Kodee just turned a year old about 2 weeks ago. He's been very well-socialized, as far as going on and seeing new people, places, sounds, sights, animals, etc. I've done this with the plan that eventually I'd like to have him become a therapy dog. I think he's probably better-socialized than the average dog (been in lots of public places, exposed to new people, been taught to sit when being greeted, ridden elevators, etc). He loves people, especially kids. He used to act like he wanted to play w/other dogs, although since none of my friends have dogs, he hasn't really played w/any. However, he has seen lots of other dogs, and was never aggressive towards them before.

However, I've noticed that over the last couple of months, Kodee acts like he hates other dogs. If we go on a walk, and encounter a dog, he barks, growls, tries to drag me towards them, and generally raises h*ll. I expect this and try to stop it before it starts by putting myself right in front of his face, and trying to get his attention on me. He usually will struggle w/me to look around me to see the other dog, but once the dog passes on it's way (or I go on my way w/Kodee), he calms down immediately. We have an outdoor cat that Kodee sees through our windows, and he used to try to "pull" towards her when I took him out to potty, but from Day 1 when i got him, I've told him "leave it", and given a leash correction, and he now just looks at her with interest, but that's it. He never tries to get to her.

The reason I mention this is b/c a couple of days ago, he was in the car w/me when I pulled up to my brother's house. Their cat was in front of the house, and Kodee went absolutely apesh*t! I was really surprised - the first thing I did was look around for a dog, but then realized he was barking/growling at the cat. So now I'm wondering if he's animal aggressive, or just being obnoxious b/c his hormones are kicking in.

I want to stop this behavior asap, but I'm not even sure what this is. is this dog aggression? Animal aggression? Just posturing and trying to look like a big bad alpha dog? The pack strucure in our house is fine. Kodee knows I'm in charge, and I'm getting ready to begin training w/an e-collar, and that will include beginning our "corrections phase" of training. He knows several commands, but doesn't always listen, of course. I'm hoping to change that.

But what is this behaviour I'm seeing, and how should I handle it? Any advice would be appreciated. If I can't get him to ignore other dogs (that's my goal - I could care less if he actually "liked" them), he will not pass either the CGC or the therapy dog exams. Not to mention, it's a pita when I want to take him to the park or go for a walk in public. (We've never been to a dog park, and never will, just FYI.)

P.S. I forgot to mention that he's intact, and I have no plans to neuter him at the moment.

P.S.S. Aack- forgot to mention that he's never had any kind of "run-in" with another dog. No attacks, dog fights, etc. He never runs loose, so I'm 100% positive of this.

What does his barking look and sound like? Deep, long barks? High-pitched, sharp yips? Whiney, or gutteral? Lips up over teeth barking?

Does he stare down the animal he is barking at? Or does he tend to jump around, yapping? Is his body rigid?

What is his posture when barking and growling? Tail straight up, out and wagging, tail down, tail tucked? Ears forward, back, pinned? Hackles raised?



Edited by (07/25/2008 04:29 PM)
Edit reason: Add

 Quote: alyssa myracle

What does his barking look and sound like? Deep, long barks? High-pitched, sharp yips? Whiney, or gutteral? Lips up over teeth barking?

Does he stare down the animal he is barking at? Or does he tend to jump around, yapping? Is his body rigid?

What is his posture when barking and growling? Tail straight up, out and wagging, tail down, tail tucked? Ears forward, back, pinned? Hackles raised?

I can't answer all those questions accurately, b/c I'm usually putting all my energy into holding him still (he's very strong!). But I'll describe it as much as I can:

He sees the dog, ears perk straight up, posture becomes very stiff (at this point, I immediately step in front of him and try to get his attention on me and away from the dog). His bark is very deep, not yippy at all, or whiney. Barks don't seem especially "long" or short to me, not sure what you mean by "long" barks,t hough. He is standing straight and tall, usually straining forward on the leash. NOT wagging his tail as far as I can remember. Tail isn't tucked - I think it's out straight, but not positive. I don't remember seeing his hackles raised, although maybe they have been. Don't think so though - I'm pretty sure I would notice that. I'll pay attention to that if (when) it happens again. He doesn't really "jump around" - he pulls towards the dog for all he's worth. He definitely growls, but his lips aren't raised like he's getting ready to attack - he's contantly barking/growling. I wouldn't say he's "staring down" the animal, but I'm not sure exactly where his eye contact is. I just know he's ignoring me and trying to get to the dog.

Doesn't seem like he's wanting to play, that's for sure. Doesn't seem afraid. Not sure, but I think he'd go for the dog to fight.

As far as the cat, he's only seen this one strange cat (besides ours at home), and we were in the car. So not sure of posture, etc, but he was growling, deep barking. It's more than the deep bark that "there's someone strange" like they do at the door. It's more "serious" than that, if that makes sense. We have horses and cattle next door, but he pays no attention to them when we walk past the fence line (which we haven't done too often).

Sorry this is so long. Just trying to give details for you to work with.

Typically a dog that is barking aggressively will hold his tail quite high in the air. It's hard to say, though, without seeing it first hand.

Could you let him meet a calm dog (friend's dog) through a fence, and well-controlled on a lead, to see his response?

It sounds like your little boy is becoming a man, if you catch my drift.
I'd double up on obedience for a little bit, just to help reassure him that pack structure isn't going to change.



Edited by (07/25/2008 05:01 PM)
Edit reason: Add

Thanks, Alyssa - Your post made me think of something.

My mom has a tiny little Havanese pup that she got several mos ago. She's about as big as she's gonna get, at 8 lbs or so. When my mom comes over, she brings her dog. In the beginning, Kodee would be on one side of the baby gate, and Maddie was on the other. They would bark and play bow, etc. But we do not let them play, as Kodee probably doesn't know his own strength, and he's literally 10x her size.

Now that Kodee is big enough to knock the baby gate down (although he doesn't know it yet), when my mom comes over, Maddie is out loose, Kodee is crated. I hate this, but the reason is that my mom won't crate Maddie, as she'll bark her head off non-stop. Same thing if we put maddie in the kitchen w/gate up. If she's not int he room w/Mom, she won't stop barking. I dont' like this situation, but I didn't figure it would hurt anything to crate Kodee (who knows how to act in his crate ), when they're over. The last time Maddie was here was 2 weeks ago, and she stayed overnight while my mom was away on business. I crated Maddie (yes, she barked all night), and let Kodee run around. (shhh...don't tell). When Kodee was crated and I'd walk Maddie through the room on leash to take her out to potty, Kodee went nuts in the crate. But I noticed that when he was out on leash, and walked past her in her crate, he didn't make a peep.

Do you think my mom's dog coming over for the last few months (and running free while Kodee was crated) has anything to do with this behavior? It might be coincidence, as Kodee is starting to mature physically, and he's been around Maddie since February (when Mom got her). This behavior problem of Kodee started around May, I'd say.

I don't allow other people to bring their dogs into my home, yard, or driveway.

I'd say it's not very fair to Kodee to be crated while another non-pack member runs free, in his pack's territory.

That's kind of what I figured. I hate to tell my mom to not bring her dog, but I guess I will. (My dad passed away recently, and the dog is her new baby).

Do you think that has anything to do with the way he's reacting to dogs in general, or to the one cat?

Kori, thats exactly what my guy used to do. He's gotten a cat before, and has had a few BAD fights. This was when I didn't quite understand all his signs. Do some reading up on dog body language. Mine's ears perk, his head raises, tail goes up and sticks his chest out. I call it 'puffed up'. At first if I didn't correct that posture and a dog walked by he would lunge at it. While on walks, I do a quick correction and keep moving. Don't stop and correct it, just a quick snap on the leash with a 'no' or however you correct and keep walking like nothing has happened. Mine's in a heel most of the time on walks, so I correct him for leaving the heel and put him back into it. Try as hard as possible to ignore the other dog and eventually that will transfer to him.

His stiff posture if 'frozen' stiff could be him appeasing the other dog. When a dominant dog approaches another dog the other dog will freeze as an appeasement to the dominant dog. But him straining forward suggests otherwise. It sounds like his corrections need to change. I would correct when the ears perk up and not allow him to escalate into pulling/growling.

As far as the cat, mine doesn't growl, but chases and wants to eat. He learned don't chase our cat, but that didn't transfer to the neighbors cat or the cat at a friends house. I learned that I needed to correct his wanting to chase in EVERY situation.

Keep pack structure in mind when you're out of the house. Many of my friends dogs are submissive in the house, and listen no problem. But then on the walk with distractions they turn into different dogs.

 Quote:

I can't answer all those questions accurately, b/c I'm usually putting all my energy into holding him still (he's very strong!)

Don't hold him back, this creates tension and him wanting to pull forward even more. Another option is to have him sit patiently and calmly while the other dog passes by. Ask the owner if they can do it multiple times to reinforce this.


Hope this helps! I got mine snipped because of his aggression and health/cancer reasons. It reduced his prey drive a little but he was already 6 when it happened.

Jennifer-

I will take your suggestion re: just keep walking and correct for paying attention to the other dog. I think part of the problem is that I'm inadvertently making it a bigger deal by stopping, and stepping in front of Kodee (and making leash tight). As far as making him sit nicely, I've tried that w/treats, and gotten no where. I don't register on the radar when I try that. I will keep walking. Like I said, he calms right down as soon as the dog is out of sight, so I think I'm making things worse. (oops).

I have decided for sure to keep Kodee intact til he's at least 2 or so, as I want him to mature physically. I am still up in the air about neutering later for health reasons. I'd prefer not to.

Thanks again for your advice. but I'm still not sure - is this true "dog aggression?" (And if so, what about the cat?)

 Quote: Kori Bigge

That's kind of what I figured. I hate to tell my mom to not bring her dog, but I guess I will. (My dad passed away recently, and the dog is her new baby).

If she's willing to crate train her dog, so that the dog can be crated in the house and Kodee can see the dog in the crate, while he is out free (and vice versa), that might be an option.

 Quote: Kori Bigge

Do you think that has anything to do with the way he's reacting to dogs in general, or to the one cat?

Could be, or it could have no relationship. Sometimes you never know the cause, and the only option we have is to treat symptoms.