We have a (approx) 4.5 year lab cross breed which we got from rescue 2 years ago.
He is really good with humans but terrible with other furries and displays real fear-aggression with other dogs. We don't know what happened when he was younger to cause this.
Over the past 2 years, we have done some low level training with him (although not as much as we would like due to a new baby) and he is a little bit more obedient, but his reactions to other dogs seems to be getting worse.
He also goes mental when the door or letterbox goes or if he is outside and he can see people walking past the gate. During the day, he mostly goes to work with DH in his van but will act up if he sees other dogs or people on bikes or with shopping trollies etc. Due to his unpredictability with other dogs, he is always kept on a lead when walking - the one time he was let off, he attacked another dog and when we first got him, he got out a couple of times and attacked other dogs.
We intended to go to a behaviourist in a couple of months when I was back at work from maternity, but this morning, he again attacked another dog when DH accidentally left the gate open while loading his van.
Clearly the situation cannot continue, so I am in touch with the vet to get a referral to a behaviourist sooner rather than later. While I know dog on dog aggression does not make him any more likely to attack a human, I worry that if one of the girls gets in the way while the red mist is down they will get hurt. Also the dog he attacked this morning belongs to one of DD1's school friends, so if I see her mom on the school run, I want to be able to say we are doing something about it.
My hope is to eventually have a dog that does not go mental everytime someone walks past or knocks the door and that can be walked off lead, playing fetch down the park, however, I will settle for him not ripping our arms off every time we walk past a house with a dog and not having the fear that if he gets out he is going to maim or kill someone's beloved pet.
The behaviourist at our vets is a member of APBC, but I was wondering if there was anything else we should ask / check apart from obviously telling her what we have written here?
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Things to ask a behaviourist....
4 replies
ClaireDeTamble · 13/06/2012 11:07
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