When a dog is leashed they are less confident and cannot escape. So a shiba would always choose to fight than to flee. This is why I stopped approaching other dogs to say hi during walks unless they show an obvious happy reaction. It you see the fur go up and their body becomes stiff. Turn around and avoid, honestly, with what you said I’ll turn around and escape all dogs that you come across with. Until they can have a proper socialization in dog parks. This is the same exact reason why they require you to take the leash off in a dog park.

What would you recommend for an puppy that is about the same size and weight as you and is exhibiting this behaviour? For example, I find it hard to be a pack leader when I am facing a dog my biting at my hands/body/leash when a walk is ending (and when I say the walk is ending I mean a pretty long walk of approx 1.5 hours). I have tried to get my puppy to sit or do commands when she is behaving like this with very delicious treats such as chicken (she loves chicken) but she is so fixated on continuing the walk that she ignores the treats. I have also tried to take her on alternate routes but after 1 new route walk she always realises that we are on the way home and starts the biting.

I think it’s the collies nature. I have an with month old collie and he does the same. Never bit yet and hope not. At times I feel like I’m loosing my mind and my boyfriend is getting so upset. I really don’t wanna have to give him away. He’s always bawling on my older sons arms and sometimes shows teeth to other family members but never me. He is neutered as well. My vet said I need to find a trainer that works with aggression. We know that can be pricy. I was just wondering if you found any helpful stuff. Thanks in advance.

Just to add to my post – our rough collie is neutered.

How old are your dogs? How long have you had your dogs? Have they always shown this behavior? What kind of past experiences have they had with other dogs? What kind of training are they used to?

I leash train my dogs separately. When they are together, they are a lot more reactive because they feed off of each other’s excitement and behavior.

I help my dog be more comfortable and calm with other dogs, by doing dog-to-dog desensitization exercises. The key with desensitization is to start small, use distance to weaken the “other dog” stimulus, and to always set my dog up for success. The more calm and successful other-dog experiences that he has, the more confidence and trust he gains, the more positive associations he forms, and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, reactive experiences will undermine that confidence and trust, set back desensitization training, and worsen his behavior.

Therefore, I always try to set my dog up for success. We did desensitization training in a structured environment, with trainer chosen dogs, and under the supervision of a trainer. During our regular walks, I manage our environment by walking during off-hours and driving him to a quiet, low stimulus area, if necessary. I use distance and barriers to weaken the other-dog stimulus, and we create neutral experiences by ignoring other dogs.

The key with my Shiba Inu is to manage his routine and environment. I start small, and at a far enough distance that he is able to remain calm and listen to me. As he gains confidence and trust, then I can very slowly increase the environmental challenge.

More on how I deal with dog-to-dog aggression.

More on dog socialization-
http://www.badrap.org/dogdog-tolerance
http://www.badrap.org/smart-socializing
http://www.badrap.org/keeping-peace
http://shibashake.com/dog/dog-socialization-what-why-how
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/socializing-your-puppy

Articles on what to look out for when finding a trainer/behaviorist-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/

1) One of them would pulls and barks with all teeth showing whenever he is on a leash and sees another dogs (especially dogs of his size or bigger than him);

2) When he is not on leash, he doesn’t bark as aggressive but he would jump towards other similar size or bigger dogs and start nipping on them (again, with all teeth showing). When this happen, my other Klee Kai would join in and started to gang up then the aggression begin;

3) I also notice they only do that to breeds outside of their own as well as Shiba Inu, is there a particular reason why?

Thanks!

With my Shiba, I did desensitization exercises with him early on to help him get more comfortable with cyclists, skateboarders, etc. The more positive new experiences he has, the more confidence he gains, and the more comfortable he becomes with new things. Similarly, bad experiences will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and worsen his fear behaviors. Therefore, I always try to set my dogs up for success and not expose them to situations that they are not ready to handle.
ASPCA article on desensitization and counter-conditioning.

As for the grass in butt thing, my Shiba also gets pretty frantic when stuff doesn’t come out all the way. With Sephy, it usually works out best for him to get it out himself. I also don’t let him eat too much grass.

However, I do not let him bite on me or other people. If he is on-lead and starts to leash bite or jump on me, I fast march him home on a very short lead. I can do this because he has very good bite inhibition, and has never broken skin.
More on my leash-biting experiences with Sephy.

For reactive biting behavior, I would consult with a good, positive-based trainer. With my Shiba, I have found that it is best to address undesirable behaviors right away, so that it does not escalate or expand into other circumstances.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://shibashake.com/dog/finding-a-dog-trainer