HELP PLEASE!! My dogs turned aggressive when on the lead.

Hi

I would really appreciate any ones advice as my problem with my dog is beginning to get worse!

Got my dog 4 years ago from a shelter. She has been to puppy socialization classes and also doggy creche when she was two. She is excellent at her commands....sit, stay, wait and walking to heel etc. She is loveable and recalls when off the lead......unless there is another dog and she will go bounding over to play!! That used to be the problem we had with her but now it has strangely moved on to something a lot more serious! For the past few months, we have been unable to walk our dog past any other dogs when she is on the lead!! She started by howling at the other dog and jumping up, crying too.....as if she desperately wanted to play, which would make sense as she loves to play when off the lead! Now though, it has changed to a lunge at the other dog and growls, snaps and showing her teeth aggressively!! This continues until I have managed to get her walking on past the dog to which she is then instantly calm and happy, tail wagging again!!
The problem is she is a very large, strong dog....we think she is a Belgium Shepherd crossbreed.......and I have to use all my might to keep a hold of her when she is lunging! I have twice fell to my knees whilst hanging on to her and once got completely tied up in a knot with her as she lunged at every angle she could to get to this other dog.....ending with me standing on her paw and us both in a heap on the floor! Her aggressiveness/dominance usually sets off the other dog too and then there is two dogs going for each other which only makes my dog pull even harder on the lead!
I dont know why she behaves like this. She lives with a cat, we can take food away from her without growls, we dont play aggresive games with her and she is walked about three-four times a day. I feel so embarrassed when she does this and I fear for what might happen if I accidently let go of her or the lead snaps!
Is she trying to protect me perhaps? I honestly dont know........and it is with every dog, big or small, apart from puppies, for some strange reason!!..........

Sorry this thread is long, I just wanted to give any one who is able to respond enough information.
Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thank you all

When a dog is on lead they have lost their option to get away from stuff that stresses them out or worries them, so often the response is apparent aggression, or confused signals (barking and wagging the tail).
Have you considered training classes so you can train her to be calm round other dogs? You could try walking her on a Halti or head-collar. That will give you far more control. I would use one with a double-ended lead and attach one end to the collar, one to the Halti. That way you can control her properly.
You could teach her to pay attention to you more - say Watch me, give a treat. Encourage her to look into your face. When it is captured (the dog does it automatically) it can be used when you see another dog, to bring her attention back to you - then reward. You need to do this at a distance at first. Don`t be embarassed to turn and walk away from other dogs. The idea is to control your dog, not to force a confrontation.
A behaviourist would help but be wary! Some are not helpful. Look for proper qualifications (APDT or similar)

Thank you very much for your response.
I have tried the treat as we walk up to the other dog and she is good and I have her attention but then as soon as we pass the dog, she does her lunge!
I will look at haltis as that will give me better control, which is what I need......and like you say, even just turning and walking in another direction.
I will look for a trainer and thanks for the tip about APDT qualified. Im guessing there are a lot of charletons out there, so I ll look out for that qualification.

Thanks very much for your advice x

If this has suddenly got worse, I would pop ehr to the vet and check everything is okay, could be she is wooried the other dog may hurt her if she is in pain somewhere, particulalrly around the hips. Just a thought and may be worth checking out.

I'm so sorry, but I find this hard to read... English is my second language, and where I come from we use paragraphs..

Thanks RAMBLE for that advice. She doesnt appear in any pain....but yes, I will get it checked out nonetheless! It certainley might explain the rapid change in her behaviour. Thank you for that X

LENE, I have posted below my problem (with paragraphs)......I was just so busy writing, I didnt think, sorry!

If you can offer me anymore advice, or have experienced similar problems, that would be great........

Hi

I would really appreciate any ones advice as my problem with my dog is beginning to get worse!

I got my dog 4 years ago from a shelter.
She has been to puppy socialization classes and also doggy creche when she was two. She is excellent at her commands....sit, stay, wait and walking to heel etc.
She is loveable and recalls when off the lead......unless there is another dog and she will go bounding over to play!! That used to be the problem we had with her but now it has strangely moved on to something a lot more serious!

For the past few months, we have been unable to walk our dog past any other dogs when she is on the lead!! She started by howling at the other dog and jumping up, crying too.....as if she desperately wanted to play, which would make sense as she loves to play when off the lead!
Now though, it has changed to a lunge at the other dog and growls, snaps and showing her teeth aggressively!! This continues until I have managed to get her walking on past the dog to which she is then instantly calm and happy, tail wagging again!!

The problem is she is a very large, strong dog....we think she is a Belgium Shepherd crossbreed.......and I have to use all my might to keep a hold of her when she is lunging! I have twice fell to my knees whilst hanging on to her and once got completely tied up in a knot with her as she lunged at every angle she could to get to this other dog.....ending with me standing on her paw and us both in a heap on the floor!

Her aggressiveness/dominance usually sets off the other dog too and then there is two dogs going for each other which only makes my dog pull even harder on the lead!

I dont know why she behaves like this. She lives with a cat, we can take food away from her without growls, we dont play aggresive games with her and she is walked about three-four times a day.
I feel so embarrassed when she does this and I fear for what might happen if I accidently let go of her or the lead snaps!

Is she trying to protect me perhaps? I honestly dont know........and it is with every dog, big or small, apart from puppies, for some strange reason!!..........

Sorry this thread is long, I just wanted to give any one who is able to respond enough information.

Any advice would be really appreciated!

Thank you all

Hi Em
I just looked at some of your other posts and note your dog's nose is dripping a lot and you've been having some problems with it throwing up bile, that along with a sudden change in behaviour i think is good cause for a visit to the vet. Not that i'm suggesting there is anything terribly wrong with your dog but it maybe symptoms of something starting and always best to nip these things in the bud
Do you have a photo? I love Belgian Shepherds especially the grons.

Out of interest, since your dog has started displaying this aggression on the lead, have you noticed any changes in behaviour whilst off the lead? Like what is your dog like when she sees another dog - does she still bound over? Then what happens?

Or have you tried to avoid that happening since the very first occurence of this happening on the lead?

Out of interest, since your dog has started displaying this aggression on the lead, have you noticed any changes in behaviour whilst off the lead? Like what is your dog like when she sees another dog - does she still bound over? Then what happens?

Or have you tried to avoid that happening since the very first occurence of this happening on the lead?