Aggression With Other Dogs

[Guest Firedancer]

We've had our girl, Dancer for 4 months now. When we first got her we could greet dogs on walks and in petco with no issues. About a month after we got her we were on a walk and decided to greet a dog . It was a smaller dog so I put her muzzle on her. Well that didn't stop her from pinning the dog to the ground. Thank goodness the dog was ok. It was certainly my fault. Since then I am terrified that she will attack another dog. On walks, she completely ignores other dogs even if they are barking or going berserk to get her attention. Recently, we even met another grey and the other grey wanted to play. Dancer got stiff as a board, barked and growled at her. She has stayed at a kennel twice since we got her and both times they said she did great walking with the other dogs. We are taking a training cass at petco and she either ignores the others or once she has growled and barked when another dog got too close. I'm thinking that somehow I have caused an imbalance with her since she only is aggressive when I'm with her. I mean, she's lived with dogs all her life on the racetrack. I feel like I am transferring insecurity and fear bc of past incidences. Any advice on how to socialize her properly without anyone getting hurt? The trainer at petco is against her wearing a muzzle.

[GeorgeofNE]

Let's be clear--she didn't "attack" a dog. She may have greeted it in an overly enthusiastic manner, but a large dog pinning a small dog is hardly what I would call an "attack." And no one was hurt. So try and relax. I feel certain you ARE telegraphing your own fear and insecurity to the dog.

 

Remember, she lived with other GREYHOUNDS. She probably has no experience at all with other dogs.

 

My own boy wants nothing to do with any dog that isn't a greyhound--and I've had him for five years!

 

Is is possible maybe for you to contact the group you got her from and have someone come over and go walking with you and watch what's really going on? They might have some useful observations.

[greyhead]

Don't rule out getting a medical check-up. I'm guessing she was spayed around the time you got her, and that changes the hormonal picture, which can change a lot of things including personality and patience.

[Sambuca]

If you're nervous, she is probably picking up on it, causing some or all of the issue. Try and relax on your walks and that should help her st least a bit.

[philospher77]

This may be a weird idea, but could you go on walks with someone else, and let them handle the leash? I'm just thinking that if you saw someone else handle her, and got their opinion, it might be enough to change your view of Dancer and her behavior. Or at least it did for me. I boarded Katie for a week once, and warned the kennel owner that she was a spook, etc. The owner's response when I picked her up? "She's one of the best greyhounds that has ever boarded here." And I got some pics of her doing things I never thought she would do while there. So it made me step back and really look at her and realize that she isn't the dog that she was 3 years ago when I first got her. And when I stopped acting like she was, then she's just continued to impress me with how much she has improved! I'm thinking that something like that might help shift your perception of Dancer, and that could help when you go back to walking her.

[JJNg]

It was a smaller dog so I put her muzzle on her. Well that didn't stop her from pinning the dog to the ground. ..... Recently, we even met another grey and the other grey wanted to play. Dancer got stiff as a board, barked and growled at her. ..... once she has growled and barked when another dog got too close.

 

Reading through your initial post, I'm not sure I see what the problem is. The 3 incidents quoted above are the only signs of 'aggression' mentioned. Is there more going on and other incidents you haven't described here?

 

If the above incidents are the only times she has shown this behavior, it sounds like she's generally fine with other dogs and was just uncomfortable with the interaction in those particular instances. Barking and growling are completely normal ways for a dog to tell another one to back off when they are being too pushy. Especially if the behavior is very selective, these are not indications that she is "aggressive with other dogs".

 

Dancer is used to wearing her muzzle. If the muzzle makes you feel more comfortable and able to relax, there's no reason not to use it. The trainer may not realize how accustomed greyhounds are with their muzzles. And don't worry about what other people will think of your dog being muzzled. It may even help prevent people from allowing their rude dogs to approach her too closely.