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Dog aggressive on walks
I have a rescue named Bekka. She is a 5 year old Shetland Sheepdog and after settling in to her foster home (hope to be permanent home if this aggression can be resolved) she started showing dog aggression on walks.
She lunges/barks/whines/tail up/growls and at times will flail around....if she sees a dog on walks.
On Monday August17th, she bolted out the house and spotted a lab and german shepherd and charged and attacked the lab (screaming, nipping, barking) She did tear the lab's side, but the dog didnt need sutures.
She is now muzzled on walks...but what can I do to ensure Bekka isn't sent back into the foster care system and possibly her behaviour excels...
HELP
Asked by
Guest 093984
on Aug 20th 2009
Tagged
in Aggression
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- This question is closed.
Best Answer
You need to get a good trainer involved here. If you don't teach her properly, things will not get better and she may never find a permanent home.
My dog had a similar issue with the lunging and whining, but it wasn't aggression so much as he thought he had every right to go to every dog he saw. The problem was he is big and it intimidated people. A trainer walked me through these steps. Carry a pouch of super yummy treats. When you see a dog, get on the other side of the street and immediately start putting the treats to her nose at the same time rotating her so she can't see the dog. You have to see the dog first and get her attention on you. If she sees the dog and goes besirk, walk away. Say nothing, just walk away. If she doesn't see the dog, rotate her so her back is to the dog, put her in a sit and give yummy's. Eventually working to putting a treat to her nose then up to your eyes saying "watch me". When she does treat and praise. She has to focus on you first, not the dog.
answered on Aug 20th.
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Answers
I also have a foster dog who growls and goes nuts when she sees another dog on walks. My Foster is Chocolate Lab and she is very fearful and inexperienced with many things. Oddly enough introducing her into my home with my dogs was easy. I had my son bring our male dog out and we walked them together and then brought the two in to meet our 7 month old puppy. They get along great.
But if a neighbor dog barks she act defensive. The answer for Pamela was chicken. I walked her every day past the barking dogs and calmly baited her to "look" at me and fed her tidbits of chicken. It's best to stay calm, stop, sit the dog, request the dog focus on you (and the food), when she is calm you can move on. This takes practice and a very calm handler. It's okay to use leash corrections to get her attention as well, but I find the food sends a more positive message.
Pamela - Adopted!!!!
answered on 8/20/09.
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