How do I stop my dog from being aggressive to other submissive or frightened dogs?
Posted February 26th, 2009 by admin 4 Comments »
carmisrael asked:
I have a golden retriever mix. She used to be a very timid, submissive(to all other dogs) stray. Since my family and I rescued her she has totally come out of her shell and now is friendly to even strangers. Where I live dogs are off leash mostly and my dog is obediant and follows me and does what I tell her to do. After we fostered different puppies she realized that she could be dominant over them. Growled at them if they got too close to her food, nipped at them if they wanted to play and she didn’t, etc. Over time she has gotten it into her head that submissive puppies she wants to attack, and if a dog runs away when she runs at it she’ll chase after it growling and attack. However if the dog reacts differently and acts aloof to her she will sniff the dog politely and walk away and when she sees it again she’ll dance all around it and greet it enthusiastically. How do I change this behavior? Of course I can keep her on a leash and I do, but I want to change it not just stop it.
She’s such a great dog other than this and I love her a ton. She’s quick to learn tricks and to obey. When she gets used to a dog she’s nice to it. We still foster puppies and once she knows the puppy then she’s fine with it. But it she gets to know another puppy by attacking it every time she sees it she comes to hate that puppy and only want to attack it and be stupid some more.
And she doesn’t just attack dogs in her yard. Actually mostly it’s in neutral territory or even in the territory of the other dog, but the other dog is too timid or submissive to be bold enough to act like it’s in its own territory or is intimidated my my rather large dog.
I have a golden retriever mix. She used to be a very timid, submissive(to all other dogs) stray. Since my family and I rescued her she has totally come out of her shell and now is friendly to even strangers. Where I live dogs are off leash mostly and my dog is obediant and follows me and does what I tell her to do. After we fostered different puppies she realized that she could be dominant over them. Growled at them if they got too close to her food, nipped at them if they wanted to play and she didn’t, etc. Over time she has gotten it into her head that submissive puppies she wants to attack, and if a dog runs away when she runs at it she’ll chase after it growling and attack. However if the dog reacts differently and acts aloof to her she will sniff the dog politely and walk away and when she sees it again she’ll dance all around it and greet it enthusiastically. How do I change this behavior? Of course I can keep her on a leash and I do, but I want to change it not just stop it.
She’s such a great dog other than this and I love her a ton. She’s quick to learn tricks and to obey. When she gets used to a dog she’s nice to it. We still foster puppies and once she knows the puppy then she’s fine with it. But it she gets to know another puppy by attacking it every time she sees it she comes to hate that puppy and only want to attack it and be stupid some more.
And she doesn’t just attack dogs in her yard. Actually mostly it’s in neutral territory or even in the territory of the other dog, but the other dog is too timid or submissive to be bold enough to act like it’s in its own territory or is intimidated my my rather large dog.