How to deal with an aggressive dog that's trying to bully other dogs

Paws for Thought

Aggression in dogs isn't easy to deal with — especially if it's in a dog which isn't yours, but which you're looking after. Ben Randall answers this week's reader query.

Dealing with dogs being aggressive to each other is bad enough when they’re just coming across each other at the park or on the street. It’s much worse when you can’t get away, however, a situation being faced by today’s reader. She’s dealing with a dog that she’s looking after for a family member — and while she’s happy to do so, things have recently started going very wrong — and she sent an SOS to me at paws-for-thought@futurenet.com.

Dear Ben
I have two miniature dachshunds: four-year-old female, and a seven-year-old male (both have been neutered). The problem isn’t with them, however, but with my sister’s dog, a two-year-old female corgi, who has been coming to our house regularly throughout her life, sometimes for a play, sometimes while my sister is away for the day, and sometimes when she’s going on away for a holiday. All this time there has never been an issue between all three dogs — until now.

In the last few months, the corgi has become increasingly and unpredictably aggressive towards my female dachshund, who is extremely timid and submissive to the corgi. Things between them are often fine, but if the dachshund happens to come too close, even just walking around the house or garden, the corgi quivers her lips, growls, snarls and lunges. We’ve all been yelling ‘no!’ and scooping our poor little girl up to safety and telling off the corgi, but I’m terrified that one day we won’t be quick enough and something truly horrific will happen. I don’t know how far the corgi would take it, but I’m taking no chances finding out.

I don’t want to stop the corgi coming round as 95% of the time things are fine — but I do have to fix the problem. I can’t think what it is, and the corgi had never been aggressive before, though she is aggressively protective of her bowl at feeding times. What can I do to fix it? — D.D., Somerset

This sounds to me like a dominance issue with the corgi. She has become more confident in your surroundings and is asserting herself in a firm, potentially aggressive manner. It’s upsetting your dogs, and it’s upsetting you.

This is simply unacceptable, and it can’t continue. The good news is that it can be handled with some simple steps — for you, but just as importantly for your sister, because the issue here is with the corgi. Here’s how to go about it.

1. Tackle the dog’s food aggression, even when other dogs aren’t around

I’m glad you mentioned the food aggression in your letter, as it is a crucial part of the puzzle here, and your sister really needs to deal with it.

Aggression at mealtimes most commonly comes when you try to step in and the take food away or similar, but you need to be able to do that — and the Corgi needs to learn the patience, trust and calm to let you or your sister do so.

Learning the ‘leave’ command while a dog is eating its food is the key, and my article will help your sister get it right. She should be able to say ‘leave’ mid-eating, and be allowed by her dog to remove the bowl any time she wishes. She should also be able to use ‘leave’ to call the dog away at any time.

It will be tricky at first, but as ever repetition and patience will get you there: with two to four feeds a day, every day, a few weeks of focus will give your sister 50+ opportunities to instil this training. While dong this, the corgi will deepen her respect and trust for both owner and the new commands — and this in turn will help when it comes to your house.

Corgis are bright and lively – but can be a handful.

2. Move the training to your house — and remember that you’re in charge

Understandably, you’re now nervous when the corgi comes around. You are going to have to bury those feelings, however, or the corgi will pick up on it, and go back to being dominant — something that will only get worse every time you panic and pick your little dachshund up. When that happens the corgi thinks she’s won.

Next, practice your own leave command training with the corgi while your dogs are somewhere else. This is critical: getting the corgi to obey commands while your two dachshunds are happily pottering about will drive the corgi crazy, so pop them in another room while you work with your sister’s dog. If the corgi already learnt what to do with your sister, it’ll be much quicker for her to get to respond to you in the exact same way. And just as your sister will have found, this improved training will increase the mutual respect between you and the dog.

3. Reintroduce the dogs to each other

Once you are confident with the feed training and the leave command, and it’s working well repeatedly, you can allow the dachshund back into the room — but don’t rush this. You should only try it once you’re 95% of the way there.

If you’ve got things right, you’ll find that whenever the corgi growls at your dog, a simple, quick ‘leave’ command, given in a no-nonsense voice while walking towards the dog, is all that should be needed to sort the situation out.

But whatever you do, do not panic and grab your dog. The corgi needs to understand that YOU are in control and that YOU will stop aggressive behaviour. She will get the message soon enough — and you’ll be able to go back to enjoying those visits once more without worrying about what might happen.

Ben Randall’s book, ‘How to Train Your Gundog’, is out now. You can order it here at £40.

For more detailed advice about Ben Randall’s positive, reward-based and proven BG training methods, one-to-one training sessions, residential training or five-star dog-boarding at his BGHQ in Herefordshire, telephone 01531 670960 or visit www.ledburylodgekennels.co.uk. For a free seven-day trial of the Gundog app, which costs £24.99 a month or £249.99 a year, visit www.gundog.app/trial