Grumpy old woman

[Dontyouopenthattrapdoor]

Hey all.
My dog is 8 years old and getting grumpier as the years go by. She has always been highly strung/anxious and is a breed that needs lots of exercise but it's getting harder to give her off lead time because she is just so grumpy around other dogs. We walk in woods for an hour or two at a time and whenever we're alone she's off lead but I have less and less confidence in her when other dogs are around, she will snarl and growl and get into fights (although doesn't bite).

She is very dominant with my other dog, who is male and bigger than her! He adores her and just rolls over, so it works for them but she thinks she can dominate anyone.

She's never so much as growled at me or kids (She's currently laying with her head on my knee snoring like a good un) but she went mad when our postman came the other day- she knows him, he always fusses her, he's lovely. Then today we had friends round and she either growled at my other dog or at their daughter - I wasn't close enough to see which.

Overall she's getting grumpier and it worries me.

She is well exercised.
Vet can't find anything wrong with her.

Any thoughts wise ones?

My old girl used to be very dominant with all other dogs and bullied her bigger, male companion. (He also worshipped her)

It was because her eyesight was getting poor and she just couldn't cope with other dogs sniffing round her. She especially hated young lively dogs and small dogs.

I had one of those retractable leads which let her have some freedom. I used to just ask other owners to keep their dogs away. I just explained she had bad eyes and they were mostly understanding.

My female lab has become more and more grumpy from the age of seven. She is a nervous dog, and hides her nerves behind aggression towards other dogs. Luckily we live in the country with our own land, so it's been easy to keep her away from other dogs. Strangely when we're away from home with them (we go to international horse trials and camp quite often) she is quiet as a mouse. She is now 10 and damaged a crucuate ligament last year so we don't walk her far, and just bumbles about doing her own thing now. She has always adored people and children more than other dogs, so has never shown grumpiness towards anyone, thankfully.

Thanks both.

I think I probably just need to accept that's who she is now, and avoid her stressful situations as much as possible.

She's such a different dog at home with us. I wish she could stop being so anxious but she's always been this way.

My bitch is 8 and is also getting grumpier! There's always been a few dogs in the village that she's never liked, and she never forgets if a dog ever so much as looks at her funny, but the list of ones we avoid is getting longer the older she gets. Fortunately, she has good recall and tends to mostly roll dogs over and sit on them if she doesn't like them, as oppose to hurting them, but she's definitely getting less tolerant the older she gets.

Today I took them for a long walk, about 90 minutes. I let her brother off lead for most of it but kept her on the lead with her Halti for most of it with about 20 minutes blissfully romping around and swimming in the river. She got a bit growly a couple of times when other dogs came past but overall it felt much more under control and less stressful so I guess I'll do that more. And now they're both knackered. As am I!

Thanks for the responses, helped me feel less like it was a problem I had to eradicate that only we had!

You're welcome, it's nice to know it's not just us!

My dog has been a grumpy bastard since he was 2. I walk him off lead only where I can see well ahead and recall him if other dogs appear.