My rescue dog is aggressive with other dogs. How to train her?

Dog aggression is relatively common and while there are training techniques to reduce dog aggression it can be difficult. If you can identify certain triggers: i.e. if she is only aggressive when she is at home, or when she is on a leash, it can be easier to work on training her to 'ignore' other dogs or desensitization. I would recommend seeing a behaviorist - your veterinarian would likely be able to recommend someone in your area. Until you are able to work on some training I would recommend avoiding contact with other dogs so that there are no injuries.

1) I highly recommend a vet checkup to rule out issues such as parasites or a GI problem/allergy that could be preventing her weight gain. Your vet can also perform a body condition score to see if she is at a healthy weight for her size and help monitor any changes needed. 2) Since she is having a lot of anxiety and having trouble with basic obedience, speaking with a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in person is your best option. They can work with you one-on-one to tailor a plan to help reduce your pup's anxiety, and a veterinary behaviorist can also utilize medication as needed in conjunction with a training plan. Training techniques such as BAT (Behavioral Adjustment Training) are great for helping desensitize dogs to the triggers that cause anxiety. This can also help with her fear toward you or other people as well. 3) Once she has settled in a bit and the anxiety is under control, a basic obedience class together may help so that you can learn to better communicate with each other in a safe, positive manner. This can also help the two of you bond a bit better and gain trust. If you're interested in talking to a veterinary behaviorist, you can find out more info here: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

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

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

Ideally, you should have hom first examined by your veterinarian to diagnose and treat any illness or injury. Either can lead to aggression or aberrant behavior. Next, consider a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist to determine exactly what triggers Trevor's aggressive tendencies. A plan for behavioral modification, which may include medication, can then be formulated to gradual desensitize Trevor to his triggers. It will take patience and consistent training, but it is possible to assure him that no harm will come to him again. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety or aggression and could be a step down the road of recovery. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These types of behavior can improve though this does require in person training with the help of a qualified dog trainer. I would encourage you to contact a dog trainer that can work with you and her in person to really take care of this behavior. The sooner these behaviors are dealt with, the more likely it is that you can improve and resolve them. Good luck and have a good night!

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.