So my 9 month old is starting to get nippy with other dogs. We are at the obedience club about two - four nights a week and have been doing this since she was 8 weeks old. So she has obviously had lots of socialization. She plays nice (although roughly) with my other two at home. She started getting snappy when dogs would sniff at her at the club a few weeks ago. She would meet nicely, but then without warning (no change in body posture ect) give a grrr-arf and sometimes little warning snap. I immediately started to let her meet other dogs and then before it got to this, call her away or tempt with a treat, have her sit, and then treat her. Being an extremely food motivated animal, this soon made the problem worse because she would warn the other dogs away from her treat. The problem seems to be the worste when I have treats out, or when she is sitting at my feet or under my chair and another dog approaches her. When I see another dog approaching I try to keep her attention on me but then she thinks she is working for a treat and competeing with the other dog for it, therefore, gets snappy. I have not seen her do this off leash, or when we just pass by dogs or anything. It is only when a dog approaches her to sniff. I feel powerless without being able to lure away or keep attention with a treat. I hate to resort to corrections in an already aggressive circumstance.
The one warning signal she gives before she snaps is almost undetectable. Her lip will twitch just a tiny bit and her muzzle is black so it is really hard to see. I noticed it when I was making her give me attention instead of looking at the near by dog who wanted to play with her. She was watching me but twitching the lip and really wanting to look at the other dog. I don't want to praise this behavior because even though she is looking at me she is still reacting badly to the presence of the approaching dog.
The one warning signal she gives before she snaps is almost undetectable. Her lip will twitch just a tiny bit and her muzzle is black so it is really hard to see. I noticed it when I was making her give me attention instead of looking at the near by dog who wanted to play with her. She was watching me but twitching the lip and really wanting to look at the other dog. I don't want to praise this behavior because even though she is looking at me she is still reacting badly to the presence of the approaching dog.