Aggressive on the lead

[viv]

Hi everyone,

William, in all other ways is a timid dog, but on the lead he turns into the demon dog from devon  ... It makes him look aggressive and i have to cross roads or walk slower if i see another dog.  Off the lead he's a good boy...although he does run up to other dogs (full pelt) then stand and bark at them if they don't play with him.  He was attacked last week because he stuck him nose near a dog that was a spiteful little b*****, and i am terrified of it happening again.  Since then i have watched his reaction to other dogs and when he stands and bark it does ( i hate to admit) look quite aggressive. Most of the people i walk William with know that he barks out of eagerness and not anger when their dog won't play with him.
Any suggestions would be a great help...thanks
Viv                    

[stueymac]

A dog trainer once told me that a dog which barks and acts aggressive (even though they aren't actually aggressive by nature) are acting as a guard for you. And are trying to ensure that other dogs, people etc don't get too close to you. Whether this is the case or not I'm not sure. The trainer suggested some sort of alternative way of holding the lead, a way which sends out a different signal to the dog? It was ages ago and I really can't remember the exact details, which of course is no use to you at all! Anyone else heard this theory?                    

[Inca]

Yes Stuart. I was told this by both a vet and a trainer when I asked for advice about Gizzy my late rescue dog. The advice I was given was to either ignore him and just keep walking straight past or to take something that would make a loud noise when dropped and drop it as soon as he started to bark. The idea being that the distraction would avert his attention thereby breaking the habit. It did work some of the time but not every time.                    

[Michele]

A dog trainer once told me that a dog which barks and acts aggressive (even though they aren't actually aggressive by nature) are acting as a guard for you. And are trying to ensure that other dogs, people etc don't get too close to you. Whether this is the case or not I'm not sure. The trainer suggested some sort of alternative way of holding the lead, a way which sends out a different signal to the dog? It was ages ago and I really can't remember the exact details, which of course is no use to you at all! Anyone else heard this theory?

I think the trainer would have probably suggested trying to maintain a loose lead (easier said than done I know) as this would suggest a more relaxed situation. When the lead becomes taut and also if you have any apprehension it is going to transfer straight to the dog.
Another theory which I do believe in is the choice of "fight or flight". When William is being restrained by the lead, if he feels threatened in any small way and he does not have the choice to run away, then the only other option available to him is fight. This is the same as when you would see a wild animal cornered, they can't get out of the way so the only choice is to attack.
Perhaps training classes where one of the lessons is to weave in and out of other dogs may be one way of getting William over this.
Hope this helps                    

[stueymac]

That was it Michele! Keeping a loose lead to suggest a relaxed situation. There were other Cocker owners in the class that day and we all just looked at each other thinking, 'a loose lead? Whats one of those?'  
We did do a few lessons of the type Michele suggested where you weave in and out of other dogs and people, I think it did help one owner, to an extent, who had a similar problem to Viv with William.                    

[Jo W]

I'm lucky - neither Amber nor Billy are a problem on the lead but there are a couple of dogs in my area that are do a Jekyll and Hyde and become quite aggressive on the lead and will bark and create a right commotion when they meet another dog in the street or park.  Amber is largely uninterested in other dogs but Billy will show some interest and because he's a rottie, would be bound to get the blame for any trouble...  So with him, I hold his favourite ball in my hand and squeak it a couple of times and he's so busy looking at what I've got that he ignores the other dog.  Failing that, I just make him sit until the problem has gone by.  I also use 'leave it' and 'go by'.                    

[Logan]

Theres a golden retriever at our training classes who really goes for Clunie when he's on his lead - gets vicious and snaps and tries to bite her (she flits around and winds him up in typical Clunie manner).  

The trainer told Louie's owner to release the lead when he did that - it was the fact that he was restrained that was making him angry (all very well in the safe environment of a training class I know).  When free he calmed right down and just sniffed her.  He's a really lovely gentle dog, except when on the lead around other (especially smaller) dogs - wierd!  :-

Maybe an extending lead might help him feel less confined (although I'm not accusing him of being vicious at all, if he's anything like Clunie he's all bark!)

Good luck