sweet Boston is grouchy bully with other dogs

Question
There's no one sweeter than our 5 year old (spayed of course) Boston Terrier Emily...with humans.  But while she has never drawn any blood we all agree in the family that she acts like a Velociraptor with other dogs we meet on the street.  Very occasionally it has gone semi-well when she's off leash (typical) but this is rare.  As I say, no blood is drawn, no punctures..but the truth is she is thoroughly unpleasant with strange dogs giving academy award winning performances of primal aggression. Also I fear she may do this with a dog who doesn't have time for this hoopla of hers and is really going to hurt her.  No one would be able to say she didn't invite it. Help!!

Answer
Hi Christine,

Not every dog enjoys the company of other dogs, and Emily is amongst this group.

Knowing her aggression towards other dogs, you should not be allowing her off the leash. You are correct, eventually Emily may come upon a dog who feels as confidant and as dominate as she does, and a serious fight would ensue.

A lot of Emily's "problem" may be that she feels as though she's running the show, and has the right to protect her people from perceived threats, and to challenge other dogs for dominance. The simplest way to gain control over Emily is to enroll in a dog obedience class.  It will help her realize that YOU and your family are the true leaders of this "pack".  Learning how to control your dog from an experienced person offers faster results than reading bout how to do it. That said, if you'd like to try training on your own, the following site offers very helpful advice:

http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/aggression.html

Best of luck,

Patti