Aggessive Behaviour

[DEIRDRE SIMPSON]

My dogs will initially play and then unexpectedly get aggressive with other dog mainly male, my dog is female. When this happens i can’t call her off I have to separate them all very scary. 
Also sometimes when she is off the lead she will run up to someone and bark aggressively. Not sure what to do. 

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there,

Welcome to the forums!

In order to better understand the situation, I would need some extra details.

How many dogs do you have sharing the household?

What are their ages and breed?

How long have you had them?

Are they spayed and neutered?

Is this behavior you are seeing happening among your dogs sharing the household or with other dogs?

If with other dogs not sharing the household, where are they? In a dog park? Off leash?

What happens right prior to the "aggression?" Is the play more on the rough side  placing paws on shoulders, mounting?

Have your dogs ever bitten other dogs? describe what the aggressive behavior looks like (growling, snapping, biting but no teeth marks?)

Do you know if the male dogs are intact (not neutered?)

Are these episodes fairly new or have they been going on for some time?

In regards to behavior towards people when being off the lead, the solution is rather easy. A dog who runs up to people and barks aggressively should not be given any off-lead privileges. Firstly, because it can cause fear in others and in many public places there are leash laws in place, secondly because by keeping her off lead, we are allowing her to rehearse a problematic behavior, which with time risks getting worse and even escalating to potential biting. 

I know how tempting it is to let our dogs romp around and have fun, but this privilege should be granted only when our dogs have an almost perfect response to a recall, stick nearby us, and don't engage in problematic behaviors involving other people, animals or other dogs. 

There are fortunately solutions for giving our dogs more freedom without letting them rehearse problematic behaviors such as walking them on a long line (at a length that she cannot just go up to people and bark) or using fenced properties to let them run around. In the USA, there is recently also the option of renting by the hour large safely fenced properties just to let dogs romp and play. 

If the area you walk your dog doesn't make it easy to avoid close contact with people or you can't keep her effectively under control/ grant enough distance with a long line, stick with regular leash and train your dog to do an emergency U-turn when people are coming too close or you're not sure how she reacts: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/emergency-u-turn/

If your dog still barks at people when on lead, you will have to stay at a distance where she doesn't react (under threshold https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/) and  notice whether there is a pattern to the people she reacts to.

Are they men?  Women? Taller guys? People wearing glasses? Wearing hats? People doing something in particular like greeting your dog? Bending down? Making eye contact with your dog? Talking to your dog?

If you notice a pattern, you can then work on desensitization and counterconditioning exercises with the help of a professional, such as 

Look at that: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

Open bar/closed bar: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/

Treat retreat: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/treat-retreat-game

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your puppy or dog shows signs of potential aggression (lunging, barking, growling, snapping, biting) for safety, please consult with a dog behavior professional who uses force-free behavior modification techniques (no shock, prongs, or physical corrections) for direct in-person guidance. Articles, videos and general info found in the forums or course (or any online source) are not meant to replace in-person training/instruction. By using this course and forum, you are waiving any liability claims or other type of claims related to any dogs' behavior against you or others.