Dog aggressive with other dogs (with me for a 6 weeks))

LeBash

I'm looking after a small dog for 6 weeks, we are in week 2 now. He's a terrier or at least part terrier and I know they can think they are a lot bigger than they are. He is 7 years old

In the house he is brilliant, very obedient, house trained, extremely friendly with everyone that comes by.

The circumstances I got him weren't perfect. I had to call to the house and pick him up but the owners weren't there. He snapped at me and growled but I got him into the car and from the following day he has really taken to me especially. I had only met him once the day before I collected him.

I have no back garden so I take him to a small park that's only 100 meters away 8-10 times a day. There is a lot of dogs around but this lad gets so aggressive with other dogs. I keep him on the lead but he drags, snarls, barks at every other dog and drags so hard he has been choking himself. I got a harness for him so he's not choking.

He has had several fights with dogs who weren't on leads and they came over in a very friendly manner and several dogs on lead who despite being warned still brought their dog over.

I've had dogs all my life up to 3 years ago and I've never had a dog like this.

Any advice to help would be greatly appreciated. I've watched and read a little and the advice seems to be bring a toy and keep them occupied but I've spent 90 euro on toys and spent a lot of time with him but he's not interested for more than 30 seconds.

DBB

Many sites that offer advice on this issue are well-intentioned, and often somewhat on the right track... But almost always lacking in detail and nuance! A toy on its own will not sort this out. Treats won't either. There's a LOT more that needs to happen besides!
You would be well-advised to seek professional help from someone who's certified in dog (and owner ) behaviour and training. There are a lot of charlatans around now, be warned. So if you post the area you're in, hopefully someone can get you details of a suitably qualified professional.

tk123

I'd echo having a behaviourist come to you and go out on a walk with you to see what happens but in the meantime i'd maybe give the park with a lot of dog traffic a miss... My dog was snapped/lunged at by a local dog (my two on short leads as tight to me as possible as close to the road as possible as this other dog was known to be aggressive...the dog was was able to come in around behind me at her as it was on a flexi lead and the owner wasn't paying attention :mad:).. she's very very wary of dogs in the area on road walks and in the park beside us since One thing I've noticed is that in another park we walk in at the weekends/when i have days off she's back to her outgoing self and no issues at all.. She's happy to approach friendly dogs and happy for them to approach her.

LeBash

DBB wrote: »

Many sites that offer advice on this issue are well-intentioned, and often somewhat on the right track... But almost always lacking in detail and nuance! A toy on its own will not sort this out. Treats won't either. There's a LOT more that needs to happen besides!
You would be well-advised to seek professional help from someone who's certified in dog (and owner ) behaviour and training. There are a lot of charlatans around now, be warned. So if you post the area you're in, hopefully someone can get you details of a suitably qualified professional.

How long/many sessions would something like this take on average? The fact I only have the dog for just under 4 more weeks then handing the dog back to his owner I'm not pushed going down some rabbit hole.

LeBash

tk123 wrote: »

I'd echo having a behaviourist come to you and go out on a walk with you to see what happens but in the meantime i'd maybe give the park with a lot of dog traffic a miss... My dog was snapped/lunged at by a local dog (my two on short leads as tight to me as possible as close to the road as possible as this other dog was known to be aggressive...the dog was was able to come in around behind me at her as it was on a flexi lead and the owner wasn't paying attention :mad:).. she's very very wary of dogs in the area on road walks and in the park beside us since One thing I've noticed is that in another park we walk in at the weekends/when i have days off she's back to her outgoing self and no issues at all.. She's happy to approach friendly dogs and happy for them to approach her.

I dont really have anywhere elae to go. Im close to the city, so even taking him for a walk along the streets I regularly meet several dogs. Cause he is like this, I don't take my eye off him. Trying to avoid other dogs. End of the day it is dogs not on leads or owners who don't take warning that makes the issue worse.

aonb

Do you know how he is on walks with his owners?
Its a bit odd that you never met this dog and you're having him for 6 weeks - did the owner not do a handover to you before you took him on - from the point of view of letting you know that he is so aggressive when out etc? As you said, its not 'worth' your while to have a behaviourist in, when he's not your dog, and you'll only have him for another 4 weeks.

Hes a 7 year old dog. He is happy in your home, so I dont think there is any need to take him outside 8-10 times a day. could he be behaving like this with you because he doesnt know you, is scared because he is out with you, an unknown human, in a place he doesnt know?

I would take him for a good long walk every morning - early! - and evening - late/dark. Bring a stick to wave at any oncoming dogs to ward them off.

You're lucky that hes so nice indoors. Apart from toilet breaks outside - to your nearest lamp-post - I would be thinking of going to the local butcher for a nice big raw bone to keep him entertained. Come up with a few training/games to distract/entertain/stimulate him. Keep the walks to twice/day and hope he improves or at best limit your time walking if he remains such a worry....

DBB

LeBash wrote: »

How long/many sessions would something like this take on average? The fact I only have the dog for just under 4 more weeks then handing the dog back to his owner I'm not pushed going down some rabbit hole.

Sorry, I didn't realise that you're giving this dog back.
I'd be of the opinion that if he has got to 7 years with his current owners, then they've probably found a way around this issue, or perhaps they never have to confront it because they live rurally and he doesn't go for walks to venues where he meets other dogs? If you only have him for a few weeks, I don't feel it's worth your while launching into a behaviour modification program.
I'm with aonb on this. Bring him out for short toilet breaks by all means, but tire him out indoors with interactive food toys and/or scatter feeding instead of feeding him from a bowl, games of fetch around the house etc.
If you must walk him, do so at times it's less likely you'll meet other dogs. If he's a fighter/biter, you might consider teaching him to happily wear a basket-style muzzle so that he can't injure other dogs, eg
https://youtu.be/KJTucFnmAbw

LeBash

aonb wrote: »

Do you know how he is on walks with his owners?
Its a bit odd that you never met this dog and you're having him for 6 weeks - did the owner not do a handover to you before you took him on - from the point of view of letting you know that he is so aggressive when out etc? As you said, its not 'worth' your while to have a behaviourist in, when he's not your dog, and you'll only have him for another 4 weeks.

Hes a 7 year old dog. He is happy in your home, so I dont think there is any need to take him outside 8-10 times a day. could he be behaving like this with you because he doesnt know you, is scared because he is out with you, an unknown human, in a place he doesnt know?

I would take him for a good long walk every morning - early! - and evening - late/dark. Bring a stick to wave at any oncoming dogs to ward them off.

You're lucky that hes so nice indoors. Apart from toilet breaks outside - to your nearest lamp-post - I would be thinking of going to the local butcher for a nice big raw bone to keep him entertained. Come up with a few training/games to distract/entertain/stimulate him. Keep the walks to twice/day and hope he improves or at best limit your time walking if he remains such a worry....

It's my aunt's dog, so not a total stranger just to clarify. I get the impression he is out the back rather than being brought for a walk.

The handover was poorly done. They had told me to collect the dog at 6, but got a call at 5 to say they mixed up the flight details and were already in the airport, the neighbours have a key and know I'm collecting him. I have a feeling that's actually part of the problem.

The reason I take him out so much is he is bored in the house. He just sits under my feet, won't go more than a few feet from me unless my OH is dishing out a rub or a scratch. He won't play no matter how much I try, won't take any treats, so I cooked and chopped liver, he will take that. Kong, ball, squeaky toy, bones, pigs ears, rawhide and a frisbee all ignored. I was 2 hours today playing with the ball, trying to get him interested.

He gets so excited when he knows he's going out and it just disappears when we get out the door. He's perfect with people, doesn't jump on them and doesn't bark. He let's people rub him.

If he doesn't mix with dogs is fine, but constantly having to restrain him when he sees another dog is getting a bit much. Even after they pass or are out of sight he still snarls, and pulls the lead hard, where as if he doesn't see another dog, he normally walks right beside me after a 30 mins of training on the lead the 1st day I had him.

em_cat

It’s sounds like he is isn’t socialised with other dogs so you need to avoid them as others have said, in terms of showing interest in toys and such he is probably very overwhelmed and possibly fearful. I would possibly, if you can and I know you’re not obliged to, get one of the Adaptil sprays to put on his bed and collar, I’ve found them great.

To exercise him, as others have said, once 20-30mins in the quite part of the morning and same in the evening as for exercise, you can pop him on a lead & speed walk through your property. I know it sounds daft, our rescue was petrified when we brought him home & this was the advice I was given, I did this for about 6 weeks before attempting to take him on a full walk. He is still particular about other dogs but is a lot less stressed on walks.

Fair play for looking after him and asking for advice.

I could never bring myself to take a stick to wave at other people’s dogs so we have come up with other solutions.

Latatian

I have a terrier who used to be like this, I would say steer well away from the park and do a fast on-lead walk for 1-4 hours once or twice a day. If he gets enough to do and enough exercise part of the day he won't mind it so much the rest of the time. And you can teach him a trick like 'go to bed' or 'jump' and get him to do that at odd points of the day.

Early morning or late night walks somewhere with a wide path where you won't meet other dogs.

Graces7

I had a car chasing collie from when she was 7. who was an incurable car chaser. So I walked her in the fields around 5 am with a torch! Worked fine