My rescue dog barks aggressively at other dogs. What can I do?

This behavior can be hard to correct especially since she is an adult. I would talk to your vet about getting her started on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. These will help to calm her nerves, but you will also need to start a training program. This would be best started with an behaviorist or dog trainer. This will be a long road and unfortunately, there is no easy fix. I hope this helps and she starts to improve.

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem with Buffy. It's not unusual for behavioral issues to take a few weeks to show up in a newly adopted dog - there is often a "honeymoon period" while they're still getting comfortable and adjusting to their new home, before these issues start to emerge. Aggression towards other dogs and humans is a complex behavioral issue that's difficult to address properly in a forum like this, but I can try to give you some general information that may be helpful. Treatment for aggression issues is generally based on identifying what situations tend to trigger the aggressive behavior - then either finding ways to avoid them, or working with the dog to teach her to respond differently using reward-based training techniques. If this is something you want to work on, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Buffy in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan to address her aggressive behavior. For now, if the aggression only happens with dogs and people she doesn't know, I would recommend keeping her separated from visitors for now until you are able to get a more detailed plan in place to work on the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

If the two are a bonded pair, I would consider trying to introduce the more aggressive one toe the other animals alone without her buddy. See if this makes any difference - she may have been being protective. Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily resolve your problem. While I hate to say it, you only just got these guys and they may not be best suited for your home. If I were you, I would contact the shelter or rescue from which you acquired them and let them know what is happening. Usually, if the place is reputable, they will understand and take the dogs back in order to place them somewhere else. Rescuing an animal should not become a big project for you if it was not meant to be one in the first place. If you decide that you are going to keep them anyway, they will need to be introduced to your other animals very slowly and carefully, and under strict supervision for an extended period of time. The use of positive reinforcement training will hopefully allow them to coexist at some point. There are no guarantees however. Hope this helps. Let me know if I can assist you in any further manner.

I am sorry to hear about your dog. I would recommend asking your veterinarian if there is a veterinary behaviorist near you, or consulting https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709 to find a veterinary behaviorist who may be able to help you. These vets are specially trained in behavior issues of this type and may use a combination of specialized training/behavior modification as well as medications if deemed necessary.

Unfortunately nipping/lashing out/aggression is a very complex topic and one that may be difficult to fix without a trainer. Because it is multifactoral- Bernie’s temperament, your temperament, Bernie’s experiences, your experiences, the environment- your surest, fastest and safest bet is to work with a trainer or behaviorist. Basically, the trainer will watch you and Bernie, paying attention to how you react to each other and the environmental stimulus. The trainer will then work with both of you to modify both of your behaviors to meet a common goal. The humane society can often recommend a trainer/behaviorist. Otherwise go online and read ratings and reviews. There are several different training methods so you will need to find the one that works best for you and your pup. You should also stop by the library and pick up a few books about dog behavior and dog training so that you can learn to recognize Bernie’s body language. By knowing what he is saying, you be better able to react before he nips. You have to step in at level 2, by the time he nips he’s already at level 10. I hope this at least points you in the right direction. Please post again with any further questions.

Have you tried a shock collar? This is often the best way to get there attention to correct them. It also may be time to consult your vet about medication to help. They make more than one you can give every day to help and it is trial and error to see what helps. They make both prescription and natural medications that you may help

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree with you, the discipline has not been handled correctly. There are other, better ways to discipline a dog but at this time it is going to be difficult to correct without a professional trainer. Does she have fear aggression? I don't know because I have not witnessed the behavior myself so I can't say for sure. You need a professional dog trainer to come to your house and see the dog's behavior and how the dog interacts with everyone in the house. Only then can they make recommendations on how to correct the problem. Sometimes you need to work concurrently with a veterinarian as behavior modification medications may be needed in the beginning of the re-training. I'm sorry I do not know where you are located so I can't really recommend a trainer. I suggest you call your vet for a recommendation. Hope this helps. Best wishes.