When dealing with dog-to-dog aggression, it is important to listen to our dog.
There are many reasons why a dog may act aggressively toward another.
- He may be afraid.
- He may be stressed because his space is being violated.
- He may feel the need to dominate.
- He may be protective of us.
- He may be very curious.
- He may just be over-excited.
Sometimes, what we perceive to be aggression may be the result of hyper energy, eagerness, or natural inquisitiveness. Therefore, in dog-to-dog aggression cases, it is important to understand what our dog is feeling, and what he is trying to say.
When my dog meets a new dog, I observe both of them carefully. As soon as my dog starts to get stressed, I step in and interrupt before the situation escalates.
For dog aggression issues, it is best to take a dog’s age, health, temperament, and preferences into account, while coming up with appropriate solutions.
1. Be Calm and Decisive
Dogs are very sensitive to what their human is feeling. My dog picks up on my emotions and reflects them, except with much more intensity. Sometimes, I am not even conscious of feeling nervous or stressed, but my dog notices it and starts to act up. Once I consciously calm myself down, his behavior also improves.
A common mistake when meeting other dogs is to tense up, and get fearful of what our dog may do. If we are afraid, our dog will pick up on that fearful energy, and that will likely trigger an aggressive reaction.
Be careful not to put undue or continuous tension on the leash. Also, do not pull the dog straight back, as that will likely cause a lunge forward response. To remove my dog, I pull him to the side and quickly walk him past the other dog.
2. Teach Our Dog Avoidance
When I see another dog, I usually just ignore him and move along.
I have found that avoidance is most effective when I avert my eyes from both dog, as well as owner. I keep my eyes forward, and keep walking at a natural pace. In this way, my dog learns that when we see other dogs, we avoid rather than confront.
Be careful not to crowd our dog while walking. If he feels trapped between us and the other dog, he may think he has no choice but to react aggressively. Do not stand still while trying to tug our dog away. Move away, and he will come along with us. At the same time, we are creating space so that he will not feel trapped.
I do not let my dog obsess or stare intensely at other dogs. Sometimes, my Shiba Inu will drop into a stalking-down-position, stare, and wait for the other dog to pass. Some people think that he is such a good boy for doing a Down, when other dogs are coming toward him, but he is actually just waiting to pounce.
Do not allow this bad behavior, do not let our dog practice it, do not even let him think about it. Just move him along, and ignore. If the other dog is somehow blocking us (e.g. if the owner is unable to control his dog), then walk away in a different direction. Do not stare the other dog down and do not confront him, either through posture or by physically engaging him.
Challenging unknown dogs is a good way to get bitten.
3. Create Space or Block the Other Dog
We can do this by moving across the road or into a driveway, and waiting for the other dog to pass.
We may also move our dog behind a barrier, for example a car. If there are no barriers available, we can try blocking the dog’s view with our body.
By doing this, we avoid a head-on, more confrontational passing.
I have tried all of these blocking techniques, but what works best for me is to create space, and quickly move past the other dog. Whenever I wait for the other dog to pass, my Shiba uses that time to start obsessing.
Dog treats and trying to get his attention do not work at this point, because the other dog is too close, and Shiba Sephy is no longer listening. The advantage of walking Sephy briskly past the other dog, is that he has less time to stare. In addition, he cannot fully obsess, because he must partly focus on walking.
However, using barriers and blocking may work better for a fearful dog.
Some trainers suggest turning and walking away when we see another dog, rather than passing him or waiting for him to pass.
There are two problems with this method:
- If we turn away, the other dog will be following us. This may cause some dogs to keep looking back, to make sure that the follower is not a threat. I have tried this, and indeed my Shiba keeps looking back.
- If we keep turning away, we may meet other dogs and get boxed in; especially if there are many dogs in our neighborhood.
4. Create Neutral Experiences
I try to create as many neutral dog-to-dog meeting experiences as possible. If every time my dog sees another dog, we just pass by and nothing interesting happens, it will become a non-event.
Being consistent with neutral greetings will build our dog’s confidence. Through repetition, we are teaching him how to behave (just avoid and move along), and how not to behave (get over-excited, frustrated, lunge, and pull). He will be more calm because he is not waiting in anticipation of a highly charged encounter, either for play or for confrontation.
I try to set my dog up for success, and do not let him practice aggressive behaviors when meeting other dogs. The more he practices, the more aggressive he will be.
If my dog becomes agitated during a walk, I try to end the outing as soon as possible. Once in this mode, his adrenaline levels will be high for a fair duration, and he will likely react aggressively to all the dogs that we meet. In this state, he will no longer be capable of learning, and will only be practicing dog aggressive behaviors.
5. Protect our Dog
I usually keep my dog away from people and dogs with weak energy (e.g. fearful, excited, or frustrated energy). In addition, I also try to keep other dogs and owners from coming into my dog’s space. I say a quick ‘hi’ to the people I meet, and move on.
If people with weak energy stop and want to meet my dog, I ask them nicely to please move on, because my dog is easily excitable.
It is fine and good to let a dog meet people with calm energy, but make sure to let them know how to best meet our dog. In particular, turn away when he jumps, no quick movements, and no petting from above.
6. Keep Greetings Short and Sweet
While greeting another dog, we want to positively interrupt our dog every so often, and get him to refocus on us. Do this as many times as necessary, so that our dog does not get over-excited, and lose control of himself.
Whenever my dog is meeting a new dog, I interrupt him after a very short duration (2-3 seconds). I quickly move or jog away from the other dog, while giving the positive interrupt command, e.g. Hey, hey. Initially, I may have to lightly tug at my dog while moving away. I make sure to treat him well for moving toward me on a loose leash.
If our dog is too obsessed to move away and is strongly standing his ground, then we have waited too long to initiate the interrupt. Positive interrupts are also useful for dealing with human greetings, and getting our dog away from a dirty or unsuitable area.
The key to successful positive interrupts is to catch a dog early, before he starts to obsess on another dog or object.
7. Be Aware of Aggressive Triggers
Some dogs, for example Spitz-type dogs, have a natural look that may appear dominant (ears up, hair out, tail up). This dominant look may instigate other dogs to respond in kind, and start posturing as well. Conflicts may occur, and if neither dog is willing to back down, this may lead to a dog fight.
If I am unsure about a dog greeting, I just move on. Better to be safe than sorry.
8. Desensitize our Dog to Other Dogs
The problem with dog-to-dog aggression issues, is that in regular situations the “other dog” stimulus is too strong, and environment is too unstructured for any learning to occur. Often, our dog overloads quickly and becomes reactive, because the other dog is too close, is staring, is hyper, or is charging toward us.
In the desensitization process, we do training in a quiet, enclosed environment, and start with a very weak version of the problem stimulus. In terms of reactivity toward other dogs, we can use distance to weaken its effect.
In this way, we also weaken the strength of our dog’s reaction, so that he will be calm enough to listen and learn. This is necessary, to create opportunities where we can begin to teach our dog to be calm and relaxed, while in the presence of another dog.
I did quite a lot of dog-to-dog desensitization sessions with Sephy, when he was young, at our local SPCA. The trainers there had many balanced, friendly dogs, that we could do training with.
First, the trainer would engage the other dog in training exercises, so that he stays in a fixed position, and is not focused on Sephy (i.e., no eye-contact). Both dogs are on-leash.
I take Sephy a far distance away, far enough away that he is still calm and able to listen to me. Then, I get his attention by calling his name. If he looks at me, I praise, and treat him for behaving well. Sometimes, I also ask him to do very simple commands, e.g. Sit.
I let Sephy sit and watch the other dog as long as he is calm, and willing to give me his attention when I ask for it. Once we are both comfortable with this, I move one step toward the other dog and repeat the Focus and Sit exercises above.
Do not move too close to the other dog, too quickly. If we move forward too fast, our dog may become reactive, and will no longer be able to give us his attention. At this point, I no-mark Sephy (uh-oh) and move back a few steps. Once we are far enough away, I try to get his attention again. When he gives it to me, I stop, praise, and treat.
Note – for desensitization to be successful, we want to keep our dog below his instinct threshold as much as possible.
I always try to make sessions short, fun, and rewarding. This helps our dog associate other dogs with being calm, and with positive experiences. I make sure to stop before my dog shows any obsessive behavior, and long before he becomes aggressive. Once a dog becomes reactive or aggressive, it is usually best to end the session soon after.
As we make progress, we can slowly increase the strength of the problem stimulus. For example, we may allow the target dog to start moving around, or we may allow him to play with his handler.
The desensitization process can be long and difficult. Dogs with lower instinct thresholds (the point at which they lose control and switch to instinct) will be harder to desensitize. However, consistent practice will also help to raise this threshold.
What to Expect from Dog-to-Dog Aggression Training
Do not expect too much, too quickly, from our dog. Make sure to treat and praise him very well, if he voluntarily engages in avoidance maneuvers, when there are other dogs around. This includes looking away from the direction of the other dog, smelling and exploring the environment, or looking at us for direction.
Initially, treat and praise even small avoidance moves, for example looking away for just 1 second. If a dog will not accept treats from us, then he is too far gone and it is best to lead him away. Treats are only effective for shaping behavior when our dog is still thinking, and not operating on instinct.
If we keep practicing desensitization exercises, and teach our dog how to behave with other dogs, he will improve. As he matures, he will become more confident, be less dog aggressive, and be more comfortable around new experiences.
For aggression issues between two family dogs, here is more on how I help my dogs get along.
My wife & I have a 3yr old black & gold male Shiba named Bonzai. He has been such a great dog & has always been good with other people including small children. A couple of weeks ago we got a 8 week old white Shiba named KiKo cause she was so cute plus we wanted a playmate for Bonzai. Since getting her we have been to the vet twice due to seriouse injuries inflicted by Bonzai & one that could have killed her. Bonzai was the first Shiba either one of us have had so we are extremely new to this breed. Unfortunately we did not witness the first attack but the second involved his food. I would welcome any advice or tips on how to move forward in training Bonzai & KiKo to cohabitate.
Hello Todd,
Congratulations on your new Shiba puppy.
I got a new Siberian Husky puppy early last year. In the beginning, my Shiba, Sephy, did not want to have anything to do with her or let her near his stuff. I think it takes longer for Sephy to give his trust and accept a new puppy into his ‘gang’. 😀
In general, I focused on two things –
1. Taking charge of resources and making sure it is clear what belongs to whom.
I hand out all the food during feeding time and make sure there is no stealing. I make sure they do not compete over sleeping area, toys, or anything else. When Shiba is resting, I make sure puppy does not bother him. Each dog has their own crate space, and everyone followed the same rules.
2. Rewarding calmness and together time.
I did group obedience training sessions. When they are calm together, they get rewarded really well. When they do commands together for me, they get rewarded really well. I tried to show them that they get a lot more resources when they work together cooperatively. I also wanted to show Sephy that having puppy does not detract from his resources, but rather adds to it.
Here is more on what I did to introduce a new puppy into the pack.
Hi,
I have 2 small dogs at home.. I just adopted a big old golden retriever mix from the shelter. I tried to socialize him with my dogs, he got so aggressive and wanted to jump and bite my other 2 dogs, I just pulled him back and I am keeping him in a different room. Help I don’t know what to do, I don’t want my dogs to get bitten! As soon as he sees my dogs he keeps growling and ready to fight and bite!! Any tips!! I feel sorry for him, don’t wanna send him back to the shelter, I wish if there is any useful tips!
Hello Loly,
It could be a physical issue. When dogs feel body pains, or have some other physical issues, such as sight or hearing issues, they may feel more vulnerable. As a result, they may use aggression to keep away unknown dogs. Did the shelter give him a thorough physical exam? I would also chat with them about his behavior.
Older dogs may also need more time to rest, where they do not want to be disturbed. I think you are doing the right thing by giving him some space and quiet time. First, get to know him and get him to trust you.
Dog-to-dog desensitization exercises may help-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-to-dog-aggression#desensitize
Consulting with a professional trainer may also be helpful-
http://shibashake.com/dog/finding-a-dog-trainer
Here are some of the things I did while introducing a new dog to my existing pack-
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog
Thank you very much for referring to your site. There is great information here.
Hi,
I just discovered your site and it seems very helpful. I look forward to reading more of it.
I wanted to ask a question about my 4 year old Shiba, Toby.
He is a super friendly boy, and never displays any aggression towards people. Only in the last year has he started growling at other dogs, both in passing while on walks, and the few times I have tried to take him to the dog park. My wife and I believe that this started when we tried to rescue a second dog so he could have some company while we were at work. We rescued a cattle hound from a local shelter, and while they got along fine at first, the new dog started showing signs of food aggression. This resulted in an attack on Toby over a rawhide bone and my wife getting bit in the process. Needless to say we didn’t keep the new dog.
Ever since, Toby has begun to growl and bark when dogs get close to him. Sometimes he doesn’t, but I haven’t been able to determine a pattern. We keep him away from passing dogs while on leash walks in the neighborhood, but I would really like to take him to the dog park again, since he always used to enjoy it before the incident, and it’s his only opportunity to run off the leash.
Any advice?
Hello Carl,
I am not a big fan of dog parks. I did take Shiba Sephy there a fair amount when he was young, and the unstructured and often chaotic environment there did not suit either of us very well. Sephy enjoyed going there, but he would get over-excited, and often redirect his mouth onto us.
Also, there may be dogs that do not want to play or dogs that want to dominate Sephy, and well … Shiba will not back down and will not surrender. 😀
I prefer more structured and smaller play groups. One-on-one supervised sessions tend to work best with Sephy. In our old house we did not have a backyard, so I cleared out one of the rooms and made it into a play area for Sephy. Then we would often invite our neighbor’s very friendly dog over.
We also visited the nearby SPCA a lot because they had an enclosed play area which they allowed people to use.
Dog-to-dog desensitization exercises also helped a lot with Shiba Sephy. We did many sessions at the SPCA because they always have many different dogs that we could practice with.
Here is an article on my experiences with enclosed dog parks –
http://shibashake.com/dog/enclosed-dog-parks-good-or-bad
Hello –
I’ve found your site to be quite useful, but I do have a question. My 3 year old male Shiba (he’s about 21lbs) has aggression toward my black Lab mix (he’s about 150lbs). For the most part they’re fine together. They’ll play (with me always watching) together, and are fine with sharing each others toys as neither has a favorite toy. But occasionally throughout the day day my Shiba will bite at my Lab for no apparent reason. It’s not the playful nips because he bares his teeth and his snout scrunches up aggressively. He’ll lunge at my Lab every once in awhile and then almost as soon as he does it, he’ll stop like it never happened.
Also meal time is the worst. Anytime I touch my Lab’s bowl or touch the dog food my Shiba starts barking loudly and bares his teeth and scrunches his snout. It’s odd to me because he’s not aggressive toward me or my Lab at this point, it’s like he’s barking to bark. It’s really aggressive, so much so that I feed the dogs in separate areas. My Shiba closed off in the kitchen with baby gates, and my Lab in the dining room. Once they’ve both finished eating and I let my Shiba out he’s fine and goes back to being a happy little dog. I call it his Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde moments.
Is there any way to curb these sudden bouts of snapping at my Lab and the aggressive dog barking while their meal is being poured?
My Lab is 10 years old and is oddly unaffected by my Shiba’s behavior. He doesnt attack back, he just walks way, plays with another toy, or decides to take a nap.
Any advice would be appreciated! I know I must be doing something wrong, but my Shiba didnt use to be like this. The only thing I can think of is that my Lab isnt home every other month. He travels with my dad on various country road trips since my dad likes having the big dog around.
Hmmm, it sounds like food guarding to me. Shibas do have a tendency to guard things, especially high priority items such as food.
Shiba Sephy is good about most things because he knows that if he shows any kind of aggression he loses his stuff, whereas if he does not, he gets even more stuff. However, there are a couple of things he is more intense about, including new toys and bully sticks.
Some of the things that helped with Shiba Sephy in terms of food guarding include –
1. Careful supervision during meals times and when there are new toys. I make sure each dog has their own interactive toys to work on and I prevent any kind of stealing. In this way the dogs understand that I am there to ensure the peace and they don’t have to do it themselves.
2. Training the dogs together. I train the dogs together so they get used to working together and being rewarded together. In this way they don’t see each other as competitors, but more as partners in crime.
3. NILIF program. I always follow the Nothing in Life is Free program with all my dogs. Before they get anything, they have to do something for me first. Before they get any of their food toys they have to wait calmly in a Sit position. Any kind of rude/excited behavior including grabbing, biting, growling, etc. means I will walk away and they don’t get the stuff. They only get what they want if they do what I want first.
Other things that helped with Shiba Sephy – bite inhibition training, object exchange game, etc. I write more about them here –
http://shibashake.com/dog/stop-food-aggression-stop-resource-guarding
http://shibashake.com/dog/resource-guarding-shiba-inu
Space, and bedding can also be highly valued resources. As such, some dogs may protect their space, sleeping areas, bedding etc. I know that Shiba Sephy is not very tolerant of new dogs coming over and invading his space. He also does not like other dogs sniffing his butt, which he sees as a dominance move.
I carefully observe him so that I can desensitize him to these triggers. I also try to carefully manage him so that he understands that I will be there to protect him and he doesn’t need to do it himself.
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-deal-with-bad-dog-behavior
I like your website a lot and it has helped me a lot with my shiba as well. I do have question about how you introduced your two dogs together though. I couldn’t find where you had posted it if you posted any information on adding a new dog to the family. My shiba has dog to dog aggression and I still cannot seem to fix it. I don’t have the resources at the moment to hire a professional to diagnose where his aggression is coming from. He hardly meets dogs atm anymore because I do not want to see him snarl/lunge. I think it may have to do with any dogs in his face. However, he tenses up I believe based on the other dog. I’ve only seen him react friendly to about 2-3 dogs in his 3 years. Which boggles me a lot lol. I did not do a lot of good socialization because he was my first dog but he is great with people. I read a lot and prepared myself as much as possible. My girlfriend would like another one soon, so I was just wondering about some advice you would have on adding a new puppy to the pack. Charlie seems to be quite dominant so should personality tests on the dog play a big role in choosing a puppy and how do you go about introducing them into the family without fights?
Hello Charlie,
When I was looking for a second dog I made sure to observe which types of dogs my Shiba got along with and which ones he did not. For example, he does not play very well with smaller dogs because he is too much into wrestling and the smaller dogs don’t really like that. So I made sure to get a larger dog who also likes wrestling. 😀
This article has more on my second dog experiences.
In terms of buying a new puppy, all I did was make sure I found a good breeder. I visited the puppy and her mom, played with both of them, got to see their health certifications, etc. The breeder had already socialized the puppy very well – she had puppy parties, brought the puppy to work, and much more. This made a huge difference in the puppy’s temperament.
In contrast, I didn’t know too much about dogs when I got my Shiba, and didn’t get him from an experienced breeder. He was a lot more difficult to deal with in the beginning, and was very nervous about collars and being in the car. My Sibe was totally fine with both those things when I got her at 8 weeks old.
I just wrote an article about the process I went through in finding a good breeder for my Siberian Husky. It may also be helpful –
http://shibashake.com/dog/how-to-buy-a-siberian-husky-puppy
Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
Dear Shibashake,
I like this:
“Shiba cannot rest until all his enemies real or imagined are vanquished.”
That is my Fred, too! Stress cadet – you said it!
But here is GREAT NEWS for all owners of barky, lungy, naughty dogs: the penny shake can WORKS! This is apparently an old-fashioned remedy, but my goodness, it is the first thing I’ve tried that truly and instantly works. Get a small dry empty ginger ale can (7.5 oz). Fill with about 25 pennies. Seal shut with strong tape. Now, when your dog starts to bark or lunge, shake the can loudly and watch your little beast instantly become a little angel! I have been doing this for the past 3 days with Fred, and wow! Hallelujah! He does NOT like the loud sound, and he falls right into line. This is the very first time with any technique that I’ve seen submissive body language from him, and he seems to retain the message. After a couple times of loud can shaking on an outing, any further misbehaviors stop with just a little rattle of warning. You’ve got to try this!
In other news: Fred seems to have recovered very well from his stroke/attack, even though various heart disease symptoms continue and he has slowed down his pace. The vet confirmed last Friday that he has a distinct heart murmur (= probable valve disease). He’s a tough, sweet little cookie. I don’t know how to upload pix here or I would show you his winsome face!
Hi Kim,
That’s a great suggestion. I have tried using this coins-in-a-can technique at home but I have never tried it outside. With Sephy, I had great results in the beginning, but after he got used to it, he just ignored me – Shiba-style. 😀
I will definitely have to add this to my biting and dog aggression articles.
So glad to hear that Fred has recovered. He sounds like such a character. I would definitely like to see his winsome face. I’ll send you an e-mail so that you can include some photos when you have the time. Thanks!
I have a 4 year old Pom/Coton female dog (Pomeranian x Coton du Teluer) that barked excessively at dogs larger than her when off leash in the field near my house. She didn’t bark at them when she was on leash and did not act agressively when she got close enough to sniff – so I assumed she was afraid. Anyway, I discovered that a can of compressed air (the kind that is used to spray dust out of computer keyboards)would stop her from barking. She doesn’t like the loud air noise, even from a distance.The only problem is that it only works in warm weather. We have 4 or 5 months at least of winter so I am now going to try the penny shake can idea – I hope this works too. I love your web site thankyou!
Thanks Deb. Hugs to your girl!
Dear Shibashake,
Nice to be chatting with you again; sorry for the long silence. Glad your dog has acclimatized to neighbourhood walks – I wish I could say the same. My poor Fred is a real case. The vet told me last Feb after blood tests and x-ray that Fred had an enlarged heart (valve disease?) and high liver enzyme values (also owing to slowing heart function?). Last Thursday (late August) we were on a fairly cool walk at 8:00 A.M. when Fred, already slowed, stopped, clearly ill, and he lost use of his hind legs. I had to carry him home, completely limp in my arms. Very upsetting. I lay him on the couch, where he hardly moved for over 6 hours. He drank water that I brought to him lying on his side, from the side of his mouth – clearly not wanting to sit up. I stayed home with him the whole day, thinking he’d had a mild stroke. It could also have been a toxic reaction to Foster & Smith’s Ultra-Calm Biscuits or their Dental Fresh liquid. The vet wanted me to bring him in – but he was comfy and showing no signs of pain, so I kept him home. He eventually jumped down from the couch but moved very slowly and stiffly, and even his barks were hoarse and very few. But thank God he was walking! He did not jump up to the couch for the next few days. The following week saw more and more improvement: faster, more agile walking, and jumping back up on the couch. He seems basically normal now, but I have been avoiding staircases to keep his exertion low. He slows down near the end of every walk.
Fred, however, has revved up again to a lot of barking and anxiety on walks, and I think part of this is, alas, owing to no more jerk-correcting from me. I feel that regarding his reaction to other dogs, his case is basically hopeless: without calming drugs or a brain transplant (just kidding, black humor), Fred can’t seem to control his outbursts against other dogs. The state of his liver prevents the use of sedatives. It gets very wearing indeed on me, and I think he may be killing himself slowly with all his hysteria. What to do? I love him and yet I say to myself, when he finally goes, I will miss him and not miss him…
Very briefly: I adopted Fred in January when my long-time friend, his master, died of cancer. I was Fred’s “mom” each weekend, out in the suburbs, but then I came back to my own place in the city for the work week. Fred no doubt misses his dear “dad.” However, we were very bonded for years before Master’s death, took long walks, and Fred was, even in quieter streets, very aggressive toward all others, and he was used to barking a lot to defend his turf. Old habits die hard – if at all. I just don’t see that at Fred’s age and with his state of health, he is going to change much. Fred was much better off as a suburban dog with his own back yard! I read an article that some city dog owners have resorted to – brace yourself – having their dogs’ vocal cords cut to eliminate their barking. Goodness gracious. Can’t do that. I think I would send Fred to Doggie Heaven before I did that.
Well, Fred’s and my story is not very cheery right now, but with colder weather coming along, we should see fewer people and canines on our early-as-possible A.M. walks, which will help. And then we’ll see how long the dear dog’s heart will hold up. No treatment can repair heart disease or lengthen life very much, but the cost of trying is very high (thousands), and in this dog’s case, I am not going there. I want somehow to give him as happy a life as possible in whatever time he has, while maintaining my own sanity…
Thanks so much for sharing Fred’s story with us. It warms the heart that Fred found someone like you.
Often, I also want to give Sephy a brain transplant. 😉 He is such a stress cadet – if he could just let go of things and live more in the moment like other dogs he would be so much happier. But he is Shiba – and Shiba cannot rest until all his enemies real or imagined are vanquished.
That sounds good – I would probably do the same thing. Big hugs to Fred. If you can, please share some pictures of him with us.
Dear Shibashake,
After Fred was obedience trained, he responded very well to the quick-jerk corrections but still was prone to lunge barkingly at other dogs. Yes, the trainer also told me to jerk harder and earlier, which I found so difficult to do with my best friend! And as you describe, the technique is very subtle – jerk but don’t tug, etc. Fred has retained the walking position of nicely trotting at my left, and he has improved greatly in calming down around humans – but dogs are still tricky. I have ceased jerking, for exactly the reasons you describe. But since Fred has a greyhound-type collar, a no-slip chain martingale, when he himself suddenly lunges, he punishes himself, because he doesn’t get far before his neck is very squeezed. So he is forced to back right off, and I think he is learning from this better than from any jerks. By the second half of walks, he does much less lunging – unless a dog comes really near. Fred is clearly rather abnormal in his aggression – he aggresses without any provocation at all. I first met him when he was 4, so I don’t know his puppyhood stories – seems there must have been some rough times! I find that a gentle but firm “no” with the palm of my hand down in “Halt!” position communicates to him to cut it out. It was truly invaluable to read of your way of *just keep moving along*, no stopping to go bananas, and this is helping a lot. I think Fred will eventually improve significantly, but it is taking time. I’ve had him now 6 months, and he is 9 1/2 years old – a story for another time as to how I adopted him… Oh, and I do lure him with Pupperoni treats: distracts him from other dogs. I make him Sit, too, when he is getting too wired. How is your dog doing? And what do you think of the idea of anti-anxiety meds for dogs? A Tufts vet, Dr Dodman, uses these. (But I think Fred’s liver function is not adequate to tolerate any meds.)
Great chatting with you! Take care.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for sharing Fred’s adventures with us. I love dog stories, and hearing about different training experiences.
Sephy is now much better in our neighborhood walks. He even does pretty well having brief meetings with other friendly dogs as long as they stay away from his butt region.
The key for Sephy was identifying what his triggers are and only exposing him to situations that I am sure he can handle. He doesn’t like new dogs doing butt sniffing, and he doesn’t do well with dominant dogs because he won’t submit to anyone 🙂
I am not a big fan of using meds. I try to use as little of it as possible, except for vitamins and supplements. But at the same time, there are situations where meds (only for the short-term) together with training can be helpful. The difficult part of course, is identifying the right situation.
I haven’t used anti-anxiety meds before, so I don’t have first hand knowledge of their use or long-term effects.
Hugs to Fred. Tell us Fred’s adoption story when you have the time.
I just wanted to say a big THANKS for all this practical advice! I have a different breed of dog, a terrier/chihuahua mix, who is also stubborn and often very badly behaved with other dogs. He has improved after some obedience traing, but I also see that the jerk method is back-firing now, just as you describe, and I am going to try a number of your tips. This is a wonderful site. It’s good just to share ideas with other people who are patiently trying to deal with their darling, difficult dogs!
~Kim
Thanks Kim.
Heh – I wholeheartedly agree! Plus it is just fun to talk about dogs 😀
Anyway, I would love to hear more about your experiences with your dog. How did he respond in the beginning? and how is he responding now?
With Sephy, his stubbornness is just so great he was willing to go through 10 kinds of pain in order to hold his position. It was difficult at the time, but still …gotta admire that indomitable spirit!
One of the trainers I went to told us to keep increasing the force of the corrections but at some point that just seems really counter-productive. Not only was Sephy escalating his aggression by leash biting, jacket biting, and jumping on me, but there was also very little trust between us.
But nowadays, he is such an awesome little guy and his spirit is still indomitable 😀