Aggression Q&As

We have a Welsh Springer Spaniel who is three years old We are the dog?s third owners. Cooper is basically a sweet loving dog, but definitely has some very defined aggressive characteristics. 1) He will growl and show his teeth if I ask him to get off something or move. If I continue, he will lunge at me until I walk away. 2) He will growl and show his teeth if he is sitting on a chair and my husband comes and tells him to move (same behavior as above). ...

Cindy, I think I done been challenged by my GSD pup. Dog--13 month old German working line GSD, intact male. Generally good natured and obedient when not distracted. Situation--I gave Otis a meat bone, which I do often. This time, he marched off with it and took it out of the room with purpose. He covered it with his paws when I went to check on him and growled seriously when I tried to take it away, then picked it up in his mouth and growled again when I told him "au...

Greetings Mr. Frawley, I've just spent an hour or so going over many of your articles and have learned quite a bit regarding my dominant female dog. She (Mia) is a rescue dog, boarder collie mix, 35lbs. When we first got her, she was incredibly passive. To this day she won't allow a stranger without a dog to pet her. However, in the year that we've had her she's opened up a lot and now plays energetically with several larger dogs in the neighborhood, mostly chasing but also some wr...

Dearest Cindy, Thank you for providing an excellent resource such as your web site. All of the training tools that you have for sale on it make life very easy. Speaking for thousands of your viewers, we really appreciate you and Ed imparting all of your wisdom onto us. We are truly blessed! My husband and I own a 15 month old, 80 lb, unneutered rottweiler named Sigma. He is a wonderful dog!... as per many peoples remarks. In addition to being very loving, he is very low in t...

I have a 2 1/2 and a 10 month shih Tzu. I have had the 2 1/2 since she was 1 year and the 10 month since 8 weeks old, both shelter rescues. My problem is that they socialize a lot with people and dogs. They're fine with people, but for some reason when they see other dogs they go ballistic. If I take them close to the other dogs they just want to play. It is very embarrassing because if I am in the house and they see another dog passing the window they try and knock the window out trying...

Hi- We have a 5 year chocolate lab. We bought her from a breeder. About three years ago she started showing signs of aggression. I can't really pin point when it began. Anyway, we have had dog trainers, animal behaviorists, dog walkers (which we still have). She is food aggressive, has dog aggression and it aggressive towards my husband and me. It isn't ALL the time, but I am ready to get rid of her. I don't want to, I love her, but I am afraid of her. I just took her for a ...

Dear Ed, I have spent a LOT of time searching and perusing your website. It has excellent articles and advice. Of course, we all think that our question is just a little different and we should ask it... I didn't find exactly what I was looking for so I thought I would ask you directly. I totally understand if you don't have time to answer but I would appreciate your advice. My husband and I brought home our new golden retriever puppy, a female, and the obvious leader of the...

We adopted a 4 yr old GSD female about 1 1/2 yr ago. (She is def. an Alpha female). We immediately enrolled her in a beginners and then intermediate obedience class. My son (28) started taking her to a local Schutzhund club weekly. She does well, but the comment was always "she's a rescue"- as an excuse for the possibility she would not do well. Now they exclaim "And she's a rescue" because she does well. (I purchased a GSD puppy for my son). The problem is with me... She is the lo...

Dear Ed, I have a 10.5 year old German SHepherd. I got her when she was 6 weeks old. She was diagnosed as fear aggressive very early on. I have had two trainers and a behaviorist. To make this as short as possible, I will give you the readers digest version. She does not like strangers or other dogs. We have had her on Prozac and propanol since she was 3 years old. We can walk her outside without trouble but we do not let her near others on the street. We have a fenced in large yar...

Dear Mr. Frawley, We have been watching your videos on training puppies and dominate dogs. we had a question for you about a male pure bred boxer that is about 13 months old. He has been owned in six different homes before we had brought him into our home and lifes about 2 months ago. We know for a fact that he was beaten as a puppy and it shows even when you try to pet him or even make any fast movements close to him. He will either flinch or move his head back. we know that in yo...

Ed, You are a wealth of knowledge and we are "lucky," yes lucky to have you... Thank You. I am asking for your knowledge and wisdom today... Here's my problem... 2 days ago I was in Emergency with my 18 yr. old son getting his faced stitched up after Dragon bit him. Dragon was lying on my bed (don't even say it... I know about the bed). Jeff was walking into the room, at about a foot away from the bed he lunged up at his face and did a full mouth bite to his face. ...

I have a 7 mos old giant schnauzer female, my third giant -- so I'm familiar with the breed. My problem is that she has suddenly started barking and growling at people (who aren't accompanied by dogs). But it's unpredictable. In a large crowd, she accepts strangers and tolerates the attention. It's typically when only one person approaches, or passes by even at some distance, that she will bark or growl. Also, it is unpredictable: first she'll let three people pet her, and then suddenly ...

Dear Mr. Frawley, I have a small (29 lb) Border Collie who has nipped several people when she's been off leash, and I obviously have to do something about it. I bought a shock collar for her, but that doesn't work beyond about eight feet. I assume I need a muzzle for her, but I don't know if that's the right way to go, or simply to keep her on a long leash. We have a nylon muzzle that we've tried, but she simply tugs and squirms until it's off. It's kind of like trying to muzzle a porpoise...

Dearest Cindy, Thank you for providing an excellent resource such as your web site. All of the training tools that you have for sale on it make life very easy. Speaking for thousands of your viewers, we really appreciate you and Ed imparting all of your wisdom onto us. We are truly blessed! My husband and I own a 15 month old, 80lb, unneutered rottweiler named Sigma. He is a wonderful dog!...as per many peoples remarks. In addition to being very loving, he is very low in the...

Hi- We have a 5 year chocolate lab. We bought her from a breeder. About three years ago she started showing signs of aggression. I can't really pin point when it began. Anyway, we have had dog trainers, animal behaviorists, dog walkers (which we still have). She is food aggressive, has dog aggression and it aggressive towards my husband and me. It isn't ALL the time, but I am ready to get rid of her. I don't want to, I love her, but I am afraid of her. I just took her for a ...

Hi, I hope that you can give me some advise how to handle this situation. I have 16 months old Bullmastiff Baron, and 18-month-old Bullmastiff Cesar. Sweet dogs, I raised them from puppies. I keep them separate in outdoor kennels most of the day, and take them inside over the night. I also take them for a walk twice a day and they both behave well, sit, down and heel. I was feeding them in the kennel twice a day, and everything was o.k., until now, when Baron the younger one, when ...

Dear Sir: First, let me say that I appreciate your site very much. I have found it to be very helpful and informative. I also enjoy looking at your beautiful dogs! They are wonderful. I know you are terribly busy, but I hope you can help me with a puzzle. We adopted a lab mix puppy last year. He will be 2 years old in April. He is a great dog and very smart. He learned the general obedience commands easily and has several other tricks we taught him. However, he has t...

I have a 5-year old male German Shepherd that is very aggressive towards the others shepherds when my female is in heat. She is almost 10 and cannot be spayed due to congestive heart failure. I keep her in another part of the yard during heat but even during this time, my male shepherd will try to about kill my other males/females. I have 5 dogs total and do not breed them anymore. I am having him neutered next week but I was wondering if they made any kind of muzzle that he could wea...

Ed, I am the owner of a 7yr old neutered English Bulldog. I have had him since he was 8 weeks old. Tank used to be a very friendly, social dog. He loved attention from people. Over the past year his behavior has progressively gotten worse. I have talked to many trainers in the past, all of which told me that since dominance training does not work (in fact disciplining makes him more aggressive), that it is a medical issue. I am a veterinary technician, and he has always gotten the ...

Hello all, I was cruising around your website and I must say, VERY IMPRESSIVE!! You folks really know your dogs! While I don't presently own a dog ( we had a beagle when I was young ) I like to ride my bicycle -- a lot. Which is why I'm writing. My problem is: One of my favorite stomping grounds, and where I will live when I retire is Door County. The problem here is when riding on Door County's many farm roads, every now and then some idiot's aggressive unrestrained dog com...