Couver is aggressive...
 

Couver is now almost 4 years old and has been acting aggressive at the small dog park that we frequent.

He is fine with almost all small dogs, but seems to have problems with big dog puppies that some people bring over to the small dog section (think lab, boxer, shepherd etc puppies). He does great with small puppies that he meets at the dog park, but seems to have a vendetta against big dog puppies. These dogs don't even have to look at him, and he goes after them.

Here is some history:

-Couver has been VERY socialized. We have taken him to the dog park since he was a puppy at least 2 times a week. We take him on walks, and he gets to go everywhere with me. He is more socialized than any other dog I know and yet he is showing this aggression.

-He does great with other dogs his size and even puppies. He seems to know when there is a big dog puppy in the park and he will seek it out to attack it.

-When he attacks, he will run up to it and show dominance with his stance. He will walk around it and usually go for the ears. They are usually much larger than him and so far they have all shown submission or ran. He hasn't broken skin, but I am always on top of him before he can do much.

I am just at a loss... I don't know what to do with him. He never had this problem before, but he has been showing aggression over the past 6 months and I have to do something about it. He can't go around trying to boss around all the dogs bigger than him. He is going to get himself hurt... I'm not willing to give up on him, and will hire a trainer if I need. I was just hoping to get some ideas from people on here.

I've been thinking about starting clicker training with him to try and desensitize him. I just don't know... Any suggestions?

Bummer! Thor has major aggression problems with other dogs, but at least it's fear aggression. Bottom line, he is happy when the other dog goes away.

I'm sure this has occurred to you, but has he had a bad experience recently with a larger dog? Also, what do you think he is trying to achieve? Is he protecting you? Is there something else in the park he is guarding? Is he "hunting" the other dog? Is he trying to scare it away?

Thor looks very "dominant" when he gets aggressive, but it's very clear that it's all bluster. He lunges forward, snaps, barks like crazy, but he just wants them to go away. I also feel that it's potentially dangerous. We've been working on it for years and years... sigh.

Also, dogs can easily tell if another dog is a puppy, so that doesn't surprise me that he would deem a large breed puppy unacceptable.

Ya know...some dogs just don't like the puppy vibe, but considering his other puppy acceptance,

Maybe he's super smart and knows in no time those pups will be way bigger than him so he's giving them a lil childhood psychological scar to be nice lil dogs...


honestly I'd just pick him up right away, enough time outs and he'll get it & behave.

Just wondering how old he was when he was separated from mom......may not have a thing in the world to do with this particular issue, but it is said early separation from mom precipitates emotional behaviors that manefest later in life, often in aggressive behaviors.

No ideas on this......
I just have to ask WHY those people feel the need to bring their larger pups into the small dog area.
That would be totally unacceptable to me no matter how friendly their pups are.

Oh, I didn't read that quite right originally. You are saying he only has aggression with big dog PUPPIES. That isn't that surprising, actually. There could be a number of things there.

First, it's VERY common for adult males to bully other teenaged males. I understand you may not have had time to check for this, but does he only pick on males? Is Couver neutered? That would explain out and out aggressive behavior.

Even if it's not "bullying", an adult dog may take it upon themselves to teach whippersnappers their manners. Generally puppies accept this, so I don't think that's as dangerous as if he were challenging large breed adults.

Aside from that, puppies move differently than adults, just like human kids. Perhaps their movement just irks him, or appears threatening.

He picks on both females AND males... He is neutered and has been since he was 6 months old, so I don't know :( I think he's just trying to be dominant and teach them, but they aren't even in his space. He will seek them out and attack :thumbdown

We started some clicker training with treats at the park yesterday and he did great. There was a female puppy that he's attacked before, and we were able to completely avoid her. I'm hoping this will help.

I believe his first owner got him at 4 months and I got him at 5 months. I don't think he was separated too early.

I agree! There was a boxer puppy a couple months ago that was very rambunctious and I tried to explain to her that he could go on the big dog side and would do fine. She didn't agree and Couver of course kept trying to go after him and we had to leave.

I agree... I think he just doesn't like the youngins. What confuses me is that they don't even have to be in his space. He will search them out. I can pick out the dogs that he will not like because they are always large dog puppies.

Maybe he knows it's the only time he will be able to boss them around? lol I just don't know...

I have known Couver long enough to say with a doubt that he does not have a vicious bone in his body! I sincerely believe that the other non-toy dogs are a threat to Couver and his friends. Couver is the leader of the pack and hes just trying to protect all his fur friends:p

I think if you stay close, an immediate NO when he starts to "attack", quickly pick him up and leave he will get the hint...like concretegirl said...!!!

You may be onto something there. :) He might well find these encounters very satisfying, like "chasing" the mailman away.

It sounds like you have the seeds of a retraining program underway. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

I have been thinking about this and its puzzling in the same way my friends staff ovet 100# is like a hippo balleeina around my lil furbabies but when visiting another friend's house who had husky wolf pups she snarled and used tge terrier paw hands to bat them around roughly.

Even though they were roudy pups when I brought my mini schnauzer as a pup same sizes she was gentle with her. I really think mayne large breed pups are recognised by other dogs for what they will potentially be...I assure everyone a mini schnauzer pup is a pint sized menice so we know in the staffs case it wasn't specific to any pups just large breed ones..



Does anyobe know do different breeds of dogs have different smells?

Good topic, Couver's Mom, and good responses. Thanks!! I am learning new stuff. ;)

Haha, with his sweet face... he couldn't be vicious, right? :p

I have always been on top of him before he attacks, but he still manages to get a bite in before I can pull him away. I'm hoping by distracting him with treats and the clicker that he will eventually get over this.