Aggression towards other dogs...

We have a 6 year old staffy boy – neutered.

He has been attacked twice. Once by a German Sheppard in the vets and once my a Akita whilst out on a walk, (which was nasty and unluckily I was caught in the cross fire... ouch!) – both occurrences he was on the lead minding his own business! Before then he loved other dogs and loved to play and meet them... but now is a completely different story.

If we are walking past dogs he is okay, maybe slightly too curious, but if they meet face to face his mood changes. I do now avoid other dogs, he has a muzzle for times when I can’t ‘avoid’ them, I don’t let him off the lead unless I know we are the only ones around – maybe these few changes aren’t helping? I have him completely under control in terms of he can’t get to them if he is aggressive, but I would love him to like other dogs again!

He loves people and is the sweetest boy, just he has a very low tolerance for dogs now. I can’t say I blame him for his behaviour change although I do not approve of it and I’m wondering if anyone else has had the same issues or can offer any help before I call him a trainer?

Any help would be greatly appreciated x

I'm afraid I can't help a great deal as my boy is fear aggressive with other dogs and as long as they don't meet face to face ( again he is muzzled at these times) he willi ignore them
Do you have any calm non reactive dogs you can walk with on lead as I have found this does help my boy ( it does take time)
Some one will be able to help you more

Hi & welcome to the forum.

I can't say I blame him either.

If he's ok with dogs as long as they don't make eye contact I'd work on that. Teach him the "watch" command. Hold a treat (or favourite toy) up to your face and the instant he looks say "watch" and let him have it. Repeat this several times indoors. After a while say "watch" before you hold the treat up. If he looks at you, reward him. If he doesn't, go back to holding the treat to your face.

Once you're confident that he knows to look at you when you say "watch", try it outside with no distractions. Once he'll do it outside, progress to doing it when there are dogs around, but not too close & gradually build up to the point where you can get him to look at you when there's another dog right by him.

Hopefully he'll begin to trust dogs again.

However, bear in mind that due to their background, staffords do have a low tolerance with dogs (even the friendly ones) and you may never be able to fully trust him with dogs again. Bur even if that's the case, you can certainly improve things with the above.

You can help him a lot with this, I have turned dogs round that reacted out of fear like you dog is doing. First you need to understand about stress levels in dogs, a dog can't learn if he is stressed, each time he sees another dog he gets stressed so to start him off his stress levels need to be right down.

Hopefully this will explain a dog’s stress levels easier, we can only teach our dogs if their stress levels are well down, once they start to go up a dog will find it very difficult if not impossible to learn.


You walk your dog every day, starting off with stress levels being well down at zero, this is what happens.

Day one - Your dog's stress levels are at 0, you are having a lovely, relaxing walk when you come across another dog that races up to your nervous dog. Your dog's stress levels jump up to 6.

Day two - After a night's sleep your dog's stress levels have now dropped to 4, so your dog is still stressed from the loose dog you met yesterday. Your walk is a little stressful because your dog is not as relaxed as he should be. You meet another loose dog, your dog's stress levels then goes up to 10, you now have a very stressed dog.

Day three - As your dog was really stressed yesterday his stress levels have only dropped to 8 over night, still a very stressed dog. Meet another off lead dog and his stress levels go off the scale, he can't cope and shuts down, when a dog shuts down many owners think their dogs have got used to off lead dogs and think their dog is now fine, in fact, in this shut down state your dog is very dangerous.

Day four - Your dog hasn't relaxed over night, he is still very stressed and racing round with stress, you don't know what to do with him or to help him so you take him for another walk, thankfully you don't meet a loose dog and to your dog the walk was a lot better, his stress levels haven't gone up, he hasn't shut down and the walk has helped your dog because it was stress free even though your dog was very stressed anyway.

Day five - After the lovely walk you had yesterday you are looking forward to another today, your dog's stress levels are now down to 10, much better although still far too high. You meet another dog, again he shuts down because he can't cope.

Day six - You are now getting desperate, you don't understand what is happening with your dog, one day he is fine the next he wants to kill every dog he sees so you are also very stressed and many owners give up and stop walking their dogs. You go for a walk and don't meet any dogs.

Day seven - Your dog's stress levels are now down to 10 because he didn't meet another dog yesterday and doesn't today, 2 good days.

Day eight - Your dog's stress levels are now down to 8, so much better even though he is still very stressed, you don't meet another dog again.

Day nine - Your dog's stress levels are now down to 6, you have a much calmer dog although still stressed, he meets another off lead dog and he jumps back up to 10.

As his stress levels are now back to 10, including today, it will take your dog 6 days for his stress levels to go to 0 if he doesn't meet another off lead dog.

That is put very simply, it does help us understand stress in our dogs, how it happens and how long it takes for the stress to get back down again. Depending on how long a dog has been stressed will affect how long it takes for the levels to come down again.

When our dogs react they can't learn so we need to keep them far enough away so they are not reacting, this varies with each dog. Gradually this area will get smaller and smaller.

When I saw another dog I would put my dog in a sit well away from the other dog, I stood in front of my dog so she could see the other dog between or round my legs, it is important that they can see the other dog, then keep asking for "Watch me". Lots of very high reward when she did.

As your dog improves you will need to adapt things a little so he can continue to make progress, you will soon work out what will suit him and what won't.

If I couldn't get far enough away I would hide behind vehicles, go up people's drives etc. You will have set backs because of idiots, all you do then is a few very quiet days then take him back a few steps, he will move forward much quicker because he has already been there.

Take one day at a time, don't put any time limit on this, let him go at his pace and he will get there.

ty cyril baby for that info ...having a dog that was friendly and now been attacked by the same dog twice he is so different and it breaks my heart that i can no longer just let him be around the park ...it is the looks i get as well that i find hard ...so gonna try your suggestions

Ignore others, you know why your dog is like this they don't, you are a responsible owner who is trying to do your best for your dog, bet they won't go to the trouble you will to help their dogs.

Take one day at a time, concentrate on keeping him calm and you will find that he will improve and when you want to sound off, everyone here is here to help you and help you get back on track.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I not too sure what type of aggression it is maybe it’s...‘I’m going to get you before you get me’.

I notice he changes vocally, to start off he is barking to show his presence, but once face to face it’s completely different. It’s not even a dominance ‘show’, he will not back down until we are away from the other dog. Although this hasn’t happened in a while as I avoid other dogs.

Caryll and Cyril baby – I tried out watch last night and he got it! Such a clever boy, will keep going with this for sure!

Gazagem – unfortunately I don’t have any friends who have calm dogs – their mostly puppies... I need a very docile easy going boy to meet him I think, but good thinking! I will keep a look out round the area.

Again, thank you

Also to add... he seems to be fine with other Staffies, especially the ladies...

Cyril baby wrote:Ignore others, you know why your dog is like this they don't, you are a responsible owner who is trying to do your best for your dog, bet they won't go to the trouble you will to help their dogs.

Take one day at a time, concentrate on keeping him calm and you will find that he will improve and when you want to sound off, everyone here is here to help you and help you get back on track.

joanna.yardy wrote:Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I not too sure what type of aggression it is maybe it’s...‘I’m going to get you before you get me’.

I notice he changes vocally, to start off he is barking to show his presence, but once face to face it’s completely different. It’s not even a dominance ‘show’, he will not back down until we are away from the other dog. Although this hasn’t happened in a while as I avoid other dogs.

99.9% of dog aggression is fear, your dog was attacked, before then there wasn't a problem, there is now. Even dogs that show aggression to humans is fear, those that attack people when out with their owners, it is fear, what your dog is showing is typical fear behaviour.

Forget about dominance, dogs are not trying to take anything over, the do want to survive which all these unwanted behaviours are about. Have a look at this, http://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/dominance/?/dominance.php it is by Dr Sophia Yin a well known trainer and behaviourist.

Caryll and Cyril baby – I tried out watch last night and he got it! Such a clever boy, will keep going with this for sure!

Watch me is very hand in quite a lot of circumstances so well done for teaching him it.

Gazagem – unfortunately I don’t have any friends who have calm dogs – their mostly puppies... I need a very docile easy going boy to meet him I think, but good thinking! I will keep a look out round the area.

Again, thank you

It isn't essential to have a calm dog but it does make turning him round quicker, you can still do it, just keep him were he feels comfortable and not stressed. It is easier to say that than to do it at times, unfortunately you can't cure stupid owners but by going back a few stages to get back into his comfort zone you can then move forward again.

I have the same issue with my girl, shes 5 and she is aggressive with any dog that comes near her. she gets on with my German Shepherd but wont tolerate other dogs :-( she had a fight with my dog at feeding time when she was a pup n has been like this ever since! not sure i can change her behaviour but would love to.

Yes you can improve her behaviour, you need to keep her in a position were she doesn't react to other dogs, that is easy to say but not to do at times. Just keep plodding on that way and she will improve. Don't have a time limit, if we do we start to get stressed because our dog isn't improving as quickly as we wanted, in fact, if you keep a dairy of what she is like now, then every 3 months add to it and look back you will see she has made a big improvement.

Ah its nice to here positivity :-) she's my little princess,a mammy's girl. my husband thinks she's bein protective over me as she barks at him when he give's me a cuddle too. loves attention from people just not dogs!