by fenella » October 29th, 2009, 8:16 pm
I agree with the above. Murphy is a very reactive dog. He is very fearful. He loves to play with other dogs, but does not get the chance to play with unfamiliar dogs now. It is sad, but I know that's what I need to do. Yes, I work on it. Murphy is making great progress. We work on not reacting to a dog coming at him. We work on greeting appropriately (with appropriate dogs). He is not DA in the sense that he wants to kill other dogs. In the scuffles he has started, he has never drawn blood...but I don't give him the chance to prove me wrong. Murphy cannot do free-play. End of story. He can be around other dogs in training class and flyball. I tell others in class to give him a wide berth. Not that he will jump on dogs that come within range (I wouldn't take him to class in that case), but to keep an eye out for what their dogs do around him.
When I noticed that there was some jockeying for position in the household between he and Nittany, I took action before it became a problem. Dogs will work out their pecking order, but I removed high-value toys like bones during that time. I didn't allow them out together unsupervised. Anyone who has seen them together knows that they adore one another, but as the owner, I am responsible for keeping them safe, so I pick up on the subtle clues that trouble may be brewing. They have settled back into position now...
My point is that there is a middle ground between constant isolation and irresponsibly putting two dogs together that have shown at least one of them is aggressive. It IS about management. You can work on it (though probably never "cure" it). I would not work on it without at least one other person there. I wouldn't arm myself with a basketball. These techniques may have worked for mp, but I believe most people would find themselves in a heap of trouble if they tried it. You need to work within your dog's threshold (which may mean a very far distance from another dog on a walk and giving a treat when the other dog appears...I suggest Control Unleashed or Click to Calm as good resources, as I am not an expert)