agression

[FionaD]

I have a one year old Cavalier King Charles who is becoming agreesive towards other dogs, never used to be like this - please help

[nick_j007]

Please describe what happens.

Is it on lead, off lead?

Is it 100%, or just occasional?

How is the dog in the home?

What is your handling style? i.e. soft and permissive or firm but fair?

Male or female? Neutered?

Thanks,

Nick

[RobD-BCactive]

Is your dog afraid? Is it trying to avoid, but then maintain distance to the other dogs by growling & snapping (bluster)? May be all seems well then suddenly there's a sudden reaction like panic, when the other dog sniffs too closely, or interacts with you?

If it onset suddenly for no apparent reason a health check at Vets is in order, she may be poorly.

1 yr old is adolescence still it's quite common for both bitches & dogs, to become less sociable for many reasons - see Adolescent Dog Training (18 weeks - 2 years) | Dog Star Daily

The things Nick's asking for are important and have bearing to. If accurate observation is hard then I would consult an expert, once the Vet's exam finds nothing.

[Pawsitive]

Good points from both Rob and Nick

Agree that vet check is a first port of call.

Once anything medical is ruled out maybe you can look at other factors.

Has anything in the routine or diet changed? Any incidents with another dog that may have scared your dog?

Dogs do hit fear periods and socialisation needs to go on, even in adulthood.

You could attend some socialisation classes / walks with an experienced trainer/behaviourist as well as doing some reward based training yourself to help your dog feel more confident when seeing other dogs - even if you have to keep a distance for the time being to keep him/her from reacting.

[FionaD]

He does this when on the lead. I think I am firm but fair.
He has been socialised with other dogs and is friendly with my sisters bitch and another couple of neighbours dogs. He does this when we are out walking I will let him greet other dogs and he starts this off fine then just turns. I think he is frightened as he has been attached three times now and it is like he thinks that he has to do this also!!
He is OK at home although the barking over the fence at passing dogs is getting more frequent. He has not been "done" yet as I dont know whether I want to bread him or not but maybe I will not have a choice if this is what I have to do. I did have someone who was going to come to the house and give us a few personal sessions in dog training but have been let down and I cannot find a class that suits my home and work life. He never gets off the lead as he runs away and does not come back - and my home training has not been too successfull.

[RobD-BCactive]

OK, so you know your dogs nervous, then ensure the encounters are pleasant. The key to your dog not feeling threatened is distance and avoiding over long exposure and attention.

Rewarding calm passing or short greeting, with high value food or real fun play reward, can begin counter-conditioning your dog.

Off leash, your dog can distance if he's uncomfortable, but on leash you are likely removing the "flight" option so if he feels threatened, that leaves "fight" responses, in attempt to avoid uncomfortable proximity.

So actually, you are passively training your dog to be aggressive, by expecting too much after the fights. If you can, consider a dog socialisation service by a good ADPT, APBC or CABT - COAPE trainer/behaviourist who should be qualified and experienced.

Sorry I cannot post direct links for fear they'll be perceived as "spam".

Neutering is not particularly likely to help your dog - searching for article, "The Effects of Spaying and Neutering on Canine Behavior" Based on section from Aggressive Behavior in Dogs by James O’Heare ought to turn up background, though the % figures are not available in simple table.