Dog well behaved on leash... Until she sees another dog. Help?

Mine started to behave this way and I am working with him on this. I am also taking classes and he is fine in classes after the first time except if one particular dog gets too close. Generally trying to put some visual obstacle (e.g. car, bush) if the dog is on the other side of the street helps a lot. If that is not possible, then turning away the body or head of the dog helps.

Then try to get your dog's attention. Have him sit or down, since that isn't compatible with lunging. Have the dog look and focus on you. Reward (food is a good distractor, but it should be earned).

Grabbing the collar of the dog also allows better control than the the leash (assuming the dog is tall enough you don't have to bend double). By now if I grab my dog's collar he knows that lunging isn't an option and won't even try, it's now our "don't try any nonsense" signal.

I just LOVE neighbours like yours who do a bit of D.I.Y training on their rottweilers and leave them 24/7 in a garden with just a wire mesh fence to keep them from the street. B.P. rising !!!!!

I would first of all report the neighbour as no dogs should be that close to the street that nobody can walk past without them and their dogs feeling threatened

You need a good trainer to first of all tell you whether your dog is showing aggression when pulling / lunging towards other dogs or whether it just wishes to get to them to interact in some way. Either way you must train her out of this, and you need a good dog club where they allow you to gradually bring her into a social group without her reacting.. which is exactly what I do with a class of rottweilers, most being rescue.

What I don't believe in is being told... it is only onleash that she is like it and therefore just 'let her off the lead'. You are then leaving the dog to do as it wants whereas it must learn to trust YOU enough that you will look after her when onlead.

This is what I do in class to try and address this problem.

Again I think this is all about it being early days with your latest dog and as is often the case with rescued dogs, now you are learning what probably resulted in her needing to be rehomed - she wasn't trained!!!

I'd get a head collar - for me having control of the head usually works better than any pulling and tugging on a lead, although again I have used mis-named 'choke collars' with the occasional strong hound I had. This was essential to get a number of them safely from the laneway onto the open fields and there was no 'choking' involved.

It's a fine line between reacting when another dog approaches (you) and ignoring it. My husband and I argue about this constantly as, probably because these days he's not as strong as he used to be, when he's out with mine and another dog approaches, he stiffens up - which transfers down the lead. For me, I've found walking on as if nothing is out of the ordinary has always worked better.

Training classes?

It might be worth it to enroll in a training class to give your dog a structured setting to learn to socialize with other dogs. The people in the class will be more understanding than practicing socialization with random people walking their dogs. Just google dog behavior classes in your area. They are generally cheaper than hiring a personal trainer, although that's an option too.

Find what motivates your dog. Some dogs do anything for food. Some dogs do anything for Toys. Some do anything for a good petting. Some do anything for only one type of food, like cheese, or hotdog. Some only have interest in training for 5 minutes at a time, and others can go for an hour. Figure out what your dog is willing to work for, and then work with her in sessions that are no longer than she can tolerate. Learn how to train your dog properly http://onlinedogtraining.enle.info/?0z4x

Sign up for a dog obedience training class. It will not train your dog. It will give you training on how you can train your dog. Most people understand the idea of training, but there is a right and a wrong way to do it, and there is good and bad technique. Timing and consistency is very important, and it helps to have feedback of someone watching you who can help you improve your technique to get more efficient results with your dog.

However, she may be somewhat anxious around other dogs, sort of like the shy kid on the playground. She will benefit from continuing what you are doing as far as asking her to sit before entering, but there are more things along those lines that will help her to calmly go in and out of the dog park. She may also benefit from going in short bursts, or only when fewer dogs are present, or avoiding times when other dogs that make her nervous are present. Maybe she just plays loud - my brother's dog is this way - or maybe she is a dogpark bully - sorry it is possible. But more likely she is just a little anxious around new dogs and she wants to play but just doesn't quite know how to do that and still feel comfortable. Don't be surprised if your dog does not actually like the dog park, and maybe she would get more enjoyment and less stress out of simply going for a good walk somewhere else.

A wagging tail does not mean that your dog is happy or even comfortable with the situation. It means your dog is emotionally aroused. This could be a happy arousal, or it could be a nervous arousal, or it could be an aggressive arousal. Go youtube it, there are plenty of videos of 'vicious' dogs who are throwing a very aggressive fit of barking and snarling while their tail is wagging vigorously. Even police dogs who are not let off the leash to chase down a suspect can be lunging and barking and snarling, and their tails are still going.

Your dog is not "well behaved on leash", nor is it "leash reactive". It's called lack of training, seek professional help for yourself on how to train properly and supply sufficient exercise. A tired dog is a good dog. Note paragraph three applies to all high energy dogs.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e224/GLLNTKNIGHT...

My border collie x rottweiler is the like that. but she only lunges at males the females she will just growl at and sometimes nips if they get to close to me. When she gets walked by other people like mum or dad without me shes fine other dogs dont bother her But if i have onr of my younger siblings walk her she goes nut wont let anyone near them. Guess my little girl want to protect and serve. :)

Put her into a sit position and enforce it. Sitting is subservient and makes it harder to get hyped up.