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!

You could well be right @sillysmiles and my friend has said the same. Dogs do pick up on stress. He goes out with a dog walker once a week and she has only had an issue once with him.

I think he would be better off lead but I can’t risk it. I think when we have a dog come over and I’m stressed and pulling on his lead it doesn’t help. I’m trying to get him away but maybe I’ll try with distraction and try to relax more!

I think my stress is more my dog’s potential reaction rather than the approaching dog. They are definitely just trying to be friendly and say hello and he doesn’t like it with certain dogs.

Hi OP

My 3 year old male lab has started being a bit cross with other dogs sniffing him (and occasionally mounting him). Does yours like playing fetch? I’ve taken to doing loads of fetch with a treat every single time he brings the ball back. After 10-20 runs he is then nice and tired and he will walk on or off lead. I tend to put him on lead but don’t feel bad as he has run his legs off. If off lead I find having a treat in my hand is a good way of distracting him as we go past other dogs. It’s a very recent change in him and I think it’s not helped by the explosion in numbers of young dogs. I am watching this thread with interest to see if anyone has any good suggestions. Incidentally he was attacked by another dog (who came out of nowhere extremely fast) while on lead a few months ago, the owner pulled their (off lead) dog off before any real contact could be made but it was frightening - now I’m thinking maybe that was when the change started.

I think I might also be passing my stress on, as I am always aware of it the potential for issues now whereas as a year ago I was very relaxed walking with him

We have the same problem with our Labrador, he's almost 3 and was always over excited by dogs but after being attacked it has turned into reactivity towards certain dogs. We had our first session with a behaviourist on Saturday & he acted like an angel didn't hardly even look at the stooge dog, no lunging or anything. Mind it was another Labrador & he's never shown aggression to a Lab. We are waiting for the session when it's a staffie cos I can imagine he will lose his mind then. It's handy as she can read the subtle hints and help us nip it in the bud, well worth the money. Although it's not going to be a quick fox by any means

*fix

@MNybvcx54 sorry to hear your dog was attacked. It’s such a shame as it causes so many problems. Yes he does love playing fetch! So I find a quiet field where I can spot other dogs a mile away and I have two balls! So lob one and then he always comes back as I have another ball! So this is a good tip. And he gets a run around. I just need my wits about me, throwing two balls and scanning for off lead dogs!

@Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee sorry your lab was attacked too. These poor dogs! I think I will go back and work with a behaviourist. I think we’ll have the same issue though. If the stooge dog is one he likes he’ll have no problems. If it’s a breed he doesn’t he’ll go crazy. Probably better to work with a breed he doesn’t like. He can be fine around many dogs. So unpredictable.

[quote Delatron]@MNybvcx54 sorry to hear your dog was attacked. It’s such a shame as it causes so many problems. Yes he does love playing fetch! So I find a quiet field where I can spot other dogs a mile away and I have two balls! So lob one and then he always comes back as I have another ball! So this is a good tip. And he gets a run around. I just need my wits about me, throwing two balls and scanning for off lead dogs!

@Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee sorry your lab was attacked too. These poor dogs! I think I will go back and work with a behaviourist. I think we’ll have the same issue though. If the stooge dog is one he likes he’ll have no problems. If it’s a breed he doesn’t he’ll go crazy. Probably better to work with a breed he doesn’t like. He can be fine around many dogs. So unpredictable.[/quote]
we are starting with dogs he's good with so he becomes accustomed to our marker word (in our case yes) and looks away for his food. This gives him the chance to make good choices and then each week will be a different dog. So lab this week, next week I think is a spaniel (who he's also good with). She will be bringing in the 'trigger' dogs in time so a frenchie (this is what attacked him & now he hates any bulldog), Staffies & Lurcher types. The very lanky greyhound will be the very last week of the 6 weeks we booked as this is his worst for reacting to

@Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Ah I get it. Brilliant. Funnily enough mine likes spaniels too. And doesn’t like bulldogs (as that’s what attacked him) so you set them up for success and practice with the spaniels and end with the tricky dogs. Does the behaviourist provide all these stooge dogs?

@Delatron
Yes mine does, as she is also a dog walker/sitter too so works with lots of dogs. In between times she has her own dogs and is forever doing training courses, teaching at uni etc. Don't know how she fits everything in to be honest