Advice needed urgently please.

We have a small spayed SBT/whippet bitch, probably about 18m/2 yrs (rescue dog with no history).  She is extremely lively, intelligent and affectionate at home even with our other dog, although she is obviously the more dominant of the two. We have had her for approx. eight months.

The problem is recent and arises off-lead in the park when another, smaller dog approaches her 'aggressively'.  Usually this is a very noisy JRT or similar who runs towards her barking - probably all bark and no bite intended - but she will chase after it.  The usual pattern is that the other dog runs back to its owner who picks it, up only to have Miss Thing leaping up and snapping at it.  (And I don't doubt she means business.  She has killed a squirrel and a rat recently and very efficiently - one snap, one shake and dropped.)  So far I have managed to get there in a couple of seconds but she is extremely fast and agile and to be frank, it is a horrible situation to be in for all concerned, especially the owner of the other dog who, apart from visualising their own pet torn to shreds, has had our dog's snapping jaws virtually in their face.

We have never had a dog with this type of temperament and my OH is now very anxious about coping with a potentially dangerous situation.  He is urging 'rehoming' but realistically this means a return to B'ham Dogs Home and I am *extremely* reluctant to consider that so he is now suggesting euthanasia unless a 'cure' can be found - and quickly.

I should make it clear that Miss Thing has had no traumas with other dogs and is generally very well socialised apart from this.

All suggestions will be considered but please make them realistic for someone who works full-time, lives in a city and whose stay-at-home partner is unlikely to commit to any course of training without me behind them (literally).

Thanks in advance.

I dont think you need to get rid of her :)

I think that maybe she has 'issues' with small animals, but then again she is part Whippet :)

I do feel she should be kept on lead or at least muzzled to prevent her from harming a small dog though.

Could you trt walking her at a different time?this way you can avoid the jrt

If you see the JRT coming put yours on a lead and shout to the owner to do the same then perhaps you could let them meet under a controlled manner to show your dog theres nothing to worry about.

Or else just avoid the JRT who wants an in your face barking dog coming upto you! I certainly would retaliate if someone came upto me like that :D

I have a whippet and he is fine with small dogs, our cat but not wild rabbits!! Whippets don't necessarily chase, unless of course they have been trained for it.

Hi Missthing,
Don't underestimate a JRT I have see one that for no reason riped through
a five year old's face, and he had to have 25stitches. the child loved the dog,
as he was an ill child, it was his companion.The dog had lived with him from a pup.
Little dogs have a habit of snapping the legs of bigger dogs.
I would just put the dog on an extention lead and warn the other owners to do the same.
You don't know if it has been snapped by one of the smaller breeds.
If it gets on with yourselves and your dogs. I can't see a problem.
Regards
Denese

Some people don't walk their dogs in parks for this very reason - other people's dogs rushing up aggressively.  However, as a city dweller, you may not have much option - is there anywhere else you can walk?  Somewhere with more space, so you can give these little terrors a wide berth?

The trouble with having her on the lead in this situation is that the other owner rarely manages to catch theirs and yours can end up as a sitting target!  That's an awful situation to be in and will make your dog more fearful.  So you also have to have an escape route.

If she is generally fine with other dogs, it doesn't sound as if she is too aggressive to keep.  Has it ever happened where the owners didn't pick up their dog and if so, what was the result?

Just keep her on a lead is the easy answer.
Archer

Have to agree with Archer here, i have one that loves all the dogs here, but can't tolerate others outside, all i do is to keep this one on a lead :-)

A dog may have killed a squirrel (my 2 did once :( ) but, that doesn't mean it will attack small dogs.

Some dogs will be susceptible to "predatory drift" which is where they perceive small dogs as prey, but it seems to me as if your dog knows full well that these JRTs etc are dogs so that's a good thing really.

I would suggest visiting these websites: www.apdt.co.uk (for trainers, some have an interest in behaviour) and also www.ukrcb.co.uk and www.apbc.org.uk for a behaviourist. You should find someone who will come out with you and help you on the walk, and give training and behaviour suggestions  which will need to be implemented on walks  :)

Good luck
Lindsay
x

Hi your dog doesn't need to be put down, although i will agree with the other posts about keeping her on a lead, if you know she's like that then keep her on a lead so you are one foot ahead of her.  Thats not really aggressive, if you know anyone with small dogs at a distance, get them to walk past your dog when she reacts in a positive way reward her, if she acts negatively ignore her there's nothing worse to a dog then not having her owners attention, if she progresses with this let the dog get nearer, only if it's safe, it's just a case of unconditioning her behaviour all is not lost.  So think positive and start retraining her with a mussle if it's needed, i'd even suggested you try some training classes and for warn your instructor of her behaviour.  My dobermann years ago used to kill hedgehogs in the back the little bugger.

Warm regards Susan

The poster has said her dog only chases dogs that have been aggresive or come up to ehr barking, so this is defensive aggression, and not surprising really, just needs toning down.

Frankly if she is only aggressive to dogs that provoke her then the only thing wrong is her over reacting to their aggression, and frankly their owner should not blame your dog at all.  It is also something I wouold exoect from a Staff cross who are not for suffering fools gladly.  The killing of small furries is perfectly natural in a whippet and a terrier, taht is what they were bred for.  A lady I meet in the country park has bells on all ehr whippets as they are very good at catchi9ng squirrels(which are vermin anyway).

I would advise teaching her a bit of restraint with plenty of controlled exposure to other dogs at a training class.  Here she can be taught to be a bit more tolerant and at least obey your commands.

My freinds Golden retriever was like this until I started taking ehr out with my own dogs.  gradually she got better and more tolerant.  I made it clear that unreasonable reactions to other dogs woudl nto be tolerated, vut at the same tiem I ensured HER safety and woul see off any dogs annoying her.

My goldie dosent like small dogs, there is a poodle near us that has attacked a BC puppy recently so is known for its behaviour,it went for my dog when he was just a pup, and  he has never forgottn it. When he sees it the deep growl starts, hecks up, tail up, so I cross the road, as the owner has no intention of doing anything about it whatso ever,and quietly say "leave" to him and pass by, when he has passed and left it, I say how good he is.
It seems to me that the best thing is as others have said keep her on a lead, if you see small furries on their way, keep out of their way. Some dogs are just like that they dont like certain dogs,my old Lab never used to like Red Setters! he saw one and that was it,any other dog ok....

Couldn't agree more Brainless! Most of my dogs would NOT accept a dog they don't know running up to them, and two would be scared (ESPECIALLY if it is RUNNING and not approaching sensibly! Just charging up is in dog language terribly rude!), and all of mine are trained to never go up to other dogs or people when out for walks. So if anybody allows their dog to run up to mine, I immediately call out and warn them that mine *might* not be friendly, and I either grab my dogs' collars or put them in a stay if it's too many. If that is ignored, well, then I figure it's their own fault AND their dog's if it gets snapped at -the owner for not training it or paying attention, and the dog for not reading the signals given out! After all, MY dogs were under control. But I have to say in 99% of all cases the other owner will do their best to get hold of their dog and they just thank me.

Unfortunately putting a dog that may be aggressive towards others on a lead can make things worse as the dog will feel it has the support of its owner and so will show MORE aggression on the lead than off it. If it has to be on a lead, use a head collar and turn the dog's face  AWAY from the other dog, and the passing will be a lot calmer when they can't eyeball each other. :)

Marianne

Hi,

Ok.  First these are two different things - how your dog behaves with small animals like squirrels and rats is unrelated to how she deals with other dogs.

To begin with small animals like rats and squirrels - your dog is part terrier, part whippet.  Terriers are bred and designed to catch vermin like squirrels and rats, shake it and kill it.  Whippets are bred and designed to chase fast after rabbits and hares, catch them, shake them and kill them.  Your dog is doing nothing wrong and nothing out of the ordinary by killing small furry animals.  This is part of its nature and you can't do anything about it other than try to avoid them or train a really good recall so you can call your dog off them when it starts to chase.

Secondly - when a dog wants to bite, it will bite.  If a dog snaps and misses, it fully intends to snap and miss.  You don't say how many times this has happened in your post, but from the way you write it sounds like it has been several times now.  If that's the case, your dog DEFINITELY means to snap and miss or it would have bitten seriously by now.  Your dog may be aggressive towards other dogs but she is not a biter (yet).  Find some hope in that.  A good recall would help you here too, because you would be able to call her off other dogs when she gives chase.  If you're still worried, find a good behaviourist registered with the APBC: www.apbc.org.uk

Many thanks to all who replied.

I'm sorry my post wasn't chrystal clear; there is not a particular dog that we have to avoid, it's any small dog under these circumstances. 

When the other dog isn't picked up, the rumpus is sorted out with a bit of woof and froth but nothing else.  But unfortunately I can't control the actions of other dogs or their owners - and to be honest, they'd be justified in saying I didn't have full control of my dog even if their's was the one that initially displayed bad manners.

I'm afraid the idea of keeping this little bitch permanently on a lead during her major exercise periods isn't on.  She is a very energetic little dog and running round our garden just isn't enough to keep her healthy (IMHO) - and frankly, I love to watch a beautiful animal at the height of its powers; it's part of the reason I keep dogs.

I will pursue the recall/behaviourist suggestions as they sem the most promising. Once again thanks to all who took the trouble to post. 

Linda

Don't be disheartend be selective in who you allow your dog to mingle with!
My girl will NOT tolerate small dogs so i just avoid them its not worth getting her back up over it as she will inevitably become the feared one :( (Due to tooo many incidents like yours)

No you can't control the actions of other dog owners but don't accept it! You're dog is doing nothing wrong but protecting itself like someone said she maybe over-reacting but thats her perrogative and its just a case of toning her reaction down.

My girl was like this and could only be let off lead with a muzzle (still wears it) it neither restricts or hampers her enjoyment ok it doesn't look good but i don't give a fig! It allows us to go out and if a dog approaches off lead and the owner doesn't recall it then no harm done.

I understand what your saying but you can still have fun with your dog off the lead if any other dogs approach and they're small just pop her on the lead and when they've past let her off again, in my opinion i think your being a bit negligent saying whats the fun in being on the lead you can wait until the dog has pasted and in that way no harm is done and as you said yourself your not in control of her then yes you should definitely put her on the lead to prevent unwanted claims against yourself.

Warm regards Susan

Good luck with the behavioural work, please let us know how you get on.  It sounds like your girl has bite inhibition, which means the prognosis is good.

Best wishes.

Hi Missthing,
Don't give up on her!! because of iresponsible owners.
There are a lot round the streets and parks.
I have had a YT not on a lead run up aggresivley at my 10 week old pup.
It had every intension of snapping her. My hubby had the other
two on there extention leads. I had to ward it away with my foot as
I didn't want to have to pick the pup up. The owner thought it was funny!
I felt like letting the adults see it off " but didn't" The owners anoy me
more than the dogs.
Regards
Denese

Please keep your dog on a lead and only let her off when there is no other dog insight. Playing with a ball or empty plastic bottle half filled with water that you can throw for her to fetch will give her plenty of excerise and keep her in range to put back on the lead if a small dog should appear. I have a dog aggressive dog and he is always on lead unless there are no other dogs around us on the park. I play with him with his fetch toy until I see another dog then its straight on the lead. He gets plenty of excerise like this. He is a whippet greyhound lab mix.
If one of these small dogs retaliates there could be a fully blown fight and severe injuries could happen. Please do not take any risks.

It isn't the OP dog that is aggressive but she retaliates if a dog is aggresive toward her, perhaps a bit over enthusiasticaly.  All that needs to be done here in my Opinion is for the OP to train her to pay attention to them so that she will recall or not run off after them. 

The best way to this would in my opinion be to put her on a flexi when another dog approaches so that she is able to defend herself or see the dog off, but not follow it.  Training classes will also allow the owner to train her to leave the other dogs and to praise ehr for positive interactions as they can choose which dogs to inteact with.  Any dog acting slightly aggresively can be avoided and she can be praised for ignoring it when it isn't necesary for her to tell it off.

If another dog ran up to one of mine in particular like that it would be no more! There would be no chase, he would just eat it! The other owners are at fault, not you. Their dog should be under control and not allowed to run up to other dogs as and when it likes. Yell at the dog to go away, whirl you lead around over your head to make yourself look scary and hopefully it should buggar off.

Also, you say your dog has had no negative experience with other dogs and has been well socialised, yet earlier in your post you said she was a rescue, 18 months - 2 yrs and you have had her for 8 months. So how do you know what experiences she has had previously?

I agree with Brainless. If you see another dog put yours on a flexi lead. You could try to teach her to sit in front of you watching you in return for a treat or to play with a toy with you while other dogs are around, it certainly helped my little lad.

Good luck. :)

Its not as easy as that tho' is it? People aren't responsible with their dogs & end up putting others in difficult, sometimes dangerous positions. Where I do agility there is one girl in particular who will not keep her dog on the lead. He ends up on the course when other people are running. Now the dog I currently run doesn't bother, but with my old dog that would be enough to start a fight. It is selfish & irresponsible behaviour & completely uneccessary.

I would ask the agility trainers to insist she keeps her dog on the lead when he isn't running, and eject her from the group if she refuses to obey the rules! I used to do agility and we always had to put our dogs on the lead when they weren't running - otherwise as you say, they want to join in!

One of the places I train, there are two people do this.  Trouble is one of them runs it and the other is her friend.  Its a pain in the a*** really.  I have said that if they come near my dog while he is working I cannot be responsible for anything that happens.  My dog is not agressive but...  he is well pumped up when he is doing agility.  As a lot of collies are.