3Beasties
Well-Known Member
Aggression may be too strong a word but I am after some tips/advice regarding my labrador Sam. He's 7 years old, a big bruiser of a dog. Although fairly crazy/energetic he is fairly well trained and a very quick learner.
Unfortunately due to where we live he does not get many chances to socialise with other dogs. As a youngster he was no problem but when he was about two he was attacked by another dog (he was on the lead), nothing serious in regards to injury but I think probably the start of his 'problems'.
After that if we took him 'out' and met other dogs he would act very aggressive on the lead, lunging, barking, hackles up etc. Being a big, and very loud dog it was obviously quite intimating to others. I've spent a lot of time working on this, lots of praise and rewards, getting him to focus on me and not the other dog etc and he is now LOADS better. He still has the occasional blip where he will bark/growl at passing dogs but he now backs away from them/shoots backwards rather than lunging at them (which confirms it's fear rather than true aggression perhaps?). I'm pleased with the progress but really there's nowhere to work on this where we live. It's only something that I can work on if I actually take him somewhere where there will be lots of dogs such as horse events/shows etc which is obviously far from ideal and can only really happen in Summer.
I walk him daily at home around a 100 acre orchard. BUT it's not private and occasionally we will meet another dog (3 times in the past 8 weeks!). I've always walked him off the lead in there as was always fairly confident I would be able to put him on the lead before we got too close to any approaching dogs. His recall is really good, as is his general obedience, and I always walk with bits of sausage and a squeaky toy as extra motivation to come back to me. Through Winter we walk in the dark too which I always felt would be a 'dog free' time so was able to relax a bit more...or so I thought!
On Monday while walking in the dark a man (someone I know who has a dog that Sam has met before - just not for a while!) shouted out in the distance, I saw his torch and he was a fair way in front of me. Sam was about half way between the two of us and stopped when he heard the man. I instantly called him but he completely ignored me. I called him a few times and squeaked his toy but still no response. He then ran over to the other dog barking and was very rude to her. Although I don't think he really did anything he was growling and did jump on her as if to have a go. Which is totally unacceptable. Thankfully she is a fairly solid Springer and very polite so didn't react so although it didn't escalate into anything it so easily could have done! He then just stood barking at them until I caught up with them. He didn't seem to bothered about her after that, just generally interested.
This has left me feeling a bit meh about the whole thing. It's the first time I've really tested his recall in that type of situation and tbh I feel a bit let down by him. Since then I've been walking him on the lead as I just can't trust him but I don't enjoy it and have lost all motivation to walk him, plus he doesn't get as much enjoyment from it.
So, what can I do?
I guess the two things I need to tackle is his recall? - but HOW? His recall is fab in normal circumstances and we don't meet other dogs often enough to test it in more difficult situations?
Also, he obviously needs more socialising. I really feel that he is fearful of others and just doesn't know how to react. Usually if I introduce him to other dogs in a controlled way he accepts them quite quickly although it will take him a while to fully relax and act like a 'dog' with them. (for example we recently took him away with us to stay with my aunt. She has two new dogs and while he was fine with them when on the lead if they touched him he tensed up and was scared but by the end of the first day he was trying to play with them and really enjoying their company).
So how do I go about socialising him in a controlled way? If I organise walks with other dogs will it help build his confidence more when meeting 'strange' dogs?
Is it something a dog trainer could help with? I am happy to get help but kind of feel they would need to come with a large supply of other dogs! I am in North Hereford if anyone can suggest anyone?
I'd like to think I am fairly good on the training front but this has got me slightly baffled, I know how I would deal with it but I'm just unsure about how I can create the situations to work on it if that makes sense!
Sorry for such a long rabble of a thread. I just felt it was important to try and give you as much info as poss. Please don't think of me as an awful owner for letting the 'incident' happen, I feel awful enough already!
Unfortunately due to where we live he does not get many chances to socialise with other dogs. As a youngster he was no problem but when he was about two he was attacked by another dog (he was on the lead), nothing serious in regards to injury but I think probably the start of his 'problems'.
After that if we took him 'out' and met other dogs he would act very aggressive on the lead, lunging, barking, hackles up etc. Being a big, and very loud dog it was obviously quite intimating to others. I've spent a lot of time working on this, lots of praise and rewards, getting him to focus on me and not the other dog etc and he is now LOADS better. He still has the occasional blip where he will bark/growl at passing dogs but he now backs away from them/shoots backwards rather than lunging at them (which confirms it's fear rather than true aggression perhaps?). I'm pleased with the progress but really there's nowhere to work on this where we live. It's only something that I can work on if I actually take him somewhere where there will be lots of dogs such as horse events/shows etc which is obviously far from ideal and can only really happen in Summer.
I walk him daily at home around a 100 acre orchard. BUT it's not private and occasionally we will meet another dog (3 times in the past 8 weeks!). I've always walked him off the lead in there as was always fairly confident I would be able to put him on the lead before we got too close to any approaching dogs. His recall is really good, as is his general obedience, and I always walk with bits of sausage and a squeaky toy as extra motivation to come back to me. Through Winter we walk in the dark too which I always felt would be a 'dog free' time so was able to relax a bit more...or so I thought!
On Monday while walking in the dark a man (someone I know who has a dog that Sam has met before - just not for a while!) shouted out in the distance, I saw his torch and he was a fair way in front of me. Sam was about half way between the two of us and stopped when he heard the man. I instantly called him but he completely ignored me. I called him a few times and squeaked his toy but still no response. He then ran over to the other dog barking and was very rude to her. Although I don't think he really did anything he was growling and did jump on her as if to have a go. Which is totally unacceptable. Thankfully she is a fairly solid Springer and very polite so didn't react so although it didn't escalate into anything it so easily could have done! He then just stood barking at them until I caught up with them. He didn't seem to bothered about her after that, just generally interested.
This has left me feeling a bit meh about the whole thing. It's the first time I've really tested his recall in that type of situation and tbh I feel a bit let down by him. Since then I've been walking him on the lead as I just can't trust him but I don't enjoy it and have lost all motivation to walk him, plus he doesn't get as much enjoyment from it.
So, what can I do?
I guess the two things I need to tackle is his recall? - but HOW? His recall is fab in normal circumstances and we don't meet other dogs often enough to test it in more difficult situations?
Also, he obviously needs more socialising. I really feel that he is fearful of others and just doesn't know how to react. Usually if I introduce him to other dogs in a controlled way he accepts them quite quickly although it will take him a while to fully relax and act like a 'dog' with them. (for example we recently took him away with us to stay with my aunt. She has two new dogs and while he was fine with them when on the lead if they touched him he tensed up and was scared but by the end of the first day he was trying to play with them and really enjoying their company).
So how do I go about socialising him in a controlled way? If I organise walks with other dogs will it help build his confidence more when meeting 'strange' dogs?
Is it something a dog trainer could help with? I am happy to get help but kind of feel they would need to come with a large supply of other dogs! I am in North Hereford if anyone can suggest anyone?
I'd like to think I am fairly good on the training front but this has got me slightly baffled, I know how I would deal with it but I'm just unsure about how I can create the situations to work on it if that makes sense!
Sorry for such a long rabble of a thread. I just felt it was important to try and give you as much info as poss. Please don't think of me as an awful owner for letting the 'incident' happen, I feel awful enough already!
