Dog aggression?

Question

I do not have a dog yet. I am looking in to adopting one. I found one, they said he is good with other dogs, but when i went to visit him, he was almost vicious to other dogs. I know living in a shelter, caged all the time can be stressful on a dog, and i hope this is the reason he was acting so aggressive toward the other dogs. As he was still in the cage as the other dogs were passing by. But other that this problem he is perfect, he is soo sweet, and loves people! I am thinking about adopting this dog, i do not have any other dogs, but i would like to be able to take my dog to the park with me without worrying he will attack another dog. Have you ever had a dog who was dog aggressive? Or do you know if there is a way to help him with is dog aggression?

Answer 1

Since you've never actually seen the dog outside of his kennel, it would probably be a little premature at this point to write the dog off as being agressive. Still, no one wants to adopt a problem.

If the shelter is at all reputable, they should be honest and straight forward with you as to the dog's temperament. Hopefully they have some area where you can see the dog interact with other dogs, outside of the kennel. As a last resort, if you end up adopting the dog, and he in fact, is agressive, you will have a certain time frame in which to return the dog to the shelter.

Bottomline: Go back to the shelter to see if you can see the dog interact with other dogs. If it appears he is agressive, it might be best to pass, particularly if you are a first time dog owner.

PS Cesar Milan is a celebrity and will not return your email.

Answer 2

Dogs can be very sweet with people but still aggressive to other dogs or cats -- sometimes just dogs of the same sex. It is nearly impossible for the average person to know if the dog's issues are inate or due to their circumstance (being in a shelter). Most larger shelters have a behaviorist who evaluates each dog before it is placed for adoption. If possible, ask for an appointment with the shelter's behavior expert so you can discuss your concerns. Also, dogs that have not been spayed/neutered are often more aggressive to other animals. Perhaps this dog was only recently neutered. It sounds as if you are not an experienced dog owner -- if not, it is essential to get some professional help with training your new dog. It will be especially important with this dog that he knows you are the top dog so you will be able to control him. However, you need to do this in positive ways so don't choose a trainer / training class that uses negative reinforcement. Once again, the shelter probably has some ideas about the good trainers in your area. They may even offer training classes themselves. Please don't pass over this dog just because of his demeanor in the shelter. Shelter dogs can be the BEST pets after they adjust to a real home life. Just recognize that many shelter dogs need a little bit of extra attention and training.

Answer 3

If you can you should take the dog out of the cage to see what kind of reaction the dog has to other dogs. Tell the the ppl working there you need to see his reaction to other dogs and have them walk another dog near the dog you are considering(not within reach) . If he is out of control walk away and look for another dog. You may not like this answer but if you have no knowledge on fearful/aggressive dogs you do will not be able to handle the problems. Some dogs depending on breed do not like other dogs which is why it is important to research different breeds or breeds that are being considered before getting a dog.
It is not wise to visit dog parks anyway, I have seen many bad things occur between dogs at dog parks.
You should be the dogs main focus anyway and if he needs to run or exercise it should be done with you not strange dogs.

Answer 4

Dog aggression is hard to treat, especially for someone who's fairly inexperienced with dogs or dog behavioral problems.

Sometimes a dog with dog aggression is only aggressive in certain situations (when on a leash, or when in a cage, or when in a fenced yard, or with only male dogs, or with only female dogs, etc). If you can just avoid the situation, then you won't have to worry about the problem.

If the shelter says he's OK with other dogs, talk to them and find out why they said that. I've discovered the hard way that when dogs are first in the shelter, sometimes they are scared, and their true personality doesn't come out until after they've been adopted. He might just be aggressive because of being stuck in the shelter, and might not be aggressive at home, but there's no way to tell until you bring him home, which is unfortunate.

When dealing with a dog aggressive dog, the first rule is to do everything possible to prevent him from attacking another dog. If this means not taking him to the park, or making him wear a muzzle, then so be it. If he truly is dog aggressive, then don't ever let him off leash and keep him under control at all times.

There are a few schools of thought on dealing with dog aggressive dogs. One involves distracting the dog with treats whenever he sees another dog. Over time he will start to associate treats with seeing other dogs, and won't act aggressive around other dogs, because he associates them with good things. He may never be friends with other dogs, but at least he won't be lunging at the leash and growling.

The other school of thought involves training the dog to understand that aggressive behavior is not acceptable. This doesn't change the underlying behavioral issues, but it does control his reaction around other dogs.

Obedience training can go a long ways towards helping the dog to understand that you are in control, and he doesn't have to protect himself from other dogs, because it's your job to protect him.

If you decide to adopt him, the best thing to do would be to consult a dog behavioralist and trainer on the best ways to teach him not to be aggressive. Dogs that are dog aggressive can still make wonderful pets, but just be prepared that this behavior may never change (although with training, it will usually always improve). Your wonderful, fantastic dog may just never be the kind of dog that can run free in a park, but that doesn't make him any less of a good pet.

Hope this helps...

Answer 5

I'd go back to the shelter and ask to talk to someone there. You're right - it is stressful in a shelter atmosphere, and that may be why the dog is freaking out. Also, it's not possible for him to greet other dogs properly when he's in that place. Talk to a behaviorist or trainer at the shelter - ask for help, in any case, to figure out what you should do.
There are many success stories of aggressive dogs who get rehabilitated! It is possible to teach many dogs to overcome these problems! But! Many times, it is very, very hard to manage dogs who are aggressive. Especially for a first dog. You need to know if you are up for the challenge.

Answer 6

there are many reasons why dogs are aggressive . One is poor breeding , another is that he or she was removed from the dam
to soon and not given the benefit bonding with other siblings and they bond to people but are aggressive to other dogs .I might suggest that you find a breed you like ,study the breed and find something that fits your life style . then spend time and effort and maybe some money to train your pet and this will remedy the problem If you need some help with a training programme contact me .Stumpy

Answer 7

my female pit bull was becoming very dog aggressive, now we have 2 dogs and 3 cats living in harmony(mostly)we had intensive training and a lot of socialization to get this far but she's not cured. i don't take her anywhere that a large crowd would gather in case she got spooked and her breed is always a big responsibility. she may never be able to go to certain places but she's much better. consider carefully and be sure that you're willing to forgo the park and do a lot of training first

Answer 8

I was going to ask this at one point too! Its not a stupid question at all. I agree with Curtis, dogs know humans and dogs are different, but they don't know how to treat us. We are still part of there pack no matter if we are dog, human or even cat. Dogs still know the difference, but that does not mean they know humans are above them automatically. They soon learn it in my house hold, but that does not mean a softer person who has no idea of training will not let there dog take over without even knowing it. Does that make since?

Answer 9

First off you need to find out what his triggers are.

Get him temperament tested.

Some breeds have a predisposition for aggression. Probably the product of a BYBer. Could be mentally chalenged (retarted). Be careful, be very careful before you get someone hurt.

I thought I saved a Dobie one time, he was a Big Red Dobie. Beautifull dog. He was touchy and there were several things that tripped his triggers. I gave him to my brother-in-law, who lived next door to my mother.

I took the dog over and showed them, pointed out his triggers and everything. Being a Master Dog Trainer I knew how dangerous that dog was but I thought my sister, her husband & my mom would heed my warnings. But, my mother, thinking, "If Shirley can do it, so can I". Yep, she got bit, tore off part of her lip.

Please, be very, very careful. Get other opinions. Have others look at it.

Answer 10

My dog is honestly the least aggressive dog I have ever owned. But he is kennel trained, and the only time he gets aggressive is when a stranger comes in our house and he is in the kennel. The dog is probably only aggressive in THAT situation-being unable to communicate with the dogs probably makes him feel vulnerable