Nallah- Black Lab mix

Question
Hi, I am asking about a dog I adopted from the shelter maybe 6 months ago. She has a strange sort of aggression problem, most people I've read their dog barks or pulls or shows some sort of outward aggression. Nallah does not, I can confidently take her for walks, she is very well trained in many other tasks, sit, stay, shake, lay down, etc. The only issue that I have is when she is approached by another dog. Occasionally when we are on our walks a dog will run out to meet her, if the dog just gets close it is no problem, she will walk right by. If the dog approaches quickly and actually tries to sniff her thats when she will snap. I don't mean that she will just fight as many dogs do, she will actually latch onto the face or neck of the other dog and start shaking, or even pin the other dog to the ground in one situation while holding their neck. It gets to the point that once she has latched onto the other dog, their is little I can do to pull her off. I have heard all sorts of remedies for solving aggression problems but most of them include just holding the dog's attention, this will not work in my case because it is only when the dog will not leave her alone and insists on sniffing her or becoming very close. Their are only subtle signs I have learned when she begins to tense up. She will drop her head, tail erect, and wait for the other dog to make a move. Like I said she will let the dog get close enough to sniff, and occasionally sniff her. Then real quick, she will snap, I've never seen her miss, so I don't believe she is snapping as a deterent. It is actually like she wants them to get close so she can do them harm. She has never showed aggression towards people and even my son who tortures her as so many kids do, pulling her ears, laying on her, etc. The behavior is only based towards other dogs. I have seen her interact with a few other dogs, both of the neighbors on either side, it is the ones she is unfamiliar with. I have also noticed that if we are walking and another dog is approaching, she will continue to place herself between me and the other dog.
Thanks, any help would be appreciated.
Joe

Answer
The dog is expressing a learned response to danger. By stepping between you and a strange dog she is protecting you an placing herself in harms way. The body language you describe is a protection crouch and should tell the other dog to stay away or be ready to take on a fight. This very much sounds like police, military or attack dog training.  Its unfortunate the other dog owners are not responsible for their dogs and let them run loose. Your comments that the familiar dogs don't provoke this reaction reinforces my opinion that this dog was attack trained for defense.   

Socialization training in a controlled environment with a professional trainer and trained bait dog should be able to train your dog to only do it on command, and then you never give the command. In 1967 I adopted a lab and was fortunate to have access to a police dog training academy and was able to train it back to normal. It had been locked in a freight car in Florida and was found in Kane Co, IL, where I was a CD official and radio DJ/engineer at the time. Rail records showed it had been in the freight car for 7 days with no food or water.  It turned out to be one of the best dogs I have owned. Unfortunately it was kidnapped two years later.  

Some trainers would suggest a shock collar, but not used properly as a deterrent (when the tensing is shown) can result in the dog learning that the other dog means pain, rather than to not attack. So that would be a last resort on my list.  A more humane method would be to use a prong collar. It should be sized to be loose and when the loop is pulled to tighten, you should be able to put a finger under the dull prongs and only feel pressure, not discomfort. A regular choker is used with it for security as the link can come open. It should only be on the dog when you are with and active with the dog, never let the dog alone or loose with these on, only a regular tag collar at non active times. Get a good metal one at a pet store, not the cheap plastic rope and plastic "teeth" shown onthe "secret dog traiing commercials.

When the dog first tenses, give a sharp tug and release while saying NO. This will get the dog's attention and immediately step it away from the offending dog, have it sit tell it good dog and give it a tiny treat.

The confrontation is similar to a "bar fight." When we meet people we have a comfortable space between us. If we purposely move into the other persons "space" and "get in their face" the other person takes offense and takes defensive action. This is what your dog is doing. But instead of backing off, your dog is taking the offensive position. Normal dogs try an avoid confrontation and back away, turn away, suddenly find something else to sniff and other body language to say, hey, I'm no threat, have a nice day. In obedience training, doing a left about turn forces the dog to exit your space as you turn toward it. On a sit, if the dog breaks, you immediately step toward the dog which invades its space, so it back up back to a sit (if you are quick enough) or walks backwards and the dog is back walked to the sit location. [sit stay]. The easiest way to get the dog's attention is to change direction. So when another dog approaches, immediately make an abrupt change in direction while saying [dog name] "this way" pleasently.  

There is a video "Calming Signals" available from many sources or 4pawsu.com that teaches how to handle and train for proper dog association. The music is a bet tedious but the information is the best I have found on this subject. You might also find "The dog that Loved Too Much".  The author is highly respected vet and recently published a follow up book.

Regards,
Henry Ruhwiedel
Westwind Kennels LLC