please help!! dominant dog (sorry - long post)

Hello everybody, I really hope somebody can help me.

I have four dogs, all different and fabulous in thier own ways. My youngest dog is black lab and bull mastiff cross. She is 2 and a half years old, I got her aged six months because she was unwanted.

My problem is that she has become very dominant ( I know she probably always was, but she is really asserting herself now). She has always been very playful with other dogs when we are out and about, and she is very loving with all of our other dogs and us, she just a big cuddly lump. But unfortunately, a while ago she had a fight with a dog, which I'm sure you all know is horrible, but now she has become very protective of us all (humans family and dog family) and now she always approaches other dogs in a very dominant manner, which very occaisionally has not gone down very well. If another dog as much as growls at one of the others she starts pulling on her lead, growling and trying to jump at them.

Now I always put her straight on her lead if I ever see any other dogs about, but I'm sure that can't really be helping her in the long run.....but even worse than that is the fact that other dominant dogs (I can't beleive this, but it's true) spot her a mile off and come running toward her with their teeth bared, trying to fight with her. I have always managed to overt this so far by clamping her head between my knees while the other dog owners get their dog under controll.

There are plenty of dogs that we come across that she plays with fantastically, but they are the dogs that she met before she developed her 'over dominance' and I am not afraid to let her play with them and the other owners just love her because she tires their dogs our so well!

I have been to a trainer for advice, but I was told that it is the other dogs that don't respond to her signals, which I didn't find very helpful to be honest. While it may be true, it hasn't helped my problem, or helped my dog.

I just want to go back to having a lovely walk with my dogs without always looking over my shoulder, making sure that their are no dogs around and putting her on a lead.

I have very happily owned dogs for many years and this is really getting me down. Please can anybody help me?

Sorry I can't help but we do have some very helpful, experienced people on here who will probably be able to help.

I hope you get the problem sorted soon.

(deleted)

I think it unwise to offer advice on aggression over the internet as it is very important to actually observe the dog & the handler in order to interpret exactly what is going on. I suggest that you consult an experienced, qualified, trainer in your area: http://www.apdt.co.uk/list_trainers.asp

From what you have said the trainer you have seen is talking twaddle. "I was told that the other dogs don't respond to her signals". Seems to me that that is exactly what they are doing - responding to her aggressive body language. If she was signalling submission & still getting set upon then I would agree that her body language is deficient, but she is challenging & getting precisely the response that she elicits.

You do need a good trainer to work with you. In the meantime she needs correcting for growling & trying to jump at other inoffensive dogs. She needs to learn that YOU are the one that defends yourself, her, & the other dogs. It is not her job, it is yours. Any growling, snarling, challenging, jumping, fighting, that is to be done ... then YOU will do it, thank you.

I know she must be a large, powerful dog, but if a confrontation is threatening try your best to get her behind you. She has to learn that only the leader faces off challenges and that you are perfectly capable of defending yourself & her and that you can be trusted to see off any threat to the family.

Again, training with someone that can see & understand the problem is recommended.

Good wishes
SB

PS. Is she spayed? If not I would think very carefully before following any advice to have her done in order to eliminate aggressive behaviour. There is some evidence that spaying females that display dominance aggression can exacerbate the problem.

I would say if she has been attacked it is fear agression, but if you get intouch with a professional person as shadowboxer has said they will be able to help and support you.
Good luck

thanks for all the advice that everybody has given.

and for shadowboxer - the trainer i was refering to was on the list in your link - and in your words "talking twaddle"! but thanks anyway.

i am going to see another trainer for some advice and also start taking her out on her own for a while (advice from members of another forum) to help reduce her stress levels. i think the advice given by shadow boxer is right, that i need to show her that I PROTECT HER AND THE FAMILY!

i'll let you know how i get on. i really hope it helps.

thanks again.