Rude dog/dog behavior

[Blackrose]

So while I'm pretty sure Chloe is leash reactive towards other dogs, I'm still not intirely sure she is good with them off leash. (Thus, not all of her problems would be leash reactivity.)

Yesterday our neighbor's dog got loose and came running into the yard. Chloe was outside on her chain so I went running outside to make sure there wasn't going to be a fight. Bobbie (a cattle dog mix) and Chloe sniffed noses without any problem and then Bobbie went into a play bow and took off, so I just stood outside and watched them for a while.

Bobbie was being a very good girl - submissive, not snappy at all, etc. Chloe, however, was being a butt. I couldn't figure out if Chloe was actually having fun playing or if she was very irrated and was borderlining aggression. Her and Bobbie where jumping all over each other, tackling each other, and having a normal play session, I don't think I ever saw Chloe go into a playbow and she was almost constantly growling (but dogs growl in play) and she was nipping hard at Bobbie's sides (almost like snaps). The corners of her mouth weren't relaxed either, but pushed up. When they would take breaks Chloe was okay and didn't try to push the playing or go after Bobbie, which made me think she wasn't being aggressive, but I don't know.

This is really what I'm confused about - I don't know if she is being aggressive (if the dog does something wrong if she'll tip over the edge and attack), or if that is just her play style. Blackie and Rose used to rough house all the time and they'd be growling and flashing teeth, but I always felt comfortable with it.

Bobbie was very enthusiastic and kept coming back for more, but she also does that with my two older dogs when they are growling at her, so that didn't mean much.

I'm going to see if I can't get them to bring Bobbie down here again to play with Chloe, and I'll try to get a video of it for you guys....but this has me royally confused.

This isn't a video of Chloe, but a video of some Huskies that I found on YouTube. However, the nippy/snappy/lungy thing that the dogs are doing to that GSD (Hans?) is very similar to what Chloe does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfns...eature=related

[Giselle]

In my experience, there is a very clear distinction between play and aggression. When a dog is in aggression mode, it is out to damage and it won't stop until 1) the dogs are somehow pulled apart from each other or 2) damage has been done. When an aggressive dog has hit that mental stage, there is no turning back until there is a forced, physical separation between the two dogs. Play CAN be agitated and it CAN turn into a scuffle. But if both dogs are voluntarily stopping and starting interactions, then they are not being aggressive.

The thing about leash reactive dogs is that they can learn to interact nicely with dogs they are familiar with. When taught coping skills, leash reactive dogs can be calmed down to a level so that they can stay within very short distances of other dogs. Individual dogs have individual thresholds, and it is really difficult to assess exactly how far you can initially push your dog.

A major trigger in leash reactive dogs is calmness. Leash reactive dogs will often NOT react, even when they're on lead, if they're in a calm state of mind. It's almost beyond simple, but when a reactive dog is calm, it is not above threshold and not reacting. Many times, Ivy confused me in the beginning because she would react some days and she wouldn't react other days. I quickly realized that, in the face of environmental stressors (i.e. me asking for behaviors, new places, new people, etc.), she would react. In situations where she was either physically or mentally exhausted, she would not react because she was, essentially, calm and tired. I think if Chloe were in her own familiar territory and Bobbie is a familiar friend, Chloe could actually be very calm and not prone to react. Just how I think things are playing in Chloe's head She sounds extremely similar to Ivy.

ETA: Also, do you think Chloe isn't making a clear distinction between on leash/off leash with the chain? I feel like she doesn't feel like she's being restricted on the chain, which is affecting her behavior (for the better, I suppose).