Dog trainers-? Jeckle- Hyde?

Question

I've always lived rurally, have always had great dogs that both guard and are immediate members of my family. I love training them and taking them with me wherever I can. Some I've had to watch around other dogs and especially cats but that's just who they were.

Now, I've got this red heeler/ pointer mix (8 1/2 mo. old) and she is just the sweetheart. Extremely well mannered and very friendly around other dogs and people. Everyone just loves her.

I hike a lot and don't ever need a leash.

Yesterday on a hike at the trail-head I had her on a leash (due to a bit of people and dogs and park department around) and she went berzerk on every dog that came near her. I've never seen any aggression out of her, ever. This went on all day when meeting other dogs.

Is this a stage?

Is the leash making her feel confined and protective or vulnerable?

any input, advice?

Is my sweetheart another "bad dog"?

Answer 1

Consider your own actions when another dog or person approached. If you tensed up, if you gave your dog the slightest notion that you needed to protect her (or that she needed to protect you), you may have actually triggered her behavior. Even the most subtle of mood and physical changes in their handlers may be sensed by a dog through the leash. It's possible that you are more relaxed and at ease when she's off lead.

Answer 2

Were the other dogs on leashes? If not it could have been because of that.  

Answer 3

If she is normally ok with other dogs when off leash and every time she met a dog yesterday (when she went berzerk) she was on leash it certainly could be leash aggression.  Many dogs that are fine off leash feel "trapped" when they are on leash.  Since they can't run away when they feel insecure they switch to the only other option the feel they have...acting like a big scary dog to scare the other dogs away.  It could also be that the other dogs you met yesterday may have been sending her signals that she didn't like or otherwise being "rude."  Or it could be that she isn't very well socialized with other dogs since she is not exposed to different, unfamiliar dogs often enough...this is one of the potential downsides to owning a dog and living in a rural area.  

None of these things means that she is a "bad" dog.  They simply mean that you need to work on a few "issues" with her if you want her to behave in a certain manner.  Check out the book On Talking Terms With Dogs by Turid Rugass or Canine Body Language, A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff.  If you really suspect that this is aggression, Click to Calm by Emma Parsons and Fight! A Practical Guide to the Treatment of Dog-dog Aggression by Jean Donaldson are both excellent books.

Answer 4

Many dogs can be "leash aggressive"...aggressive to other dogs, while they are on leash.  It's usually a lack of confidence and makes her feel vulnerable.  I bet had she been off leash, she would have been fine.

She's not a bad dog at all, she's just got some issues.  Most rescue dogs have some issues.  You don't know her past, so she may have ben attacked when on leash.

What I suggest is, start walking her on a regular basis on leash.  When you take her out have lots of tasty treats in your pocket, give her tasty treats when another dog is coming near, before she gets excited.  Eventually, she will associate other dogs with something positive.

I think it's going to take time, but with consistant positive training you can get passed.  

Answer 5

It's really difficult to advise without understanding what caused the aggression.

It could be fear aggression, territorial aggression or dominance aggression.  Fear aggressive dogs will do one of three things - Freeze, Flee or Fight and they will always be worse on the leash because they can not do any of these things.

Also if this is a sudden behaviour change I would have her checked out by the vet.  Sudden behaviour changes often have a physical cause and this needs to be ruled out first.