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Location: Fort Bend County, TX/USA/Mississauga, ON/Canada
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I swear, my dog (lab-greyhound mix) is very sweet & friendly in the company of people & children. But I took her to the dog park (it's been a yr since I took her since I graduated from college) & she gnarls, shows her teeth, & growls threateningly at other dogs (especially the big ones w/ high energy levels).
We had 2 pitbulls live next door to my old house & they attacked her when she was a puppy so I think she may have some slight trauma.
She doesn't act like this w/ quiet dogs, but she always tucks her tail between her legs when they try to sniff her & does not want to attempt to socialize with some of the dogs at the park. They will follow her but she will hide behind me like a shy, retiring dog. She has a lot of energy so I don't know what the problem is
Thing is, we got her 3 yrs ago when I was a college freshman. My family rarely ever took her out. I was the one who took her (& still takes her on walks & to the dog park) during Christmas vacation & summers at home. They were always pretty sedentary with her which I disliked but now that I moved & have her with me, she is really fearful of other dogs. But then when I take her on walks, she tries to act really aggressively towards other dogs on the leash.
Can anyone help me? I need some Cesar Milan "Dog Whisperer" advice pretty please
she is frightened and unsure of herself around the other dogs...... what i did with my davey-long-legs, and might work for you, is this: try walking her PAST the dog park EVERY SINGLE DAY for about 2 weeks..... she will be able to see the other dogs running and playing, but still be separated from them by the fence..... it took about 2 weeks or so of doing this for dave to work up the courage to go into the dog park..... he has gained a LOT of confidence in the 7 months since then.... and LOVES the dog park, most of the time..... if it is too crowded or too many dogs are concentrated in one area, he still gets overwhelmed and frightened.... and it is time for us to leave or to move to another area of the park........
you have to know and understand what your dog's body language is telling you......
You know how Milan always starts off the fearful ones with a calm, non-threatening, self-assured canine presence such as the late Daddy (RIP)? Do you know any dogs like that?
^^going off of that, I would try to find a quiet companion instead of overwhelming her at a dog park. maybe put out an ad on Craigslist for a private play date, see how she does w/ one dog. sounds like the poor girl needs some more socialization. she needs to be around a dog that knows how to act like and socialize like a dog
But then when I take her on walks, she tries to act really aggressively towards other dogs on the leash.
In a nutshell, you're looking at two aspects of, effectively, the same problem.
Her reactivity on a lead is not aggression, it's fear. She's fearful around other dogs due to being under-socialised (and not at all helped by having been attacked by other dogs when she was a pup). Her under-socialisation makes it difficult for her to correctly interpret the signs and signals other dogs give off, so if a bouncy, happy, in-your-face type comes up to her at the park, she's not sure if he/she is friend or foe and reacts aggressively - ie, the best defense is a good offense. Pretty much the same is true when she's greeted by a calm dog - ie, she hides and is afraid as witnessed by her body language - but because it isn't as threatening, the "degree" of reaction is less. She also sounds to have little or no self-confidence which also impacts her reactions to other dogs.
Until this is sorted, immediately cease and desist from going to a dog park because all you're doing is constantly reinforcing the negative. Your dog can be perfectly adequately exercised on-lead.
With slow, careful introductions to known dogs (another reason to stay away from dog parks) once she's ready and a desensitising program that will allow her to feel confident enough to ignore other passing dogs, she will come right. It will take time and it will take hard work and planning on your part, but it's certainly do-able.
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