Behavior Issue--- What do you think?

OKay, for starters, I just wanted to share this great rescue/adoption site I ran across this morning, for those of you in the Oakland, CA area especially. They have some awesome dogs for adoption...

http://www.smileydogrescue.org/blueweb/index.asp

ANyway, here's my issue:
So we have been taking Rusty to daycare for about a month and a half now. For the most part, it's been super.... he gets lots of exercise, companionship while I am working, etc. And, he really truly seems to love going there.
But something different has started to happen that he has never done before..... he is starting to show agressive behavior that I've never seen him show before. And it's not a huge major thing, but it concerns me that it's happening at all. So far, it's just been vocal.... and sporatic, not all the time. For 99.9% of the time, he is his usual happy go lucky self. But on 2 or 3 occasions now, he has growled and snarled, and pretty much gone berzerk towards another dog. and it's always bigger dogs. I don't get it at all...
When I first started daycare, I was concerned about the fact that most of the dogs would be much bigger than Rusty. But she asssured me all would be fine. And it seems like it has.... like I said, he really is excited every morning to go. ANd I always check him over to make sure he doesn't have any bite marks or anything, but I've never found a mark on him.
She says he plays and plays non stop when he's there, and he always comes home exhausted.
Do you think that something about all the rough housing around with big dogs has something to do with it? I'm really stumped trying to figure it out. It's not a huge problem, because of the fact that he is so small. Pretty much all I have to do is pick him up and walk away. But it's really not something I want him to do. I want to be able to walk and talk around other dogs and to their owners, and not have him going ape at their dogs. SO, what do all of you think???

 

PAM, there was just a athread last week on the same thing, they always took their dog to the dog park no problem, and now the dog is being aggressive for no apperant reason, I think it was puggle owner looking for help too


honeybear

 

Thanks honeybears, I don't recall that one, but I'll do some looking back and see if I can find it.

 

Is he doing this when he's only at home? or are you knoticing it somewhere else? If its in a secluded area each time. He could be defending his territory. If not he's probably going through the "little man" complex. Trying to show dominance to the larger dogs.

 

No, it's always out in public.... and I think you may be in the right area, with the "little man" thing..... I've been sort of thinking it's something along that line. I know it's a terrier thing to have a big mouth, and to think he's a way bigger, tougher dog than he really is.... because he is fine with little dogs. And I think it's sort of fear based, like he thinks he has to come out guns a blazing in order to try and scare the other dog away, or something. ANd sometimes it seems like it happens more when he is especially tired or on overload.... sort of like a kid.
I'm just wishing I knew what some things are to do to discourage it, and to get it across to him that he doesn't need to do it.

 

Can you identify similar circumstances when he has done it? Age or sex or size of the other dog? What the other dog was doing? On leash or off? Did Rusty approach the other dog or did it approach him? Straight on or sideways? Ears up or back? Tail? Things like that. I would think that just like a child, if Rusty is tired or not feeling well he would be more likely to do this, just as you have noticed.

Maisey may know more what to tell you to look for or do, if she stops in.

I would nip this in the bud and find a GOOD, positive behaviorist or trainer experienced with small dogs and possible aggression issues and have her observe and work with both of you. There are also some excellent books you can read - let me look through mine when I go home and get their titles.

How old is Rusty? I have heard that dogs can change as they mature. I'm not saying he is going to be an aggressive dog or anything, but I think as they grow out of puppyhood they start to do some things they didn't do before.

I saw Nala tell off another dog for the first time ever yesterday (she is about 14 months old). We were at the shelter and she was in a room with Bonnie and one of the shelter worker's dogs. It was sort of crowded - it was an office shared by several people and I was meeting one of them. My dogs were on leash and the other wasn't, so I took their leashes off but they still had their head halters on because I wasn't going to stay for long. This other dog tried to mount Nala a few times, which she usually just puts up with - she tries to move away and she hunches over a little bit, but that's it. Well this time, she actually snapped at the other guy. it was totally appropriate and he backed down, but I was shocked! :shock:

On another note, I looked at that Smiley Dog Rescue site. Dudley! You must look at Dudley!!


Jamiya

 

I know, Jamiya... doesn't Dudley look like Rusty? A bit longer hair, and a little smaller. I've wondered if maybe Rusty had some chi in him. If Dudley is a cross between a long haired Doxy and a chi, I think Rusty could be wire haired doxy and chi, but I'm sure he has some terrier in there for sure too. I'll never know for sure.
But the dog on that site I absolutey love is George:
http://www.smileydogrescue.org/blueweb/ ... sp?id=1217

He is for sure a doxy/jack russell mix. What a beautiful dog! I would take him in a heartbeat if I could.

As for the behaviour thing.... the only thing I can find similar is that it's been when we've been out in public, and Rusty has had a long day, and is probably tired. Other than that, it's usually a case where the other dog hasn't even ackowledge him... Rusty just sees it, and something triggers and he goes nuts. I don't let him approach when he's acting that way, I usually pick him up and tell him "No!" and walk away. Then he tends to whine and cry lke he's upset he didn't get to go meet that dog. One time it was a big old english bulldog, and another time it was big black curly coated dog, those french ones they use for police dogs sometimes, I forget their names. An another time it was just a couple of mid sized mixed breeds. I just don't know. Maybe it is an aging thing. But we do take him a lot of places, and maybe he is just a dog that gets overstimulated after awhile, and gets cranky like a kid and needs time out. If you find a good book, let me know

 

OH no!!! Look at all those heeler mix's!!! AHHHHHH I'm gonna have to go to Cali now!!!

 

I know, Sams.... you were the first one I thought of when I started looking at all of their dogs! Maybe you need to take a trip to the bay area?

 

hey sams if you do you can stay with me i'm about 1/2 hour away from Oakland. :lol:

 

Then go down there and adopt George for me, rene!!!

 

Okay, "Dogs are from Neptune" by Jean Donaldson has some sections on dog-dog aggression. The recommendations are things like slowly desensitizing the dog to the conditions that set him off, by practicing with a friend's dog, etc. There are also sections on resource guarding, if you think Rusty is guarding you.

Another book for resource guarding is "Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs" (also by Jean Donaldson).

Also, "Feisty Fido" and "Cautious Canine" come to mind - both by Patricia McConnell. Feisty Fido is about dogs that go nuts when they see another dog and how to stop it. I got it because someone recommended it to me to use to get Nala to be able to get her attention on me rather than something really exciting for her, like chasing things. So even if the problem isn't exactly what Rusty is doing, I think it is still useful. The Cautious Canine one might be useful if he is doing it out of fear.


Jamiya

 

Thanks, Jamiya.... I will definitely look into those books. That's what's so frustrating, is that I thought I WAS doing things to desensitize him.... going to daycare was supposed to be one of the things to make him comfortable around other dogs.... and we take him places where there are lots of dogs. So I don't know what it's about. Maybe he's being protective, or is just afraid of certain dogs for whatever reason.
I'll look for those books, and see what I discover. Thanks!

 

Remember, it's not always something we have done or haven't done. Some dogs just develop new behaviors as they mature. How old is Rusty, do you think?

And sometimes you can communicate things through the leash to the dog without meaning to. For instance, if you see another dog and start to worry he is going to react, he may feel your tension. This reinforces to him that there really is something to worry about and then he reacts.

Does he do it in daycare when he is off-leash?


Jamiya

 

If the vet's estimate is accurate, he should be just about 1 year old this month. When we found him, he was just loosing his last puppy tooth, and still had his puppy fur she said. Physically he has really chaged a lot in the past 2 months, so I htink he is maturing a lot.
Like I was saying before, this isn't a huge problem, but it's different, and could become a real hassle. Most of the time he is great wiht other dogs..... it's just certain ones, or certain situations. And I will never know for sure what he's been through in his puppyhood before I found him. I think he's had some scary times, so that may have something to do with it.

 

Oh definitely it is his age! He is starting to outgrow being a puppy and getting some adult behaviors. It's not a big deal as you said, but I would definitely try to get a handle on it if you can so it doesn't become one later. Try to really watch and see if you can pinpoint common elements to when he does it. Watch Rusty very closely as well and see if there is body language that precedes a reaction.

I finally managed to find what I think will be a good trainer through the apdt.com website. Of course, not all the trainers listed there are good, but it gives you a starting point.


Jamiya

 

You may be right about the age thing. The only things I can see that might be part of it so far is like I was saying earlier, how it's worse when he is very tired, or feeling overloaded, overwhelmed, and out of control, I think. Like the other day at the grocery store, I was sitting in the car with him while my room mate shopped--- any he saw a really tall big man with a little boy--- and the man lifted the boy up over his head and was making loud play noises at him, and the boy was screaming and giggling the way kids will do. THAT really upset him, and he started to growl, snarl, whine, cry.... the whole thing. I think he was afraid the guy was hurting the boy, and that got him upset. I really think Rusty is an axious, worried little guy a lot of the time, and I think when he gets overloaded, it brings his fiery terrier personality out, or something.
I think he may have had some bad experiences with big dogs (and men) before, and certain ones, or certain situations set him off. I will have to do some reading in some of the books you mentioned, and see what advice there is out there to try and ease this anxiety and fear thing he has.

 

Another book for fearful dogs that I have is "Help for Your Shy Dog: Turning Your Terrified Dog into a Terrific Pet" by Deborah Wood. It's about REALLY shy dogs, but the methods are useful.

The kid thing is not that uncommon. Rusty has probably never seen a loud, two-headed person before. Dogs are funny that way - they have to be socialized to all sorts of different things and behaviors - people with different skin color, different sizes, wearing hats, carrying umbrellas, etc.

On a walk recently, Nala was scared by two joggers who had their hands on a tree while they were stretching. She wouldn't go anywhere near them. I think she thought they were a weird two-headed tree monster and she wasn't having any! And Nala is not a shy dog by any means.


Jamiya