Suddenly Aggressive Dog

[FeatherLace]

Oh and another thought I just had.... is it possible she’s protecting/guarding you when it happens??? Or does she do it when you’re not there? Maybe protecting territory too?? She could be getting protective, another sign of maturity. Or is it random?

The first fight that broke out she was just laying in the usual spot cuddled with my black lab, and then she just started staring at my lab and started growling for no reason. I yelled "Hey!" Because my go to corrections for bad behavior are loud/firm noises, but she ignored me and jumped on her and a fight broke out. They've had small shuffles before but they kept at it and neither backed down so I had to jumo over a chair to grab both and pull them off of each other and lock them in separate rooms for a few hours. After that I watched them closely and nothing has happened except for a few times Ive heard a very low growl or seen a slight bow up but corrected it before anything broke out. Her tell tale sign is she'll bow up ever so slightly and ive corrected it every time so far, and ill put her in a separate room to calm down. The other two fights were at my neighbors house which is on the same plot of land so the dogs often go to each other's houses. I was out cleaning the yard and Emmi wandered onto their porch where one of their pitbulls was laying asleep in the sun, and I saw a slight bow up but was too far away to correct so she had already jumped on the poor sleeping dog before I got there and pulled her off and put her inside. This happened twice, so she's lost her privilege to be outside without me near her.

 

[FeatherLace]

Yeah I agree!!! With our last dog I tried to create rules for him and train him, etc. but my dad thought every rule was “mean” and constantly undid my training, let him do whatever he wanted, etc. it was very chaotic and confusing for the poor dog. He was a good boy and I was able to get him pretty well trained and even doing tricks but he had several behavior problems that could have very easily been prevented with rules and structure.

My brother’s dogs on the other hand are very well trained and well behaved. They’re almost a little too strict with them sometimes but they’re such good dogs and have a lot more privileges because of it. They have had some challenges with adolescence, little bit of stubbornness, etc. but they’ve worked through it and now that they’re getting older, they’re finally calming down. Gator on the other hand was still stealing stuff at 6

So I totally get it and agree!!!

I’m actually hesitant to get a dog again right now because I’m still living at home and I know my dad would just ruin it again. If I got one I would have to keep it away from him as much as possible.

Your runs sound nice!!!

And yes hopefully that is it!!!

What do you do when she does the fighting? Just get her off? Or does she go into a crate or somewhere separate? It may help to crate/separate her or otherwise correct it and just keep reminding her that the ranking is not tolerated there???? Hopefully that will be enough.

Are you able to correct/separate her right when she first jumps them before fights start? Or even when she’s just looking at them thinking of jumping? Are there any signs at all??? Even the most subtle of signs? I know you say they’re unprovoked and sudden which I get but most dogs, unless they have something neurological or a serious problem, usually show at least some signs even if it’s extremely subtle. Maybe a stare or lip lick or stiffening or something. If you can watch a video or two on dog body language and try to correct the fights before they even happen, redirect her attention, etc. then that may, hopefully, help. But of course I know sometimes stuff just happens way too fast. But I think trying to catch them beforehand will be more help than after the fact.

I am really hesitant to get more dogs too while I'm still with my mom, because she's a very "a good spanking or a shock collar will correct their behaviour" instead of working with them and putting any actual effort into their training.

I'm a balanced trainer: I work mostly on rewarding them for desirable behaviors, but some behaviors are unacceptable and need negative correction, such as chewing electrical cords, attacking other animals, or other things that could harm themselves or others.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The first fight that broke out she was just laying in the usual spot cuddled with my black lab, and then she just started staring at my lab and started growling for no reason. I yelled "Hey!" Because my go to corrections for bad behavior are loud/firm noises, but she ignored me and jumped on her and a fight broke out. They've had small shuffles before but they kept at it and neither backed down so I had to jumo over a chair to grab both and pull them off of each other and lock them in separate rooms for a few hours. After that I watched them closely and nothing has happened except for a few times Ive heard a very low growl or seen a slight bow up but corrected it before anything broke out. Her tell tale sign is she'll bow up ever so slightly and ive corrected it every time so far, and ill put her in a separate room to calm down. The other two fights were at my neighbors house which is on the same plot of land so the dogs often go to each other's houses. I was out cleaning the yard and Emmi wandered onto their porch where one of their pitbulls was laying asleep in the sun, and I saw a slight bow up but was too far away to correct so she had already jumped on the poor sleeping dog before I got there and pulled her off and put her inside. This happened twice, so she's lost her privilege to be outside without me near her.

Oh wow that’s very strange she just does it totally unprovoked and seemingly to sleeping dogs quite a lot? Very odd. I would almost say maybe she’s got some sort of neurological thing going on but since she doesn’t attack you that seems unlikely. I’m glad you’re very on top of it and able to correct it before anything more comes of it though!! But it very odd it’s unprovoked like that. I would she should probably see a trainer and/or vet just to rule anything out because usually dominance fights are over something I would think. Like something triggers it. This unprovoked thing is odd.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I am really hesitant to get more dogs too while I'm still with my mom, because she's a very "a good spanking or a shock collar will correct their behaviour" instead of working with them and putting any actual effort into their training.

I'm a balanced trainer: I work mostly on rewarding them for desirable behaviors, but some behaviors are unacceptable and need negative correction, such as chewing electrical cords, attacking other animals, or other things that could harm themselves or others.

Yeah my dad is similar or used to be. Still somewhat is but he’s changed somewhat. He mostly just prefers to spoil them and have no rules whatsoever but then he gets annoyed when they don’t listen. He bought a shock collar for him once when he ran off and we made a lot mistakes with it. he feels bad about it now but realistically he never should have had it. My brother and him are also very inconsistent and will allow something once then the next time get mad, etc. very confusing.

And yeah I’m the same way!! I used to think all positive was the way and I do still try to be mostly positive because I think it can go pretty far but I now realize corrections are useful and have their place. I think it’s a lot like kids. People think you can just never tell a kid or dog no and somehow they’ll be well behaved. That’s not how the real world works and I’d rather they be prepared to hear it.

 

[FeatherLace]

Oh wow that’s very strange she just does it totally unprovoked and seemingly to sleeping dogs quite a lot? Very odd. I would almost say maybe she’s got some sort of neurological thing going on but since she doesn’t attack you that seems unlikely. I’m glad you’re very on top of it and able to correct it before anything more comes of it though!! But it very odd it’s unprovoked like that. I would she should probably see a trainer and/or vet just to rule anything out because usually dominance fights are over something I would think. Like something triggers it. This unprovoked thing is odd.

It was very strange that she jumped on a sleeping dog twice! She's never attacked a human though or shown any other aggression like that. She's nice to my birds, cats, and miniature pinscher, and she's not even aggressive to strangers. I'd assume it was a territory issue but the other two fights weren't at a place she visited often and were towards sleeping dogs that weren't even sleeping near anything that could've been fought over. Not to mention shes known these dogs literally her whole life

 

[ShrekDawg]

It was very strange that she jumped on a sleeping dog twice! She's never attacked a human though or shown any other aggression like that. She's nice to my birds, cats, and miniature pinscher, and she's not even aggressive to strangers. I'd assume it was a territory issue but the other two fights weren't at a place she visited often and were towards sleeping dogs that weren't even sleeping near anything that could've been fought over. Not to mention shes known these dogs literally her whole life

This is definitely very strange!!! She seems like a great dog!! But definitely very strange she goes after sleeping dogs like that. Maybe she thought it should be her spot or something? Who knows

I hope you can figure it out!!

 

[FeatherLace]

Yeah my dad is similar or used to be. Still somewhat is but he’s changed somewhat. He mostly just prefers to spoil them and have no rules whatsoever but then he gets annoyed when they don’t listen. He bought a shock collar for him once when he ran off and we made a lot mistakes with it. he feels bad about it now but realistically he never should have had it. My brother and him are also very inconsistent and will allow something once then the next time get mad, etc. very confusing.

And yeah I’m the same way!! I used to think all positive was the way and I do still try to be mostly positive because I think it can go pretty far but I now realize corrections are useful and have their place. I think it’s a lot like kids. People think you can just never tell a kid or dog no and somehow they’ll be well behaved. That’s not how the real world works and I’d rather they be prepared to hear it.

I completely agree! We've only ever used a shock collar on one dog, which was because she just WOULD NOT stop chasing cars and we couldn't reach her to get her to stop. This worked to an extent but I HATED using it on her. We were able to stop using it when she went from chasing to just sitting and watching the cars go by, but unfortunately some people around here are heartless and swerved to hit her one day.

However people that want to use it for everyday obediance are just ignorant. Ive seen dogs with electrical burn scars in their neck because they were so unruly that the owner solely relied on the collar, and it obviously didn't work.

 

[FeatherLace]

This is definitely very strange!!! She seems like a great dog!! But definitely very strange she goes after sleeping dogs like that. Maybe she thought it should be her spot or something? Who knows

I hope you can figure it out!!

I have no clue! The spot the dog was in had much more room in the sun around it too. I wish dogs could talk to us, then I'd give Emmi a good lecture, lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

I completely agree! We've only ever used a shock collar on one dog, which was because she just WOULD NOT stop chasing cars and we couldn't reach her to get her to stop. This worked to an extent but I HATED using it on her. We were able to stop using it when she went from chasing to just sitting and watching the cars go by, but unfortunately some people around here are heartless and swerved to hit her one day.

However people that want to use it for everyday obediance are just ignorant. Ive seen dogs with electrical burn scars in their neck because they were so unruly that the owner solely relied on the collar, and it obviously didn't work.

I think in certain situations like that it’s definitely necessary for her own safety!! I can’t believe people purposely tried to hit her.

And oh wow that’s terrible!! I think a lot depends on how it’s used. It has to be conditioned and trained properly and of course start on the lowest possible level that works for that dog, which for some might even be simply the vibrate setting. But too many people don’t want to bother with properly conditioning it figuring out what level their dog responds to and just slap it on on 100 and wonder why the dog is scared or fearful and gets burned.

I think they can be useful for some stuff sometimes but the vast majority of dogs definitely do not need them. Too many people rely on them solely. Prongs too. All these things, even treats, are tools designed to be weaned off of them eventually so they can be trained and well behaved without it but too many people use them as crutches and never bother moving past them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I have no clue! The spot the dog was in had much more room in the sun around it too. I wish dogs could talk to us, then I'd give Emmi a good lecture, lol

So strange!!! And right!? Sometimes I really wish I knew what they were thinking and feeling. Would make it so much easier haha although some dogs I swear understand every word