Dog Aggression - Is it the Problem or the Symptom?

[@roxanes43]

I love that you are relatable as a mature woman compared to the ultra physical training of other channels. Please discuss more about this topic for us who want more humane and effective methods.

[@EverythingDog]

Thanks for this comment. Keep watching for more videos. All the best!

[@Amy_McFarland]

Wonderful information! Thank you for sharing!

[@EverythingDog]

Glad it was helpful.

[@sarahsoleimani3816]

I rescued my black lab mix two years ago and he has some serious barking/lunging/and aggression when it comes to our walks. Any animal or person depending on the day he will bark and lunge at. I’ve tried treat training and he doesn’t care for it. I wish I knew what he was trying to convey to these other dogs or even people I cannot tell if he’s scared or wants to kill them.. I laugh when I type this because I’m genuinely confused!!! Good gracious he is an excellent boy in the house though..

[@EverythingDog]

Hi Sarah, have you ever thought about not walking him? Not forever, but at least until you have a better handle on his behavior. Dogs are either asking for something to come closer or for something to go away. Which do you think he is asking for?

[@sarahsoleimani3816]

@@EverythingDog I believe he’s asking for them to come closer.. but his behaviour varies in the sense of when I used to let him get closer he would either become aggressive or be completely ok.

[@bettyrowe3848]

My dog is growling...he needs space because his ears ARE sore. My dog launched at me in my car after his visit to the vet. I Am not sure what he was saying except he was a good boy for the vet and just wanted space. I love triggering stacking ...really fits.

[@EverythingDog]

Hi Betty, I suspect your dog held it together at the vet and then "let it out" on you in the car. If possible, in the future, walk your dog around for 5-10 minutes after the vet and before you get back in the car. Think about how we feel after a stressful event, we walk, we yell, we look at our phone for a distraction, but we do something to decompress. Let your dog have a moment too.

[@bettyrowe3848]

Fabulous...Great suggestion. Thanks

[@EverythingDog]

@@bettyrowe3848 You are welcome.

[@dianel858]

Thank you. My rescue cross beagle/jack Russell constantly barks when I go to go out even though it’s just to go to the bin. This time I took a treat with me to give to him as I opened the door. Think he was a little confused. But it worked and he didn’t bark. This was great advice. I was reacting to the barking and not thinking he needed distracting.

[@EverythingDog]

Diane, your goal is to create a positive association when you leave. Scattering a handful of food will allow him the positive association..."Yeah, I love it when Diane leaves because I get $100!" and if you scatter food around, he'll have to "hunt" for it which releases dopamine into his brain, very reinforcing!

[@windeaglemartin1800]

My dog barks and lunges at any dog while we are hiking. She is definitely afraid of them. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get her in situations where the other dogs are under control and calm. She tends to run to me. I have tried food reward and it helps just need more exposure. She gets along fine with my other dog and my daughters dogs a golden, 2 chihuahuas and her mother. Covid has killed all group classes near us. Dora is now 18 months old.

[@EverythingDog]

Hey Windeagle, this is indeed frustrating and very typical of what we see. Remember, MORE EXPOSURE in and of itself is NOT the answer. She needs slow, safe, and SHORT exposures with NO reaction, lots of pairing with high-value food to even begin to change her association with unfamiliar dogs! You are on the right track. Remember, understanding and addressing the scientific reasons behind your dog's reactivity is the only way to eliminate it. Check out our other videos on dog reactivity or this webinar: everythingdog.mykajabi.com/offers/EQfgox62/checkout

[@kamihopsterandmore9859]

Great information and video

[@EverythingDog]

Thank you!

[@kikicole969]

Hi :) My dogs name is Ralph. He was abused in the past and now he gets not only nervous but aggressive when people walk by. Especially men. I live somewhere where way more often than not, people walk their multiple dogs unleashed. Often these dogs rush us, and circle us. Of course this makes Ralph anxious and then on top of that the owners come running over making his even more afraid. He barks, and he lunges. More so at people than dogs. What is the correct way for me to respond? I usually just stay calm, tell Ralph he's okay, and let the other party collect their dogs. But again sometimes he lunges. Any tips?

[@EverythingDog]

Kiki this is tricky. Every time this happens to Ralph, he is re-traumatized. I would experiment with NOT walking him for a month and observe his behavior. Let's see if his nervous system will calm down. OR can you drive Ralph some place to walk where dogs will be leashed? For us, that would be closer to town and off the trails. Good luck

[@pierrearmand2793]

I have an older Puli, Morza, and one we just rehomed, Boomer. Boomer is dog aggressive. He was initially humping Morza constantly, however, we had him neutered and that calmed down. On a walk, he starts whining barking, and then lunging when he sees another dog. I realize this is a fear reaction that causes him to be dog aggressive. Is there anything to do while this is going on, such as hide him from the other dog?

[@EverythingDog]

Pierre, Avoiding the other dog is a great first step. Remember, every time Boomer has a reaction he is releasing adrenaline, and cortisol into his system. His nervous system is on fire! He needs to calm down. I have all my clients stop walking their reactive dogs while we work on other things, then we'll start again. If he's in doggie day care take him out. Remember, the only way to stop your dog's aggressive behavior is to look at the WHOLE Dog, not just the behavior. You can register for a 50 minute, virtual Ask Me Anything here: everythingdog.as.me/AskMeAnything