I agree with Alyssas' post. Sounds like your lab is not aggressive toward people (based on the fact that you are able to break up the fights without getting bit or growled at and it is apparent by your post that you are a dog owner that has not been a dominant leader). Also unless I am missing it, it seems to me even the dog fights, have been because the other dogs were in her teritory or taking something of hers away, which could have been easily prevented. I really don't even see this dog as a really dog aggressive, she is just reacting to the position she is put into to protect her space. I am no dog expert by n o means however, I would never consider giving this dog up based on what I read in your post.

That said, I would supervise the baby with the dog, as I would any child with any dog.

If she has a crate, and is crate trained, she should be in it when you aren't around.

 Quote:

The dog, Angel, is left to roam the house while we are at work. Now and then she will get into trouble with snatching something from the table or trash and tearing it up

Not only that, but it allows her the illusion of dominance over you.

Using the crate will be key to establishing a healthy pack structure with this dog.

(And trust me- nothing is grosser than a dog ripping up a dirty diaper on the living room floor)

Alyssa- I see your point, both of them! You are right- another thing we will work on. Thank you.

There seem to be three threads with the same post on them... That written.

I agree with your father.

You note the dog has never been properly trained.

You are anxious in re the arrival of the baby.

Why do you let the dog roam in the house?

I should not have started to respond... But I did.

Either train yourselves to train the dog - a missing ingredient - or be ready for issues.

Either train the dog - or be ready for issues.

Decide how you are going to introduce the dog to a changed environment - baby's arrival.

Understand, if you and your husband do not get your selves tuned into priorities, and agree to them, there will be issues - dog and otherwise.

Priorities in my order: You, your husband, your baby. Your family. Your home. Your jobs. Your dog.

And when it comes to the dog, you have to be in charge, and the dog has to fully appreciate that reality. No 'kindas' are adequate when it comes to the dog and the baby.

Boundaries. Rules. Expected behavior. Limitations... I sound like a popular dog trainer. Hmmmm...

A dog is not a human. That in itself is a hard concept for some humans to come to grips with.

Good luck.

I agree with Alyssa - not being able to speak to fight #1, but all of the other fights were preventable.

Utilizing the crate, working on pack structure, and supervising your dog (keep her separate from other dogs, and keep toys/treats away) should make a huge difference. I would supervise her with the baby as well, as Lynne and Alyssa mentioned.


ETA: or, just read Mike's post

 Quote: alyssa myracle

your dog is only aggressive towards other dogs (which is extremely common in spayed females.

I'm not sure I quite agree with that statement - it may be that spaying an already aggressive female will make her WORSE, but I don't agree with it shifting the tendencies in an already non-aggressive dog (I know too many perfectly sweet spayed females to come to that conclusion on my own). But that's really an aside, and otherwise I agree completely with everything Alyssa posted.

Amanda, you and your husband have not assumed a leadership role with this dog - ever - and she has next to no rules in the house. She's sounds like a dominant dog that you've allowed to dominate YOU.

You can't change the dog's temperament, but you can change its relationship to the other members in it's "pack" (ie, you). You're going to need to start at the beginning with this dog - use her crate, put her in there when you're not home, ignore obnoxious behavior and reward calm and quiet, and start doing positively reinforced obedience with her and build a working relationship where nothing in her life is "free" anymore. Basically, what everyone else already mentioned.

In regards to other dogs - almost all of the fights you described could have been easily prevented, but #5 was a COMPLETE repeat of an earlier experience (same dogs, same house, same trigger)... you need to be MUCH more aware of your dog's tendencies (possessiveness/protectiveness), the surrounding environment (her territory + food/toys laying around) and do the best you can to avoid potential conflicts by simply crating your dog and getting her out of any situation where she feels compelled to be aggressive (that's YOUR responsibility to HER).

Read all the great links Alyssa posted - they will help. And don't feel like you can't do this, if you love this dog and want to make it work, you can - she doesn't sound like a bad dog at all, just one who needs more structure and more awareness and diligence on the part of her owners.

Good luck!

~Natalya

This will be long; as I want to make sure you have an understanding of what is going on. Anyways, I have a 3 year old, spayed, black lab that lives with my husband and me in a 2-story home with a large yard but no fence so when she goes outside she is always on a leash. As a puppy she was not around other dogs or people very often except for my close family and it’s still that way today. I am pregnant with our first child due in March. I work 9 hour days and my husband works 12 hour days on a rotating schedule. The dog, Angel, is left to roam the house while we are at work. Now and then she will get into trouble with snatching something from the table or trash and tearing it up but that is not my reason for this post. When Angel wants something she will bug you until she gets it. If she wants attention, food, water, or to go outside she will hop in front of you, bark, and just basically bug you until she gets it. My husband and I are able to take food, bones, and toys away from her and she will not react in any way. She is stubborn with commands but a very smart dog. Angel does pull while on a leash and will try to run after wildlife. She is also jealous. She will bark and move between my husband and I when we show affection to each other.

We acknowledge the fact that she was never properly trained and is currently dominant over us, which we are working on now. My concern is that she has been in 5 fights and I am now very worried about the safety of our baby.

Fight #1: Unfortunately I don’t have very much info on this incident since it occurred while Angel was at a puppy daycare. She had only been there a couple of times when I was informed that she could not come back since she got into a fight with a Jack Russell. At the time she was supposed to be in with the larger dogs since she was probably about 5 months old but this JR would be allowed in with the larger dogs. I’m not sure how the fight started but she was secluded until I could pick her up.

Fight #2: Can’t remember how old Angel was but we had her at my parents home who have an older male Dalmatian. We were there for a long period of time without any sign of a problem. Suddenly the two dogs got into a fight over a rawhide but were fairly easily broken apart and with the rawhide away they seemed fine.

Fight #3: Just this past June she was in a fight with my brothers’ male Jack Russell. His JR had not been around Angel before and has a history of biting people. My brothers’ girlfriend, Kate, and I had introduced the dogs to each other and they seemed fine. Kate went outside and I walked into another room and when Kate came back in apparently both dogs went over to greet her and the JR growled and snapped at Angel which made Angel go after the JR. A major fight ensued. It was hell breaking them apart since Angel just basically had the JR in her mouth and was flailing about. I honestly thought Angel was going to kill the JR. I still don’t know how I did it but I pried Angels mouth open and Kate was able to get the JR away. There was blood from the JR’s nose and from my fingers. Luckily no major damage but the most frightening thing I have ever been through.

Fight #4: This fight happened in August. I had dog-sat for a friend numerous times. She had a 1 year old, male, boxer that I was taking care of for 10 days. The two dogs had always gotten along before though at times I could tell that Angel would get annoyed and not want to play anymore so I would call away the boxer and play with him myself. I had noticed this happening but before I could get the boxer away, as he was jumping on Angel, she turned on him. I was by myself so I had a very hard time breaking them up and as I was trying to get them further apart, Angel tried to go back after the boxer again. From that point on I kept them separated until the boxer was picked up.

Fight #5: Last weekend my parents were visiting for the day and brought their Dalmatian as they have always done. The two pretty much leave each other alone and were fine all afternoon when suddenly a fight broke out. According to my husband Angel was holding a rawhide and dropped it so the Dalmatian approached to take it as Angel was about to pick it up again and the Dalmatian growled causing Angel to attack. The fight lasted no more than a minute. I ended up lying on top of the Dalmatian while my husband pulled Angel away. The Dalmatian was rushed to the pet ER because his ear had been torn in half vertically.

We love this dog as if it were a child. My husband is dead against finding another home for her and I really don’t want that either but I have this fear that she will turn on us and of course we know better than to leave any dog unattended around a baby or children.

We have been told by the pet ER vet to be very careful and just keep her separated from the baby at all times. Another vet has said she should go to another home. My mother is upset because her dog was injured, as am I, and she feels the dog should go. My father on the other hand says it was our fault, meaning all of us who were at the house that day, because we didn’t pick up the rawhides and we know dogs will fight over their toys and bones, and that she does need some good training and to be kept away from the baby but should not be given to another home.

I have soooo many thoughts going through my head. I have read many articles online and am just looking for help with our situation. I’m hoping to hear from someone who has been through this.

Stop posting this.

Just trying to get as much help as possible.

This dog was put in situations with unstable dogs and had strange dogs come onto her territory without a proper introduction. You have a totally normal dog. Not some vicious beast.

Fight #1: Don't take her to any form of doggy day care. I used to work at one and the staff does NOT know what they are doing. Especially with breeds like the JR that don't tend to vocalize their intent to fight before they do it. I was told I was cruel for using a squirt bottle to stop the fights before they start. Excepting one of the managers none of them could read dog behavior well enough to know they were headed for a fight. The JR was most likely put in with the larger dogs because of a behavior problem. Some small dogs are holy terrors with equal sized dogs but will "mind their manners" with large dogs.

Fight #2: You took her into another dog's territory and let her go for "his" property. Of course that's going to result in a fight.

Fight #3:Unstable undisciplined dogs should NEVER be left loose if they "have a history of biting people". That dog needs some serious pack leadership which it obviously isn't getting.

Fight #4: You let another dog come onto her territory and pester her. Pack leaders don't allow that kind of thing so she took it upon herself to teach the intruder who's boss around there.

Fight #5: Why have not learned by NOW? I mean it's fight #5. Yet again, you allowed a strange dog to come onto her territory and try to grab something of hers. A pack leader doesn't allow that stuff.

All these fights ARE NOT THE DOG'S FAULT!
Your dad is the only one who is thinking and using his head "My father on the other hand says it was our fault, meaning all of us who were at the house that day, because we didn’t pick up the rawhides and we know dogs will fight over their toys and bones, and that she does need some good training and to be kept away from the baby but should not be given to another home." You need to read and apply the groundwork article. Get a dog crate. Start implementing structured walks. Ignore her when she starts bouncing to get attention. I know dog fights are scary especially when a dog gets injured but you really need to give this dog a chance.