Fear Aggressive Dog

[Delatron]

Our Labrador is 2 years old. He’s always been quite a nervous dog but he was attacked quite a few times as a puppy and is now fear reactive around many dogs, especially on lead.

We were working with a behaviourist on other issues but has anyone had any luck using a behaviourist for this issue? I just can’t see how they can help if he’s fundamentally scared of other dogs?

We were making some progress then an off lead husky bothered him and he went for him. He has a vicious growl and looks like he wants to bite the other dog but never actually does. I guess he’s just trying to make the other dog go away. It looks and sounds awful though.

After another incident today. He was on lead and a massive Doberman bounded up. Cue lots of noise and aggression. I’m so cross that the owner allowed it but this seems par for the course? He just glared at me and I ended up apologising (alone in the woods I didn’t want a confrontation with a man). I used to never let my dog approach off leads dogs but we’ve had 4 come up to him in one walk today. He’s stressed now and over his threshold.

Should I muzzle him due to other people’s off lead dogs coming up to him? He doesn’t actually bite them. I don’t let him off lead around other dogs and his recall is good.

I’m wondering if I’m destined to trudging the pavements with him just to avoid bouncy off lead dogs!

The look at me training has really helped with ours as she thinks she is starved.

Now she sees any random animal miles away and looks for a treat she then when off lead will run up fairly close to other dogs so I call her back and she gets a treat

I've been trained 🤦🏼‍♀️

Yes I think the look at me treats will work well.

I’d basically got over cocky and thought he was better. Back to walking around with a full sized meal with me 🤣. Sausage/ chicken etc in my hand at all times. That and the reactive dog bandana should a good start.

I think it was tricky with the Doberman. I am trying to think what I could have done differently. I saw the man but no dog so thought he was alone. Then the dog raced over from nowhere. I had actually been feeding my dog sausage pieces when we saw the first few dogs on the walk but had no to time to get to my pocket before the Doberman squared up to us. By then it was too late. So avoid the woods I think as I can’t see the dogs ahead and have a sausage in my hand at all times!!

Just wondering - you aren’t attracting some dogs with the smell of sausage ? I know they shouldn’t come over anyway, but a treat like a sausage is quite irresistible to a lot of dogs

@Turquoisesol maybe I am 😱

Maybe I need non smelly treats...

Some people use squirty cheese!

I've got an 8 yr old cocker spaniel, the gentlest dog imaginable, but he was very badly attacked 3 times by another dog. It was absolutely horrific, and given how traumatised I was by it, christ knows how the dog felt. It may sound a bit hippy but a local lady had heard what happened on the dog walker grapevine and she did some "healing" sessions with him (she does it with people for her living). I'm not altogether sure I believe in it but the dog looked like he'd had a massive dose of ketamine afterwards........ I was attending puppy classes at the time with our little pup and the trainer did some 1 to 1 sessions with him too.

I now always have a squeaky ball in my pocket, and that always grabs his attention so I can get him back to me quickly if another dog approaches (as they often bloody do). We found a nervous bandana and lead did fuck all, as most of the time the owner is too far behind their dog........

It's not easy, but it does get better with persistence.

I just thought when you mentioned the sausage. Once before we had a dog we went on a walk in an area where people often take dogs for a walk. And we stopped just off the path to have some ham sandwiches. And literally every dog that went past came over sniffing cos they couldn’t resist the smell of the ham. I remember one owner couldn’t get his dog away and he kept apologising and saying he is not normally like this he is normally so obedient.

Squirty cheese is a great idea. I’d forgotten about that. I can just have it my hand ready to go!

I think he will stop and look at me for a treat as the dog passes. So not reactive with dogs just walking past. It’s when they are up in his face/sniffing his arse that’s the problem.

@SunshineSuxx I’m not averse to some hippy healing. He’s a very stress dog! I wonder if I have anybody local. I will investigate!

It seems almost fair enough for a dog not to want another dog to be approaching and sniffing them uninvited. Although unfortunately it is something that we do all have to deal with

I know. As if we’d want a random person that close. I just don’t know how to get these dogs away from him though!

So it’s just a vicious growl? Then do the other dogs get the message and leave? Isn’t that standard dog communication? Or does he go a little o.t.t with the growling? Cos a growl to just sa no I don’t want to play is ok isn’t it? They don’t have much other choice

He goes OTT with the growling. Then it looks like he is going for the other dog but doesn’t actually bite. It sounds awful but dog trainer said it sounds worse than it actually is. He looks like he’s trying to bite the other dog. But if he wanted to bite he would so it’s a very much ‘get away now and don’t come back. But so over the top.

The other dogs don’t get the message and growling/ going for each other ensues. Whilst I drag my dog off and away!

That’s a shame. I used to have a dog that didn’t like to play and did a quick growl to say back off. And it seemed to do the trick

I think maybe he’s ramping it up too much? So today the first dog that annoyed him, he did a growl and it left. By the time we got to the Doberman he was so stressed he just ‘went’ for him. So bypassed the warning growl.

We are in the same camp as you. She is getting there with "look at me" and "let's go".
Can I recommend a treat pouch? I clip mine on my coat pocket or jeans pocket. I felt like a bit of a twat until I realised just how handy it was!

Thanks @Bebecomeback I had a bum bag thing but will invest in a treat pouch. I definitely need to be getting to the treats quickly.

Ah yes, I have given up caring that I look like a twat and smell like dog food. And have a torn coat !

Have a look at ReactiveDogsUK... and join (they are on fb) it's £3 a month subscription but the wealth of support, advice (and solidarity) is worth every penny..
They have the CARE protocol (which is in a nutshell, getting your dog comfortable at a distance with the trigger and treating it rapid fire until the trigger is out of sight until the trigger becomes 'yay trigger..treats!) But it's much more in depth than that..
They will also put you in touch with a local to you accredited force free beahviourist.

I have a unpredictably reactive dog.. always a bit nervous and now quite gobby at times..but fine at others and have really found RDUK brilliant. I'm starting work with a trainer they recommended, next month.

I also reccommend the hideously expensive Ruffwear treat pouch.. it beats all the others Ive tried, It stays on your belt or pocket but holds open for rapid treating then snaps shut... I wouldn't be without mine!

@StillMedusa thanks will check that Facebook page out. Happy to pay ££ for a good treat pouch too.

Feeling a bit more positive after all the advice today!

@Delatron I've got a reactive - took me a whole year to work out who he was reactive to - only about 3-4 dogs a week max, some weeks no reaction, played really nicely with most dogs - then every now and then would really go for one.

Finally worked out it was UN neutered males. If they still had their man bits he would react. I kept him on lead and then asked every owner of dogs he reacted to whether the dog was neutered. It's a known problem with some neutered males - though I'd not come across it before.

I have a fear reactive dog. The behaviourist suggested that if an off lead bouncy dog comes over, we make a quick ‘let’s go’ turn but if the bouncy dog persists I also throw a handful of treats away from us, which hopefully distracts the bouncy dog long enough for us to get away. Doesn’t always work but worth a try.

@catsrus yes I think this is why he has a problem with puppies. So unneutered males. All the attacks on him happened when he was unneutered by neutered males. It’s a problem! It’s why we ended up getting him neutered as he was attracting all these attacks on him.

He’s fine with girls! When I realise it’s a girl dog I’m always relieved. So it really is a specific fear reactivity and definitely not all dogs.

@thereinmadnesslies thanks, that’s a good idea to lob some treats in a different direction. I really need my wits about me (and treats ready at all times!). There’s no relaxing ambling with the dog!

I'm not sure how to word this without it sounding accusatory - and that's not how I mean it.
But I'm wondering if the dog is reading your anxiety and stress at another dog approaching ?
When I got our dog first (as a 4 yr old) he did get attacked a few times and I had to step in, but I've noticed when I greet the approaching dog in a higher pitched happy voice, he changes how he sees the approaching dog and reacts better and we haven't had an incident in years. Obviously it depends on the dog language of the approaching dog, but most of the time it's exuberance and high energy approaching rather than true aggression.
But I'm no expert!