Sheltie (male) agressive towards other dogs

[wayne]

Hi
I have a75lb collie (female 6yrs) & a 22lb sheltie ( 3yrs). I have trained both dogs in obedience myself. They are for me fairly obedient on & off leash.
My problem I cannot seem to correct is when walking with the dogs and the sheltie sees another dog he goes ballistic. I have used a prong collar but any forceful correction seems to aggravate the situation. I have tried putting him in a down position & comforted him & this seems a bit better but he still growls & snorts.
He has several male & female canine companions that he has no problem with even in his home. It seems mostly certain dogs and when we go for a walk.
Any suggestions on easing this aggression he has towards other dogs would be great.
Thanks

 

[Brattina88]

Is your sheltie neutered? Intact male dogs are more likely to be aggressive toward other dogs. Making him sit or lie down in your control as another dog passes is a good idea. You may see it as comforting your dog, but he'll see it as praising -- reinforcing him to be aggressive. With aggression forceful corrections may make the situation worse, which you have already found out. The dogs he may come in contact with may also be intact, or aggressive -- how do they usually act at your dogs threats?
Correcting aggression is not an easy process that can be fixed in a few days.
Try this -- when you see another dog and your dog is starting to act aggressive get his attention and ask for a sit. Praise him when he does, maybe take some treats with you on your next walk. If you try using a slip collar, when he starts to growl say "quite" or "that's enough" or something to this effect. (pick a word and stick with it ~ consistency is the key) If he stops, even for a second, praise him. If he doesn't, pop the collar. This will usually startle him and make him hesitate before starting up again. Praise him, and be consistent. With work he will tolerate dogs, or at least keep quiet as they walk by. I usually don't recommend slip collars to people because they are often misused. Read up on slip collar training and make sure you are using it right for the right effects. Shelties are smart dogs and hopefully he'll catch on quickly and listen to you.
I hope this helps a little