Dear Dr. John,
My wife and I have a two-year-old Goldendoodle and a four-year-old mixed breed Shepherd. Every time the Doodle sees another dog, he wants to lunge and get into a fight. Thankfully, we always have him on leash. Despite that, he has gotten to two dogs and broken their skin fighting for which I had to pay the vet bill. Now, even our own two dogs seem to get grumpy with one another. Can you share any possible solutions that might curb his aggression? What could be the cause? We have had him since he was a puppy, he is neutered and healthy, and always sweet with all people. We are at wits end. W.S.
Dear W.S.,
Sometimes, one does not know the causative agent behind any given dog’s aggressive tendencies. It might have been one episode of which you were completely unaware, there could be an underlying health issue. Sometimes there was a lack of socialization as puppies, sometimes it is being protective of you or possessive behavior, and the longer it is allowed to continue, it can become habit. The potentially good news for you is that today, between training behavior modification and medications when called for, we can usually reduce these aggressions.
I would start with behavior modifying techniques. When you walk the Doodle, always have treats on hand. When he exhibits these bad behaviors around other dogs, redirect his attention to the dog treat and give it to him. This known as counter conditioning. After a month or two, you redirect any of his anxiety or aggression to being given a treat and he learns to forget his hostility towards any other dogs.
There are also various leaders and harnesses that have proven to be useful. Continue to keep him on a leash or use one of these but maintain control! If these options are unsuccessful, you might need to consider behavior modifying medication used alone or with training techniques. Trazodone is one drug used for this, as is Prozac. There are others as well. Your veterinarian should be able to help you or you may also want to consult with a veterinary behaviorist. Good luck!
Dr. John de Jong owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic. He can be reached at 781-899-9994.
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