I have a english Mastiff, how to handle agression towards other dogs?

Question

when we go for walks, if we go by a car w/a dog we pass by it an she some what pulls towards the sound. but if she see's the other dog she will charge for it an pull me can't seem to get her to cont to move on. she know's i'm alpa but i think the problem was i was walking both dogs that day.

Answer 1

You may think you're alpha, but if the dog doesn't do what you ask, when you ask - you're NOT. She's just humoring you when she's got nothing better to do.

A dog the size of a Mastiff can easily drag you into the road after another dog - and you could both be killed. If people perceive her to be a menace, you could lose your homeowner's insurance policy.

Try a Halti head collar or Cesar Millan's Illusion collar to give yourself a bit more leverage. It keeps the collar up high behind the ears where it belongs.
http://cesarmillan.securesites.net/icollar.php

Put a handful of pennies in a two-liter bottle and carry it with you. Pay CLOSE attention to her! As soon as she STARTS staring at another dog, bop her gently on top of the head with it - that should certainly get her attention!! Don't wait until she's dragging you - correct her at the point where she is making the decision to be good or bad.

Then start really training her and convincing HER that you're alpha. First, make sure she's getting enough exercise - Mastiffs need a thirty minutebrisk walk twice a day every day. A lot of aggression is pent up energy. Wear her butt out with thirty minutes of ball playing or a long walk before you plan to meet another dog.

Arrange to meet someone with a calm dog outside in a neutral area. (Be very careful around smaller dogs - they would suffer a lot more damage if she bit them or whacked them with a paw.) Don't let the dogs get face to face. Immediately take a long walk side-by-side until your dog is calm and relaxed and accepting of the other one. After several weeks of walks like this and ONLY if you feel it's safe, stop and very casually introduce them on LOOSE leashes - but be ready to instantly jerk her back or bop her if she does anything aggressive. Restraining dogs on tight leashes when will almost guarantee a fight. Let them sniff each other for a few minutes, then walk again. Do this every day with as many different dogs as you can.

If she shows no improvement and still goes after other dogs, you will have to do lots of work on sit-stay and down-stay (on ONE command!) and walking without the dog pulling you. Don't hold your dog back when another dog approaches. That makes her feel tougher - like a guy in a bar who doesn't really want to fight, but with his friends holding him back, he's all mouth. As soon as she starts staring at the other dog and you see those ears alert - you know what's coming. Correct her with a quick jerk on the leash and turn in the opposite direction. She can't be barking if you're briskly walking away. Then turn back toward the other dog and do it all over and over again until she won't even LOOK at the other dog.

Prearrange a meeting on neutral ground as often as you can with people who have non-dominant dogs. Make your dog lie down and stay. She can't be posturing and aggressive if she's lying down. Just make sure the other person doesn't let their dog hassle yours when she's being good. Have a long conversation with the other owner - long enough for your dog to be completely relaxed. If she starts to get antsy, you can tap her on top of the head or nudge her in the side to distract her. It's best if YOU walk away first - if the other dog leaves first, yours may see it as an opportunity for a sneak attack.

Once she's under some control, take her to dog obedience classes. Many AKC recognized dog training clubs all over the country have advanced classes where the dogs are well behaved. The trainers generally have more knowledge and you pay less. Go to www.akc.org to find a club in your area.

You may need a professional trainer to help you with this, but let me warn you. Many of the people charging big bucks as "trainers" are not very good and may have no more experience than you do - especially with aggression problems. Ask you local vet for a recommendation. Make sure you check out references from their satisfied customers. Check with the BBB for complaints. Look for a trainer who is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals web site at www.dogpro.org, which allows you to search for trainers in your state. Their requirements for trainers to join are very stringent. And DON'T send your dog away to be trained. It's a waste of money - you can't build a relationship with a dog that doesn't live with you.

Read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/

Answer 2

Everybody made some great points. And I agree with them that you have a problem on your hands. You stated that she knows you are alpha, but do you understand what that means? Being a good dog owner is not only the feed and vet visits it is the limits, socialazation, the boundaries, all of which are equally important.
You have a relatively mild problem right now but I can promise you that if you continue on the same path you will eventually have a large problem (perhaps to the point of putting your beloved dog down) You need to correct her behavior TODAY. Next time you walk her anywhere, you should be correcting her. If financially possible see a professional trainer so that you can get one on one guidance for your unique situation. But other wise ther are ways to fix it alone. I will fill you in alittle but please try to get more help closer to home. I would hate for you to have to watch your dog eat someone elses little poodle while you stood by helpless. First of all go right back to her basic training. Begin all over again with the sits, down, stay, heel,etc. do this every day three times a day take ten to twenty minutes going through all those basic comands. Put extra work into the "come" and "sit" . Those two commands will aid you in redirecting your dogs attention when you see something ahead that may make her pull you along just tell her sit. Make sure she is paying attention to you as you then continue towards the obstacle. As you get clod=se to the other dog or whatever it is if she starts to pull or get focused on it , you need to snap her back to you with the sit or down. keep her focused on you and do NOT let her pull you towards another dog! So please get help and please practice those basics over and over agin they can be a life line sometimes. I hope the best for you and hope all goes well it is never a happy ending when a dog is put down because an owner was not educated enough, please educate yourself for your dog and even children (believe it or not it may be a kid and not another dog next time and a child is no match for an overly excited or aggressive large dog.) Good Luck!

Answer 3

Though you dog knows you are Alpha at home, she will ask you who the boss is in every new situation, both inside AND outside the home. You need to make it very clear to her that she is NOT alpha in any situation, but it needs to be done in 'dog language' not by using violence or making her 'submissive'. A submissive dog is the only type of dangerous dog there is since the only thing that is held down is their natural instincts. Only you can understand a man-made world and therefore it is only fair if only you are in charge in that man-made world. If she lunges at other dogs, make the message very clear that that sort of behaviour will not be accepted by immediately turning around and heading home. The walk which she was so very much enjoying is over, unless she follows your rules, the leader's rules. I believe you may have other issues, however, that you may not be aware of. If she truly believed you were alpha she would not even try to refuse to move as she would loose 'the pack' which no dog wants. They are social animals who know that survival depends on living in a pack. I would suggest reading 'The Dog Listener' by Jan Fennel or finding a 'dog listener' in your area by visiting www.janfennelthedoglistener.com .

Answer 4

Try getting her a gentle leader. This helps me to control my dog when he pulls. My neck was broken several years ago, so pulling is hard for me to take without having lots of pain.
Sounds like she's more curious than aggressive. Aggression really isn't a breed characteristic for mastiffs.

Answer 5

You need to see a trainer. Mastiffs are large dogs! She could hurt you or someone else! Many dogs die because they are accused of being "bloodthirsty killers". Scold her when she asks this way. If she gets hit by a car..... You really need to go see a dog trainer.

Answer 6

You need to socialise her with other dogs asap! How old is she? Is she still a pup? It might be hard if shes an older dog a a little set in her ways.Does she have any doggy friends?

Answer 7

You need to socialize the dog. Try to have a friend do it because dogs are more aggresive when their owners are around. And by the way...Dogs are always dumber when they are around other dogs. Its like they are showing off.

Answer 8

nature of the beast..if it was male i would suggest castration..i think you should of trained it better as a pup