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.
Great article!
I have a 10 months old Coton de Tulear that has started to bark and growl at other dogs. It started about two months ago, and it has gotten worse. He has always been very social and playful when meeting other dogs prior to this, and I have always thought that he was properly socialized when growing up.
When he sees another dog we will try to run towards them (to play?), and if I hold him back he will start barking and growling to them. At first I thought he was maybe frustrated because I didn’t let him walk over to the other dog, but he will sometimes snap at them as well when I let them meet. In those cases, he will go forward and meet with the other dog, and suddenly stop sniffing at them and face another way. If the other dog keep sniffing at him then, he will snap and growl at them.
It doesn’t happen every time, he is still often playful and happy when meeting other dogs, but it’s starting to happen more and more. At first I thought he only did it towards male dogs, but he has also done it towards some females. Only thing is that he doesn’t do it to older females and young puppies. I’m not really sure what to do, as I can’t see any pattern for when he will get angry and when he is like normal. I’m scared it will get worse.
This is me and my family’s first experience with owning a dog, so we aren’t very sure about things even thought we try our best. Hope you have any suggestions!
I did dog-to-dog desensitization exercises with my Shiba Inu to help him be more comfortable around other dogs, and to raise his reactivity threshold. We did desensitization training in a controlled environment, with trainer chosen dogs, and under the direction of a trainer. I talk more about how we did desensitization training at the end of the article above.
The more successful and calm experiences that Sephy had with other dogs, the more confidence and trust be built, the more positive associations he formed, and the better his behavior became. Similarly, reactive experiences will undermine that confidence and trust, set back our training, and worsen his behavior. Therefore, I want to manage Sephy’s environment carefully and set him up for success. During regular walks, I teach him to ignore other dogs and we create neutral experiences. I only let him meet dogs that I *know* will lead to a calm and successful greeting. Even then, I keep things short and I do a lot of interrupts so that he refocuses on me.
Sephy is very sensitive to the energy of the people around him. If I get stressed or fearful, he will pick up on that energy, get stressed himself, and become even more reactive. Therefore, I control my own energy, I have a decisive plan of what to do, and I keep things structured and calm. I talk more about what I do in the article above.
More on dog socialization-
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
http://www.badrap.org/dogdog-tolerance
http://www.badrap.org/smart-socializing
How I went about looking for a trainer to help me with desensitization training-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I have two dogs. The first is a 11 year old chiuahua. The second is a chihuahua mixed with something else but nobody knows what. He is about 4 months old. The puppy, Chip, bites Hershey, the older dog, and gets a mouthful of hair and pulls Hershey all over the floor backwards. Do you know how I can stop this act? Any help would be appreciated.
Thank You
With my dogs, I set up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules. I supervise my dogs closely and make sure that everyone is following my rules. As soon as I notice the *start* of any undesirable behavior, I no-mark and redirect the behavior. In this way, I stop things before they escalate.
During the training period, I also put a drag-lead on my puppy (Only using a flar collar/harness and only under close supervision. No aversive collars.), so that I can more easily control her.
I set up a fixed routine for my puppy and consistent rules. I do not let my puppy bother my adult dogs when they want to rest or want some alone time. 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. Supervision, management, and consistency are key.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
More on how I trained my puppy.
More on how I deal with puppy biting.
More on how I set up structure and teach my puppy self-control.
ASCA article on puppy socialization.
When I had problems with my Shiba Inu, I also consulted with several professional trainers who could read his body language, and observe his behavior within the context of his regular routine and environment.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
Our 1 1/2 yr old female bullmastiff, Roxy, has suddenly become aggressive towards our other 2 dogs, whom she has lived with since we brought her home at 7 weeks old. She has recently attacked our 7 yr old boxer, Jersey, on 3 different occasions. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to witness how the fight starts, but my kids were there each time and yell for me to break it up. The kids say that Roxy attacks for no reason and is always the instigator. Each time she has left Jersey with multiple puncture wounds. Prior to these attacks, Roxy had some aggression towards cats but never has had a problem with dogs. She has never hurt any of our kids and is quite amazing with them. I don’t understand why the aggression has started now when nothing has changed with our family dynamics, living situations, no new pets, nothing. Is there any way to stop this aggression? We are considering finding her a new home, as we are afraid she will injure the other dogs worse than she already has. We love Roxy and don’t want to see her go. Can you help us??
With my dogs, I set up clear and consistent dog-to-dog interaction rules right from the start. I supervise closely during periods of interaction, and redirect any questionable behavior as soon as it occurs, and *before* it escalates into anything more serious. In this way, all 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.
The more positive experiences my dogs have with each other, the more confidence and trust they will build. Similarly, negative events will undermine that confidence and trust, set back training, and increase the likelihood of more conflicts in the future. Therefore, I always manage my dogs’ environment and set them up for success. I need to be there to supervise, so that I can redirect undesirable behavior before it escalates. I do not leave them alone, unsupervised, until I am very very sure that there will be absolutely no issues.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so the temperament of the dog, routine, environment, and more will all play a big role. In a multi-dog situation, things become even more complex, and it can be difficult to tell what is triggering the behavior. Based on what you describe, I would get help from a good professional trainer ASAP. In the meantime, I would keep the dogs separated until the trainer can help identify the triggers of the aggressive behavior, and come up with a good and safe plan for retraining.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
In my experience, it is very difficult to re-home a dog with a history of aggression. The no-kill shelters that I have visited usually only accept owner surrenders if the dog is able to pass a temperament test.
I have a 5 year old beagle (named buddy) and he gets aggressive around other dogs. Its all because my friend would bring her extremely aggressive jack ruslle over to my house and her dog would attack buddy to the point he would be pinned on the ground. buddy was a puppy when this happened and he saw this dog almost every single day and it was the only dog he was ever around. so now buddy thinks that’s the correct way to act around another animal.
My sister brought over her dog over a few months back. Her dog a pitbull/boxer at the time was only a month old. So she put her dog in the back yard to play with buddy. Buddy kept growling and chasing after my sisters dog. We thought he was just playing until he attacked her dog.
A few days ago My sister brought her dog over again to a cook out at my house. Her dog is almost a year old now. So we decide to try and take the dogs down to a field by my house. Buddy started growling but he was also trying to chase him around but in a playful way. It was like he had no clue what to do. so we took the dogs back to my house and put them in the back yard. At first buddy growled but then he started bounceing back and forth from playfuly chasing the dog to agressivly chasing the dog.
So we brought them back inside to let them take a break, and then buddy started growling and showing his teeth again. So we had to separate the dogs by leaving buddy inside while we stayed outside with my sisters dog.
Everyone now hates Buddy and was acting like he’s a mean dog. Where buddy is acutally a sweet and nice dog. The only time he ever gets aggrisive is at times like this. I don’t know what to do. Buddy is an older dog who thinks he’s suppose to be aggressive but how am I suppose to change that. We never knew buddy was aggressive because the only dog’s he was ever around was the jack russle and a great dane and the great dane is just as mean as the jack russle.
Please help me.
I helped my dog be more comfortable around other dogs by doing dog-to-dog desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises. I make sure to start small – far enough away from the other dog so that my dog is calm, not-reactive, and able to focus and listen to me. In this way, I can reward my dog for being calm, and teach him positive behaviors.
The more calm and successful experiences my dog has in the vicinity of another dog, the more confidence and trust he builds, and the more he associates other dogs with positive events. Similarly, reactive or negative experiences will undermine that confidence and trust, significantly set back retraining, and worsen my dog’s behavior.
Therefore, a very important part of helping my dog is in managing his environment, carefully choosing his playmates, and protecting him from bad situations or situations that he is not ready for yet. I observe my dog closely, try to identify his current tolerance levels, and what things trigger his reactive behavior.
I talk more about how I did dog-to-dog desensitization exercises with my Shiba Inu in the article above.
Some articles on dog socialization-
http://www.badrap.org/dogdog-tolerance
http://www.badrap.org/smart-socializing
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
With Sephy, we did desensitization exercises in a structured environment, with trainer chosen dogs, and under the direction of a trainer. In addition, I also manage his environment carefully so that I always set him up for success.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
My wife and I are caring for our son’s Sheba Inu while he is in college. She is extremely dog aggressive, and when we walk her, we try to follow some of the above advice in avoidance of other dogs, etc. The main problem is that she is also a runner, and escapes the house a few times a year, and runs at high speeds and attacks any dog in her path. She was a rescue dog, and then we got her from an owner who said she was too uncontrollable to keep. She is great with people, and hardly ever barks, but is a terror when she gets loose on the streets. I doubt an invisible fence would stop her (she is way too fast and would go through it very quickly), so should we seek some professional local help?
Thanks!
Tom
We visited with a bunch of trainers during Sephy’s “difficult period”. Beware though, that the dog training field is not well regulated, so there are a lot of so-so and not-very-good trainers out there. We went through some bad ones before learning enough to find the ones who really knew what they were talking about, and had the experience to go with the knowledge.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
How I looked for a trainer for my Shiba.
Also, Sephy did not do well at all with aversive training. We got the best results from positive reinforcement and resource management.
How I deal with dog escapes.
I just wanted to say thank you for the articles about your Shiba Inu. We got our Shar Pei while in Germany, on a military post, where there was not much interaction for him with other dogs. There are certain dogs that want to play with him and will not test his dominance, and he has found the best friends in those dogs. Other dogs test his dominance, and like your Shiba Inu, he will not back down. We try to take walks and practice avoidance and desensitization as much as possible. Your articles have made me feel like we’re not alone in the quest to find answers for our aggressive pup. I often get negative looks and responses from strangers and even my vet. Your articles have made me feel as though my dog is not the only one going through training and finding what’s comfortable for him.
Hello!
We have a 9 year old miniature Australian shepherd, who was raised by another until she was 3-4. We recently got a 6 month old pomsky puppy and are working on socializing them. They are about the same size. The Aussie does well out on walks, and will calmly walk beside the puppy, and often be okay in the yard/house. The puppy has no aggression, and is curious and playful. The aussie does not act aggressive towards the two house cats recently introduced. (My fiance had the cats, I had the dog and we recently moved into a house together). I am sure the new territory and rival are escalating the conflict. She acts aggressive towards the puppy when there are toys/treats/or the puppy receives attention or gets too close. It appears to be possessive, territorial, and dominance aggression. Are there any extra tips for socializing these two in the home? We keep them separated with a fenced baby gate. The puppy goes in the crate at night in a separate portion of the house, and the Aussie does not get a crate. A thought was to crate the Aussie again (she was crate trained as a puppy) to give her less sense of owning the property, however my worry is she could see this as punishment and generate irreversible resentment. Should we be socializing them completely on neutral ground with a trainer first until they show no more signs and then restarting in the home, or nipping it in the bud directly in the home with consistent training? Thank you for any tips. 🙂
With my dogs, I set up clear dog-to-dog interaction rules. I supervise them very closely during periods of interaction and make sure that everyone is following the rules. One very important rule is no-stealing. As soon as I notice the beginning of any anti-social behavior, I interrupt and redirect, before things escalate. In this way, all 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 also put my puppy on a fixed routine and I keep her away from my adult dogs when they want to be left alone. Puppies have a lot of energy and are infinitely curious. This can be annoying to an older dog, especially when he wants to rest or merely wants to enjoy chewing on a favorite toy.
At the same time, I also try to create as many positive and rewarding together-time as possible. For example, I will do obedience exercises or structured play-exercises with my new puppy. I make sure the exercises are positive and very rewarding. This usually attracts my older dogs, who also want to join in on the positive experience. When they come, I make sure to reward then really really well. I get them all to focus on me, do work for me, and I reward them all exceptionally well (especially in the beginning), for being calm and listening to me.
I want to not only maximize positive and rewarding time together, but also minimize conflicts and negative events. In this way, my existing dogs learn to see the new puppy as an enhancement to their lifestyle, rather than an annoyance who steals space, toys, and their people’s attention.
I do not leave my dogs alone together until I am very very sure that there will be absolutely no issues.
More on how I help my dogs get along.
However, as you know, dog behavior is very context dependent and it sounds like there may also be resource guarding behaviors. To be safe, I would consult with a good trainer who can visit and observe both dogs, and help develop a good plan for integration.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Thank you for your article! I am fostering a 115 pound 3 year old male german shepherd (neutered). He is very dog aggressive and I have been unable to take him on walks unless we go to a deserted parking lot or similar. A trainer tried putting a small stuffed dog in Sampson’s field of vision and he immediately attacked it. From what I gleaned from the woman who surrendered him, Sampson has not been socialized much so I’m not sure if his aggression is based on fear, if its prey driven, or just being a shepherd. Is the training the same? Any suggestions for my work with him. He likes people and with me is obedient, loyal and quiet.
How long have you had him? When was he surrendered? Did the previous owner say how he acted towards other dogs before? Does he only react that way to small dogs or to all dogs? Is it to all small dogs or only the excited vocal ones? When does he start to react? Is it only when the other dog is very near or pretty far away?
With Sephy, we did desensitization training under the direction of a good positive-based trainer and with trainer chosen dogs. In this way, the trainer can evaluate Sephy, help read his body language, and together, we can more effectively identify the cause of his reactive behavior. Once we do that, we can design a good and safe plan for retraining. Desensitization exercises can be counter-intuitive, so it was helpful for me to get guidance, especially at the start.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/desensitization-and-counterconditioning
I recently rescued Cody, a 2 year old male Schnauzer/Poodle mix. We already had Luna, a seven year old labradoodle female. We introduced the dogs slowly and after some initial wariness the two get along fine. But we are learning that Cody can be dog aggressive with other dogs when they enter our house or if we encounter them in public spaces. I really appreciate your site and plan to work on socialization with Cody, but thought you might have an insight on his pattern. He is playful and usually focused on his ball and retrieving. He will ordinarily ignore other dogs unless they approach him, in which case he often overreacts and gets into a fight. He does not lunge after dogs when walking, and typically is not the initial aggressor. Rather, he seems not to know how to interact with other dogs, and reacts aggressively when approached by most dogs. I suspect that he was not socialized as a puppy. Unfortunately, this means we cannot have him off leash where there may be other dogs which is unfortunate because he loves to retrieve and we are accustomed to taking our dogs to off leash beaches and hikes.
Also, we have many friends with dogs and have to shut Cody up when their dogs are over. In this context (in the house), what is your view on muzzles?
Thank you!
Juliet
Does he act the same way when he is not doing fetch and there is no ball around? When another dog approaches him, what is his body posture like? You say “most dogs”, what are the dogs that he seems more comfortable with? Is there a type?
I think when used in the right context, muzzles can be helpful. However, when used in the wrong situation it can make things worse. It depends a lot on the temperament of the dog, why he is showing the aggression, the surrounding context, etc.
What has worked well for my Shiba, in terms of his dog-to-dog reactivity, is to start small, go in small steps, and slowly help him associate other dogs with calmness and positive events. I manage his surrounding environment carefully, so that he is not exposed to situations he is unready for, and feels he must resort to aggression.
The more positive and rewarding experiences he has with other dogs, the more confidence and trust he builds, and the more comfortable he becomes with other dogs. Similarly, reactive episodes will undermine that trust, significantly set back retraining, and worsen his behavior.
A muzzle prevents a dog from doing physical damage to others, but it does not alleviate the underlying anxiety, stress, frustration, etc. A fearful dog may become even more anxious if muzzled, and then put in a stressful social situation with a group of unknown dogs.
Here are some articles on dog social tolerances and socialization –
http://www.badrap.org/dogdog-tolerance
http://www.badrap.org/smart-socializing
http://www.suzanneclothier.com/the-articles/he-just-wants-say-hi
http://shibashake.com/dog/my-dog-is-friendly
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
With Sephy, we did dog-to-dog desensitization exercises in a controlled and structured environment, under the direction of a trainer, and with trainer chosen dogs. A good professional trainer can help with first identifying the source of the reactive behavior, and then crafting an effective and safe plan for retraining.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/