What do you consider dog aggression?

 Barking playfully? No, LOL. Going after another dog with intent to draw blood? Yes.

Barking?  No.  To me dog aggression is when a dog is physically provoking another dog, or has so little tolerance for other dogs that it's not appropriate (I do allow the occasional dog-to-dog snark or correction when it's reasonable).  Sometimes there can be a prey drive aspect as well.  Dog aggression doesn't have to be a full on, unprovoked attack, but it's also not every bark or snark either.

I generally define aggression as providing uninhibited bites to another dog. I would not consider barking to be aggression. Might it be pushy or inappropriate?? Sure. But barking on its own I would not consider aggressive.

If you have been going to the park for a long time, and other owners like your dog, and your dog plays rough, but never sinks his teeth, I doubt he is aggressive.  If your dog accepts corrections from other dogs, I doubt he is aggressive.  If his body language is soft, and full of curves, he's probably fine.  If he barks at a wannabe dog who is humping another dog, that's pretty normal.  Lots of dogs feel they have to play the "fun police" under those circumstances.  There are many owners who have absolutely no idea what constitutes normal play.  If your dog has been well socialized and playing since he was 5 months old, is neutered, doesn't get any complaints for months and months, and continues to play without a fighting incident (and there is give and take in the play - he isn't on top all the time), then barking at another dog could hardly be considered aggression.  He was probably just reacting to the other dogs' behavior a bit loudly.  If you have any doubts, get a trainer to go with you and observe him at play, but my gut feeling at this point in the discussion is that the lady with the Leo is all wet and might just fear your dog because of his appearance or the noise.  That doesn't mean that your dog, or any dog, cannot develop tendencies which make them inappropriate for dog park attendance, but I would query the other owners (I would have asked her "which dogs?";) as to how they feel about Tyson as a playmate for their dogs.  They'll probably tell you their dog sleeps until Thursday after a rollicking good time.

My Brooke is the worst with play, she has NO manners BUT..  she is far from aggressive!  She growls, barks, bite at necks and will do anything she can to inhibit play but she is not aggressive.   If the other dog give her a warning she back away and goes away but she can be a pain in the neck to other dogs at times.  In my mind aggression is unfriendly and hostile behavior;  Your dog is fine just maybe not well mannered in the art of play.

Definitions of aggression on the Web:

• a disposition to behave aggressively
• a feeling of hostility that arouses thoughts of attack
• violent action that is hostile and usually unprovoked
• the act of initiating hostilities
• deliberately unfriendly behavior
  

Thanks for the responses everyone!

The odd thing about it was that the owner of the LB didn't do anything when the other dog mounted hers and neither did the owner of the mounting dog. I was the only owner in that 3 dog "fiasco" to step in but then she comes up to me all of a sudden?

Thats a good point about her possibly being intimidated by Tyson. He looked so small next to teh LB lol

Kim_MacMillan

I generally define aggression as providing uninhibited bites to another dog. I would not consider barking to be aggression. Might it be pushy or inappropriate?? Sure. But barking on its own I would not consider aggressive.

In this case, it sounds a lot like what Gracie does - she's telling them to knock it off/she doesn't like it.  (Admittedly, sometimes she's egging them on, too, depends on the situation.)  But if she'd like to play with one of them, she barks to tell them off, then breaks in with licking faces to chill them out a bit, a play bow, etc.  I have no problem with it if she comes when called.  From what you described, that woman has a twisted sense of "aggression", and I don't think anything needed to be corrected, since your dog came to you when called.  *shrug*

Edit to add - it just popped to mind - Is it even remotely possible she thought you owned the humping dog?  again, I shrug.

 Tootsie, will bark when excited. She will also jump up, to try and bite a larger dog. Who am I kidding, all dogs are larger or at least taller. To me this is not aggression, just being annoying.

spiritdogs

Lots of dogs feel they have to play the "fun police" under those circumstances. 

That came to mind when I read the OP. I notice this more in herders but it just may be the dogs I know. Buddy actually does the same thing. If dogs are wrestling and playing a little rough, Buddy will stand back about 5 feet and bark. We call him the "party pooper". People always hve different opinions about aggressive behaviour. First time owners often misinterpret normal dog play as aggression. Of course other people dismiss their dog's aggression - usually bullying - as normal play as well. So it goes both ways. If someone is uncomfortable with the way my dog interacts, I do try to respect their feelings and keep a close eye on my dog when they are around each other. Some dogs can be really sensitive as well.

miranadobe

Edit to add - it just popped to mind - Is it even remotely possible she thought you owned the humping dog?  again, I shrug.

I had thought of that as well but by the time she had came to me to talk about his "aggression" the humping dog had already left the park. I wondered if maybe she had approached the humping dog's owner and that thats why they left? IT seemed a bit sudden for the humping dog to leave since he had gotten to the park after I did and I stayed for only an hour or so.

This was the first time I'd ever seen that woman and her dog at the park though, and I know because thats the first leonberger I've ever seen in real life haha.  

 A negative remark from one person-don't worry about it.  You considered it, got advice, file it away.  You know your dog.  If you get more negative remarks from others, then worry.  If you've seen real dog aggression, barking just doesn't cut it.  She sounds a little overprotective and possibly not too dog wise.  She may not have seen many dogs socializing off leash before.

denise m

spiritdogs

Lots of dogs feel they have to play the "fun police" under those circumstances. 

 

That came to mind when I read the OP. I notice this more in herders but it just may be the dogs I know. Buddy actually does the same thing. If dogs are wrestling and playing a little rough, Buddy will stand back about 5 feet and bark. We call him the "party pooper". People always hve different opinions about aggressive behaviour. First time owners often misinterpret normal dog play as aggression. Of course other people dismiss their dog's aggression - usually bullying - as normal play as well. So it goes both ways. If someone is uncomfortable with the way my dog interacts, I do try to respect their feelings and keep a close eye on my dog when they are around each other. Some dogs can be really sensitive as well.

This is Tootsie.