I have a bit of a problem!

[*Nat*]

Piper has started to get a bit agressive towards some dogs!!  I can't decide whether it's any particular dog, male or female, no reason as far as I can tell!   

She's worse when the kids are with me, she is very protective of them! Tonight we were at a pond watching some ducks and the ducklings, kids were standing by the pond, Piper was watching. Along came a female Staff off lead in front of it's owner, straight up to Piper who was standing near Mitchell - she went nuts at it, bowled it over and grabbed the scruff of it's neck, I called her and she came back to me, I put her on the lead!  The other dog was fine, tonight I put it down to her protecting Mitchell but I still don't want her to do this. 

Over the last few weeks, she's approached other dogs off lead after looking at me and I've given her the "go play" or "gently" and she's been ok sometimes then out of the blue she'll have a go for as far as I can see no reason! Nine times out of ten she doesn't even go over to other dogs and if I say "this way" she comes with me and totally ignores them.

My mum looked after her while we went away, only met one other dog, a male KCS, went to greet it, was fine for a few minutes then suddenly had a go! Mum called her and she came back to her no problems!

Now I'm getting to the point where if I see other dogs I want to go the other way in case something happens. If I put her on the lead before a dog approaches she'll bark at it. Therefore the owner of the other dog usually puts their dog on lead too.

My friend came round the other day after we walked together, she has two boy Springer pups about 4 months old. They'd played fine together in the park, even with a ball! And Piper used to be a nightmare with balls! Came in the house with us no problems, they drank from her bowl  and she took no notice. My friend stood in the corner of the kitchen with them both at her feet. Piper got out of her bed, stood by me while we were talking, no problems. All of a sudden after about 10 mins she growled and was about to go nuts at them when I grabbed her quickly.

I just cant work out the reasons behind this, why is she like it sometimes, not others, she appears scared of some dogs sometimes and tucks her bum under when they sniff her and runs away 

Any suggestions please 

[kizkiznobite]

knowing piper...i would say something has happened....

has it only started since mum had her? or was it developing before hand

and

you know what the next q is.....

whats been said done/ what do you do /say

[*Nat*]

No it started developing before mum had her! Mum knew of this problem emerging and was carefull when she took her out, she took her out twice a day somewhere quiet.

When she goes I just walk towards them and call her back to me "here" and she comes away, I've never had to get in the middle of a fight, it literally lasts seconds!

I don't feel I've re-enforced it at all - unless calling her back and putting her on a lead is doing so 

The only time we've had agression with other dogs before was with balls as you know, she was a bit ball posessive! I got her out of that though with a firm "leave it" she's been fine. Occasionally she'll bark once or twice when she's fetching her ball if other dogs are about but it's not agressively. We were down the park just 2 weeks ago, with a staff and a Boxer and they both had balls, she took no notice, didn't want to know. At one point the Staff dropped his ball, Piper walked over, I said "leave it" and she walked away.

All I can say Bev is that she seems like she's being protective of me and the kids, the closer I or the boys are to the situation, then the sooner she'll snap. I can't make a fuss of other dogs without her getting growly either. 

[xtine]

Has anything happened with you guys to make her feel the need to protect you... an intruder on the premises maybe? Have you had words with anyone when she's been around, had a bit of agro? Am just wondering, cause Fritz def changed towards us and the house after the tw@t from further down tried climbing over our back fence a couple of years ago...  mind you.. that is people not dogs 

Maybe health related? Would her behaviour change if she is feeling off colour in some way Bev?

[*Nat*]

I can't think of anything Xtine, really strange. Always protected the house and all of us, nothings happened to make her be more protective 

Healthwise she seems absolutely fine, unless its the hot weather bothering her, she does feel the heat being black  but we take her out when it's cooler usually, last night happened at 7pm! 

[kizkiznobite]

Piper was watching. Along came a female Staff off lead in front of it's owner, straight up to Piper who was standing near Mitchell - she went nuts at it, bowled it over and grabbed the scruff of it's neck,

she is dropping sentences.....she is jumping levels in the aggression ladder

what have you said when this happens esp the first time....what have you done directed at her...not just avoiding...what have you done do said say......

[*Nat*]

she is dropping sentences.....she is jumping levels in the aggression ladder

what have you said when this happens esp the first time....what have you done directed at her...not just avoiding...what have you done do said say......

I take it this not good then  You know her Bev, she's not an aggressive dog really. She's playing in my back garden with four kids at the moment, running up and down the garden, happy as larry! but then I guess dogs are different to humans!

Just like I said, called her to me and put her on lead! Before the event happens maybe she picks up in my voice that I'm concerned - if we see another dog and she looks like she's taking an interest I recall her or if I know the dog I say "go great" or "gently" - she looks at me before approaching another dog as if to ask is it ok!

A few months ago a Staffie snapped at her when Matt and I were walking her, we were playing with her ball, she was retrieving it as always no problem. This Staff came out from no-where, owner calling and calling, it took no notice.  It ran after Piper when she was getting her ball and stole it! Piper just came back to us. When the Staffie dropped it Piper went to get it and the Staffie snapped at her, Piper retaliated and it caused a fight - could this all be stemming from then, I'm thinking it is generally smaller dogs/Staffie size dogs that she doesn't like, that was an entire male  I did have to grab her that day cos it went too far, I put her on the lead but can't remember what I said to her 

A Rottie boy came over to us a few weeks ago, they were fine for a while, then it kept pestering her back end and she growled and barked at it as if to tell it go away, which it did! Owner walked away, he was on a lead, Piper off lead. Kids were with me then too 

She's not shown any other signs of aggression towards humans/kids/me or Matt. She barks at noises outside as she always has, if she hears strange voices, if the doorbell goes etc.

It's just other dogs - but only some!!! 

Sorry Bev can't think of anything else 

[kizkiznobite]

nope...that fine hun...you got it......the staffie ball stuff ends in fight...why bother to warn when you found the quick fix ...ok? with me?

no dig at you hun...others reading this...when this sort of thing happens and dog respond to a cue and comes off and out of the scenario? ...other dog drops as example? ....tell your dog to stay and you go get....you then dont get this shite...


the rottie up bum...that fine ....she told (warned) he went....that the piper i know....

you need to repair this nat....and you need to do it in stages...so just one on one other dog type control...upping the anti with resource etc....teaching her that you will deal with etc...then adding in the boys...in the meantime remove all resources when out with boys and get her under leash control fast if any dogs starts to make towards them...i would also say they do not take her out without adult supervision until it is fixed.....

hugs to pippysocks x

[*Nat*]

Ok so she learnt from that, that the fight ended in her getting her ball back so...... no more warnings, full on.... sod you kinda thing!!!

Thanks I think I'm with you....boys don't take her out on their own anyway but I will do as you say and work at this in stages, will keep you posted and hopefully get this sorted, thanks Bev xx

[xtine]

Hope you get it sorted Nat, good luck 

[*Nat*]

Thanks Xtine 

[Izzie]

you will get it sorted Nat 

[*Nat*]

Thanks Izzie 

[*Nat*]

Bit of an update -

Kids are still on holiday so they've been with me on walks. Not seen many dogs really but I've not taken her ball out with us, wil do that once kids are back at school and I can go on my own. Only time she barked at another dog was when she was on the lead. We were all crossing the road, the other dog was on lead coming towards us. On the way home from that walk the boys had gone off ahead of me and Piper to the play area, a woman I've seen a few times was walking towards me with her Springer boy, Piper was off lead, she stopped and looked at me, I said "nicely" and she walked straight past the other dog  Took no notice at all - the other dog looked quite put out that she didnt say hello to him 

I've decided dogs are like men - complex creatures that take a bit of working out   

[kizkiznobite]

haha nat...now you know why ....lol...can only cope with one set of complexity 

glad she being good again x