Aggression Q&As

Hello, My 1 1/2 year old GSD bitch went through and accidentally opened gate and attacked and killed my daughters baby goat, I was present during the attack and know that her training is not what is should be. I could not call her off the goat, but did eventually get to the goat to pick it up and put in the barn out of her reach. We have since worked on her training, recall etc.. But I would still not trust her with any livestock. My Question is is this just normal behavior for an ...

Hi, I have read your article on how to break up dog fights and the Q/A and comment section and it all looks good. I just have one Question. I just adopted a Siberian husky (77 pounds) and he is three years old. He does not seem like an aggressive dog. I also have a 10 year old Shepard/Lab mix (61 pounds). He has a hip problem and is a little slow, but still aggressive. He has never really liked other dogs. We took them to the dog park before we let the husky loose in ...

Hi Ed, I read your page on dog fighting and it was pretty helpful, thanks. I still don't feel like I completely understand what to do if attacked by a dog, so if you could consider my specific situation I would greatly appreciate it, as I am somewhat at a loss. Two nights ago I was walking down the main street of my small town with my very docile, friendly, sweet, yellow lab. He's a classic lab, wouldn't hurt a fly. We paused outside of a bar to look at the calendar of event...

Please help. You have a great web site and I would really appreciate your advise on my problem. I am 6 months pregnant and my black Lab (male dog of 1.5 Years old has been aggressive to other male dogs that come near me). He very nearly tore a German Shepherd's ear off the other day - we had to call the Ambulance as my husband was also badly bitten. Our dog (Sampson) is very calm and quiet all the time, but seems to have got very protective over me since the pr...

Dear Ed, Thank you for your very informative web site. I started looking for information due to a situation here yesterday. I need some advice. I live alone in rural Oregon. I am 58, female. I am caring for a small nine-year-old Boston Bull Terrier for a friend of mine who is currently unable to take care of him. Next door to me are some people who rent a mobile home, and they have two red dogs chained in the back yard. Last summer, shortly after they moved in, I got very fa...

I have a major problem with one of my dogs and I am hoping that you can help me or point me in the right direction. I have two dogs Miranda(chow/shepherd mix) and Abby (lab/retriever). I recently got a new puppy Axel(German Shepherd). Miranda does not like Axel and it has taken some time for her to adjust to him, which is understandable. What I did not expect was for Miranda to attack Abby. Miranda and Abby have been together for two years and are buddies. Miranda is definitely the dominant d...

I just read your article about breaking up a dog fight. I loved it and thought the information was wonderful. I wish I had read it 6 mo. ago. We had 2 sister females, had 2 terrible, terrible fights and finally had to put them both down for being too aggressive. The fight wouldn't have lasted nor been as traumatic to the family had we had your information. Aside from this, I'm hoping that although this has nothing to do with your web page, praying that maybe you can help. I cant find any info...

I have a lovely female Dobie, heavy german Schutzhund breeding, who became very defensive at age 6 months. Before this she was socialized heavily and worked in puppy agility. It seemed that at 6 months her protective nature kicked in and she barked at everything and nothing so I started re-socializing her. The trips to children's homes, malls, and obedience and agility classes where she was touched, hugged, kissed and fed at every possible moment truly paid off because she is an extremely...

Hello I have just found your web-site and am very thankful. My day began with a fight between two of our three dogs and foolishly and incorrectly I tried to separate them (not knowing anything about it until ten minutes ago) and I now have two nasty punctures in my hand for my stupidity. I am very upset and would be so grateful for your help as we are planning to put one of our dogs to sleep tomorrow and maybe you would feel it is not necessary. The dog we are most concerned...

Dear Sir, At the risk of being told I'm an idiot, here's the Question. I have had a "pack" of 3 GSD's (1 male, 2 females)for 3 years. Two years ago we added in a small terrier found on the road with a broken leg. After being in the pack and "accepted" for about 11 months, we came home to find the terrier dead. The neighbor reported witnessing the entire pack running the fence line barking at strangers on the ditch. When they turned at the end of the fence one of the GSD's st...

Hi! I have a very serious situation. I have 2 female pit bulls, They are sisters from different litters 2 & 3 yrs. old. I had my 3 yr old spayed when she was 10 months old and in heat. It seems like since she was spayed, she's gotten aggressive toward her sister and it's getting worse. She constantly attacks my younger dog for absolutely no reason. I am at the point that I'm going to have her put down. Yesterday she attacked my youngest dog. It was so HORRIBLE and VICIOUS. M...

Hi, I just registered. I was hoping to get some immediate info about a problem I'm having w/ my male german shepherd. I have 4 dogs male shepherd, 3 yrs old (sire is K-9 Police dog, from Netherlands) female shepherd, 6yrs old and the dame/mother to male shepherd labrador, 4 yrs old, shepherd/golden retriever mix. 7 yrs old. The male shepherd has always shown a high prey drive.. frequently stalking the male (neutered) lab. It has been just play. The female shepherd has on occ...

I've read your homepage and the last story there was from a lady asking you if you ever did try using the stun gun for sound effect. I would like to know the answer to that Question on Dog Fights because I have a medium size male (supposedly chow and Akita mix not sure) that has started beating the heck out of my male St Bernard. They both were puppies growing up together and all was well until the last month. The medium dog keeps attacking the St Bernard every time I go out side to chang...

Mr. Frawley, I have read much of the information on your site concerning dominance and fighting between dogs. However, I don't know where to begin with the mess that we have created. We currently have seven dogs. They have all been neutered/spayed. They are: Brody 5 year old rescued 110 pound M Akita mix Bentley 5 year old rescued 20 pound M Pug Pops 15 year old rescued 20 pound M Pug Mack 5 year old rescued 65 pound M English Bulldog Lady 15 year old rescued 20 pound F ...

Hi Ed -- I discovered your web site while doing some research on dog bites and dog behavior. You certainly take a no-nonsense approach in your advice to people, so I'm wondering what you would have to say about the following situation. My husband and I own a three-year-old Shetland sheepdog. She was attacked in early April by our neighbor's dog, a large female mixed-breed dog (probably part German shepherd). We were out doing yard work and had our dog tied in our front yard, when t...

I need some advice. Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid. I am the proud mama of 3 dogs... a 5-yr. old male 50-lb. mixed breed, a 5-yr. old female 70-lb. German Shepherd, and a 3-yr. old male 75-lb. German Shepherd mix. They stay w/ my in-laws' house on an 11-acre parcel of land in the country whenever my husband & I leave town. My in-laws have 3 dogs as well, so when the grand puppies are visiting we joke that they are quite the little "pack." All of the dogs are good with other dog...

First off, I love your site, but need more help in Dog to Dog Aggression... CASE HISTORY: We own 2 male Fila Brasilieros Mastiffs...They are brothers, same parents, different litters, separated by 6 months ....Older dog is now 3 years old, Young dog now 2 1/2 years old..Both sit, stay, down and are crated ....Until 3 weeks ago they got along fine, with an occasional spat over a toy or bone....not serious. Problem: Younger dog is now attacking the older dog, without warnings ...

I just returned from a walk with my 3 dogs very shaken up and would like your advice. At the end of our walk, about 3 blocks from my house, a small (approximatly 5 lbs.) dog ran out of its house and started barking at us and yipping at our heels. I yelled at it to go away, but it wouldn't, and followed us for a couple blocks. I stopped to look for rocks to throw after it was apparent it wouldn't leave. All 3 of my dogs had head collars on (Halti brand) and one of them went nuts as this dog wa...

I have been reading your website tonight and was hoping that you could assist me with a problem we have with our two labs. The golden lab is 5 yrs old and the chocolate lab is 3 yrs old. Over the last year they have been fighting viciously on and off however over the last month it has become more frequent. The chocolate is becoming possessive of my husband and I, and she attacks the gold when she feels the gold is overstepping the mark (ie. steps forward before she does). I have read about th...

Dear Mr. Frawley, I recently read one of the articles in your Q & A section on dogfights, one of them from Lenna Hanna-O'Neill, specifically talked about selling salts capsules. Do you know where I can purchase these? I just had an incident the other day while walking my dog, she is an 80 pound, part terrier (very deep chested and muscular) female. She is aggressive to other dogs and to some people and I go out of my way to keep her away from both. While I had her out the ot...