My dog attacks other dogs. What can I do to walk him without worry?

Poor Woody, It sounds like he may be fearful or defensive around strange dogs. Your best bet is to work with a certified dog trainer who utilizes positive reinforcement techniques. They will work diligently to slowly desensitize your dog to other dogs. In the meantime, a basket muzzle may be ideal for walks in areas with other dogs around just to prevent any altercations.

Neutering him would be recommended however, at his age, it may or may not help. I suggest you work with a professional, in-home dog trainer. You need to find a way to actually correct the underlying reason for him trying to attack the smaller dog. You can also put a basket muzzle on him so that if he attacks the smaller dog he can't hurt him. This is not fixing the problem but you could use it as an adjunct to prevent injury. ( https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-muzzles-about-when-why-and-how-to-use-one/ ) If you can't keep them separated then you may have to re-home him.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Firstly, this is almost always fear-based. Talk to your vet about getting him some anti-anxiety medication to calm him down enough to get the muzzle on. And frankly, even after he is neutered he’ll probably need something like that for daily use while you can do some counter-conditionung training. My favorite is trazodone as it is very safe, can be used long or short term, can be started and stopped, and can be given with certain other sedatives and anti-anxiety medications. Best wishes to you and Max!

It is possible that Bubba may be acting protective of you, causing him to go after other dogs when you go on walks. He could also be anxious or fearful, leading to him acting “aggressive” towards other dogs, or be displaying territorial behaviour. I recommend that you see a veterinarian to help out medical causes, and to see if medical therapy is indicated for his behaviour. Also seek the advice of a dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement techniques, or a veterinary behaviorist, to help curb this behavior. If left untreated, Bubba will likely get into a fight with another animal, and he and/ or the other animal may be seriously injured, or worse. Hopefully he will improve with training and learn what is and is not acceptable behaviour. I would advise keeping him on a leash and away from other animals until you have the chance to work with a trainer or behaviourist. It is also essential to make sure he is up to date on his vaccinations, particularly his rabies vaccine, since he is regularly around other animals and could be at risk of contracting diseases. See the link below for some great information on how to redirect Bubba's attention away from other animals and toward you when you are walking: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/reactive-dog-foundation-exercises-for-your-leash-reactive-dog/

This is a case for a professional trainer. I suggest you work with a professional trainer or join a dog club where you can do obedience training with your dog and work on the aggression issues. You can also have your dog evaluated by a veterinary behaviorist who can help you with behavioral modification tips as well as medication if necessary. Here is where you can find a veterinary behavioral specialist: https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709

I strongly recommend enrolling in some solcialisation classes run by a certified trainer or behaviorist in order to improve his interactions with other dogs and his focus on your commands. This will take a lot of time and patience on your behalf given his is fully grown now, I would also consider neutering him as long as there is no fear/anxiety in his behaviors - ask the trainer to fully assess before you schedule this and consider a temporary castration implant initially which will reverse over 6months or so if necessary

It is best to get him a basket muzzle to wear like the one I have linked below. He cannot bite you or grab things while wearing it but he can still breathe, drink water and eat dog food. This is a temporary fix. You really need to find a professional dog trainer to work with to correct the behavior before he becomes too old. If you Google "dog training Saudi Arabia" many businesses come up. I suggest you research one in your area. https://www.bumas.us/dog-muzzle?TABINDEX=0