AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR

Question
Hi, I have a 2 year old Male black Lab, Tai, and I'm in despair. We got him at 1 year old and his previous owner didn't mention any problem with aggression towards other dogs and we found this to be true, he was VERY boisterous during play but not aggressive however, in the last 3-4 months he has become progressively worse. His aggression is only ever toward other dogs, male and female, yet he has no problem with the dog next door! Walk times have now become a very problematic time and are not enjoyable for all involved anymore. He has been castrated, on advice from the vet, and - as we cannot run him off leash he is gaining weight (he now weighs 46kg!!). My partner is the main walker with Tai but myself and our 13 year old son would love to walk and spend time with him but this is proving impossible....please help!!

Answer
The weight problem is easy to solve, just feed less.  Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest. You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog must have its food and exercise adjusted to its individual needs. Here is a link to a good illustrated guide, http://www.longliveyourdog.com/twoplus/RateYourDog.aspx

Better leadership may help the aggression.  Castration was a good step, but alone won't solve the problem. The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/