[stellaluna]

*I just want to give a warning that I'm going to describe a dog attack in pretty close detail.*

When Piper (hound mix) was adopted, we already had Sophie (mixed breed, around 20lbs) and Oliver (who has since passed). At first Piper did well with them. She was calm and laid back when she met Sophie, who was visibly nervous and high energy. As Piper approached the sixth month mark, she began to attack Oliver when it came to feeding time. I thought she was establishing dominance, as he was old and blind. Then one day while my mom and I were sitting on the floor petting Sophie and Piper, Piper attacked her out of the blue. She went right for her neck and once she got a good grip, she would not let go. My mom and I tried to remove her but she would not let go. Piper twisted Sophie's collar so Sophie was choking and we had to unclip her collar so she didn't suffocate (thank god she was wearing a collar with a plastic clip buckle). I tried everything but I really didn't want to hurt Piper. However, nothing worked! It didn't matter where I struck her or how hard, she refused to let go. I've since read to never reach into a dogs mouth in a fight but being that I believed she was going to kill Sophie, I reached in to pry her mouth open. For some reason, she finally let go. We closed Piper out on the deck where she continued to bark. Sophie had a bloody gash where her ear connected to her head. I had a cut on my hand. Sophie had to go to the vet and get her ear stitched up.
Once Sophie was back home, my mom decided to let them out together. Thankfully my dad was there to pull Piper away because as I had suspected, she immediately tried to attack again.
My parents separated so Piper lives solely with my dad and is like a completely different dog. She eats calmly and she is great at listening to directions. At 3 years old now, she's still hyper but isn't as bad as she used to be. However, she still cannot be in contact with any dog. It doesn't matter the size or gender, she will still attack it.
So I guess my question is: Is there any hope for her being able to be around other dogs? I want to train her better on leash but I'm wary about walking her in the neighborhood just in case a dog were to wander up. To me, it looks like she attacks with the intent to seriously injure or kill as she always goes right for the neck. Am I wrong in thinking that? Is there any way to train this aggression out of her?

TL;DR: Are some dogs simply too dog aggressive to be around other dogs?

 

[Lillith]

Yes, I think Piper was very much trying to injure Sophie. Going straight for the neck, not letting go, and drawing blood to the point of stitches? Yes, very purposefully trying to injure.

This most likely has nothing to do with dominance. She is probably genetically wired to be dog aggressive, and there is little you can do about it. She will probably always be DA, and I would not let her be around other dogs. I would train her to wear a basket muzzle when you go out for walks. Look into the Muzzle Up project which provides training tips to teach Piper that a muzzle is a good thing. Not only will it prevent her from damaging another dog, it will probably clue other dog owners in that your dog should not be approached.

I would also look into getting a positive, rewards-based trainer to help you train Piper some coping mechanisms that will make her easier to handle in situations where you encounter other dogs. This doesn't mean she will ever play safely with other dogs, but it is possible to train her to a point where you can walk her past other dogs and she will not try to attack.

 

[DaySleepers]

I agree with Lillith. Most dogs who are dog aggressive (DA) or highly reactive can be helped with well-applied, rewards-based behavior modification, but I think your goal should realistically be "behaves politely around other leashed dogs" and not "can hang out/play in a dog park/live with another dog". How much her behavior can be improved will depend largely on her, the skill of your trainer/behaviorist (in teaching you as much as working with her), and the time and effort you are willing to put in. Check out certification organizations like CCPDT or APDT and see if any of those trainers are in your area, as these people at the very least have some third-party evaluation that says they know about modern, science-based training methods and are committed to humane methods.

Also, a muzzle is an excellent idea, since it will allow you to take her out and work her with a guarantee that she cannot latch onto other dogs or redirect onto humans. She still should not be allowed to interact with other dogs if at all possible (at least, not without lots of work and supervision by a professional trainer/behaviorist), and muzzled dogs can still muzzle-punch (ram their face into you or other dogs/people), but her ability to cause serious damage will be massively reduced, which will give you and her way more freedom. The Muzzle Up! Project website, as Lillith said, has tons of resources on how to teach a dog that their muzzle is awesome and a super fun thing to wear, so it won't stress her out.