Audrey
12-07-2006, 01:45 PM
Hi
I own a 3 year old Australian Cattle Dog, desexed female. We have done puppy preschool as a baby, then clicker obedience classes, agility classes and just recently we've been learning flyball. She's a very fast learner and just loves it. So, theoretically, the training and socialisation from puppyhood has been appropriate.
In the past several months, she has shown a degree of dog aggression. She will go and say hi to a dog, wag her tail, sniff, and if there's any hint of anything from the other dog, she will get into them. When she was at puppy preschool she was menaced by a large German Shepherd pup, and when she was older, at a dog park, she was attacked and bitten by a Staffie. It looks sometimes as if she's going a dog because she thinks it's going to go her, and she wants to get in first. Very anthropomorphic :)
We also own a 12 month old ACD, desexed male, and she's becoming quite dominant over him. Appropriate, I think, but she's becoming a bit more aggressive than I think she needs to be there.
I've always been hesitant to allow her off leash in a dog park or on the beach, because of her tendency to attack other dogs. She is worse when she is hyped up, and adrenalin is coursing through her veins. She doesn't hear you call her, she's so focussed on getting to the other dog. She also gets fired up at dogs who bark at her through a fence when we go walking.
On Tuesday night, we were at flyball training, and she ran over to me, then kept going and took on a dog racing in the next lane. That dog reciprocated in kind, and it was on. A lot of noise, but no harm done. The other dog's owner picked his dog up, and my dog was still jumping up trying to bite the other dog. I had balls, toys, treats... all of the good things but getting to this other dog was so much more rewarding.
She is lovely to people, and very trainable. I will continue to go to training, but keep her on lead, as I don't think keeping her away from other dogs will do her any good. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what sort of behaviouralist or trainer I should seek. This is more than just an obedience training problem, this is the worst she has been, and I would like to get it fixed reliably. It would be a shame for her not to get out and about because of it if there's something I can do to remedy her behavior.
Thanks for reading this far, and I look forward to your suggestions.
Audrey
I own a 3 year old Australian Cattle Dog, desexed female. We have done puppy preschool as a baby, then clicker obedience classes, agility classes and just recently we've been learning flyball. She's a very fast learner and just loves it. So, theoretically, the training and socialisation from puppyhood has been appropriate.
In the past several months, she has shown a degree of dog aggression. She will go and say hi to a dog, wag her tail, sniff, and if there's any hint of anything from the other dog, she will get into them. When she was at puppy preschool she was menaced by a large German Shepherd pup, and when she was older, at a dog park, she was attacked and bitten by a Staffie. It looks sometimes as if she's going a dog because she thinks it's going to go her, and she wants to get in first. Very anthropomorphic :)
We also own a 12 month old ACD, desexed male, and she's becoming quite dominant over him. Appropriate, I think, but she's becoming a bit more aggressive than I think she needs to be there.
I've always been hesitant to allow her off leash in a dog park or on the beach, because of her tendency to attack other dogs. She is worse when she is hyped up, and adrenalin is coursing through her veins. She doesn't hear you call her, she's so focussed on getting to the other dog. She also gets fired up at dogs who bark at her through a fence when we go walking.
On Tuesday night, we were at flyball training, and she ran over to me, then kept going and took on a dog racing in the next lane. That dog reciprocated in kind, and it was on. A lot of noise, but no harm done. The other dog's owner picked his dog up, and my dog was still jumping up trying to bite the other dog. I had balls, toys, treats... all of the good things but getting to this other dog was so much more rewarding.
She is lovely to people, and very trainable. I will continue to go to training, but keep her on lead, as I don't think keeping her away from other dogs will do her any good. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what sort of behaviouralist or trainer I should seek. This is more than just an obedience training problem, this is the worst she has been, and I would like to get it fixed reliably. It would be a shame for her not to get out and about because of it if there's something I can do to remedy her behavior.
Thanks for reading this far, and I look forward to your suggestions.
Audrey