Agressive on a leash..

[Canuck]

Hello,
I just have a question about my pup Jada. She is very growly, and barks alot and seems to be protective of me when she is on leash, but off leash is okay. This is mostly true with other dogs, or people walking past our house.
If we meet a dog and she is on leash, she will most defenitly get "nasty" with the dog, growling, showing her teeth, etc. But with the same dog when she is off leash, she will get along great with.

Barking at people when they walk past our house doesn't bother me as much because it makes me feel safer that she protects our house. When she meets strangers on leash while on a walk though, she is very friendly, and inquisative of them.

So my question is, is this something that we can break her of, or is it just her personality? What can I be doing with her to help the situation? :confused:
We are currently taking Jada to obediance classes ( for the obvious reasons , as well as further socialization). She is now 9 1/2 months old.

Thanks

Kara

[JSF13]

Actually this is quite a common problem.There is quite a bit of info. on the Internet about this problem.Here are a couple or three sites to get you started. :)

http://www.zongoo.com/article3211.html

http://www.spokesdog.com/Leash.html

http://www.canineuniversity.com/articles/behavior/behave_10.html

[Canuck]

Thank you very much, those articles were great.

It is so hard for me though, because it does make me nervous when another dog sniffs her because she is really hit and miss with other dogs, She is starting to become agressive with a larger percentage of dogs while on leash, and I guess its hard to be relaxed, when Im trying to be alert in case a problem arises. :confused:

[josebrwn]

I've had this same problem come up recently with my pup. She was always very social towards people and dogs then around six months started being suspicious of strangers and aggressive to dogs. She can run off leash at the dog park without incident but on a leash she's a monster.

This week I took her to a public park where there are lots of other dogs on leashes, walking in both directions, so she had to learn to be overtaken, to overtake, and meet head on. After a couple miles she was doing ok.

I figured out the loose leash thing on my own, it's a good idea, with a prong collar for backup. Another thing is the preemptive word. I just say as the situation is approaching, "You be a good girl now." You can see it work, she comes out of the zone she's entering and makes eye contact with me and relaxes.

Talked to a friend today, somebody who did SchH years back. He said yea it comes out in any tethering situation, even the sled dogs who run together all day have to be apart enough when they're back in the yard, or they'll go at it. We figured maybe it's all the same thing, a kind of territorial aggression.

Lots more walks in our near future I guess.