Ess Attacking Other Dogs

[steffan1991 0]

My 15 month old English Springer keeps attacking other dogs that she doesn't know, she is fine with dogs tat she has been out with befoure but it is as if she is scared of strange dogs so she just attacked them, she will cower down then just go for them as soon as there within 10 yards, has anyone had this problem and how do I solve it? Or doese anybody know a trainer that could ? Any help is appreciate, thanks .

Edited April 2, 2014 by steffan1991

[Casso 1,261]

If she was mine, she would only eat while out with a strange dog in the environment ,

It's a process which makes her reference her gut , the pull to eat outweighs the fear caused by the other dog , in the same way as animals and birds in a hard winter are more likely to come in contact with man and we see creature that usually are too frightened to be seen because of hunger, it's the same principle

Leave her off grub for a day , it won't do her any harm, watch how animated it makes her , dogs are far more expressive when they feel a void , on the second day take her out with some really tasty grub , cheap sausages cooked up are really good , stuff them into a pouch or similar and head off

What this does now it gives you leverage through the food , when you see a mutt take out some of the grub hold it up close to your body and get the pup jumping up and making contact to get the food encouraging her all the time

 

What this is doing just to be clear , it is giving the dog a choice whether to act instinctively panic stricken (head) or to accept food which is grounding the fear through the gut , this is the bit you need to be clear about the dog needs to be really hungry because no dog can hold on to two feelings at the same time between fear and desire (gut) one has to give and the more she can eat in the the company of strange dogs , the more fear she has to give up of dogs in general

 

I know it takes a bit of organising but its very effective

[skycat 6,174]

I can vouch for this method working as I've seen it in action with a dog I regularly meet when exercising my dogs. The dog in question is a Lab/Collie mix that was rescued as a young adult and she had NEVER been socialised, so her reaction to any strange dog was one of both fear and aggression: defensive. It took her new owner a year to sort her out completely, but he did it purely by the method that Casso has explained, and of course regularly meeting other dogs (every single day) so he could work on the food overcoming the fear. Once she realised that good things (food) happened whenever another dog appeared she was well on the way to becoming sociable, and she even wags her tail and trots to meet my dogs when she seems them nowadays.

 

This is not a quick fix and needs a lot of patience and commitment on the part of the owner! Also helps to have a very food orientated dog, or a very hungry one.

[steffan1991 0]

Ok thanks verry much, she sbsolutlry loves her food so I will give it a try, hopefully it will turn out good fingers crossed , will keep you updated on how we get on