dog fear/agressive to other dogs

Question
QUESTION: My cocker spaniel Zoey is afraid of other dogs and reacts aggressively when she is near them.  She was crated when she was 5 months old due to a back injury so she did loose out on some socialization.  She was bitten by a german shepherd which was loose when Zoey was on leash and also charged at by several other dogs.  How can I help her to overcome this?  The local dog trainer mostly have puppy class and if they take adult dogs they wont take an aggressive one.  She has never actually bitten another dog.  She is grea with our family and extended family and our two cats.  not food aggressive at all.

ANSWER: This is classic fear aggression and maybe be the result of lack of socialization or even acquired as a neonate.  The GSD bite is certainly one very good reason she would be fearful of other dogs. What "aggressively when she is near them" means is unclear. I'd have to see it to understand it.  Dogs offer body language to one another and some of that may appear "aggressive" to us while it's actually the leash restraint (plus conditioned response) that drives the behavior.

I don't know if your dog CAN overcome this problem without a growl class (structured deliberately to address problems such as this by a credentialed and heavily experienced positive reinforcement trainer or actual behaviorist).

Please describe in detail what happens when Zoey encounters another dog.  Be as specific as possible.  Observe her tail set, ear set, eye movement and body movement.  The only method to change fear related behaviors is to build NEW associations toward the trigger of the behavior.  True desensitization is quite difficult, although not impossible.  What YOU DO at the other end of the leash further influences the dog's behavior.  If you respond with alarm or anxiety, the dog associates YOUR response with the oncoming dog.  Her response is not cognitive, it is fight/flight.  So teaching the dog to give you "attention" on cue (command) for reward and then follow your movements to change her brain wave patterns (and steady on focus to the oncoming trigger) needs to be done.  Describe her exact responses and I will try to evaluate it from this distance in order to help you.


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QUESTION: She may react one of two ways... trying to hide behind me and urinating or she barks back at the dog, her tail is up the other dog usualy tries to come after her at that point...I turn around and we walk away. if we are out and she greets another dog sometimes its ok but more often she greets for a second then she tries to bite them.  I would appreciate any advice you can give me....she is my first dog  and I admitt I am afraid when the other dogs come after her she is only 22 pounds.
thank you,
Becky

Answer
Urinating is a signal she's giving to the other dog. It is a strong subdominance communication.  Most well socialized dogs will understand and "respect" the signal.  If she stands and barks, that ALSO is a communication.  Just because the other dog comes forward does NOT mean the dog is "coming after her".  By turning and walking away, you're essentially giving her reason to FEAR approaching dogs.  Dogs on leash in heavily populated areas (such as cities) are very well socialized.  In those situations, a dog coming forward is doing so because its OWNER is coming forward, so the dog has no choice; or the dog may be coming forward simply to "meet".  IF she "tries to bite them" during a casual meeting, she has a problem that needs IN PERSON evaluation.  I can't see anything from here.  The dog's temperament needs evaluation and your training methods and your own anxiety need to be addressed.  You need a certified applied animal behaviorist (NOT A DOG TRAINER).  My best guess (from experience) is that your dog's behavior CAN be modified but YOU need in person instruction and encouragement.

You can find a behaviorist in (or close to) your geographical area from one of these sites:
http://certifiedanimalbehaviorist.com/page6.html
http://www.arkanimals.com/ark/dg_expert_referrals.html
http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory
http://iaabc.org/consultants

Dog to dog aggression on leash is complex: dogs are FORCED to come toward one another (because they are on leash and following their handlers) and that isn't the normal way dogs approach.  Dogs off leash approach on a curve, often turning their heads away, licking lips, yawning, and sometimes even sitting DOWN before actual approach. A dog (off leash) that comes straight on, making eye contact, is making a statement of social hierarchy and the other dog will almost always perceive a threat.  Because you are new at dog ownership, you need in person help.  You also need to learn how to read dog body language (approaching dogs) to determine IF that approaching dog has the "wrong" intention.  You can learn about dog body language here:
http://www.canis.no/rugaas/index.php

Your dog is fearful.  She has not been properly socialized to other dogs or perhaps has had (in her past) a fearful experience.  If you can find a positive reinforcement trainer (check CREDENTIALS and ask for REFERENCES) who has a "growl class", attending one will help, but it won't totally solve the problem because it doesn't occur ON THE STREET where this interaction takes place.  Even if hiring an expert might be a financial strain, it's well worth the expense.  Dogs CAN and DO learn new associations in circumstances that elicit fear.  She may never be fully desensitized (or at least, not for a long time, perhaps months) but working with an expert is going to be enormously beneficial.