[Mikey T]

Everytime she plays with the other dogs outside and gets hurt in some kind of way, she would growl bark and attack the other dogs. She is not loose but is on a long chain which she is very used to

First and formost you need a professional consultation with someone specializing in animal behavior short of that little will help because of 1. limited objectivity in observing the situation as it relates to all the dogs.

2. no first hand observation of dogs and human interations


I will make the following comment however.
She growls, barks and attacks other dogs when she get hurts. Well what do you expect her to do. take it. She is behaving appropriately the dogs causing the problem is not her see:
HE JUST WANTS TO SAY "HI!
Aggression or appropriate response to rudeness? Far too many dogs suffer because handlers & trainers don't know the difference between the two.

"She is not loose but is on a long chain"
statitistic are on the order of 70%+ of all fatal dog bite occur when a dog is chained or spend a considerable amount of time chained.
Chain is a restraint that does not allow for propper and appropriate response to fear. The ol' flight or fight response. A chain does not allow a flight response so the dog learns fight is the only response it has. When the dog is outside with the others and getting hurt she has no alternative. That lack of alternative outside is likely to manifest itself inside where alternatives exists by using the one that is effect outside.

When it comes to dogs fights or anay fights it takes two to tango. Punishing one the "so called intesigator" is wrong Because it is not likely you know with certainty which one that was. A fight is the result of esculating displays and treatning acts. Is it the dog that growled the one that instigated, or perhaps the one who gave eye too long, or curled his lip.

Even if you are consistent an punish for a specific act you run into other problem. Punish growing effectively and the dog no longer growls. That does not change the emotional state of the dog. The dog is just likely to skip growing and proceed imeadiately to snaping and biting. Even more insidious is the fact that other dogs know the consequinces of growling and goad each other.

Some resources

agbeh · Aggressive Behaviors in Dogs Yahoo Group
"Here in the Aggressive Behaviors in Dogs group, experienced dog trainers (approximately 380 from around the world) discuss with pet dog owners how to modify the behavior of dogs which sometimes exhibit aggressive behaviors toward dogs and/or toward people. Oftentimes aggressive behaviors arise from dogs' fears or anxieties. Harsh training and physical punishments may make the problems worse. Trainers give information about using behavior modification methods as well as suggestions for safe home management and on using positive-reinforcement methods for teaching new skills. Only "dog-friendly" recommendations are permitted. No punishment-based methods are advocated here. "

Directory of Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists

Association of Companion Animal Behavior Counselors Member Directory

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB)Member Locator

PETFAXremote consulting service for the Tufts Behavior Clinic[/url]


Of course all this assume a non-medical cause of the behavior such as an injury or ilness causing pain or one that can affect behavior like Hypothyroidism
Thyroid Dysfunction as a Cause of Aggression in Dogs and Cats

Medical Causes of Aggression In Dogs

[ February 12, 2006, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: Mikey T ]