Help with my aggressive dog! - Page 1

My bitch is two years old and very aggressive.  She does NOT tolerate any dog or person outside her own pack that she was raised with.  We thought we did a good job socializing her when she was young, we took her everywhere with us (to store, meeting new people and new dogs).  But obviously something went wrong somewhere, once she turned one everything changed.  She will be ok in our house with people we let in.  But, outside our house she will not let anyone nears us at all.  She does not except ANY other dog inside, outside, away from home not at all.  We are embarrassed to take her out away from home to the park or anywhere because she lunges, barks, growls and tries to bite people or dogs that come within a certain distance from us.  If they are far away she is ok, but once they get within a certain distance from us it is game on.

We feel like we've tried everything we know to do with her.  We've done obedience, treating, distraction training, walking together with another dog, let her sniffing their butt first, them sniffing her butt first, dominant dog collars, pinch collars, but NOTHING has changed in a year.  She is NEVER handler aggressive and does well with the three dogs she grew up with, but we have a new dog she is not excepting.  Will it ever get better or will she have to live a life of solitude with just us.  I hope some of you more experienced people can give us some ideas what to do or maybe what we are doing wrong.  She is extremely loving and tolerant of my kids and us, but no one outside her home.  Any suggestions?

Find a good trainer. Most of the time it is the owners and not the dog.

 

There is not many trainers around here.  We went to our local club for help and they told us they would not deal with her and recommended a trainer.  We contacted that trainer, met him and he never called us back to schedule sessions.  We were not that thrilled with him anyway.

I'm only guessing but if nothing has changed in a year, then maybe you have not changed what needs to be changed about you! Think about it. Have you made the necessary corrections, in a consistent manner that says you mean it, timed properly? Is there any negative/fearful energy fueling this in any way? I think it can get better, but not if you keep doing the same as you are now. You need to find out what you need to change, to give her the confidence that you are the better leader, not her. My 2 cents. 

We have been very consistent with her.  It is not negative/fearful energy fueling this.  That is why we are asking for help.  We have made the necessary corrections in a timely manner.  We are on it before it happens we watch her body language, have her right next to us and make immediate corrections.  We are very aware she could be a liablility, but she still will not except people or dogs.  I could be talking to a neighbor let's say 5 feet away and she will be sitting right beside me and be fine and if the neighbor takes one step inward toward me she lunges and barks.

Try and find a good trainer in the E collar Many people have had good experiences with Sit means Sit http://www.sitmeanssit.com/

missyfly...have you had someone else "have" her for a few days and see if she acts the same way with them or is it just you? if dog acts the same way with someone else (for example if she is okay with your sister would she be ok. with your sister and another dog walking by?) if not  then it's her if she only acts this way around you then it's you..at least this way you can have it narrow down...I am sorry that this is not a solution, but at least it's a start..
also does she lunges at other dogs and people outside of her territory, lets say you are in a new place you never been to before does she still focuses on other dogs or does she looks around, smelling area, etc...? Is she fearful/ uncertain aggressive or just plain aggressive?
I am in a dog training class right now with 4 dogs and we have a lab who is fearful/aggressive to people...trainer had us walk by and take a leash from the owner and keep walking with the dog, when owner would turn and walk away while this dog keeps walking with me...it's work in progress...i offered to take the dog for few days to have it in new place with new people and new dogs to see if it will help...we all agreed to wait 3 weeks and then try it for a weekend..i can keep you updated if you are interested to see if anything works for this dog, but i can see that working for fearful dog...not sure if thats what yours is..

Ladyfrost,
Yes, I've had someone else  "have her for a couple of days" and she reacts the same way.  And yes she reacts like this outside her "territory" also.  If we take her to the park or any new area she has no interest in smelling new things she is constantly watching everyone and everything like she is on guard and she if fine with them at a distance, but it is like she has the perimeter and once they cross that it's on.  She does not seem fearful to me at all it is just plain aggression.  When I took her to that trainer's house he had many dogs in kennels that were aways away.  Oddly enough she did not react to him or the other dogs at all that day.  As a matter of fact my husband and kids were there that day and my kids were playing aways away, she just watched my kids constantly like she was guarding them.  The trainer even commented that she is not fearful or nervous in a new place and she had good nerves.

she sounds perfect to me.  wish i could take her off your hands.
pjp

missy.....hmm.
how does she feel about a muzzle? you may have to just muzzle her and re-socialize her maybe running her prior to taking to a public place to drain some energy...other then that I am sorry i may not be much of help..i do hope you find a solution..keep us posted on any break troughs.