Dog Health Questions: I have an agressive dog. Please help?

My 3 year old Australian shepherd is very aggressive towards other dogs. She was taken from her litter when she was 6 and a half weeks old and i think this is part of the problem. She is really smart and I do dog training with her, but off leash things are really hard with such an aggresive dog

Dog Training Tips - Rules for Dog Trainers and Dog Owners

Recommended Answer:
Have you tried a dog behavioralist? Many will come right to your house to work with them. I've seen them work wonders on some troubled dogs. Your local rescue, vet or even the dog club would know. Good luck!

Dog Training Methods - How to Train Your Dog

• Don't let her off the leash, most communities have leash laws anyway.


• get some professional training! The dog will rule your life for the next 10 years if you don't.


• Don't let her off the leash. If she injures another pet or a human the dog could be destroyed and you could face legal issues.


• You have to show her that behavior is NOT okay, but at the same time, don't hit her or treat her too harshly. Do you have cable? Check out Cesar Millan's show on National Geographic Channel. He features a lot of so-called aggressive dogs. It has to do with how she was trained more than her past - you can overcome it!
  
  His website should also help you.


• You need to understand the aggression. Here's a link to a website that offers innumerous articles, podcasts, DVD's, etc. on dealing with aggressive and dominant dogs:
  
  http://leerburg.com/dominantdogs.htm


• sometimes dogs just act like that. i had one dog who was a complete angel who loved other dogs, and another a demon who was the exact opposite. the latter once tried to pee on a standard poodle, hump a beagle (both were nuetered/spayed, thank goodness), and eat a great dane. idiot dog. but eventually, his behavior changed for the better. your dog might just be trying to protect you, but you definitely need to show her that you're the boss of her and not the other way around (but don't do this violently!). keep a firm hold on her leash; stop, keep her still and give a dissapproving sound when she attempts to run after other dogs, and give her treats when she calms down and acts positively. hopefully, eventually she'll get the lesson.


• dogs form their social bonds in their first 16 weeks so theres only so much you can do after that. you have a dog bred for hearding so she is compelled to be dominant over her peers (you dont want your herd dog submitting to a sheep when it wants to run away from the heard).
  
  my parents have a dog that loves my dog with every fiber of her ugly little being, occasionally they have some quarrels over food and who gets to bark at the mailman, but every other dog on the planet is her mortal enemy. it boils down to the pack mentality, shes most likely percieving them as a threat to her pack, aka you, and attacking. youre prob better off just keeping her on the leash.
  
  if the problem is with another dog thats in house you can show affection to her first and then the other dog after that and as long as she isnt looking for a kill theyll establish their own heirarchy from there.ALSO, dont feed into any of that new aged hippie dog training.


• You need to get professional help with this... someone who can help you redirect her aggression. It can be done, but it is a lot of work. Don't undertake any aggression modification on your own or you could end up hurt or in a lawsuit. If you don't know of any good trainers, check with your vet for a reference to a certified behaviorist. Also check out Patricia McConnell's website www.dogsbestfriendtraining.com for some ideas... she's a phenominal behaviorist and raises border collies, so knows tons about herding breeds! She even does phone consults (or at least she used to).