Help, Scrappy showed dog aggression!

[Scrappysmom]

Hi all, I need some help with this. My DH was walking Scrappy and Nickie, at the Wilderness Ranch subdivision in Idaho. Very rural with lots of dogs, some fenced and some not. Both of our dogs were leashed. I was not there so this is second hand info from my spouse. They were going up the road and on one side was a German Short Haired Pointer barking and growling behind a fence, and on the other side, an Akita was growling and barking in a menacing way. Scrappy could not tell that they were fenced. Suddenly a young lab came up to our dogs in a friendly way, not leashed or fenced and sniffed around with no problem. Then the Lab did a "play-bow" to Nickie, our female mix and Scrappy went ballistic and lunged toward the Lab! My DH pulled him back and got the dogs out of there! Scrappy has never before shown ANY aggression before towards anyone! We are nervous now about taking him around other dogs. He has been fine with kids and cats. Please advise, should we get a trainer? We have never had a dog before that has shown any form of aggression but all of our dogs we have ever had have been adopted and we don't know the previous history. Scrappy was two years old when we adopted him from the Humane Society and we were just told that the previous owner had no time to train him. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Cami]

I would forgo the trainer and find a qualified behaviorist. If he was truly going for the other dog then it is a behavior that needs addressed verses the need for a trainer.
That being said you have to also weigh the situation. You mentioned two other dogs that were being threatening in some fashion. Your dog didn't know they were fenced. By this time he might have been on "high alert". Then an additional dog approaches him. They have two choices. Flight or fight (when feeling threatened). He couldn't leave since he was on leash. Only other option was fight (or submit).
In the grand scheme of things a lunge is nothing in comparison to what could have happened if he were truly wanting to cause harm.
Was any noise made (growling)? Any snarling, snapping?
How did he react after the incident and how long did it take him to regain his composure?
Too many variables to "brand" him as being aggressive especially as seeing that he may very well have felt the need to protect your DH and the other dog.
OR.....his intention by lunging was taken out of context by your DH?

 

[Scrappysmom]

My DH is very dog sensible and my thought is that he would not overreact but thank you for asking. He told me that Scrappy barked at the Lab and did not growl or show his teeth and it took just seconds after he led our dogs away for him to calm down. He walked the dogs down the same path tonight and talked to the Akita's mom. The Akita was still there and barking but not growling. The mom was very understanding and told my DH that the Akita was arthitic and old and should not be challanging young dogs. Scrappy and Nickie were very pleasant to this lady even though she must smell like the Akita. I would have been there myself but was cooking dinner. The other dog, the German Shorthair was there barking as well, but our dogs were fine. Scrappy and Nickie tonight are just playing as normal and do not seem to have any aftereffects. I will make a point to be there on the next walk in that area.

 

[sargboxerluv]

If its never happened before I would think it was due to the other 2 dogs barking aggressively at your dogs. He probably thought the dog was going to attack and was acting defensively.

Just pay attention to his behavior next time you see other dogs. How does he react when it's obviousthe dog is friendly? How does he react when the other dog barks or if their are any other dogs in the background barking? I would base the need for a behaviorist on those encounters rather than just this one.

 

[Kilby'sMum]

You know what's strange about this.....Kilby is quite possibly the world's most gentle dog and the only breed she has ever growled at is labs. Not sure what the issue is and she's never had any bad experiences with them, just something about them gets her all riled up.

In your case I would guess it was just the barking of the other dogs that put Scrappy in a heightened state and he just reacted badly to the lab. As has been said, I would just keep an eye on them from now on but I wouldn't worry too much (remember, if your anxious approaching other dogs, that feeling will travel down the leash).

Good luck, I'm sure Scrappy will be fine.... with such a cute name he has to be harmless

 

[Scrappysmom]

Scrappy has always been friendly with other dogs. When neighborhood dogs bark, he sometime joins them but never seems to be upset. He does seem to be very attached to Nickie and it would make sense that he was protecting her.

 

[Widges]

We are nervous now about taking him around other dogs.

As long as you have him under control I believe that taking him where there are other dogs that are also under control is the best thing you can do for him.

 

[Bufords Pop]

There was a lot going on all at once for your dog to take in.. Sounds like he got spooked- which happens much more than people think.. I know this isn't what you're saying at all, but all too often society tends to want to label a dog that snaps (bites at air- not snaps as in goes crazy-) as "bad" when in actuality you're dog was just being a dog.. Heck, even us humans "snap" when things freak us out- we just do it by yelling.. Sounds like your dog was just doing the equivalent of yelling.. I'd keep my eye on it, and would definitely look into the behaviorist option mentioned- but it sounds like the dog was just doing what comes natural.. Also, don't forget that your dog being on a leash, and the other one not was a big factor as well.. I'm not saying don't leash him- just that in a dogs eyes he could have felt backed into a corner with everything else going on and his "flight" option taken away.. One of my dogs is much more uncomfortable around strange dogs when he's on a leash.. Take the same dog off the leash and he's fine with any dog- he just walks away.. Just something to think about

 

[Scrappysmom]

Thank you everyone for helping me to put this situation into perspective! Scrappy is normally calm and friendly, and I think he just reacted the way a normal dog would under the circumstances. Still, I will be on alert for any other behaviors. I will continue to socialize him with other dogs and keep a look out for any aggressive behaviors and consult a behaviorist if it happens again. Thank you again, Boxerworld members for helping!

 

[Scrappysmom]

Good Dogs!

My DH and I were walking Scrappy and Nickie tonight on leash at the same path in Wilderness Ranch. We walked past the barking Akita and talked to the mom and once Mom was there the Akita stopped barking. Akita is fenced. Then walked past the German Short Haired Pointer who was barking happily! Then a 50 pound white Pitt Bull came running up off leash and the dogs had a good sniff. The Pitt Bull's Grandfather and Mom were there and talked to us. Then on the way home Scrappy and Nickie met our next door neighbors new lab mix and a minute or so of barking, they seemed to get along fine! No aggressive barking or lunging on anyone's part.