Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive?

My neighbor dog growls and snaps if it has a treat. My dog never EVER has until spending some time with this dog. I tried to take something from my dog and she growled at me.

    Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive?

    My neighbor dog growls and snaps if it has a treat. My dog never EVER has until spending some time with this dog. I tried to take something from my dog and she growled at me....
    Dogs Training Discussions : Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive?...

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    • Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive?

      Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive? Dogs Training Discussions
      My neighbor dog growls and snaps if it has a treat. My dog never EVER has until spending some time with this dog. I tried to take something from my dog and she growled at me.

      Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive?

      Can a non aggressive dog learn aggression from another dog who is aggressive? Dogs Training Discussions
    • My answer is yes. Anyways, I believe so. I had a beautiful boxer named Daisy who would never hurt a fly....NEVER. She was attacked and almost killed by a very mean pit bull next door. She never acted the same after that. Then one day she attacked a smaller dog and killed it in the same manner that she was attacked. The small dog's owner shot her and killed her. I would have never imagined Daisy attacking another dog. She always cuddled up next to other animals, even cats.

    • No. Dogs are all born with a pack mentality and will challenge anyone who doesn't establish themselves as a no-nonsense authority figure. Some dogs will be more subtle in their challenges, like simple disobedience. Others will challenge you in more obvious ways, like growling. If your dog growled at you, that means that she doesn't recognize you as her leader. I suggest you enforce the "Nothing in life is free" method of training, immediately. Do a search for "NILIF".Any presence of aggression when none was previously present, means that the pack dynamics have shifted and need to be re-established.

    • Yes, it is a problem. Try hand feeding your dog treats and praising him for taking them nicely. Another thing that helps is the trading game, you give your dog a toy or something that is fun but low value and offer him a trade of a high value treat in return for the low value one. You might want to end his relationship with the neighbor dog or start working with that dog too.

    • I think so...one nervous cow is enough to make the rest of the cows nervous and than the humans dealing with the cows get upset too.Dogs are probably the same.

    • Time to limit exposure to the neighboring mongrel. I know this could cause big time friction with your neighbor, but I definitely think any dog can learn both good and bad habits.I heard of a dog once that spent only a couple of days with other good dogs and learned how to sit up and beg completely on it's own. Could not bad habits be copied also? Monkey see....monkey do.Just as I would not let my child hang out in a gang, I also would limit my pets exposure to bad influences also. If that is not possible, I would also make the other more aggressive dog behave while in my dog's presence. This is going to be much easier said than done. You are responsible for your pet, not for anyone else's.Do you have a dog that seems very bright in picking up traits from others? Hmmmmm It might behoove you to remember that it works both for good and bad. Do NOT let your dog get away with the bad behavior. Stop it right away before she might think it's alright just because the other dog does it.========================One more thing; Does the aggresive dog's owner do whatever the aggresive dog wants? Your dog may see how well it works and try it too. Your dog must learn QUICK that such behavior is not effective in your house.