Odd Behavior. Suggestions?

[Bailey_]

As some of you know I'm currently working with an inter-dog aggressive female black lab.

I regularly switch up the dogs I bring to her class (only ever well-minded, extremley obedient dogs) and one in particular is another black lab named Cooper.

At this point in her training, Andi knows Cooper very well. But tonight during their lesson I noticed an incident that I have seen once or twice before over the course of the past couple months.

She will react when Cooper pee's, or goes number two. By 'react', I mean if she is in a sit/stay and notices that he's peeing, she'll get up and lunge towards him. No barking/growling.

Sometimes she'll just do a little head lunge towards him, and until redirected will give him the 'stare down'.

I have a few theories as to her behavior, but I want to make sure I'm not on the wrong track. Thoughts?

[SbrbnHstlr]

To help me understand better, do/did you stop Andi after she rushed over to him while he did his business?
I'm assuming Andi would have just wanted to mark over Coopers relief area. Which is normal for a dog. Male or Female, fixed or unfixed dogs will mark over other scents.

I wouldn't be too worried about the whole situation.
I would be concerned if Andi decides to rush over with her Hackles up and Teeth Snarling the next time it happens.

[Bailey_]

She was on leash, Cooper was on leash, they were probably ten feet apart at the time. I was talking with Andi's handler, and tonight when it happened she was in a sit/stay and we were discussing other things. Cooper sniffed around, when he started to pee she immediatley jumped up and did her classic "Andi move" where she will (yes, hackles up) approach a dog from the side.

There was however no growling/snarling/teeth bared.

The first time it happened she did more of a head lunge at Cooper, while jumping slightly (front feet left the ground, back feet stayed put) but she didn't really try to approach. Tonight was different, which concerned me.

I never thought about marking over the scent though. This makes sense, but I'm not really convinced this is what she was doing.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Was the territory neutral to both dogs? Or was it in a place where one dog spends more time than the other?

[MyBirdIsEvil]

Is this class always in the same place?

Could be that she's irritated about a dog marking in what she perceives as her territory. HE may not be marking per se, but he's leaving his scent in her area.

Other than that I'm not sure why it would distress her.

[Bailey_]

The first time it happened the dogs were in a location that neither had been before.
Tonight we were at this same location where it happened the first time, just in a different area - new to both dogs. So basically the environment was neutral to both dogs each time.

Andi is very obsessed about controlling her environment, especially other dogs (high-energy seriously bothers her). I thought that this reaction may have been because Cooper unexpectedly started sniffing around to pee and Andi percieved it differently (what do you all think about that?) - or possibly she's just extremley territorial/protective about her owners and their 'space', which I haven't ruled out as we have never gone to the owners home turf. I've previously always had them bring her to different outdoor locations where I will meet them.

I know. I'm stumped. I don't know if this behavior is concerning. She's not been allowed to approach Cooper after he pee's...I'm thinking now I might need to let her to assess if this is actually aggression, or just an intense reaction to wanting to remark the spot?

[MyBirdIsEvil]

or just an intense reaction to wanting to remark the spot?

It could be both. Either one suggests she tends to become quickly territorial.

Some dogs do not have to be in an environment for long to want to claim it as theirs.

My mother in law has a highly aggressive dog that immediately upon entering ANY new environment will mark it and then attempt to attack any dogs that come into that space. This is an extreme case, but the dog you're working with could have a similar thing going on.

Does she tend to be very alpha? Tail up, head up, trying to immediately control the situation when coming into contact with other dogs and reacting aggressively if they don't immediately submit?

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by Bailey_

or possibly she's just extremley territorial/protective about her owners and their 'space', which I haven't ruled out as we have never gone to the owners home turf. I've previously always had them bring her to different outdoor locations where I will meet them.

So Andi's owner was there? Can you pick up Andi and take her without the owners to the location to meet Cooper and try it again without her people there? See if she has a different reaction.

Does she seem possesive of you at all as well? Any reaction if Cooper or any other dogs go up to you while Andi is there? If so, can you get a third party neutral person to take Andi to the park while you observe from a short distance?

[bendyfoot]

Originally Posted by Bailey_

I never thought about marking over the scent though. This makes sense, but I'm not really convinced this is what she was doing.

Our dog with a history of dog-dog aggression, who is an UBER-dominant female, will immediately mark over any urination done by our other dogs.

[Bailey_]

Originally Posted by bendyfoot

Our dog with a history of dog-dog aggression, who is an UBER-dominant female, will immediately mark over any urination done by our other dogs.

Thanks for this thought BF. I'm beginning to think this is what her reaction was all about. Should I let her, or is this fueling the fire so to speak? My initial gut instinct is to not let her.

[nansel]

I also have a dog aggressive, very dominant female lab. She's about 18 months old, and we adopted her from the SPCA three months ago.

She also will rush over and mark on top of another dogs urination spot any chance she gets. We've been advised (by a trainer) to not let her do that. That it's not her job to "take over" so to speak.

I've learned the signs when she's about to do it, and will just keep moving and not let her. She follows without a fuss.