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Has anyone had any experience of this?
Coco is an entire female, she's been extremely well socialised from day one (puppy classes, obedience and agility). At home she is "top dog". I'm happy with that as it make for harmony indoors and my other dog is submissive. I belive there has to be a pack hierarchy, me at the top ( :lol: ), then hubby then Coco then Milly (poor Mills).
When she was about 16 weeks old she was attacked and "roughed up" by another lab, a black dog, and now has an exteme aversion to large black dogs.
Off the lead she is fine, plays submissively (unless some cheeky boy gets too familiar) but on the lead she can get very aggressive (growling and barking). Never towards people, children or small dogs but towards some similar sized or larger dogs (male or female - there's no pattern).
Up until now I have used a Halti which helps to control her but is not helping to modify her behaviour.
Today at agility class (a different club) she was particularly bad and some of the trainers showed me a technique which helped. Basically, they pushed her to the floor and held her down on her side, pushing her head towards the ground (not hurting her in anyway just being firm). After a couple of seconds she was allowed back up, praised a lot then introduced once more to the dogs who had caused the "disturbance". The transformation was amazing, not a peep and all dogs really relaxed.
Has anyone else had any experience of this technique or dominant behaviour? How did you get over it?
I'd love to hear it's not just me with a dominant labbie!
Coco is an entire female, she's been extremely well socialised from day one (puppy classes, obedience and agility). At home she is "top dog". I'm happy with that as it make for harmony indoors and my other dog is submissive. I belive there has to be a pack hierarchy, me at the top ( :lol: ), then hubby then Coco then Milly (poor Mills).
When she was about 16 weeks old she was attacked and "roughed up" by another lab, a black dog, and now has an exteme aversion to large black dogs.
Off the lead she is fine, plays submissively (unless some cheeky boy gets too familiar) but on the lead she can get very aggressive (growling and barking). Never towards people, children or small dogs but towards some similar sized or larger dogs (male or female - there's no pattern).
Up until now I have used a Halti which helps to control her but is not helping to modify her behaviour.
Today at agility class (a different club) she was particularly bad and some of the trainers showed me a technique which helped. Basically, they pushed her to the floor and held her down on her side, pushing her head towards the ground (not hurting her in anyway just being firm). After a couple of seconds she was allowed back up, praised a lot then introduced once more to the dogs who had caused the "disturbance". The transformation was amazing, not a peep and all dogs really relaxed.
Has anyone else had any experience of this technique or dominant behaviour? How did you get over it?
I'd love to hear it's not just me with a dominant labbie!