On leash aggression? (long)

[Tara]

The other day we took the dogs for a walk and we went past this one house where the dogs are always in the back yard. There is no privacy fence, just the type where there's a few logs and chicken wire in between. Roxy & Diesel both were going crazy after these dogs started growling at them. Roxy backed off after the first correction but Diesel was a different story.

Once we passed the house he was fine again. Then we passed a man walking his 2 little dogs and Diesel went nuts again. He got a good few corrections on the prong and looked up like, huh, what did i do? We then kept walking. Then we come up to a lady with her big dog and he starts up again. UGH!!! Give him the corrections and more verbal commands, trying to put the fear of god in him. We saw the lady again, and Vince went off the path so he didn't have to deal with everything again. Roxy was fine.

We went to a family members house last night for a BBQ and there was about 6 dogs there, the majority being male. And he was fine! They were all running around the back yard playing, trying to out mark the next dog! One dog was getting a little testy and kept harrassing Diesel, but he was fine, nothing like the other day.

He has never done anything like this before. Don't know if it was an indirect result of the first incidient with the dogs behind the fence or not. He's definitly testing everything right now. He's 9 months and still in tact. It's in our contract that we won't neuter him until he's a year, I know everyone has their own opinions on this, but this is how our breeder wanted to do it. Also, the woman who owns his sire was really hoping he would turn out well so she could show him. One of his teeth didnt come in so that's out. He does need to get back in training immediatley. I was out of work for a while and am just starting doing sales on 100% commission, so I don't have any extra money, heck, I can't afford my bills right now! But I am doing training with him regularly by myself. Trying to get him enrolled in the next class ASAP! He finished his basic training with flying colors!

So my questions, did we do the right thing? Is he testing the limits right now? We joke that he's "slow", either that or has ADD! I think he's "slow" because he's a male! Guess I'm biased though!

What can we do to nip this right now?
Thanks!

[Patty1231]

My advice would be to do a search on the "CTJ Meeting - Come To Jesus Meeting". You're doing right by correcting him but you may not be correcting him firmly enough for him to get the message (as evidenced by the fact that he kept doing it again). Running loose and being on a leash are 2 different things - it's the fight or flight thing, 9 times out of 10 a fear response at this age - if they're on leash they can't flee so they fight (try to scare off what they're afraid of). I think they all go through this, I know I did with Rocco. And my contract also stated I could not get him neutered until 12 months.

[Judi W]

Until you get him grown up and trained, don't take out two together. Each should go alone so you can concentrate on teaching, correcting and attention. That combined with working in training class should get you (and him) past this.

[JDUCE]

Originally Posted by Tara

He's 9 months and still in tact. It's in our contract that we won't neuter him until he's a year, I know everyone has their own opinions on this, but this is how our breeder wanted to do it. Also, the woman who owns his sire was really hoping he would turn out well so she could show him. One of his teeth didnt come in so that's out.

This dog sounds a lot like my dog with too many teeth not enough teeth and a breeder that wants you to wait to neuter till he is a year.

By chance did you get him from a breeder in Delaware?

[Tara]

Originally Posted by JDUCE

By chance did you get him from a breeder in Delaware?

Nope! He was born in upstate NY. We have more dealings with the woman who owns his father and she's in VA. She's the one that was really hoping he'd turn out good. He was her pick of the litter! I'm in the process of emailing both of them about neutering him ASAP!

Diesel's my first male dog since I was 2! He's really a happy dog, loves everyone and everything. It was just this one day. He has been around other dogs both on and off leash and been fine.

Judi - Why shouldn't we walk them together? He has been through basic OB and I am getting him signed up for intermediate. This has been the only issue to date with him. When we took him to basic, we actually took roxy back with him as a reinforcer course! When we got him and I called up our training facility, they recommended keeping the two apart as much as possible. I got different advice on here. There's never been a problem. I do train them separately. I do take them places by themselves. Try to give them their own time and together time with us. I don't take them both out by myself except if it's only to go potty and back in. They usually go out back, but I like to mix it up sometime. For walks, my fiance walks one, and i walk the other.

[Judi W]

His behavior is changing because he is getting older and wants to try different things out. That is why it is always recommended that you keep the dog in training until about 3 years of age. You cannot properly train him if there is another dog along. This has nothing to do with being intact or not, but with the depth of training and maturity. You are illustrating behavior you would like to correct, but corrections should be done with thought and attention and not being distracted by having a second dog along.

[Tara]

Diesel will be going back to school starting on Thursday! Our training facility just called and said a spot opened up. I can't wait!