Dalmatian Aggressive Behavior: Helping a Rescue Dog

For this Omaha dog training session we worked with Sapphire, an eight-year-old Dalmatian rescue. Her guardian reached out to me to see if I could provide some tips to combatting Dalmatian aggressive behavior.

Sapphire tends to act out towards one of the dogs she lives with, an eleven-year-old Schipperke named Siss-e.

When I arrived for the session, Sapphire was in an enclosure outside. Because of her aggressive behavior around Siss-e, the guardian had to keep them apart. She also used a muzzle on Sapphire to ensure no one got hurt.

Even though she was alert, I noticed some worry in Sapphire. I took my time and used calming signals. I also used soft body language to help her feel comfortable during the greeting.

Once Sapphire got a chance to meet through her nose, she relaxed a bit and her body language softened. Whenever you can, it’s a good idea to let a dog move at their own pace. Don’t rush through an introduction.

Combatting Dalmatian Aggressive Behavior

While I talked with Sapphire’s guardian, I saw that this Dalmatian was very obvious in asking for attention. If this was Sapphire’s only dog behavior issue, it would not be a big deal. When I found out that the dogs had no rules, I began to understand Sapphire’s behavior problems better.

Dog’s will naturally try to identify a social hierarchy when they live with other animals. If dogs live in a home with few rules from their owners, they often compete for resources. These resources can include food, toys and even attention from the guardians.

The main problem in Sapphire’s case is that a dog might believe they have the same power as a human. If this happens, the dog may not feel the need to obey humans. Following commands and corrections could become optional for the dog.

I knew I had to change the leader-follower dynamic. This would help stop Sapphire from reacting badly to Siss-e. One dog training method I always recommend is called petting with a purpose.

I recommended that the guardians practice this technique with all of the dogs in the home. It will take them a couple of days to a week or so for this to become a habit. But once it does, they will engage in a mini dog training exercise every time that they pet their dogs.

I suggested a number of simple rules for the dogs guardians to incorporate as well. It may seem simple to ask a dog to sit before going in or out. Making them wait for permission to eat and not allowing them on the furniture can help. These limits can teach a dog to see itself as a follower.

Sapphire was in a nice calm mood and energy level so I decided it was time to bring out Siss-e. I wanted to get a first-hand view of how the dogs interact with one another.

Before introducing a dog to another animal or situation, ensure both dogs are calm and balanced. This is very important to avoid negative reactions.

Since Sapphire was a bit unpredictable around Siss-e, we put a basket muzzle on her to keep everyone safe.

It’s always important that we recognize our dog’s communication cues. Many of my clients tell me that their dog’s behavior came out of nowhere, but that is very rarely with the case.

Recognizing Dog Communication Cues

Dogs give a number of warning signs before they react, it’s just that most people don’t know what to look for.

I spent a few minutes going over the warning communications that Sapphire is likely to give before reacting more intensely; staring, lowered head, ears forward, stiff body posture, dilated pupils, licking lips, fast breathing or holding of breath, tail wagging high and in small circles

Watching your dog’s body posture, breathing, and ear position can tell you a lot. These signs give you clues about how your dog feels. They also show you your dog’s confidence level.

If her guardian can learn to read these signs, they can disagree or correct Sapphire right away. This will help stop most fights and confrontations before they start.

How to Use Counterconditioning to Stop Dog Aggression

But recognizing a warning is not going to solve this conflict between Siss-e and Sapphire. To do this, I spent a few minutes on a counterconditioning exercise. This will help change Sapphire’s view of Siss-e to a positive one.

The guardian should repeat this counterconditioning exercise often. Both dogs need to be calm during the exercise. Always stop before Sapphire reaches her limit. The idea is to help the dogs practice being together while in a calm and balanced state.

If we can have calm interactions without fights for a while, the dogs will stop getting into conflict. This happens as we change the leader-follower dynamic in the home.

Another great way to help these dogs learn to live and be together is to practice some structured walking. Dogs get over things by literally moving forward.

And because dogs enjoy walks, going out together with both dogs in a follower-position can go a long ways towards helping them practice being together.

If you let the dogs walk freely, they will often compete to be the leader. This can lead to unhealthy competition among them. That’s why we need to ensure the handler is the leader. They should clearly communicate the rules and expectations for the walk so the dogs understand.

With the rules out of the way, we were ready to start our group walk. Because the other Dalmatian Jerry didn’t have any issues with either dog, we left him at home.

I recommended that the guardians take Sapphire and Siss-e out for walks this way every day. Even if the guardian only has time for a short walk, this fun activity helps the dogs bond. It will help them learn to relax around each other.

By the end of the session, Sapphire was looking pretty relaxed around Siss-e. So much so that we were able to sit together for a group shot.

It’s going to take the humans assuming the leadership role in the dog’s eyes before the real transformation takes place. This will take some time and plenty of effort by their guardians.

But based on how well Sapphire responded to the techniques we introduced in the session and how dedicated her guardian is to making things work, I’m optimistic.

I asked the dog’s guardian to follow up with me in a month (sooner if there are problems or questions) as we may be able to modify the techniques and exercises once the dogs get comfortable with them.

Now that the guardians understand what the dogs need, they can communicate better with them. I bet Sapphire and Siss-e’s fights will soon be forgotten.