How to manage an aggressive dog?

I've got no advise for you Lori but I had a good laugh when I read your post.  Can you guess what came to mind?  .............  I was picturing Willow's vet visit and feet sticking outta the mouth again!  LOL

I too am looking forward ot the responses.

I think control, first and foremost.  My Nikon is dog aggressive but not in the way most people think of it.  If I released him into a dog park, he would probably find a dog to pick on.  He has never ever been in so much as a spat with any of my dogs or dogs I bring into my home or carpool, but he's just not a dog's dog, doesn't care to make friends with any other dogs.  I call him "aggressive" because he is intact, dominant towards other males, and will pick fights.  However he's not reactive like a lot of dogs are (dogs that often I do not believe are even really aggressive).  I can put him in long downs with other dogs, walk him through the neighborhood, work him off leash in a pet store, heck I even show him on a shoe-string thin lead in a ring full of other intact males his age, or in the breed ring (where once he was directly behind a female in heat).  He's dog aggressive and always will be, but the difference is that I feel he is under control and he's not the flip-out-reactive type.  If there's something to fight about, he will fight sooner than back away and cower, but if there's nothing to fight about he doesn't really notice the other dogs.

Maggie tends toward dog aggression when dogs encroach on her space.  For management we do the following:

• Maggie is always on leash when off of our property unless she's in the agility ring.
• If we are walking and an off leash dog approaches I ask the owner to call their dog while I reel Maggie in close.
• I will body block or pick Maggie up if a dog reaches us.
• When walking I am always aware of my environment.
• We give all dogs a wider berth than necessary to prevent confrontation.

For my situation, it takes an abundance of caution. I'm always assessing the situation for "what ifs".  If I go to the vet and the waiting room is crowded, I keep Sassy in the car until they call me. If it's not, I go in but choose a corner area and make it clear that no one should sit too close to me. I've even used my leg to block the area in front/around us. I'm vocal to strangers that Sassy isn't always friendly. If they act like they don't believe me, I step in front of her and block the other dog. When we walk her, we step on to the grass or street when passing other dogs and leave more than enough room for lunging by either dog. I have the biggest problem with off leash dogs in my neighborhood but so far we've been lucky that it hasn't ever escalated into anything serious.

ETA - I also carry a bag of treats when we're out. Thankfully, she's a lab and can be easily distracted with food.

It's really hard to make a blanket statement because aggression comes in so many forms, and can be point-blank specific, or overly generalized. There's no one right answer to that question, I don't think.

However, first and foremost is safety. You have to ensure the safety of your own dog, and yourself, but most importantly other people and animals. That is the biggest responsibility to be held. If you cannot ensure the safety of the dog youself, then you either need to question whether you can rehome the dog (always a risk), or whether euthanasia is an option.

That said, you can only control so much of it yourself. You can have utmost responsibility and have utter fools rush up to you, or let their dogs rush up to you, with no respect for your wishes and needs and put themselves or others at risk. One the one hand you need to give ample warning, but in the end you can only do what you can do to keep your dog safe. If your dog is on leash, under verbal and leash control, and is minding its own business when a stray dog runs up to you, with no owner in sight, and your dog bites it, well I would be hard pressed to say that it is your fault. You have done your best to prevent any negative encounters but you can't prevent and control everything.

I live with two dogs who exhibit unwanted tendencies in different scenarios. One can be dog-aggressive, and doesn't like strangers, the other is environmentally sensitive and just doesn't enjoy certain encounters in certain situations, and while I do not believe she would aggress to the point of injury, I do not wish to ever put her in a situation in which that becomes an option, nor do I want to make her face what she would consider a trauma and then have to "fix" the new problem. As her guardian it is my job to prevent that.

But you do need to have control.
You need to do training to try to work with what you have.
You have to be aware of the environment around you, all the time. This is part of being responsible. When I'm out with Gaci we never just "go for a walk". I am always on the alert to who and what is in the range of 50 meters or more of us.

In the end, it's all about responsibility, safety, and control. Beyond that, it really is a mucky area because aggression is too complex and broad to make blanket statements on.

One thing that makes it hard with a dog like Sassy is that people assume because she's a lab, she's friendly. She also isn't one to appear upset or make any outward signs of aggression. Because I've seen her react in a flash though, I know to be cautious. I think Sassy is mostly fear aggressive, so it's when she feels confronted or cornered that she reacts. I'd guess that she didn't get much socialization when she was young but since we've had her, she's come a very long way. She'd probably be fine in most situations, but I'll never let my guard down and take a chance.

As you guys know, Jason is dog agressive.

With him it is actually farely simple. He is ALWAYS on leash, when he is outside (I live in an apartment, so no yard anyways). I use a flexi, so when it is safe, he can roam a bit more. I am ALWAYS on the lookout for other dogs - even if I happen to take him out at 3 am! When another leashed dog approaches, I reel Jason in so I have a bit more control and work on his focus, when the situation allows. He knows the difference between leashed and unleashed dogs very well though, and is generally a lot more relaxed around leashed dogs. Unfortunately those are the minority. When I see an unleashed dog, I pick Jason up and shoo the other dog away. I've tried talking to the owners, 98% don't care, so I usually just handle the situation myself.

This actually works very well in preventing bad situations. The only time in the last 2 years Jason got to another dog is when his leash slipped out of my hands. Thankfully THIS dog got the picture and ran off pretty quickly and wasn't any worse for wear!

I don't know how some of you do it. I have a lot of respect for people that properly manage DA dogs.

Casey does not like strangers reaching for him. If HE comes to them, he's fine. To ward off any issues - I just say he bites. Cuts off issues before anything could happen. I don't like for him to be in situations where he is not comfortable. I don't think he'd react and bite anymore - but I'm not willing to take that chance.

 Emma was human and dog aggressive. If I didn't keep her out and about, it got much, MUCH worse, so.... She was acclimated to, and accepted a basket muzzle. She was kept on a slip lead or harness, at all times. I only allowed certain people (who are adults, and know that she didn't tolerate hugging, lifting, etc) to touch her, and I used a lot of body blocks and VERY clear language with people. She was a very, very cute dog, and she would wiggle and wag happily, if people talked to her. She was not, in any way, a stable dog, and it was a lot worse than most people know. I managed her well, for the most part. She did inflict one serious bite, but, dang it, she was in my arms, and someone who knew "the rules" got right in her face. I didn't have time to react before she did.

She was extremely well trained, and obedient. She loved working, and being beside me, and I do think that helped, quite a bit. She was good at ignoring the world, when she was engaged with me. She wore her muzzle in crowded places, vet's offices, and when she became uneasy with things, and she was fine with that. She was a LOT more work than I even realized, and it all got worse, with age.  She was better trained, but less predictable. It took constant, complete attention on her to keep her safe from the people around her.

What do you think is needed to manage a dog aggressive dog?

1. Keep yourself and other animals safe at all times.  Prevent, manage, train, modify behavior through desensitization/counterconditioning.

2. Don't be ashamed to put your dog in a muzzle if the dog is truly aggressive, and not just reactive, or you aren't sure.  What other people think is not important because it's your dog that could die if there's an incident.  Preventing a "bite history" is very important!

3. Be sure to rule out any physical cause for your dog's aggression before you establish a training or behavior modification protocol.  Medications can help some dogs, either short term or long term, so don't necessarily avoid them in favor of other modalities.  Positive and holistic people tend to view meds with suspicion, which is good, but if your dog could benefit (again, think safety) don't reject them just on principle - see what really works.  Case in point: Mr. X, small terrier mix shelter rescue, couldn't be touched by anyone but owner, terrified of grooming, handling, etc.  After going on Clomicalm, Mr. X walks into the grooming salon, tail wagging, and everyone can handle, bathe, and dry him with no problem!  There are almost no "magic bullets", but occasionally we do see remarkable improvement:-)

4. Do not try to use aggression or pain-inducing equipment to treat aggression.  You can make things much, much worse.

5. Realize that aggression is normal, a coping mechanism for ALL dogs, it's just that most dogs have a higher threshold for being triggered than your dog does.  Work below threshold all the time.  The more the dog realizes he was ok, and didn't have to use aggression, the more he will treat similar experiences without using aggression.  Practice makes perfect.  Work toward practicing calm, and rewarding bravery, NOT on waiting for the dog to be aggressive so you can punish it.

6. The best way to prevent aggression is to socialize puppies EARLY!!!!!  Your dog may not have had the valuable lessons this provides between ages 8-12 weeks.  (The American Veterinary Behavior Society believes that you should not wait until your pup has all its shots!  The reason?  By then, the socialization period is virtually over.  Is it risky?  Sure.  But, behavior problems are MORE risky to dogs' lives overall.)  When choosing your next dog, choose a dog that is SOCIAL (don't take one that is a liability just because you feel bad - taking that one might mean a really good dog has to die), or get a pup from a reputable breeder (they start the socialization process early by taking puppy to different places, putting them on different substrates, making noises acceptable, etc.) and continue the socialization process as soon as you get the puppy home. (Avoid places where dogs urinate and defecate, but take him everywhere, enroll in puppy class (if no one takes pups that young, show them the AVSAB position paper on puppy socialization, and educate them!) or join or form a puppy play group (meetup.com).

7. Don't watch TV, read books, or visit web sites, and expect to know what to do.  Get a professional behaviorist or trainer who is experienced with aggression, to help you.  Your dog isn't the dog on TV and the solution may not be right for your dog (and that goes for EITHER Millan or Stillwell!)  Many other problems can be solved hit or miss, but aggression is one that you don't want to get out of hand.  IAABC or the Animal Behavior Society are good sites with listings of pros.  You can also get referrals from the nearest vet school.

8. Never excuse aggression, just analyze it.  Why is the dog using aggression (what's the trigger?)  Is the dog being reinforced for using aggression, and how is that happening? (If we recognize the trigger, and the reinforcement, we can avoid triggers and remove reinforcement.  Dogs do what the receive reinforcement for, whether it's an environmental reinforcement, or it comes from us.)

9. Learn all you can.  There are some great behaviorists who have DVD's on various forms of aggression.  Even if you do use a behaviorist, it helps to learn more.  Tawzer Dog Videos is a good source.

10. Love your dog - just manage your dog, too.

spiritdogs

7. Don't watch TV, read books, or visit web sites, and expect to know what to do.  Get a professional behaviorist or trainer who is experienced with aggression, to help you.  Your dog isn't the dog on TV and the solution may not be right for your dog (and that goes for EITHER Millan or Stillwell!)  Many other problems can be solved hit or miss, but aggression is one that you don't want to get out of hand.  IAABC or the Animal Behavior Society are good sites with listings of pros.  You can also get referrals from the nearest vet school.

I'll be honest. I never, ever, had a professional trainer to help me with Gaci. There just wasn't anybody in my area. It's why in the beginning I did feel all alone. I had the folks who followed the only "pro" trainer here tell me I needed to use an ecollar to teach her. I had folks saying you just need to alpha roll her and let other dogs correct her (WHAT?!?!?!). I was truly on my own, and I did have to fumble through it by joining many many online training groups, buying hundreds of dollars in books, and just trying things out. It's partly why I decided to become a trainer. And thankfully I did because I don't know where we'd be otherwise. I was lucky in that I have great observation skills naturally so I knew what was and wasn't working, and I learned very quickly her triggers (and this was long before I knew about reading body language, and what triggers were, etc).

I do not in any way recommend that people try to do it on their own, but just saying that I was really on my own to learn how to work with this dog. It was that, or euthanize her, and I couldn't do that at the time. I'm sure there are other folks out there somewhere who are in the same boat, so I just wanted to use that as a shout-out to not give up.

Kim, I had a similar experience with not being able to find a trainer in the beginning.  I was DESPERATE for one.  I called everywhere.  I found that most around here unless they are the "alpha roll" type trainers won't work with a chow.  And, I couldn't bring her to a class because she was so. . .unpredictable especially at first.  I wasn't even sure I trusted her with people.  I finally found someone over an hour away.  A reputatable chow breeder couple that had also opened a large kennel and boarding, training facility.  They actually had chow only classes.  But, I did a private lession first with one of the "positive" trainers to get her evaluated.  But, as soon as she said, "If she were my dog, I'd roll her and if  she didn't submit, I'd put her down."  EXACT QUOTE of what she told me.  That was almost seven years ago and to this day I wish I had the nerve to go over there and tell her off.  She made me even more unsure and scared than I already was.  Or, she suggested I send her to one of those places that train and then send them back all set!  Yeah, even then I knew that wasn't going to work unless the guy was going to move in and do everything for me after. 

Kim_MacMillan

spiritdogs

7. Don't watch TV, read books, or visit web sites, and expect to know what to do.  Get a professional behaviorist or trainer who is experienced with aggression, to help you.  Your dog isn't the dog on TV and the solution may not be right for your dog (and that goes for EITHER Millan or Stillwell!)  Many other problems can be solved hit or miss, but aggression is one that you don't want to get out of hand.  IAABC or the Animal Behavior Society are good sites with listings of pros.  You can also get referrals from the nearest vet school.

I'll be honest. I never, ever, had a professional trainer to help me with Gaci. There just wasn't anybody in my area. It's why in the beginning I did feel all alone. I had the folks who followed the only "pro" trainer here tell me I needed to use an ecollar to teach her. I had folks saying you just need to alpha roll her and let other dogs correct her (WHAT?!?!?!). I was truly on my own, and I did have to fumble through it by joining many many online training groups, buying hundreds of dollars in books, and just trying things out. It's partly why I decided to become a trainer. And thankfully I did because I don't know where we'd be otherwise. I was lucky in that I have great observation skills naturally so I knew what was and wasn't working, and I learned very quickly her triggers (and this was long before I knew about reading body language, and what triggers were, etc).

I do not in any way recommend that people try to do it on their own, but just saying that I was really on my own to learn how to work with this dog. It was that, or euthanize her, and I couldn't do that at the time. I'm sure there are other folks out there somewhere who are in the same boat, so I just wanted to use that as a shout-out to not give up.

I agree that you should not give up on finding the right advice.  Unfortunately, you are correct that it can be hard to find.  But, often, people do not contact the places that can give proper referrals.  That's why it's important to remember that veterinary colleges, animal behavior societies, and emergency veterinary clinics often have those resources available.  Absent someone close enough to evaluate the dog in person, some of them will do telephone consultations, realizing that you may have no other options.

willowchow

Kim, I had a similar experience with not being able to find a trainer in the beginning.  I was DESPERATE for one.  I called everywhere.  I found that most around here unless they are the "alpha roll" type trainers won't work with a chow.  And, I couldn't bring her to a class because she was so. . .unpredictable especially at first.  I wasn't even sure I trusted her with people.  I finally found someone over an hour away.  A reputatable chow breeder couple that had also opened a large kennel and boarding, training facility.  They actually had chow only classes.  But, I did a private lession first with one of the "positive" trainers to get her evaluated.  But, as soon as she said, "If she were my dog, I'd roll her and if  she didn't submit, I'd put her down."  EXACT QUOTE of what she told me.  That was almost seven years ago and to this day I wish I had the nerve to go over there and tell her off.  She made me even more unsure and scared than I already was.  Or, she suggested I send her to one of those places that train and then send them back all set!  Yeah, even then I knew that wasn't going to work unless the guy was going to move in and do everything for me after. 

 

Working with Chows is difficult because they are known as a breed that is sometimes aggressive toward strangers.  But, that's one reason that clicker training can be so useful with them - the trainer does not have to physically interact with the dog to make progress;-)  I'm very careful when I work with Chows, but there are ways to lessen the danger through management, and breed should not be an excuse to avoid working with an individual dog.  However, there are also times when, no matter what breed you have in front of you, it is best to refer the dog to another professional.  For example, in those cases where you are thinking that medication might help.  I don't use local vets for that.  I usually refer my clients to a vet behaviorist in the area who is exceptionally well versed in psychopharmacology for use with dogs.  He "gets" the slight differences between meds that can make all the difference.  And, that's important because some of the meds lose effectiveness if you take the dog off the med and try to resume it later.  So, getting a good Rx in the first place can be a life saver.

Lori, maybe you could sue that trainer for false advertising