I am one of those awful owners with an aggressive dog I read about on this board. I am completed flummoxed and a fair bit horrified. Fraser is now 2 1/2, a more affectionate, happy, playful dog you'll never find. However, in the last few months, very isolated incidents, on leash, he's growled ferociously at other dogs on greeting. 99% of the time, greetings are respectful and careful, especially with bigger dogs. Once he's assured the other dog is friendly, he just wants to play. In the last 6 months or so, he's been getting more male doggish, barking in full display mode at certain, but not all dogs, who are barking at him from behind fences. As he approaches the property, he gets all struttish and casting about to see if the dog he doesn't like is on the other side of the fence, and if it is, he races toward it (on leash) and barks and growls as though he saying, I'll do you, just give me a chance.
Yesterday, he was approached by a year old neutered male Westie that was all waggy tailed and friendly and at first Fraser was wagging and friendly and then all of a sudden, went for him all snarly.Both dogs on leash. No damage and once I'd pulled him off, he wandered about sniffing things and was even wagging his tail at the dog as the owner and I talked, trying to figure out what had happened and why. Luckily, she was a calm, doggie lady and not angry about it. Then tonight, on our evening walk, I let Fraser off the leash in a park where I never see people at that time of evening. A girl and her leashed small dog approached and when Fraser saw them, he raced over and started to attack the small dog. Once again, no damage, but I had a hard time hauling him off as he was going through my arms and legs to get at it. The girl said the small dog was a rescue from a puppy mill, about 4 year old entire male. The dog did not as far as I could see approach Fraser in an unfriendly way, though the girl said the little fellow didn't know how to play as he was rescued from a puppy mill. The pattern seems to be small male dog, often young ones, and Fraser usually goes from tail wagging to aggression. This time he was off leash, so that wasn't a factor. I used to be able to reassure people that my dog was friendly, but not any more. What makes it difficult is that there's no clear sign beforehand that he's going to get aggressive. He can be wagging as he usually does when he wants to meet a dog and then he's full bore. Thoughts? Advice?