Jekyll & hyde!

[MandieG]

Hi,

I have just joined this forum and have an almost four year old whippet x poodle.

My problem is that my dog is great off lead with other dogs and will play with them, but as soon as he is on his lead he becomes aggressive. When we do a lead walk his demeanor changes and he starts panting almost as soon as he spots another dog coming towards us or across the road. When we get closer he starts the barking and aggression. I try to distract him with treats etc but it doesn't always work.

He also has a habit of doing it in the car when we go past another dog! It isn't every dog, just some (or most!) and I have no idea if he is going to ignore a dog or start.

Any ideas please?

Thanks x

 

[gypsysmum2]

Dogs are very in touch with their fight/flight response. When they are off lead they can "flee" and so relax around other dogs. When they are, however, on lead they cannot "flee" when feeling anxious and this makes them choose the other option of "fight". Once it is successful i.e. the other dog goes away, the relief they feel makes them do it again the next time they feel anxious.

Lead tightening, though perfectly understandable, is counter productive in these situations. It sends messages down the lead that you are "tense" and the dog reads that as "anxiety" on your part and so feels even more anxious.

If it can be arranged, distance, is the best therapy. Setting your dog up to observe other dogs from a distance where he will feel relaxed enough to eat (the tummy tightens when they are fearful). A lovely game with a toy is also good if he will do it. If he can eat and play with another dog in the vicinity it will help him accept the other dog. Gradually reducing the distance until he can cope with dogs at a shorter distance will help him learn that they are safe to be around. Dogs cannot learn when the fight/flight response is activated. Anything you are trying to do while he is barking is probably only making things worse. Best to try to move him to a safe distance until he calms down.

Keep up the socialising off lead with other dogs. If he was well socialised as a puppy it will all come back to him in time. If not you may well struggle all his life to over come that disadvantage.

 

[MandieG]

Thank you very much for your reply.

He is really social with other dogs off lead but completely unpredictable when he is on a lead. Could it possibly be guarding behaviour if he thinks he is protecting me? When he is in the front garden and anyone walks past he starts barking, and if a dog walks past he goes beserk. Territorial or anxious?

xx

 

[gypsysmum2]

Territorial behaviour is anxious behaviour. The dog is worried that someone/something is going to come into his comfort zone and so tries to drive them away.

 

[Kerrieburn]

I have the same problem with my shih tzu cross toy poodle. Great off her lead but snappy with other dogs on her lead. She seems ok with calm dogs but bouncy ones she won't tolerate at all. Extremely friendly with people though