Blue Heeler Aggression.

Question
Hi,
We have a full blood Blue Heeler named Baby. She is 3 years old.  Recently, she bit a neighbor on the leg. She followed our Rat Terrier out the front door one day, by accident. They both went running down the street and my grandson with them. As they were coming back to the house, both dogs went into a yard of a neighbor and the neighbor was outside about to get into his truck. Our blue heeler let him pet her and talk to her, but when my grandson stepped into the neighbors yard, the blue heeler bit the neighbor.  She has also broken two of our window panes scratching and trying to get out when someone or something was in the front yard. She is perfectly calm if I have her with me on a leash during my garage sale or with us at the kids soccer game. She lets everyone pet her and she just lays down. I know she thinks she has to protect us and "her" territory, but if she does not stop, we will have to give her away. She came out of nowhere one morning, into a creek bed next to our house. She looked like she had been beaten and was skin and bones. We nursed her back to health. That has been 3 years ago. No one ever claimed her, when I put an ad in the paper. The vet told me she was full blood and she is a perfect specimen of the Blue Heeler Breed. Thanks for any help.

Answer
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/  For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

I am not sure at this point if that will be enough.  You may need the help of a good private trainer if you can find one.