Some folks know on here that my Meg can be funny towards some other dogs when she is on the lead - usually ones she is nervous of it seems.  Last night was different and I wonder what this behaviour can be interpreted as.  At agility class I asked one of the trainers to hold Meg while I went to the bin.  Meg was nose to nose with another spaniel - which to be honest she has had a little growl at some time ago.  The dog itself doesn't show any agression towards Meg and seems a happy little thing -  I know Meg was looking for me when I left her and as I came back she snarled and lunged at this little spaniel.  My trainer was taken aback and told her to get down.  Meg had ears back and eyes huge.  I took her back and she calmed down and my trainer made friends with her again.  Was this guarding behaviour when I came on the scene?  She didn't like being told off for it either.  She is an odd mixture of bossiness and nerves. 
I have always thought that her warning other dogs with lunging and barking to be just protecting herself.   I didn't think it related to me - only in that she is taking matters in her own paws.  However is she warning other dogs away from me as well?  It can't just be me because she does it when my husband walks her too.

It  is possible, although i would tend to look at it as though she felt she had back up and so was brave enough to react. When you weren't there she wasn't looking to fight as she had no back up from her "pack" whereas when you returned she felt that little bit braver to tell the dog to go away. What do you mean she didn't like being told off for it? not many dogs do like being told off. Also if she was looking for you she probably wasn't paying much attention to the other dog until you returned and she felt safe again.
What is your reaction when other dogs are nearby? Could it be that something both you and your husband is promping her to want to keep dogs away as the combination of your presence and the presence of other dogs signals something unpleasant? It could be something as simple as a tight lead?

Its more likely her confidence increases when you are there near her.. so in the agility class situation you walk away... eep you are gone. You come back... 'ha my mums back now.. have that!'.

It could be resource guarding where her humans are the resource.. but I wouldnt think shes any reason to think the other dog is going to steal you from her.... so I suspect the 'im a nervous coward... but when my mum or dad are here to protect me, then Ill beat you up' situation is more likely.

Hi ceejay,

I agree with Em - seems more likely that Meg is insecure without you or your OH around and gets 'tough' when she feels she has you back her up.  I'd try to work on her confidence levels both without other dogs around and then gradually with them.

Unfortunately the environment in some agility classes is too hyped up for some dogs and she may be a little overwhelmed just now.  Perhaps take a break and gradually reintroduce classes when she has learned better to cope with all the hullabaloo.

Can you distract her with food and, ideally, a toy when other dogs are approaching in routine situations?  If her focus is less on other dogs then perhaps she will gradually come around to largely ignoring them and then you will have a better chance of success when she is in a really dog congested area.

HTH, Teri

> eep you are gone. You come back... 'ha my mums back now.. have that

Oh dear - you could very well be right. Hadn't thought about it that way - that's why I posted.    Oh she is a coward alright - she will leap out of her skin if there is an unexpected noise near by - In an earlier class one of the dogs woofed loudly near her and she jumped.  Everyone laughed :-0 .  As for the hullaballoo - I couldn't have a better class - there were only 5 of us there last night and we were split into 2 groups - I was in the group of 2!  She was really worked up back 8 weeks ago when we started this course - especially as several there used squeakers to get the focus of their dogs.  However she has settled down (not perfect yet) but she will lie down when I tell her - she has learnt to do a recall start - even doing it in competition now, she is getting her contacts brilliantly and responds to me blinking (almost)  She is a super agility dog - but she has all these other hang-ups.  As you say confidence - if I tell her she is doing something right you can almost see her glow. 

Teri - thanks for that - she has been to agility competitions and mixed with a large number of dogs.  She hasn't gone for other dogs there.  Some dogs she is quite happy to pass on lead - in fact the majority of dogs she is fine with.  There are just certain dogs that cause her to react.  Two of them locally have attacked her - one when they were both off lead - twice this particular dog has gone in hard (I think it had a ball it was guarding).  Meg came of worse from both attacks.  However she still feels the need to give them 'what for' when she sees them - I would say that when she is on the lead she feels more insecure because she can't flee - so she goes to fight.  I have tried to be as relaxed as possible when I see this lab. but they both end up lunging and growling at each other.  There is no way I can get her to focus on me once she has seen that other dog.  

At agility class I asked one of the trainers to hold Meg while I went to the bin.  Meg was nose to nose with another spaniel

An error there to be honest - even if I was holding dogs I knew, but belonged to different owners, I'd not let them
be nose to nose unless I was sure they were good friends.

I'd don't ever tell dogs off for reacting with aggression as it can make things worse. I always find out what the root cause if is possible. Is is possible as well (only chucking out thoughts here! ignore if inappropriate) that she associates you + other dog with being told off before for inappropriate behaviour, so she decides to go for the other dog to get it away? If only Meg could talk!

If her eyes were huge, this could mean dilated pupils which is a sure sign of stress ...and stress can cause aggression as dogs can overreact.

Lindsay
x

Hi Lindsay good to hear from you - yes if only Meg could talk.  She was stressed from being left and in hindsight I should not have handed her over to someone else - but it meant walking through the other half of the class and I didn't want to interrupt.  My trainer knows Meg well from our one to one class but isn't so acquainted with her in the proximity of other dogs.  She was a bit shocked I think.  It was dark and Meg probably did get a bit worried when I disappeared.  She was more stressed because she was told - hey stop that and then my trainer tried calming her down and talking to her quietly.  Meg just wanted to get back to me.  The funny thing was that I didn't see any behaviour from the spaniel that could be threatening to Meg - it must be something really subtle and of course she was on the lead.   To be fair to my trainer she was actually sitting down.  It was the other dog that approached to close.  However Meg had been pushing it out of the way looking for me a few minutes before and had seemed not in the least worried by it.  It was my presence that triggered the response.

I know that my boy guards me from other dogs- when he was younger I met a cute puppy and sorry but I go all gooey as you do and give the pup a stroke happily chatting to the owner and snoop piled right onto it out of the blue! so from then on I have never overly greeted a young dog while I've been with him I'm sure he suffered from jealously or something. Up time 6 months ago he could become aggressive with other dogs when out with me and then my son would come back from walking him saying he's met a dog and was wagging his tail... I've realised it must be me! True though about letting the two go nose to nose not the wisest of things your trainer knowing you girl is nervous and snappy anyway!

I have never noticed that she is 'guarding me from other dogs' as you say.  However I am in the habit of keeping some treats on my for any training opportunities when we are out.  If another dog comes to sniff them Meg will warn them off.    That is not exactly guarding me but protecting her treats! 

Another thought - sometimes if a dog is a bit reactive/sensitive, they can sometimes snark at others to just get them out of the way - as if they don't want to deal with them at that moment in time. Hard to explain but my dog will do this if I'm not paying attention at certain times when she is anticipating something. She even once did it to a dog that was being walked by my friend, who was not her usual beardie friend;, and my girl was furious the strange dog was in the way of greeting with my friend and so snarked at it.

Not sure if that explains it at all, but it's something I've observed, I'd suggest it may be more likely in herding dogs but just guessing there.

Lindsay
x

Ummm 'snark' that's a good one Lindsay!  :-)  I think I know what you mean though - I have seen Meg 'come round' sometimes as if to snap - but stops herself because she knows that she shouldn't.  Her natural reactions are very near the surface.  She is very reactive to the least little thing - perhaps by the time she is getting old I may understand her better!  She certainly is brilliant when 'working' - ie agility.  She reacts to the least little turn of my body and anticipates my every move.  At the moment I have to train her to wait until she is released - not to go when I twitch!  She is coming along nicely now though. Have a good group of trainers at the moment.   But I still haven't got control when we pass a dog she doesn't like on the lead.  I know of someone who will do a bit of one to one with me now - someone who uses positive training only.  Just haven't got the time at the mo. to take on any more.   Still thinking of what I need - and to get her to walk behind me when I want her to seems a good one to work on.  It is breaking the habits that have built up over the years.  She being stubborn will carry on until I get someone to help me. It is the only way for me.