aggression towards other dogs

[shannonmac]

hey guys its been quite awhile since ive posted to boxerworld...but as of late i'm having a big problem with kneesaa...she has always been awesome around other dogs...we actually moved back home with my mom for a few months and she has a pitbull a month younger than kneesaa and a newfoundland and she gets along great with them...but after those few months i moved in with friends...one of whom also had a pitbull...i was not worried about this b/c kneesaa has gotten along great with other dogs in the past...she usually just lies down and lets them sniff her and then gives them lots of licks...the two of them were great in the house for about a week....next thing i know we are sitting in the kitchen and the pit "caesar" lunged right at her and locked onto her ear...it took 5 minutes of the 2 guys in the room to get him off her while he tried to drag her into the basement to do god only knows what....i had to rush her to the vet and she had three punture wounds that went right through her ear...she also rolled over and started going into convulsions right after the attack....i have since moved out of that house and in with my boyfriend in an apartment complex that allows dogs...we see other dogs all the time now...and since then kneesaa has been VERY aggressive towards the other dogs...there are about 5 other boxers in the complex and when they come over to play with her the minute they jump and start boxing she growls a very deep growl and barks very menicingly and lunges at them!!!!:eek: i don't know what to do...i brought her by my parents house and once again she is fine with their dogs...but im assuming it must be because she knows them...but she has NEVER acted this way with dogs she doesn't know...it just infuriates me b/c after the incident i found out that was the third time this pit had attacked another dog...and he allowed him to run around the house with my dog...without EVER TELLING ME!!!! :mad: and now kneesaa is overly aggressive and its really getting me worried...sorry this is so long...but any advice would be much appreciated... thanks

 

[mobrian]

I am sorry your baby got attacked:(

One thing you might try is when you come across one of the other dogs at your complex is have Kneesaa sit and you pet the other dog and let her see that it is good. Then treat Kneesaa if she acts appropriately. If she lunges at the other dog correct her and try again. Do not give her any possitive reward for the bad behavior like telling her its ok in a sweet voice.

 

[douma]

I'm very sorry:( it was a very bad experiance for Kneessa:(
For sure,now she is under stress and fear + stress often result in aggressive behaviour
She needs desensitization to dogs again and also she needs to come down her stress and boost her self confidence
I would choose her playmates very carefully and i would walking her by other dogs as close as it couldn't make her very reactive

who could blame Kneessa for her behavior ? :(


((((((((hugs)))))))))

Sophia and Avra

 

[mdowling]

Hi,
Your first mistake was to move in someone and have your dog share space with a Pit Bull. I own an AmStaff and while years of breeding have left them with a very solid temperment around people. They are dog aggressive period, Petey is about 10 mos right now and we still enjoy the dog park. But once he hits a year I will stop taking him. Because after about 1 1/2 years they come into there own and will start to look to do what they were bred to do. It would be irresponsible of me to take my dog to a dog park after that, it's inviting disaster. That would be like owning a labrador and throwing a stick into on coming traffic and saying Oh it's O.K. this one doesn't retrieve. Well one day that dog is going to retrieve, it's what they were bred to do. Anybody familiar with breed Pit Bull and is responsible and serious about owning one responsibly, doesn't try to deny there dog aggressive tendencies. People who do that are usually people with very little experieince with the breed, and are dilluting themselves. In other words the guy you moved in with is jerk for not warning you. I blame him not you, he owns the breed if he's read anything on the breed he owns, he should know that was a disaster waiting to happen.
Now your problem a behaviorist may be able to help you, but a boxer is a distant relative of the original bully bred dogs, they all descended from the mastiff and the boxer can be a scrapper. It could just be that you dog got into a fight and maybe liked it and is looking for another one. If that's the case your dog park days are over. You can set up for people to bring there dogs to you where you can supervise them. But always leash your dog, and be wary when other dogs approach that there may be a problem. If his aggression isn't spilling over towards humans try to regulate the interaction your dog has with unfamiliar dogs as much as possible and consult a behaviorist. But whatever you do, don't try to ignore the problem like it isn't there. Don't run your dog to the dog park and 'see how she does' it could end horribly she's not going to outgrow it. You have a dog aggressive dog, be responsible in all situations with it.

 

[douma]

Originally posted by mdowling
You have a dog aggressive dog, be responsible in all situations with it.

Oh no,no way....how could you tell this?i think Kneessa is just a fearful dog now and after a desensitization program she will be fine and happy again,not all dogs after an attack become aggressive toward other dogs



Sophia

 

[mdowling]

Hi Sophia,

I was just saying that if the dog is now lunging and trying to attack other dogs. Don't put it in a position where disaster can strike, that's irresponsible. A dog that tries to attack other dogs is dog aggressive, it doesn't matter if the aggression is fear based, or dominance based, it is still just as dangerous and serious. It doesn't make the dog a bad dog, but don't ignore it or minimalize it. Or it can very bad for all parties involved, of course with training and help by a good behaviorist, the dog can and I'm sure will be fine. But for now it is dog aggressive and I would tread lightly while re-introducing it to other unfamiliar dogs, and definitely keep it out of the dog park and not let the dog off leash.

-Mike D

 

[Adelle]

I am sorry that kneesaa had such a bad experience. I would strongly recommend hiring a good behaviorist to help you work through this so that kneesaa can be comfortable with strange dogs again :(

Let us know how it goes.

 

[shannonmac]

like i said in the first post...its only with dogs she is unsure of and its only when they lung to play with her (you know boxer style) thats the only time that she gets aggressive...i wasn't sure if trying obedience school where she will be with me...on her leash around other dogs would help...like i said...before this she was very, very submissive...she would roll over and let them smell her and lick her, and then once she was sure it was ok she'd play...it wasn't until after the attack...and i highly doubt that she liked it...she was screaching, almost had her ear tore of and never even got a chance to defend herself b/c he had her by the head.... so i really don't think she's out looking for a fight...i just think she's nervous... but only around dogs she doesn't know... my parents have a pit that they rescued at 8 weeks old...and her and kneesaa have been around each other since that time...they are only a month apart in age and kneesee is a year and 8 months now... they are fine together...and i think its b/c she knows zoe isn't going to hurt her...i just think she's scared of these other dogs...b/c she doesn't know what they are gonna do... (she is actually fine around little dogs... she just whines at me and wants to go play...its only the bigger dogs)

 

[tanya22]

First I am a FAR FAR cry from an expet but common sence would say the poor dog had a bad expeience and is traumatised.
I would go slow with her and make sure her dealings with unfimilar dogs are positive.
. It had to have been quite a shock for her.
Mentally and physically.
Poor baby.
She is not aggresive! she is worrried she will be attacked again. Any person/animal with half a brain would be.

 

[douma]

Hi Mike
Kneesaa remind of this case....one day,2 months ago, i was at the top of the hill with Avra on leash and i saw a man with a female GSD,as they came close, his dog went ballistic,she started growling ,lunging,barking towards Avra,she looked like a monster,BUT because i had seen this dog before i knew that she was an afraid dog,so i told the man to go 20m away and let his dog off leash....you should see that..it was amazing,the monster became a sheep at once she sent calming signals to Avra turning her head,licking her nose and smelling the ground.

Avra now she is almost 3 1/2 years old and at the age of 9 to 12 months she was attacked by 3 dogs ,one of them was a doberman and the other two were labradors,after that she became afraid of the dogs,but i kept going at the park or hill every day to meet dogs there.
She knows very well the dogs body language,the calming signals and because we have many stray dogs here,she would meet new dogs every day
Yesterday during walking we met a pack of 7 dogs,they came close to us and Avra let them to smell her,choosing one of them to play,bowing her body and then we went away

Yes, my dog has issues with some female dogs which glance at her,but in no way i could say that i have an aggressive dog

Sophia.