Expert: Jannie Balliett - 2/9/2009

Question



I have a 2 1/2 year old spayed boxer and owned from a puppy.

She has a wonderful temperament but in November she came back from a week with a carer that kept dogs together. I think she may have been bullied as she was aggressive towards other dogs. She is fine on a leash or unleashed if close to me where I can order her to behave. But when off the leash and running she will be dominant with other dogs. She will block their way and 'jump' at them. She does not bite but growls when chasing them. She chasing after the dogs and blocks their way amd then almost tries to headbut them and goads them into running.

I am now avoiding open spaces - restricting her to cliff paths where all is quite manageable.

But she used to love running with other dogs freely on the beach and up until a few months ago was really a submissive dog.

Do you have any ideas on what I can do for her?

Gerald  

Answer
Well Gerald, I think you pegged it....

.... she was probably bullied, and now picked up the bad behavior, and has the attitude to "do unto them before they do unto me."

Buy a dog whistle or loud whistle....

If you have friends and family that has dogs, schedule an outing together, with her on a leash-- not the other dogs.

Run and walk together, and the exact moment she becomes aggressive and dominate, blow the whistle and tug her leash back toward you.

Verbally reprimand her in a stern voice (no shouting, no yelling, no meanness-- just stern) using simple to understand reprimand commands about her bad behavior. Afterward, I usually put the term "friends" in there so she can associate the other dogs as a friend) but tell her that in a positive voice and pet the other dog(s) showing "friend."

Continue this for a few weeks, and once you feel she will behave and be friendly, try her off the leash--

Let me know how this works for you, please.