Reggie, the golden we rescued a few months ago, is fine with other dogs 95% of the time. We walk down by the beach every weekend and there are a lot of other dogs being walked past us. He ignores most of them, some he watches calmly as we walk by (btw, we keep a wide birth as I don't trust any other dog), but there have been a few that he reacts negatively to.

They are coming towards us, and when they are still 20 yards away he suddenly perks up and starts to focus on them - the other dog is always focused on him too. He gets more 'tense' as they get closer and if that dog even starts to show an interest in coming towards him he kind of lunges forward and does a vicious growl at it. And for some reason, not all, but most of them have been huskies.

The trainer we are doing positive reinforcement classes with, in preparation for CGC and therapy dog classes, says he's not dog aggressive, just letting them know he's paying attention and won't let himself get messed with.

#1, do you agree that it can be normal for a dog to react like that and not be considered dog aggressive?
#2, I have been avoiding those situations by going way out of that other dog's way and bringing treats to try and get Reggie to focus on me instead of the dog. Is that the way I should be handling it, or is there something else I should be doing?

Body language is the key here. He is reacting to the body language of the other dog. How do you react? How do you want him to react? Are you trying to distract him when he zero's in? I wouldn't call that aggressive, he is just reacting to being stared down by another.
If he is leashed, and this is something you do not want, do some backstepping and training, see how he reacts. If he spins around to keep the dog in sight, than others here would def have input on how to help you change that focus!

 Quote: Lori Hall

Reggie, the golden we rescued a few months ago, is fine with other dogs 95% of the time. We walk down by the beach every weekend and there are a lot of other dogs being walked past us. He ignores most of them, some he watches calmly as we walk by (btw, we keep a wide birth as I don't trust any other dog), but there have been a few that he reacts negatively to.

They are coming towards us, and when they are still 20 yards away he suddenly perks up and starts to focus on them - the other dog is always focused on him too. He gets more 'tense' as they get closer and if that dog even starts to show an interest in coming towards him he kind of lunges forward and does a vicious growl at it. And for some reason, not all, but most of them have been huskies.

The trainer we are doing positive reinforcement classes with, in preparation for CGC and therapy dog classes, says he's not dog aggressive, just letting them know he's paying attention and won't let himself get messed with.

#1, do you agree that it can be normal for a dog to react like that and not be considered dog aggressive?
#2, I have been avoiding those situations by going way out of that other dog's way and bringing treats to try and get Reggie to focus on me instead of the dog. Is that the way I should be handling it, or is there something else I should be doing?

Just my quick 2 cents worth here, Lori:

Leash-Aggro "reactive defense bluff" -- Sometimes other dogs are triggered by Huskies, Akitas and similar spitz-type dogs with prick ears, ultra-high tail carriage & a bold "vibe" ... IMHO, it is a form of Fear-Aggro.

Re-direction of focus using rewards, plus obedience training in "Leave It" & "Behind Me", plus the judicious use of a Prong & Dominant Dog Collar if necessary -- But IF he ever actually ends up getting attacked by some other dog, then that will make your job a LOT more Difficult...

Candi, I definitely agree with you on the 'if he gets attacked it will make my job a lot harder'. We have always paid close attention to other dogs coming near and don't get close enough for that to happen - although it's becoming harder and harder with all the stupid people that let their dogs have a long lead so they can just go wherever they want! Why do all these people think we want their dog in our space??! It really BUGS me!!!

 Quote: Lori Hall

Candi, I definitely agree with you on the 'if he gets attacked it will make my job a lot harder'. We have always paid close attention to other dogs coming near and don't get close enough for that to happen - although it's becoming harder and harder with all the stupid people that let their dogs have a long lead so they can just go wherever they want! Why do all these people think we want their dog in our space??! It really BUGS me!!!

Answer: They are clueless Self-Entitled snowflakes, IMHO

Two dogs walking towards one another or even one walking toward the other will always trigger the alert but it only to get things heated.

What you have doesn't sound like aggression but I personally would nip it in the bud.

If your training is reward based then give the dog a command to sit and ask for eye contact.

From that you could make simple corrections for not doing as you ask and that take the pressure away from correction for eye contact with the other dog.

My dogs have always learned to reply to a simple poke in the ribs from me to let them know to stop.

The poke isn't so much a correction as it is just breaking their thought process.

Look at it as if you've walked in the kitchen and one of the kids has their hand in the cookie jar.

A simple tap on the shoulder can get their attention away from the cookie jar.

"IF" this was true aggression I think the dog would be going off on the other dog and not just staring.

Yeah, what Bob said.

Off on a tangent... I presume the only dog I can manage is my own. The actions of other people and their mutts is beyond my control.

Along with that pithy observation is awareness. I think it my responsibility to 'protect' my mutt or mutts from situations that can get out of hand. In a walk it is incumbent on me to be situationally aware, and anticipate of what can go wrong be it a squirrel or a dog.

There can be situations when an unaccompanied dog bolts toward you and your dog, and you need to have a plan for how you will manage the situation. In my case, my dog goes in back of me and I address the often friendly but sometimes not foreign dog.

It is a form of my walking training to sit the dog and step forward should an intrusion present. If another dog person is walking toward me on the wrong side of the street, I either sit my dog until they pass, or if it looks like something could go amiss, I move to the other side of the street.

Dogs will look at other dogs either passively of with some apprehension and focus. I think I read my dogs reasonably well and can gauge the level of issue that might escalate. I just care about my dogs. I want them to focus on me in the first instance but recognize sometimes they are more alert to the circumstance than I.

In truth, I am doing the other dog person or dog a service because my mutts are not pansies. But I judge me by the actions of my mutts because I am supposed to be smarter but that is open to serious debate.

When you walk your dog have a training plan. Almost every situation is a training opportunity for both you and your dog. Be prepared for the idiot with an untrained dog. Be confident, be in charge, be decisive and your dog will get it.

I did mention a tangent, did I not?

 Quote: Bob Scott

What you have doesn't sound like aggression but I personally would nip it in the bud.

"IF" this was true aggression I think the dog would be going off on the other dog and not just staring.

Even from some distance away, Lori's dog is LUNGING & SNARLING "viciously" at husky-type dogs that are only giving him the eye, which does sound like a sample of defensive reactionary aggression that is fear-motivated to me -- When his Fight-or-Flight threshold is crossed while ONLEAD, he chooses to at least put on a Big FIGHT Bluff ... Whether he would want to follow through with it when given a chance to cut & run instead, is doubtful (but if cornered & pushed, I bet he might bring some fairly ferocious aggro) just IMHO.

Your dog is being leash reactive. You may want to take a look at the new DVD Leerburg just released on that subject: http://leerburg.com/leashreactivitydvd.php

Therapy dogs can not be leash reactive - they need to be level headed and safe at all times. You never know when there will be another dog when you go on a visit and you can't have a dog lunging and growling at another in the hallway of a senior center, or school, or whatever the facility is.

Lori, I know you already know that, I am just stating it for the folks that may be reading this and don't know what it takes to be a therapy dog.

 Quote: Kelly

Your dog is being leash reactive. You may want to take a look at the new DVD Leerburg just released on that subject: http://leerburg.com/leashreactivitydvd.php

Therapy dogs can not be leash reactive - they need to be level headed and safe at all times. You never know when there will be another dog when you go on a visit and you can't have a dog lunging and growling at another in the hallway of a senior center, or school, or whatever the facility is.

Lori, I know you already know that, I am just stating it for the folks that may be reading this and don't know what it takes to be a therapy dog.

THANK you, Kelly I am SO ordering this DVD next week, since as mentioned, Leash-Aggro is such a common complaint among pet owners seeking advice from a total Amateur like Me !!!