Topic: narky dog

[manicscousers]

Maisie has, all of a sudden, started growling if a dog comes over to her,
this morning, a nice boxer, he was on his lead, she was on her lead and went over, as we thought, to say hello..sniff then growl and snap..
Ray pulled her up, she never made contact, I don't think she would've bitten him but it's so unlike her, we'll have to put her on her lead, every time a dog is seen..
this, from a very nice, mild mannered dog, she's still eating, sleeping, running around so isn't ill,any ideas ?

[betula]

It is hard to tell with dogs.Did the dog rush at her,or bark at her?Something like that could have unnerved her.

I can never tell how Belle will respond.Sometimes ok sometimes not.

Probally best to keep the dog on the lead when other dogs are about.

[manicscousers]

no, it was alovely dog, sitting there, waiting patiently to get on for it's walk, we were having a laugh with the owners, they just sniffed noses and she growled, maybe pmt ?  ;D
do they still get it after being spayed  ;D
anyway, she's going on her lead when we see dogs approach now, she's so strong, she could do damage if she caught one  :-\

[flowerofshona2007]

Is she spayed ????
It is sometimes worse when dogs meet on leads as they are very protective !!
I run a pack of 5 dogs off lead BUT i am the alpha and when i say stop the lead dog turns and comes back and the others follow.
Im thinking if she has changed suddenly its hormones or she just didnt like the other dog, its normally GSD that most dogs dont like, lord knows why !!
Take her out but dont get up tight when you get neer another dog, dont make a big thing about it, be confident and it may help to carry a can with stones in it and if she reacts in anyway to another dog throw the can hard on the floor and she will stop !
It may pay to get her checked over incase it is a hormone problem, but try not to let her know you are stressed by it all.

[manicscousers]

thanks, fos..she was spayed when she was small, she's a rescue dog but we've had her for 18 months now, she was very timid when we got her, she was with an older male and a younger male before, I think she's just getting her own back on men  ;D
it doesn't really stress me out, Ray and I call her and she comes straight away, we'll just put her on her lead if there are other dogs about..we do that anyway as she's been snapped at and pestered in the past  :)

[star]

therein may lie your problem Manics. If a dog has been attacked in the past it can make them more defensive, I dont think she is being aggressive as much as protecting herself.

If she has just started doing this though, maybe have a look at the way you all are at home. Has anything changed? Does she come on the furniture now but never used to? Things like that........

The tiniest things can speak volumes to dogs, she may feel she has to protect you through very subtle messages you are giving her. (We dont always realise these changes,  the way we greet our dogs, titbits at the wrong time) can all give the dog reason to think it is now leader.

Please tell me to go away if I misunderstood your post, Im not blaming either of you for her behaviour changes ( things sometimes happen that we are not aware of) A dog may have snapped at her recently without your knowledge

[manicscousers]

I'd never tell you to go away,star..don't think it can be that though..she never meets dogs unless we're with her, never allowed on the furniture, she's exactly the same at home apart from chasing round after pigeons in the garden..the only thing I can think is I went to stroke this lovely boxer, can't help myself with dogs..maybe she was jealous ?
she definitely doesn't think she's leader, if either of us speaks sharply, she drops down and rolls over  :)

[star]

Very possibly jealousy hun. One of my dogs can be snappy, I have to keep watch when there are other dogs about. I have used a rattle bottle and water to great effect. Though I dont use them all the time.

My snappy one is quite insecure around other dogs (probably thinks she's the beta, (the smaller one is an omega)) and is trying to prevent other dogs from challenging her position in the pack?

It all sounds terribly informative dont you think? 8). I can only grasp at straws like you do. I wish I did know a lot more about doggy politics. They seem to have it sussed and sort it out very quickly between themselves.

Well I guess you have got to laugh at us clumbering humans trying to interperet a very simple language and making it complicated.........just read my posts again to see what I mean ;D ;D ;D ;D

Good luck with her, Im sure she will be fine........maybe she thought the boxer was ugly :-\