Hi Everyone I’m knew to the forum! I have a 16 month Dogue De Bordeaux who I have had since a pup.

He adores people and aggression is never an issue, he is so loving and anyone can walk up to him and stroke him or hug him and he loves the attention.

As a puppy I took him to classes to help with socialisation and took him out to meet other dogs everyday.

About 8 or 9 months old an Akita went for him and a few days later a husky. A couple of days later we saw one of his dog friends and I took him over the road to see the owner as it had been a few weeks - the owner loved him. My dog growled really loudly and lunged at the other dog and that was the end of their friendship.

Since then, whenever he sees a dog he starts deep breathing and freezes and is completely focussed. If a dog comes near him he’s on a mission to go towards them - he has pulled me over twice. I’m now in the situation I have to cross the road and distract him if I see another dog. I’m always looking in preparation on our walks and can’t take him to the park anymore. He has never bitten another dog but he ran across the park and jumped on one growling ignoring my calls which completely terrified the owner and that was the last time he was off the lead.

We made friends with a very passive male ddb who we would go on walks with for a few weeks and he settled down with him and even met a couple of dogs and was friendly. But I moved to London so that came to an end. We met a female staff a couple of weeks ago and he was ok with her. I also have a male chihuahua who puts him in his place all the time. He is never agressive with him he just wants to play but the chihuahua is 10 so isn’t interested.

Does anyone have any suggestions for help with this? He’s also started ripping things - clothes, towels couch cushions...! In the past couple of months and become whiney in the house despite me taking him on two walks a day.

I’m new to the forum and see that this hasn’t been replied to(hate that)
How have haVe things been with him since ?

I missed it or I would have!

I think your best bet is to seek help from a force-free behaviourist.  In-person help is always preferable to show you how to manage and progress him, as the best descriptions in the world fall short of actually showing someone techniques with this sort of problem.

That said, distance is your friend: you want to try and stay far enough away from dogs that he does not go into this focused state, enough that he knows they are there but he isn't bothered.  That is known as being sub-threshold, and that's where you will make progress.  Using super rewards (meat/cheese), reward every single thing that is not a reaction to the other dog.  Looking at them calmly, looking away, turning away, sniffing something, doing nothing at all.  Anything.  This game is also very useful for these situations:

https://www.choosepositivedogtraining.com/single-post/2014/07/01/The-Practice-of-SelfInterruption-The-EngageDisengage-Game

Most importantly, DO NOT correct him.  If he is reacting, he is too close and he cannot cope.  He is remembering past experiences and trying to drive the other dog away before they can hurt him.  It's fear driving him, and corrections will make that worse (be they verbal or otherwise).  You may suppress the behaviour in the short term, so it appears to help, but unless you take steps to change his emotional response to other dogs, the fear will remain and it will resurface, and much worse.

Thanks so much for this! He’s still the same! We have been concentrating on our chihuahua Cody since this post to be honest as he hasn’t been very well with a heart murmur. He eventually went into heart failure and we had to have him put to sleep on Saturday. We are completely heart broken and now determined to concentrate on Chunk. Do you think dogs can smell when another dog has been put to sleep? I came back from the vets and I was hugging chunk. I’m wondering if he smelt where Cody had passed and I had been hugging him? Chunk seems so quiet and sad and isn’t really looking for him, apart from the odd look up the stairs where Cody used to sit. I live in south east London - if you know any behaviourists that would be a massive help.

Thank you so much - I did try this when he was younger and it was starting to work a little but I got worried about bloat! This is a big risk feeding dogue de Bordeaux so close to exercise and his dad actually died of it.

I have 2 breeds prone to bloat and have lost one to bloat .the tiny amounts of food u are are giving as treats when training should be safe . U really need very tiny amounts. Squeeze cheese is good as all they have is quick lick
Noone e is a hundred percent sure about causes but food wise it's more likely  if the dog has been exercised recently and gulps food or water and of cpurse a meap is much bigger amount in one go stress can have an affect as can a few other things according to studies.
You can also.use a favourite toy as a reward of course  but mine responses best to food treats

Very sorry for.your loss always hard .It's very likely that chunk is aware of what has happened and may show signs of loss too
If u pm me I can give u details of a decent behavioutist in South London/ Surrey who I have worked with in similar problems

DDB's are one breed which should be bred out for humane reasons.

https://bit.ly/2KDY4Zo
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I too have lived with a breed prone to GDV (Bloat with torsion).   Very sadly we have, over the years, had 4 cases, despite taking all the precautions suggested.   Two survived after I got them to my then vet FAST, knowing what I was seeing, 2 didn't.   The first 3 were all elderly males, the 4th was an 8 year old male, fit and healthy.   The first (survived) was 11+ and although he came through the surgery, opened up and stomach pinned, he was knocked back badly and he'd always been a very fit strong hound.  When the second blew, we opted not to bring him through the surgery knowing he was far less likely to make it - our then vet asked if he could open him up to see if he could learn anything new.   We agreed and he just didn't bring him round again.   He too was 11+.   Both these were when out in Canada.   The third, again an elderly male of over 14, didn't make it despite our getting him to our vet back in the UK) fast.   He'd practically gone by the time we got him there.   The fourth, the 8 year old, was all 'abnormal' in that we found him surrounded in froth in his crate when we got up that morning.   No exercise (overnight) and no food since his final meal of the day at around 5 pm the previous day.   We got him to our vet and he was opened up, ruptured spleen removed, and back home that evening.   His stomach was pinned, and we never had another episode, from him or the others.  He died from a stroke, 4+ years later.

Just to share - there has been some work done on the why (mainly involving Bloodhounds) and there is some indication this can run in families.  However our first and second cases were unrelated males.  The third was grandfather of the 4th and distantly related to the second.  I have always fed adults twice a day, splitting the daily amount into two, and observed the no exercise for 2 hours after a feed, or a feed less than 1 hour after exercise.   We have still had these 4 cases.  I tend to check how much a kibble expands in water when moving to a new one and avoid them drinking loads of water around feeding time.

As for the lunging at other dogs now - yes, having somebody who can see what's going on should help, but I can't recommend anybody - sorry.  I would suggest avoidance of the situations that cause this behaviour however.  FWIW

I too have lived with a breed prone to GDV (Bloat with torsion).

One, lost.
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