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Well it may be a matter of semantics but whatever the word is your dog should know that you're the one in charge. To me a "submissive" dog is not the same thing as an insecure or fearful dog. IMO an insecure or fearful dog is one that will have behavior issues.
I agree that a vet check is a good idea to rule out anything physical.
If your dog was the sole dog at the beach for two hours, she may have become a bit territorial, and then the first dog to enter what she thought was her territory got her hackles up. I'm not saying that's to be expected or normal, but it might help to explain what was going on in her head.
I agree in having a vet check. We had a similar situation with one of our dogs, and a vet check revealed a rear leg muscle injury that wasn't causing her to limp, but it was causing her considerable pain. She had to have two months of PT to sort it out.
If she has not had these same issues at daycare, then I'd say keep letting her go to daycare, and ask the staff to keep an eye on her for any signs of dog aggression. Try to calm down. You know she will pick up on your anxiety over this.
I don't agree that your dog can be diagnosed as a loose cannon just from that one experience. So because of that, I would NOT suggest removing her from social situations unless you're absolutely sure she is a problem. (One incident does NOT mean she is a problem dog!) More social settings and more new experiences might be what she needs. Work with the trainer, or a behaviorist and/or vet. But I don't think isolating her will be fair to her or you. Good luck!
This dog is bad news. I could not live with the constant anxiety of her erratic behavior. I know what it is like to have a dog you love that needs to be put down because of aggressiveness. You try and try to justify the behavior, or figure out how it can be fixed, but it can't.
We had to put down a beautiful, year old Springer who could not be trusted, and it was awful, but it had to be done.
.........She is the sweetest dog, .......... she has tried to attack other dogs...she has tried to nip at the occasional person who tries to pet her ..........and bit my partner, ..............she looked like a fighting cage dog, it was so wild and so intense and so aggressive ...........She is so sweet and loving........
The biggest problem that I can see is that you are in denial about her temperament. She is not a sweet and loving dog. She is a dangerous dog, a danger to both dogs and humans. Stop kidding yourself and put a muzzle on her every time she is outdoors and every time you have a visitor in your house, or you are going to end up at the wrong end of a lawsuit.
If you find a good canine behaviorist, you might be able to train her to behave in public, but I suggest that you never ever trust her. She is a proven biter and unpredictble.
Last edited by oregonwoodsmoke; 08-02-2014 at 06:48 PM..
PS: Get her a full vet workup. Make sure her thyroid levels are normal and that her hearing is functioning as it should. I've never had a deaf dog snap, but they can be startled (and should not snap with it), but at least have her checked, just in case.
I count dogs biting humans as a cardinal sin and I put down biters. If you decide to have her put down, I consider that to be justifiable and you don't need to make any excuses about it. Thousands of super nice dogs are put down in this country for no sin except there is no home for them. Why take up a good home with a bad dog while allowing decent loving faultless dogs to die? It's not wrong if you give up on a bad dog and save a good one.
PS. Anytime a dog shows this amount of aggression with biting people, euthanasia should be on the table as a possible future option. Some people tolerate dogs that attack humans, others have a zero tolerance policy. It's up to you how much you want to put your neighbors and their children at risk in the future if the dog does not recover from this behavior.
I have a zero tolerance policy. At one year old, the dog should know better. This is a lawsuit in the making.
The biggest problem that I can see is that you are in denial about her temperament. She is not a sweet and loving dog. She is a dangerous dog, a danger to both dogs and humans. Stop kidding yourself and put a muzzle on her every time she is outdoors and every time you have a visitor in your house, or you are going to end up at the wrong end of a lawsuit.
If you find a good canine behaviorist, you might be able to train her to behave in public, but I suggest that you never ever trust her. She is a proven biter and unpredictble.
While I agree that Holly has some serious problems, I don't think you can call her a proven biter of people because she bit her owner's partner while the partner was trying to separate Holly from a dog she was fighting. People who put their hands between two dogs fighting often get bit by even a dog who loves them and who would never think of hurting the person normally.
I am concerned because the owner said that Holly "nips at" friendly strangers; which does not sound like usual behavior for a year-old dog. But I would hope that there is at least a chance that Holly's behavior could be improved by a good animal behaviorist, just because she is still quite young. You may well be right that they won't ever be able to completely trust Holly.
So, if you insist on keeping such a dog, then why do you insist on taking her to places that have other dogs, kids etc? Are you just asking for trouble? i
I don't agree that your dog can be diagnosed as a loose cannon just from that one experience. So because of that, I would NOT suggest removing her from social situations unless you're absolutely sure she is a problem. (One incident does NOT mean she is a problem dog!) More social settings and more new experiences might be what she needs. Work with the trainer, or a behaviorist and/or vet. But I don't think isolating her will be fair to her or you. Good luck!
Except that this is not the only time something like this has happened. It's not "just" one incident of redirected aggression (which IS very serious), it's also "nipping" randomly at people who are petting her, and apparently past instances of dog aggression. Please understand just how bad this can become: if Holly bites the wrong person or the wrong dog, you will be held legally liable (in most states). If it's a child, things get really ugly, really quickly. And who she bites is unpredictable -- you yourself have said so. Holly could be put down (and not in your home or at your vet's office, but at animal control, alone and afraid), you could be sued for tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in some states, you could even be held criminally liable. And that's to say nothing of the damage inflicted on the person, child, or dog that is bitten.
Don't continue putting your dog -- not to mention other dogs, other people, and kids -- in these situations. Consult a veterinary behaviorist and your veterinarian. Most trainers can't address aggression, especially fear aggression.
I have walked in your shoes and I remember just how scary it was to have a dog that was unpredictable and, yes, dangerous. I loved her so much and did all I could for her, but at the end I had to put her down. Not all dogs can be saved. I know that sucks -- BELIEVE ME, I know -- but please know that it's not your fault. Some dogs are victims of their breeding and the early weeks of their lives.
Dogs are more aggressive when they're on leash around other dogs that are off leash. They feel insecure because they are at a disadvantage being on a leash. Since you absolutely have to keep her on a leash, you need to avoid places where people have their dogs off leash. That means avoid dog parks. Instead go for walks in people parks where dogs are leashed. If you want to take her swimming, head for a remote area of the lake instead of where an area where many dogs are off leash.
I agree with foxywrench that submissive is not a good trait in a dog. They are very insecure and unpredictable.
Do a vet check and work with a reputable trainer who focuses on rewards as positive reinforcement.
You also need to accept that you will need to put Holly to sleep if she attacks again---person or canine.
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