Our Lab Aggressive Toward Dogs

[Guest Anonymous]

Has anyone had any experience with successfully training a dog to overcome dog-on-dog aggression? We have a 3 year old male lab (90 pounds) that recently attacked a 2 pound Yorkie. Our dog was leashed, but dragged our friend who was walking him.

The Yorkie looks like it will be ok after numerous visits to the vet, thank goodness. We met with a behaviorist last night who feels that our dog's aggression can be eliminated with proper training and we were able to successfully practice walking our dog by our neighbor's dog (both leashed) and our dog did get to the point where he would successfully ignore our neighbor's dog.

The trainer also felt that this aggression was directed toward animals, and saw no signs of aggression toward people. He felt that our dog wants to learn and wants to please us, so our dog will improve with proper training.

I'm somewhat nervous to keep our dog, however, and worried that I will never trust him again. We adopted him from a Lab Rescue and I hate to have subject him to being abandoned again. We are also preparing for the birth of our first child and am concerned about the relationship between our dog and the baby. Any thoughts?

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh Dear!

I'm having the same problem too, I'm going to see a behaviourist tomorrow and like you I'm really nervious about my dog, not keeping it but having to deal with what I think is eventual!! The problem only arose after having her spayed, she's 11 months and was spayed at 9 months.

I feel that the real problem is me, and then the dog...........reason, I've lost all trust in her and that makes me very nervious which does not make a good 'trainer' in me!!! I don't know how to relax enough to teach without her picking up on my nerves.

Any feedback would be great!

[Guest Anonymous]

Some dogs are just dog aggressive. Behavourist can teach a dog to hide it but he will ALWAYS be dog aggressive. You might buy a muzzle for when you go out of the house. the dog will get used to it and you wont have to worry about him killing a dog and being put down.

[Guest Anonymous]

I highly recommend the book Child Proofing Your Dog by Kilcommons to help you learn what you can do to make sure there are no problems there.
With the tiny Yorkie it might well have been that your dog did not recognize it as a dog but fixated on it as prey instead. Its GREAT you are working with a behaviorist. I hope he/she has you using a gentle leader to control your dog's head and mouth (see http://www.gentleleader.com) and to keep anyone from being towed along by him ever again!
Training and being the leader is what it is all about - if your dog learns to take its direction from you there should be little to no problems with future behavior.

[Guest Anonymous]

I have two lab mixes.One is as laid back as can be, the other is more aggressive.

Agression can be triggered by a number of things. Fear is one. Protection is another.
Past experience is a biggie. How did your og react to other dogs while in the shelter? Did some other dog, possibly a small one,make his life difficult?

If you can find these things out, it will help your behaviorist. The other thing you need to look into is whether it's just THIS
dog, or is it all small dogs? If the dog seems ok with people, think of how he has reacted to other dogs since you've had him.
Is he always agressive? Sometimes? Practically never?

With a baby on the way, you need to make the dog see you as the "Alpha Male" in the household. You are Top Dog. No matter what.
Which means additional training. He cant sleep on your bed, he cant go through doorways before you, he cant eat before you.
YOU control his environment. If you are the Top Dog, he will respect you and do everything your way, because that is the way
dogs think. Like a wolf pack,;you lead, he follows. Labs are VERY good dogs; they want to please. But remember, they were bred as working dogs, and had strong handlers who wouldnt put up with any crap. They had a job to do and were expected to do it. So the pack mentality is still in them. They will obey, if you show them YOU are the leader.
Mine still have issues - they refuse to learn total recall; but they are not aggressive and except for wanting to run free all day they are very good. One is a rescue and one is a semi-resuce - I adopted her as a puppy because I'm a sap for animals that may end up in a shelter, and that's where she was headed. She is stubborn and hard headed - but a good dog. The resuce was very badly treated and has had issues, which we got through. He is as gentle as a lamb.
Wants his way all the time though - they are ALL stubborn. I could tell you tales...

p.s. my cat is a rescue too, and the dogs dont bother him. They KNOW better. :smile: