and so much fun with us and has turned into a real love bucket with members of the family and most visitors. He's still a wee bit nervous around men he doesn't know too well, but that's OK.

We've put so much work in with BAT and it's really paying off in spades. Yesterday and today he coped with off lead dogs coming quite close to him and walked very nicely past several on lead dogs. He does a very sweet sort of dragon huff to himself, trots past, has a little shake and then carries on. I'm even seriously considering taking him to dog training classes in the autumn (our trainer is very good with reactive dogs, classes are small and participants widely spaced), and even something which I'd have laughed at a year ago. We are taking all the dogs to a dog show in a fortnight as we have a stall there and there will be a class for greyhound males. I am seriously considering taking him in! We will see on the day how he gets on, but the fact I'm considering it is a testament to our trainer (who deserves a halo, quite frankly). He'll never be as confident with off lead dogs as our others, especially given his physical issues (arthritis, poor eyesight, old age) but I just wanted to share that progress is possible.

The other thing that might help is finding out if there are any secure off lead fields or paddocks where you can have safe off lead play - these are very popular with greyhound owners and we use one ourselves. I can't even begin to tell you what a sanity enhancer it is to be able to use a lovely peaceful paddock, watch all the dogs frolicking off lead, safe in the knowledge that a convention of off lead Yorkies will not suddenly appear!

And not once have I ever thought of him as a "detriment"

Thanks everyone. It really helps to be able to splurge all this on here, and to get the encouragement. In the abstract, yeah, it's 'just a dog' and not worth the stress. But in reality, he's my dog, and we have a relationship. He's my mate. It's not his fault he's frightened, and it's not mine that he reacts as strongly as he does. If, in the end, it comes down to lead walks and unsociable off lead hours, then so be it. But I'll try my best to make sure that he is more comfortable out in the world first, and it's over my dead body that I'll part with him. It's also over my dead body that I'll ever have another high energy spaniel

Aw he is yours and doesn't sound that bad, I have one that has bitten me five times whilst trying to bite the other dog. We are talking blood and teeth marks/skin flaps biting. That isn't even my worst! The other is 70kg and just as hostile. Both rescues and much better than when i got them but not ever going to be bomb proof.

I do unsociable hours and venues and walk on lead, owners only ever let their dog charge over once. I am very proactive in insisting that they don't allow this and my dogs even more so...

chickens, there's someone that works with working dogs that does socialisation - in the north - deals with lots of pointy dogs who sometimes have pretty dodgy body language and interpretation skills - but I think works with others too - he has a couple of dogs that train with him. I don't know whether this would be of any assistance to you or whether the geography is right - there's someone down in the south east also recommended.

I wondered about him too mistle. He's definitely worked with gundog breeds before, as there are testimonials on his website.

He's the only other person I would have taken my boy to.

My fear aggressive dog was the thing that healed my depression the most; hardly a detriment to my wellbeing!

In fact, we love him so much we adopted another dog. Who LOVES other dogs and is very very sociable, so she takes the pressure off him when we're out and about.

Sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear Chickens