Quote Originally Posted by Karen View Post
It sounds like she may have some issue probably stemming from puppyhood, and she never learned how to play properly with other dogs, so gets confused and it turns to aggression. This can be a serious issue, for her safety, as well as that of other dogs. Have you done any obedience training with her? Can you tell what precipitates the episodes? I would definitely give her a very long walk before you get to the dog park, so she is tired when she gets there, and for now, not let her off leash while you are there, so you can be instantly aware of any untoward actions.

Is she seeming to protect you when the attacks happen? Or resource guarding? What commands does she know? Sorry so many questions!

You definitely do not need to "punish" her when she gets into fights, as that will have no good effect, and even can up having bad effect. And afterwards, when things are calm again, she won't know why, anyway. If you keep her on leash at all time, removing her from the situation and leaving the park, then have her sit, down, stay, do whatever commands she knows to get her calm again and focused on you.

This may very well be something you need an experience trainer to work with, approach and interaction with her and other dogs carefully for now, okay?
Well, we take her to the dog park at least four times a week, nearly every day in the summer, and she's usually very good and gentile while playing with other dogs. She never barks at them, and she's good at matching their aggressiveness. I've seen her hold her own against a giant Mastiff and then turn around and start chasing a puppy with extreme sensitivity. That is why it confuses me so much that she would have an aggression problem. There doesn't seem to be any warning signs that I have noticed. She's not protective of me :P. Once there was food involved, but the other three times there wasn't.
She knows sit, down, stay, come and a few tricks like weave and holding treats on her nose. We have been to obedience school as well.

Do you know of any behavior specialists or where to find one? Would her Vet be helpful?


Oh, also, three of the times the dogs were female old black labs. the fourth was just a random little dog who wasn't black at all, but it's curious that the first three were all very similar.