[Laura McCaw]

Okay so our BLM is almost 10 months old, but he is extremely aggressive towards other dogs (male, female, tiny, large) it just doesn't matter. Also his prey drive is extremely high, therefore, anything he sees as in rabbit, cat, squirrel, moles, he just wants to destroy them all.

Also, yes he is intact.... however, we do not feel that neutering will help the situation as our older lab who passed away 6 months ago, was neutered at 7 months of age and he was also very aggressive but only towards other male dogs.

I am just nervous about this as we would like to do Hunt Test with Ruger, but even when we are in training and he is in his crate waiting his turn, he barks and growls very aggressively and charges in the crate. This worries me as I do not feel he would ever honor another dog. When training alone, he is just absolutely amazing and listens so great to all his commands and his obedience is flawless, it is just with other dogs around. I will tell him "QUIET" very sternly and he will look at me and bark in this whiny pitch. I am just at a loss as to what to do. I can not even take him walking around our block anymore to work on his leash skills because he wants to fight every dog, puppy, and what not.

I am open to all suggestions.

**Just to add, I have worked with him as a 7 week old pup from day 1 with socialization, obedience, training, etc. but when he got to 5 months old, I went on bed rest due to my pregnancy and he was not worked with at all, and this is about when his aggression started in towards other dogs.

 

[Todd Caswell]

I see you have 2 other younger dogs how is he with them?

 

[Laura McCaw]

Well we typically kennel them seperately (all 3 also have their own yard), but we are on 3.4 acres and we will have them all out together at times and he does great with them, but they have been here since he was a pup. He plays really good with them and even trains good with them. The only thing is, when I am working with one of them, and if he is in eye sight, he gets extremely aggitated and will bark, yip, whine, non-stop. So in order for me to train and work with the other two, we have to put him in the crate in the house.

 

[Laura McCaw]

I know a lot of things are at fault of the owner/trainer, but could some of this also be genetic although it can possibly be controlled and nipped in the butt?

 

[Todd Caswell]

I'm sure others will chime in on this but first I would put an end to the nonsence when the others are training, he needs to learn to sit there and watch QUIETLY.

 

[Laura McCaw]

Yes I completely agree. Although the other 2 are younger, they are very respectful when I am working with another pup. I am sure the first step I would have to take would be to teach him to hush, behave, and watch quietly, but that is where I do not know where to began with the teaching as I do not want to ruin him in any way. Also, he is by no means a soft dog, lol. He is one that just LOVES to test your patience, which is why I do not understand why he is a perfect gentleman when it is just him and I, but everything goes out the window with another dog around.

 

[Todd Caswell]

I'm no expert but it sounds like he needs a dose of very strict, and structured OB, followed up by some tough love. He's starting to grow up and it will only get worse if not addressed now. Are the other puppys males? Having three puppys that close in age is something I would not want to tackle all at once.

 

[Leslie B]

I'm sure others will chime in on this but first I would put an end to the nonsence when the others are training, he needs to learn to sit there and watch QUIETLY.

I hate to say this but being nervous is probably the biggest problem here. As the dog acts aggressive, you become unsure of yourself and of him. This becomes self fulling as your fear fuels the dogs aggression. In his mind, you are afraid and he needs to protect you.

So, as much as possible you need to put your fear aside and refuse to allow his aggressive behavior. Is he collar conditioned? If so, I would start by putting him out on a line (non chewable) close to where he can watch you train the other dogs. At any noise or other nonsense, I would give him the "look" a sharp "no" and a "nick". I think that Nick is right in that this would be a great place to start reasserting your command of the dog. Don't worry about what training takes place with the other dog, your real work is with your boy on the line.

The second place to work on is the walk. If you are afraid to walk him - what message is the dog getting? Of course he has reason to be aggressive since you are afraid when the two of you go out. How does he behave when others walk him?

 

[Laura McCaw]

Gunner is our 7 month male, and then Nelli our 6 month female. We only meant to have the 2 males, but Nelli came to us unexpectedly, lol. Gunner is our lover, he has been a cinch to work with and so has Nelli. Ruger however, was the most fun to train as he is the most aggressive with water entries, the best with marks, etc. He is just all for the game and he will let us know his jealousy when we are training the other 2 pups instead of him.

I think a lot of it, if not all, has been my fault as I do favor Ruger a little more only because his willingness to please (until now with other dogs). I mean, from 8 weeks old, he caught on to everything I taught him after only a couple of tries and he hung on to it. I did not really work with the other 2 right away as I wanted to concentrate on Ruger, but after the bed rest incident and now that I am back up and working with the other 2, he shows a lot of jealousy issues.

But out around other dogs (he doesn't know) when training, he is just down right aggressive. We had our neighbors spayed female german shephard get out a week ago (she is a fence jumper), and she got in our yard, and Ruger just went at her with such aggressive behavior and I heard this dog fight and there he was on her with her back pinned on the ground. As soon as I yelled at him and said "Here", he did stop and came up to me with tail between the legs and whining. I put him back in his kennel, but I did not know exactly how to discipline him since he did listen as soon as I called him. I know she was on his territory, but still, I do not want him acting this aggressive.

 

[Steve Babcock]

I would never bring Ruger to a HT. I believe most dog aggression is genetic. You can probably get him quieter and maybe neuter him. I don't believe anything you did caused it either. No matter what you do in the future, he will still be aggressive.

There are so many other details to worry about at a HT you just add another one if he is aggressive. Then there is the noise issue, that is a huge problem in itself.

We had to ban a dog for life at our last HT, on two different days he attacked another working dog while he was supposed to be honoring. The AKC Rep was there and we found out this dog had a history, and he should have been banned before our test. His owners were in denial and making excuses for the dog.

If he attacks another dog at a HT, he will find out there is no punishment for his behavior, it will accelerate. My experience is that it will get worse as he gets older. I would concentrate on the two younger dogs and forget about him. He has two huge issues with the noise and the aggression.

 

[Steve Babcock]

I reread your post. This dog is causing you a lot of anxiety in just the simplest of tasks, walking on lead. I will repeat myself and say that nothing you did caused this. With a new baby to care for, I wouldn't add the stress of an aggressive dog. I suggest you find him a new home.

 

[Doc E]

Caveat right off the bat : This was a very small study (36 dogs), but it showed a definite correlation.
Additional note : DHA is in a much higher concentration in Tuna Oil than regular Fish Oil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aggressive dogs are characterized by low omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acid status
Veterinary Research Communications
March 2008;32(3):225-30
Simona Re, Marco Zanoletti, Enzo Emanuele

FROM ABSTRACT

Canine aggressive behaviour is one of the most common problems being reported by dog owners. However, the biochemical basis of this phenomenon remains unclear.
In humans, alterations in omega-3 plasma polyunsatured fatty acids and elevated omega-6/omega-3 ratios have been linked to behavioural alterations, including aggression.
Thus far, however, the relationship between plasma polyunsatured fatty acid status and aggression has not been investigated in the dog.
Eighteen adult male German Shepherd dogs, aged 4.9±0.9 years, showing no
clinical signs but aggression, were investigated.
Eighteen healthy male dogs, aged 4.8±0.7 years, with a negative history of
behavioural and neurological disorders served as controls.
Baseline fasting plasma polyunsatured fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography.
Compared to normal dogs, aggressive dogs showed lower docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (22:6 n-3) concentrations and a higher omega-6/omega-3 ratio.In addition, they showed reduced cholesterol and bilirubin concentrations compared to their normally behaving counterparts.
Altogether, our results suggest that low omega-3 fatty acids may adversely impact behaviour in dogs, resulting in greater propensity to aggression.
THESE AUTHORS ALSO NOTE:
“Aggressive behaviour is a common behavioural problem in dogs, resulting in
bite injuries, reaching epidemic proportions.”

“In humans, abnormalities in lipid metabolism have been found in a variety
of mental disorders, including pathological aggression and anxiety.”
Altered lipid profile may play a relevant role in hyperactivity, aggression and
impulsiveness.
The relationship between blood lipid status and behaviour is mediated by
central serotonergic activity. Central serotonergic activity is reduced among animals fed a low-fat/low-cholesterol diet.
Hypocholesterolemia occurs in aggressive dogs.
“Of great interest, human studies have also pointed to a role for alterations in
omega-3 plasma polyunsatured fatty acids and elevated omega-6/omega-3 ratios in the pathophysiology of aggression and hostility.”
In this study, the aggressive group consisted of 18 German Shepherd dogs
selected on the basis of aggressive behaviour. They all had a history of aggressive incidents and attacks without warning (bites toward humans).
Eighteen healthy male German Shepherd dogs with no history of behavioural
and neurological disorders served as controls.
Fasting blood samples were collected and analyzed for arachidonic acid
(20:4 n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3), docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) and omega-6/omega-3 ratio.
RESULTS
“There was a significant reduction in the concentration of bilirubin and total
cholesterol in the aggressive group compared to the control group.”
“Compared to normal dogs, aggressive dogs showed a significantly lower
concentration of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6 n-3) and a higher omega-6/omega-3 ratio.”

DISCUSSION
“There is consistent evidence from other studies, especially from human
epidemiological investigations, that a low omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status could be linked to aggressive behaviour.”
Low cholesterol levels may also be correlated to canine aggressiveness.

“Results of our study showed that German Shepherd dogs with a history of
aggressive behaviour displayed a significantly lower docosahexaenoic acid
(22:6 n-3) concentration and a significantly higher omega-6/omega-3 ratio when compared with non-aggressive dogs.”
Several studies suggest that low-omega 3 fatty acid status may adversely
impact serotonergic function in the central nervous system.
“The connection between hypocholesterolemia and dog aggression may
similarly occur via altered production, reuptake, or metabolism of
neurotransmitters.”
“Reduced serum cholesterol may be a biochemical feature associated with
canineaggression.”
Reduced bilirubin may be related to dog aggressiveness, because bilirubin is
neuroprotective to the central nervous system.
“In conclusion, our pilot study suggests that low concentrations of cholesterol, bilirubin, docosahexaenoic acid and a higher omega-6/omega-3 ratio may be biological correlates of aggressiveness in German Shepherd dogs.”



.

 

[Swampcollie]

Have you had the dog checked out by your Vet (for the behavior issues) to rule out any possible medical conditions? A hypothyroid dog can show aggression issues.

 

[Laura McCaw]

I hate to say this but being nervous is probably the biggest problem here. As the dog acts aggressive, you become unsure of yourself and of him. This becomes self fulling as your fear fuels the dogs aggression. In his mind, you are afraid and he needs to protect you.

So, as much as possible you need to put your fear aside and refuse to allow his aggressive behavior. Is he collar conditioned? If so, I would start by putting him out on a line (non chewable) close to where he can watch you train the other dogs. At any noise or other nonsense, I would give him the "look" a sharp "no" and a "nick". I think that Nick is right in that this would be a great place to start reasserting your command of the dog. Don't worry about what training takes place with the other dog, your real work is with your boy on the line.

The second place to work on is the walk. If you are afraid to walk him - what message is the dog getting? Of course he has reason to be aggressive since you are afraid when the two of you go out. How does he behave when others walk him?

Everything you say definitely makes sense, however, I am by no means afraid of Ruger. I just refuse to walk him around the block anymore because of the small children on their bike and the antics he pulls when he sees another dog, and also the fact that the dogs in the neighborhood will be off leash with the kids. Sorry I should have explained that earlier. When I walk him, I do use the pinch collar, but when he gets in the "attack" mode, he does not care about the pinching anymore. He becomes very stubborn and his entire focus will be towards that one loose dog, and with children around, I do not want to risk it.

I, myself, however, am a very stern person. With our CLF pup, I actually have to talk a lot softer with her to see progress as she is a soft dog and when I use a stern tone in my voice, it terrifies her. Also, Gunner does very well with how stern I am. I am by no means a push-over, and typically my dogs know when I mean business.

I just do not know what happened with Ruger. It was as if I went away for a while (bedrest) and just came back to this totally different dog. I am very stern, however, I do not want to beat him, which is why I am searching for the best advice possible without using too much discipline in his actions whereas I can ruin him.

Also, when I am training Ruger and he is on the line, his mark will be his 100% focus and he forgets about other dogs. It is just when he is the one that is not working when he gets aggressive and also just every day to day things and being around other canines in general.

I am just embarressed to take him to anymore trainings because of his behavior while the other dogs are on the line.

 

[Laura McCaw]

Thank you so much Doc E. Very useful.

Have you had the dog checked out by your Vet (for the behavior issues) to rule out any possible medical conditions? A hypothyroid dog can show aggression issues.

You know, I do have an appointment with our vet on Thursday as it seems like something is going on with his ear. He never scratches at it, but he will sometimes shake his head and then it is really noticeable as a discomfort after he gets out of the water. I will go ahead and have him checked for any possible other medical issues as well. Thanks.

 

[Sully]

Here is the best way I have found to deal with it. Get a really solid down stay on this dog. I mean off leash at a distance with a collar without a collar as good as you can get it this is important for the next steps. Down is the comand I use because this is the most comfortable controlled command a dog can learn. sit is not as reliable because it becomes uncomfortable. Once you get a good solid down for example when you say down 10 ft. from him he should drop like he was shot. The rest is easy, find a friend who has a well controled dog put your dog in a down with a leash and a correction collar ie. choke, pinch and or E-collar put him in a down and work with this person and their dog getting closer ans closer to yours until you can put both dogs in a down side by side facing opposite directions. If your dog makes an aggressive move toward the other dog give down command and sharp correction. this is very clear you found a technicality he is breaking the down so your correction is more understood by your dog. If you want more controll over your dogs mouth until you get comfortable with him add a halti not as a correction because they dont work, but with this on him you have directional control over the mouth and teeth so your friends dog is protected. I have done this proffesionally with dog aggressive males and female of all breeds this may not ever one hundred percent cure this dog of his aggression issues but if maintaned will provide a great on and off leash tool to allow you to compete in hunt test or train in a group or even a trip to a dog park. if you do this right then anytime you are out if your dog becomes aggressive you give down command and the response is automatic.

 

[Laura McCaw]

I reread your post. This dog is causing you a lot of anxiety in just the simplest of tasks, walking on lead. I will repeat myself and say that nothing you did caused this. With a new baby to care for, I wouldn't add the stress of an aggressive dog. I suggest you find him a new home.

When I say nervous, I meant about the fact that I will probably never be able to put him in a hunt test. I am not afraid of him at all, BUT, you could be right about the anxiety. Since I have had our son, I have been extremely stressed (he is a colicky baby), so I could possibly not have my mind on the right track when working with him. I am sure I could always show more focus and be more stern, but instead, I keep thinking in my mind other things as "I hope my husband is doing okay with the baby inside" or things of the similar nature instead of fully concentrating on what is going on at the moment. To top it off, it does stress me out to have Ruger acting this way. It frustrates me more than anything and I believe he senses that. I love him too much to find him a new home. He is an amazing boy (I am sure that sounds rediculous, lol), but you would just have to know all the positives about him to see that also.

Even if I were not able to do hunt test with him, he still makes a great family dog and he is also great with our 3 year old daughter, I will not be able to take him on family outings though. I just really hope that about the time I went on bedrest I didn't miss out on exposing him to enough socialization although I do wonder, if it is genetics.

 

[Doc E]

Tuna Oil is cheap. Probably worth a try before doing things that are more intense.



.

 

[Pam Spears]

I hate to say this but being nervous is probably the biggest problem here. As the dog acts aggressive, you become unsure of yourself and of him. This becomes self fulling as your fear fuels the dogs aggression. In his mind, you are afraid and he needs to protect you.

So, as much as possible you need to put your fear aside and refuse to allow his aggressive behavior. Is he collar conditioned? If so, I would start by putting him out on a line (non chewable) close to where he can watch you train the other dogs. At any noise or other nonsense, I would give him the "look" a sharp "no" and a "nick". I think that Nick is right in that this would be a great place to start reasserting your command of the dog. Don't worry about what training takes place with the other dog, your real work is with your boy on the line.

The second place to work on is the walk. If you are afraid to walk him - what message is the dog getting? Of course he has reason to be aggressive since you are afraid when the two of you go out. How does he behave when others walk him?

Agree wholeheartedly. You can use your e-collar for obedience corrections as well as field training. Leave it on and start taking him for short walks. Forget about the aggression for a moment if you can. If he isn't heeling and sitting perfectly while you handle him in front of your house, use the nick button. His whole attention ought to be on you, not the dog down the street or the kids.

The thing is, if you (or someone) don't get a handle on this behavior pretty quick, it's going to get worse, and harder to fix. Don't condemn this dog to a life in the backyard, too poorly behaved to take anywhere else. If you love him as much as you say you do, you'd better find out what it's going to take, even if you have to get outside help.

Good luck.

Pam

 

[frontier]

Okay so our BLM is almost 10 months old, but he is extremely aggressive towards other dogs (male, female, tiny, large) it just doesn't matter. Also his prey drive is extremely high, therefore, anything he sees as in rabbit, cat, squirrel, moles, he just wants to destroy them all.

Also, yes he is intact.... however, we do not feel that neutering will help the situation as our older lab who passed away 6 months ago, was neutered at 7 months of age and he was also very aggressive but only towards other male dogs.

It looks like from your dogs listed that you took on 2 male pups that are 2 months apart.

You also state your older dog that has passed was aggressive toward other dogs.

Take a hard look at how you raised your older dog. Do you see a pattern in your raising your older dog that you may have copied with these younger dogs that could be contributing to this behavior?

Did your dog that is showing aggression get positive puppy socialization with other dogs outside the family?

I am not a fan of using e-collar corrections for dog on dog aggression...

What's your household set up like? Is this dog that is being aggressive allowed unlimited access to sleep on the bed or in your bedroom? Is the dog spending a lot of time in the kennel?

With a new baby, how much exercise and work is the dog getting to redirect energy?

Get a complete health workup..especially thyroid test.