I have never heard of bitches being spayed calming down...mine certainly haven't!!!

How about using the spay money to get a behaviourist in?

It sounds to me like your dog is quite possessive...of balls and other dogs...and is also 'stressed' when out (running on high adrenalin)...so needs to associate her 'walks' with something more calm. Give her something to do...sniffing out treats etc...teach her walks are about sniffing and exploring, not mad play.

In the meantime...keep her on a lead.

Ignore the other dog walkers...if she is on a lead they have nothing to complain about.

Try not to get stressed when other dogs approach as your dog will pick up on it.

Good luck x

Daisy is possessive around toys - and has attacked a bitch who `looked` at one. What I do is train her with the ball. It`s my ball - she plays with it with me then I take it back. It`s my posession and she`s completely focussed on me because there`s always a chance she`ll get to play with it.
She`s not interested in what other dogs have because I have the Ultimate Ballie (sad, really).
I`ve also worked on having her in a controlled Sit while my other dogs fetch the ball. Then she gets a turn.
As a gundog she`ll be quite driven to retrieve and work, so I`d do more training around that.

Hiya.

Thanks for your advice.

Prior to the first (and only time) we mated our dog (which as i said was unsuccesful) she had been hip scored, eye tested and elbow tested. Her results were really good and cost a lot of money (obviously this was a couple of years ago and before I lost my job).
I dont meant to sound abrupt but please dont assume that I am one of these people who have let their dog try to breed without research and having the support from the breeder we got my bitch from! I do not like it when people do this because just because im asking advice on one area of behaviour does not mean I dont know about my dog and/or breeding or health.

As for having her checked over for being in pain as I said I will be having her checked over on thursday (tomorrow) when she is spayed. As I have decided to not breed her (the reason is because we have since taken on a resuce dog, our westie, and I have lost my job so I dont have the financial security I did before and the space) I think spaying is the most responsible thing to do to avoid cancer and other health problems (irrelevant of her behavioural issues I would have her spayed anyway)

In relation to when she attacks. These have all been 'off lead' The first attack was because a dog and he went for the same ball at the same time. Both dogs ended up with scratch and light tooth bites, although my dog came worse off. Second time my dog found a massive stick she was trying to pick up and another dog tried to grap the other end to play and my dog jumped on it and they both fought (no injuries). 3rd time (last night) we were all stood round talking and the dogs were playing really well (alot of us meet up and 6pm every night) when this man walked passed with an elderley dog off lead, it walked behind my dog, next thing my dog turned round and jumped and started biting it. No reason whatso ever that I or any other dog owner could tell. We apologised to the owner, who understably was not happy!


The reason for me not deciding to breed her is because I although her results for her health checks were brilliant

Hiya.

I think your right about keeping her on the lead around other dogs. the only time she runs round is when she is chasing a ball. Other than that she just walks round sniffing.
I am still having her spayed because I believe if you arent breeding a bitch then having them spayed is the responsble thing to do.

I will try not to get stressed (easier said than done) as Im sure your right, she probably does pick up on it.

Just a thought as she isn't yet spayed - is there any chance that she is in/coming in to season?

That may well affect her hormones and her temperament.

(and if there is a risk of her being in/close to her season, it isn't the best time for her to be spayed, though you have to balance this against the possibility of an accidental mating with your male dog(s) if they are entire)

HIya.

It is 4 months since her last season so she should be ok on that score. My other doggies are female so no accidental mating from tham. I have a male cat though lol

Honestly, I think this is the type of issue where people can only help so much over the internet. Where aggression like this is concerned I think you really need someone to help in person. To pin point exactly what triggers it and to come up with some kind of behavioural modification plan for you.

I would start saving for a behaviourist (shop around; they may not be as expensive as you think and if they can help, surely they are worth it?). Assuming your vet visit doesn't reveal anything that may be contributing to her problem.

If your bitch is four years old and this problem has started recently, then is it learned behaviour which ultimately can be 'unlearned'.

Therefore it has no relation to hormones so spaying will have no effect.

Something has triggered this obsession and you may even have inadvertantly reinforced the behaviour by continuing to play ball with her.

You need to find something of a higher value than a ball (livercake?) to reward her for 'leaving' the ball. Practice at home to start with and keep her on a lead whilst out. Then practice with an agreeable other dog owner and a ball which is in neither dogs 'possession' and gradually move the ball towards the other dog over a period of days/weeks and see how you go.

Spend your spaying money on group classes wher you can reinforce the basics and see if you can widen her horizons to enjoy other activities.

Thalice's Mum

I really do appreciate your comments. But she does drop the ball on command. I think i may try what you suggested with a distraction technique when another dog has a ball so she knows its a good thing when a dog has a ball.

The thing that concerns me is the amount of people who dont think it is important to get a bitch spayed when you arent intending to breed. It costs me £30 to get the spayed and I would recommend anyone who sint spaying their dog to get it spayed, so no im not using the £30 from her spaying money on a behviourist, i would rather save for a behaviourist.

I don't think anyone is saying not to spay...I think what people are saying is that if your dog is attacking other dogs, then it is possibly more important that you address that first rather than having her spayed..you can save for the spay and have it done in another 6 months (3 months after her next season). 6 months down the line, if not handled correctly now, you may have a severely dog aggressive dog. (Not saying you will...just saying it's a possiblity with the scenario you have described) As Labradork (Ithink) said...there isn't a lot of advice people can give on this online...as you need to see it to deal with it effectively.