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 2 yr old rescue lab mix seems to be getting dog aggressive. I have had her for 6 months and she was so sweet went to dog park every day and always played well. The park is closed. For the winter and now when she meets other dogs she seems to be aggressive. I feel she might not be exercised enough without daily trips to dog park and it’s hard for me to go on long walks in the very cold weather. I want her to be able to play at dog park again In the spring but afraid she may be a bully by then. I take her to dog friendly stores or wherever I can take her to keep her socialized but her hair stands up on her back now. I want to put her in a class but just had neck surgery and need to wait about a month. I don’t want her to become aggressive what do I need to do
How was she when meeting other dogs on-leash previously? What was the context when she met other dogs previously and now – i.e., what are the differences? Was she on or off leash? Was it in the same location?
One of the key things with socializing Sephy to other dogs is this – I need to not only maximize positive interactions with other dogs, but also minimize bad experiences.
In the beginning, I tried to introduce Sephy to as many dogs as possible, but that turned out to be a mistake. This was because he was having a lot of so-so and not very good experiences, and he ended up being even more reactive to other dogs.
What works best for Sephy is to do more controlled greetings and play, so that he learns good interaction behaviors from each experience. I still try to introduce Sephy to a variety of other dogs, BUT only in a structured, controlled, and positive way.
Dog-to-dog desensitization exercises were also helpful for Sephy. I talk more about desensitization and what I did with Sephy in the article above. We do structured play, structured walking, and structured desensitization exercises.
More on dog socialization.
More on how what I do during dog playtime.
More on our enclosed dog-park experiences.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent, and things become even more complicated when multiple dogs are involved. Therefore, in cases of aggression, especially those involving multiple dogs, it is best and safest to get help from a good professional trainer. We visited with several trainers during Sephy’s difficult period.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I have had 4 doodles for many years. All mellow and have gotten in routines and used to a simple way of farm life.
They all are trained pretty well and get along. Each have a very distinct personality. Three of them are 6 and one is 11 years old. The 11 year old is Alfa of the group (and starting to fail) besides us humans are top Alfa). They are also all females.
This past summer we adopted a unique little creature and she desperately needed a home. She is a mix Austrian Shepard and long hair terrier. Half the weight of the bigger girls
She is a bit of a handful. Energetic and lively. She had come with zero social skills or training and was 9 months old when we got her.
We have had her for 3 months now. Smart as whip. She has learned basic skills of demands and many tricks ( sit up- wave- high five- crawl-rollover- etc!)
My problem;
She is very pushy with the other dogs. She can get aggressive if she wants a toy. A few times the other dogs have layed into her- with respect- but have corrected her- and she wants to fight back and not back down. I’m worried about pack mentality if she doesn’t cool it. I’m not alarmed with any of these spats – yet. They don’t happen often. That’s what I want to stop before it could get out of hand.
Any suggestions on how to handle this?
Hello!
I have a one and a half year old male dog, he is a teckel mix, we have had him since he was two months old. For the last few months he has been showing signs of aggression towards other dogs and towards people.
The aggression towards dogs appears when they approach him too fast and I think he gets scared, although they do not show any sign of wanting to attack him. The problem is that he enters this attack-mode where he barks and bites uncontrollably, and I have yet to learn how to stop him. He has also bit me while trying to calm him down, as if he didn’t know who I was. I must mention that this does not happen with every dog, only with the ones that approach him too rapidly.
The aggression towards people has come up in a number of instances. The most recent one is having guests over, it is really hard to stop him from barking at unknown people that come over, and if these people try to approach him he will not hesitate to bite. Also while trying to stop him from barking he has bit me because once again he had entered that aggressive-mode where he does not seem to realize who is touching him.
Another situation where he was aggressive towards me is an older one. While trying to pick him up for a bath he will lay on the floor and begin to bite if picked up. This happens only when he realizes that I want to give him a bath.
I personally think that all his aggression is fear-induced. Fear of other dogs, fear of new people, fear of getting a bath. Generally he is an active dog, he does play rough (we have yet to teach him how to not bite while playing, but these bites do not compare in intensity with those from when he enters his attack-mode), but overall loving and not unusual in any particular way. He is stubborn, but does not show other signs of aggression around the house (except for the bath thing).
What advice could you give me? How could I make him more relaxed and not afraid of new dogs and people? Do you think obedience training could solve any of these problems? I have found that for the bathing problem I can make him go in the bathtub on his own with a treat, but if I try to put him in there by picking him up he becomes aggressive once again…maybe I am triggering some sort of fear?
I eagerly await your answers! Thank you!
Did anything change when this behavior started to show up? Was it a sudden change in behavior or was it gradual? Is he showing any other changes in behavior? Is he playing and moving normally? Eating, drinking, and eliminating normally? Have there been incidents with other dogs before this change? How was he with people and other dogs prior to the last few months? Was he relaxed and confident, or has he always been fearful?
When there are *sudden* behavioral changes in my dog, I rule out physical issues first. If my dog has a physical issue or is in pain, her behavior will change because she is not feeling well and is feeling more vulnerable.
After I rule out physical issues, then I can look at other possible triggers and come up with a plan for changing my dog’s behavior. To help my dog be more comfortable around people and other dogs, I do people desensitization exercises and dog-to-dog desensitization exercises. I talk more about dog-to-dog desensitization at the end of the article above. I also slowly desensitize my dog towards handling and grooming. More on how I bathe my dog.
In terms of play-biting or accidental, I do bite inhibition exercises with my dogs to teach them to control the force of their bites. More on how I train my dog not to bite on people.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent and aggressive behavior can come from many different sources. Therefore, each dog and situation will be different. This is why especially in cases of aggression, it is best and safest to get help from a good professional trainer.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
When I had problems with my Shiba Inu, we visited with several trainers. Each trainer observed and evaluated Sephy, and we came up with a plan for dealing with each of his problem behaviors.
More on how I deal with bad dog behavior.
Hi. I had gotten a rottweiler male pup who is now almost 5 months old. I now got another rottweiler female puppy and there is a big size difference between the two. The male pup just wants the female to stay near him at all times and this offends the female. This usually causes the female to get aggressive. Even when they are playing the female ends up biting the male and making him scream in pain. I have to keep them separately because of this. What do u recommend I should do?
With my dogs, I set up clear and consistent dog-to-dog interaction rules. In this way, they know what to expect from each other, what to expect from me, and what I expect from them in return. This creates certainty and certainty helps to reduce stress and conflicts. If one of my dogs needs some alone time, I make sure that my other dogs leave him alone. Each dog has a safe place that he can go to, to rest or chew on toys.
When they are together, I supervise them well, especially in the beginning. I try to create positive and calm together experiences, and try to minimize negative interactions. The more positive together time there is, the more my dogs learn to be calm and relaxed together. Similarly, bad experiences will undermine trust and acceptance, causing stress and more conflicts in the future.
What I do to help my dogs get along.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent so each dog and situation is different. In cases of multiple dogs, there is even greater complexity. This is why especially in cases of aggression, it is best and safer to get help from a good professional trainer.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
I have a blue heeler “Percy” that I have had sense birth. I had no other dogs at the time so every where I went she was with me. I have an incredible bond with this dog. I would trust her with my life. She does anything that I ask of her and is my best friend. She listens, and is just an amazing dog that I could take anywhere and do anything with.
Because we have such a bond she is extremely protective of me. Even around people she has to be in my lap or close to me but she never is aggressive to people, just dogs.
Recently I got an australian shepherd “Fisher” who she thinks she is the mother of. She loves him and shows the same signs of protection towards him as well.
Here recently we decided to breed him and we got another shepherd, a femal “maggie”
This threw Percy over board because I spend a lot of time with Maggie and extremly baby her because like Percy I Have a strong bond with her.
If I sit out in the drive way to love on all the dogs Percy will not allow any dog near me, not even Fisher whom she actually really likes. She isn’t mean and starting a fight with them. Just letting them know that I am off limits and when I do go to the other dogs she stays right next to me just to make sure.
Recently this acts of agression have gotten much worse. Percy now has a death wish for maggie. She has gotten her down on the ground by the throat and I believe had no intention of stopping, but of course we broke up the fight. This has been the worse but she has been attacking her for a while now. With the last go at the throat being the most recent and worse attack she has done.
I don’t want to punish Maggie by keeping her away from the other dogs. It’s percy but I do not know how to handle it.
They are all outside with each other all day, none are allowed in the house and have houndreds of acres to roam on because I live on a farm.
I do not want to get rid of Percy because I love her so much, but I love Maggie too and I’m not going to let her attack her like she does.
Every time I witness an attack i try to show dominance over Percy and let her know what she is doing is not tolerated, but in this area she shows no signs of regarding anything I’m saying or doing.
Do you have any advice? Any would be much appreciated.
What helps with my dogs is to set up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules. When a new dog comes along, I teach him what those rules are. In this way, my dogs know exactly what to expect from each other, what to expect from me, and what I expect from them in return. This creates certainty, and certainty helps to reduce stress and conflicts.
I do this right from the start so that I am fair and consistent with my dogs. I usually set up more rules and structure in the beginning, and then I can relax some later on as my dog matures.
When I get a new dog, I try my best to keep routine and rules consistent with my existing dogs, so that there is as little disruption as possible. I want to maximize positive interactions, while at the same time minimizing negative experiences so that they learn to associate my new dog with good things and an enhancement to their life and routine. Therefore, I make sure *not* to cut down on people time with my other dogs.
I supervise my dogs closely so that I can teach them what the rules are and redirect bad behavior *before* it escalates.
More on what I do to help my dogs get along.
I also do dog to dog desensitization exercises to help my dog be calm around other dogs and to teach them what to do in the presence of another dog. I talk more about desensitization at the end of the article above.
When I am not around or am too busy to closely supervise, I keep the new dog separated. I do not let my dogs together unsupervised until I am very sure that there will be no negative incidents. This is not a punishment. It is a safety measure to keep all of my dogs safe, and to prevent my dogs from practicing undesirable behaviors. The more bad behaviors they practice, the more likely it will happen in the future, and the worse things will become.
Based on what you describe, I would get help from a good professional trainer. Dog behavior is very context dependent, so each dog and situation are different. Things become even more complicated in a multi-dog household. In addition, while engaged in a fight, a dog may redirect that aggression onto nearby people, especially when we physically try to restrain him (redirected aggression). In such a situation, I would want to start off right and safe by getting help from a good trainer. With my dog, I also use management equipment such as leashes, gates, etc., to keep everyone safe.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
i have a walker puppy about 3 months old and i have a older dog and she attacked the older dog the other day for no reason and today while i was outside with the 3 month old puppy i also have a chihiua about 4 yrs old and she attacked him for no reason……… What could be causing her to be doing this
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so when I want to identify what is triggering my dog’s behavior, I try to remember all the details of the situation. For example, what was the puppy doing prior to the incident, what were you doing, what was the older dog doing? Did the older dog approach the puppy? What was the body language of the puppy and the older dog? Were there any toys or food around? Were you close to the puppy? Anybody else around? Any other dogs around? What is the daily routine of the puppy? Have there been any play or interactions among the dogs? What kind? How did it go?
When in doubt, I get help from a good professional trainer, especially in cases of aggression.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
I’m so glad I found you. I have a 8 months old Shiba “Hachi” and she is very social with human and dogs. She comes to work with me which is grooming shop and loves to play with other too. However the problem I’m having is I have 3 other mixed breed at home, they all get along but once in a while Hachi and one of dog would start fighting. Hachi become too excited when Bobby plays with her and she gets too rough and Bobby just wants out and hachi won’t listen. Then Bobby growl at hachi and she will start fight. Also they are free feeder out of one bowl but not at the shop. I would put hachi ‘ s food by my table and she gets overly protective the space with other dogs comes around even there’s no food. Today Hachi bit Bobby ‘ s ear and I’m afraid what would cost next. Please help.
What helps with my dogs is to set up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules and play rules. During play, I supervise and throw in many play breaks, to manage my Shiba’s excitement level. He can get pretty extreme when over-excited, and overwhelm my other dogs.
More on what I do during play-time.
As for food, I follow the Nothing in Life is Free program, so all my dogs work for their food by doing simple commands, following house rules, following play rules, etc. Whatever is left over, I put in interactive food toys, so they work for that too. During meal-time, I supervise and make sure they give each other space. If one gets too close to another, I redirect him away.
More on what I do during meal-time.
Big hugs to your furry gang! 😀
I have a Jack Russell x whippet . Sometime when I let him off the lead and he plays with another he gets aggressive by growling and trying to bite the other dogs neck whilst they are running . He does not respond to any commands when he is like this .
Desperate for help as he is a lovely dog.
Is this at the park? How is he when playing at home in a more structured setting? Is the other dog high energy/excited as well? Does he get this way with all other dogs or with just certain other dogs?
When my dog gets over-excited during play, he goes rear-brained sometimes and no longer responds to commands. I help control this by managing his excitement level. I have play rules, create a structured play environment, and throw in many play breaks.
http://shibashake.com/dog/second-dog-introducing-a-second-dog#play-time
The enclosed dog park environment is too high stimulus and unstructured for my Shiba. Therefore, I do small play-groups at home, where I can properly structure the environment. I pick dogs whose play-style and temperaments fit well with Sephy, and I supervise closely during play to manage excitement levels, and make sure that everyone is following play rules. In this way, everyone has a good time, nobody gets overwhelmed, and play does not escalate into aggression.
More on our enclosed dog park experiences.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent so each dog and each situation is different. When in doubt, I consult with a professional trainer, especially in cases of aggression.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
My dog, Siberian/Alaskan Malamute mix has been attacking my poodle, we have other dogs but doesn’t attack them only this particular dog when we are at home. My poodle is usually frightened around her for no reason and I don’t know if that is what triggers the aggression. We try to let my dog (poodle) be comfortable around her but we decided that it is probably bad and that we have to let them get comfortable at their own pace or she (Siberian/Alaskan Malamute) might be frustrated. She isn’t aloud to be around her when she is alone because we can’t trust her so it’s made our life very difficult. Also, when she is out walking she wants to attack other dogs or just growls at them but they just want to sniff her tail and if any dog sniffs her tail she quickly growls and we tell her “no” or “bad dog”, but she is very well with her commands. I try to avoid dogs when I’m out walking with her. She sometimes doesn’t listen to the commands at home, I don’t know how to make her listen to the commands established. She attacked a German Shepard (my brothers girlfriends) and left him a wound. Of course, we weren’t around but she only responds to my dad as the pack leader but I don’t know if the whole family has to be understood as the pack leader or just one. I try to become her pack leader but I think she believes she is the pack leader of us. We try to set boundaries and rules but she is stubborn and doesn’t listen sometimes. What do we do? How do I fix this problem, I don’t want it to be too late, she is four years old and I know I’m a horrible owner because I don’t know the breed or understand it but I love her to death and been learning about her breed and try to cooperate with her. Our past is the reason why we are inseparable. I try really hard and would do anything for my dog. All suggestions are welcome and even criticism.
Side note: When my dog was a puppy, my other poodle who was sixteen at the time, growled and barked but aggressively like she was about to bite when she sniffed her tail when I tried to introduce them. I don’t know if this is what made her hate other dogs. Ever since then she has never been friendly with other dogs.
What is your dog’s daily routine like? What type of training is she used to? Are all dogs in the household spayed or neutered? When did the behavior start? What type of socialization has the Husky had? Has she had any desensitization training?
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so the dog’s temperament, details in the surrounding environment, past experiences, daily routine, and more all come into play. In a multi-dog household, there is even greater complexity. Therefore, in cases of aggression, especially in a multi-dog household, it is best to consult with a good, experienced, and certified professional trainer.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Different dogs have different social tolerances, and most cases of aggression is *not* from dominance.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/aggression-dogs
http://behavior.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/local-assets/pdfs/The_Truth_About_Aggression__Dominance_dogs.pdf
More on dog social tolerances-
http://www.badrap.org/dogdog-tolerance
http://suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/he-just-wants-say-hi
More on dog socialization-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
My Shiba Inu also does not like getting his butt sniffed by dogs that he does not know well or does not trust. Here is why.
I help my dogs get along by-
1. Picking dogs with compatible temperaments.
2. Giving them good daily exercise.
3. Setting up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules. I teach each new dog what the rules are, and supervise them closely. I *do not* leave any of my dogs alone until I am very sure that they will be calm and relaxed with each other. I absolutely do not leave my dog alone with dogs that they do not know very well.
4. I do dog-to-dog desensitization exercises to raise their tolerance threshold with other dogs. I talk more about desensitization at the end of the article above.
5. I set my dogs up for success by managing their environment, managing their excitement levels, and not exposing them to situations that they are not ready for. The more successful and calm events my dog has with other dogs, the more confidence he builds, and the more relaxed he is in the future. Similarly, exposing him to unstructured situations that overwhelm him, will significantly set back training, cause him to lose trust in me, and cause him to be more reactive in the future.
To me, being a pack leader is about listening to my dog, trying to understand things from his perspective, protecting my dog, and setting him up for success and happiness. My Shiba does not enjoy butt sniffs, so I make sure unknown dogs do *not* do that to him. He knows that I will always do my best to protect him, so he does not need to use aggression to protect himself.
At the same time, I increase his tolerance level to other dogs by doing dog-to-dog desensitization exercises in a structured setting, and by not exposing him to situations that he cannot handle. I talk more about what I do in the article above.
I set up a fixed routine for all of my dogs, and I establish pack leadership by following the Nothing in Life is Free program.
More on how I trained my Husky puppy.
More on how dogs learn.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
More on where I get dog training and dog behavior information.
Based on your description, it is best and safest to get help from a good professional trainer.
More on finding a trainer for my dog.
Hello, I’m on the verge of a melt down. I’ve just recently taken in a 3yr old Chihuahua mix. Her owners could no longer take care of her, plus she lived outside and it was getting cold. So, being the Dog lover I am, I took her in expecting no problems, seeing as how her owner had said she had no issues towards other Dog’s or Cat’s.
But upon getting her home, I am mortified to see that wasn’t the case at all. My Youngest Pup Katsu, who just turned a year old in October. ( He’s a medium, to small Dog. Dachshund and Beagle. ) He’s overly excitable, and loves to play. He’s a little loud, and I think he startled her a bit. That started her whole, snarling and snapping, and growling fits. She’s also not very fond of the Cat’s. I have a 7 year old Chihuahua mix, who is very small. And I’m afraid she’s gonna lash out at her soon.
She also has a bit of food aggression.
I don’t think her current owners, had allowed her any interaction with other Dog’s at all. She’s fine with people.
I don’t know what too do…. I don’t want to have to be the bad guy, and find her a new home…. Can you please, help??
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so each dog and each situation is different. In cases of aggression, it is best to get help from a professional trainer who can visit with all of the dogs, observe them in their regular routine and environment, read their body language, and provide safe guidance on how to retrain the problem behaviors.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I help my dogs get along by-
1. Setting up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules. I teach each new dog what those rules are. In this way, my dogs know exactly what to expect from each other, what to expect from me, and what I expect from them in return. This creates certainty, and certainty reduces stress.
2. I want to create positive, calm, experiences together and at the same time minimize bad interactions. Success will help everyone gain confidence and learn to relax with each other. Similarly, stressful or fearful experiences will undermine that confidence and set back training.
3. I supervise my dogs well, manage their environment, and set them up for success. I do not expose them to situations that they are not ready for and I do not leave them together unsupervised until I am very very sure that they can be calm together.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
ASPCA article on how to introduce a cat to a new dog-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-dog
However, given the complexity of the situation, with multiple dogs and cats, I would really get help from a good professional trainer.