Continued from http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=33664&page=2#382762

Well I'm lucky Logan doesn't look like a nice friendly dog...that helps a lot.

I just avoid people with dogs and kids. If they look at him with any interest I just say he's not friendly and 9x out of 10 they are glad I warned them. But then there is that 10th idiot who will insist that its ok. *sigh*

With the 10th idiot that you don't want explain body language to, "unpredictable" works pretty good because they can' argue with that. If they appear pushy I just say no and walk off and I always redirect my dog as soon as they inquire.

I usually do avoidance, but will resort to lies, my dog is sick and the vet thinks its contagious for those who don't get the hint. We give the right of way to everyone. Amber doesn't go into stores or other dog friendly places unless we've scoped it out first and I always, always have an exit strategy. Even as Ambi continues to progress, I don't let my guard down because I can pretty much predict what shell do I can't predict what the other person or dog will do. Having a reactive dog has really increased my awareness of my surroundings a hundredfold.

As the owner of a golden who loves people so much that even when the vet hurts him, he still kisses her, I am ignorant when it comes to the causes of dogs being aggressive (and I've encountered a lot of them while out walking Kase). I always thought it was the owners fault due to either no training, bad training, or they were taught to be aggressive.

This thread is interesting to me because if I'm reading it correctly, there are many of you, who I know are excellent owners and trainers, and still have aggressive dogs. So is it something that can be part of a dog's own personality that you have no control over, even with the best of training? and is that tendency in certain breeds? or can it be in any dog, it just depends on that dog's makeup?

Speaking for my dogs, none of them are atypically aggressive, but my big boy is a big baby and gets really anxious around pushy and excitable dogs, funnily enough one of the biggest pains in our arse is a golden/lab cross who jumps up and down like a polar bear on ice barking at us when we walk past them, the owner thinks it's funny - she wouldn't think it so funny if I didn't have control over my four and they attacked her fluffy brat, her lack of control and awareness could cause her a big problem with another dog or dogs if their owner was equally ignorant about dog behaviour.

That's my story anyway

Speaking just from my own experience, yes absolutely dogs can have it as an inherent part of their personality, think pitbull for one example, bred to fight dogs, some dogs have a natural dog aggression. Although many of them don't. Herding breeds can be nippy around people and other animals, why, because that's one of the ways they get what it is they're herding moving. And for my own perspective, in a dog with an owner who is responsible and well trained you may never even notice the reactivity because the dog is well trained, and the owner doesn't get it into situations that get out of control, this is what Amber and I are striving for, but we're a long way away.

Higher drive *sharp* dogs tend to be more reactive. Stuff excites them more, they get excited and react. It's not true aggression but it can become aggression if it's not managed correctly. They need management and self control training. Kipp has some reactivity issues (with dogs, he's pretty much bomb proof with people) that also have to do with insecurity and the way he feels pressure from other dogs. If he *knows* what to do and I manage the situation then he doesn't react. But if he's just standing there feeling the tension in the air then he there are going to be issues. He self regulates at home. I.E. if we're playing ball and he gets wound up watching Kenzi then he'll grab a ball and shake it or chew on it.

 Quote: Lori Hall

As the owner of a golden who loves people so much that even when the vet hurts him, he still kisses her, I am ignorant when it comes to the causes of dogs being aggressive (and I've encountered a lot of them while out walking Kase). I always thought it was the owners fault due to either no training, bad training, or they were taught to be aggressive.

This thread is interesting to me because if I'm reading it correctly, there are many of you, who I know are excellent owners and trainers, and still have aggressive dogs. So is it something that can be part of a dog's own personality that you have no control over, even with the best of training? and is that tendency in certain breeds? or can it be in any dog, it just depends on that dog's makeup?

You bet there are but they can still be controlled. Trained not do do it? Doubtful, hence the "controlled".
There are still many noN dog aggressive dogs that just don't like another dog in their space.
To many pet dog owners think their dogs need to hug another dog or whatever. when the other dogs goes off on their dog they are the ones that get all excited and pissed off. Been there a few times myself and I never cease to scratch my head over how these people are allowed to breed.
Most of my 6 sibs have at least one dog. None are dog agro and there are a couple that can be allowed to interact. There are also a couple that aren't allowed to "play". It's not because they are "aggressive". The just don't want to and have no qualms about telling the other dogs so.
There are certain "breeds" that can be dog aggressive but it's also a individual thing. Making a judgment based on a "breed" can get someone in trouble.
Don't trust ANY dog you don't know......and trust the owners even less. They are the dumb animals of the two.

Can I hit a "like" button for Bob?

My experience seems to run about the same as most of what I read here. Our mal, Bailey, has issues with fearful aggression. At first, when she was about 1-2 years old, it was directed towards anything that moved (people, dogs, cars, you name it). Now we have it under control and the only thing she is reactive to is other dogs, specifically poorly behaved other dogs. In most cases, if the other dog is under control, regardless of its size, Bailey will maintain an equally low energy level. But, if we run into a dog that's small, yappy, and aggressive, she'll get all worked up and reactive. Like others have said, we just keep moving and I work to keep her focused on me and she's fine. In extreme cases, I'll put her in a sit and have her focus on me, shielding her from the other dog with my body.

Like the others have said, many of the dogs on this forum are serious breeds and simply require closer management and more work on shaping their behavior than others, mine included. Lots of work on engagement and focus and a willingness to apply appropriately strong and perfectly timed corrections also helped. I also can't say enough good things about the many threads here dealing with desensitizing.