Kingdom of Pets

Posted by Bob
Dec 15, 2008

Updated:
Comments: My dog is a 80lb female collie & golden retriever mix and stands 27" to the top of her head she is 3 years old as close as we know, I got her from a dog pound at the age of 2 years old and I have two problems.

Problem #1:
My dog is aggressive toward my sons male golden retriever and has started 3 fights with him, each time I stopped it, there was a cut on the snoot one of the times. when they first meet they seemed to get along OK until he started trying to mount her and she has turned and fought him in order to stop him. She had a bladder infection "which at the time we didn't know about" and it seen he felt she was in heat due to the smell. But now I can't trust her because she is apt to become aggressive toward him at any moment. She has been on different Med's to try and clear up the infection for a year now, her test of last week came back normal, but up to this time when we re-tested her she would have a different badder infection and be on a different Med. What can I do to stop this aggression? Because she also barks at other dogs that are being walked in front of our house and yet is fine with dogs at PetSmart store and with smaller dogs while walking her unless they are aggressive toward her. My sons dog doesn't have a mean bone in his body but when they meet for the second or third time he started putting his chin on her back to claim to be Top Dog, and my dog would just turn and look at him as to say no way. My dog is bigger than my sons dog. And since the fights my sons dog has become afraid of her and doesn't trust her. How can we stop the aggression and regain his trust? My dog is now clear of her urine infection and on Thanks Giving Day, while on leash in house seemed calmer when next to my son's dog, but he was still afraid and didn't trust her.

My 2nd problems is my dog is so obsessed with squirrels that when I walk her and she sees a squirrel, at that point she wants to give chase and she hears or sees nothing other than the squirrel, How can I get her to stop getting this excited with squirrel and stop the pulling on leash? I heel her on my left side with a short 8" leash and head Halti but she is pulling so hard that the Halti is sliding up near her eye, and she hears no commands or corrections she just wants the squirrels.

Posted by KOPsBecks
Dec 16, 2008

Hey Bob,

Thanks for your enquiry and fantastically detailed problems and the situations, it makes it easier for us to understand where you're coming from if we know details.
Firstly I would suggest joining a group obedience training class, not only is it fun for you and your dog, she gets to meet other people and dogs and also she learns to respect your commands which will ultimately give you much greater control over your dog.
You really need to get the "NO" command under control so that when you say it she stops everything she is doing and is then rewarded. A short sharp tug on a leash at the same time as using this command can be very effective.
With regards to the violence towards the other dog, I think this definately would be a response to her having the Urinary tract infection and not feeling well and then having another dog trying to mount her would have been very unpleasant. Hopefully now she will calm down. I would put her on a leash whenever they are together and reward her for calm behaviour around him but sharply tug on the leash and say "NO" if she shows any signs of aggression.
The squirrels are an interesting case, to break the fixation you need to master the "NO" command and be prepared whilst out walking to respond quickly. Maybe a squirt bottle filled with water, squirted at her when she chases the squirrel might help. I would suggest desensitising her to them by planning her exposure to the squirrels but this seems like a very tricky thing to do.

Let me know how things progress,

Becks

Posted by Bob
Dec 16, 2008

Thank you, Becks for your response, everything you have mentioned to try I have been doing on a daily bases when walking her for some time now, I have been training her to know the meaning of the word No and responds to it well in house without squirrels, but as soon as we are outside for our walk in the real world she seems to go on alert looking for squirrels and when she sees a squirrel and I say no she pulls with excitement and I have to restrain her even more in order to keep her heeling at my side. As for the use of a squirt water bottle, I live in the Northeast and will need to wait till we are in warm weather for this. Is there any other way to enforce the response to No during the cold months?
I will keep her on leash at my sons home as you recommended and have been doing when there. As for joining a group obedience training class here again I'll need to wait now till warm weather and the K9 classes restart as they are held outside. Is there any thing else I can try in the mean time to socialize my dog with my sons dog and ease his fear of her?
Thank you, Bob

Aggression question for KOPsBecks