My dog having a fight for no apparent reason...

I've got a 2 yr old staff cross labrador who loves to play with other
dogs and is a gem in the house, with people, cats etc.

Recently though he's had 3 fights with other dogs that I've just not
seen coming.

TOTE...

This change in behavior often happens at this age. He is also shares
ancestry with a breed created to fight with other dogs. Your experience
is typical of that breed background. The breed background only explains
the change. It has nothing to do with the solution, which would be the
same regardless of breed background.

You can still have a perfectly wonderful friend and companion, just one
that you do not allow free around other dogs. He is no longer suited for
a free play environment. Although some can continue to play with dogs
they got along with puppies you cannot count on that. In 99% of the cases
appropriate attention to obedience training, and some experienced
instruction on handling around other dogs will make all the difference.
How you behave around other dogs will make a big difference in whether the
problem gets worse, or stays stable. So get in person help. You can't
stop doing something unless someone can make you aware of it.

There are many ways to exercise your dog that do not involve being free
around other dogs. Start with http://www.badrap.org/rescue/ for some good
resources.

We were out walking him when we passed a pack of dalmations, these
dalmations pass our house every day and he does bark at them, but they
all had a sniff and happily left each other alone. About 15 - 20 mins
later we passed them again (we were all doing laps of the park!) and
this time he went for one of the dogs. It seemed totally unprovoked?
We did have a ball and their dog had a ball so we wondered if he
thought the other dog had his ball etc etc etc.

His 2nd fight we'd taken him for a good hour or two walk in a forest,
we stopped off at a market to pick up some titbits when he saw a boxer
dog. They both had a sniff, were about to walk away when low and
behold the teeth came out and a fight ensued.

His 3rd fight was just today - now all these incidents have been weeks
if not months in between, it's not a day or two passing before it
happens again - I'd taken my dog and his brother (owned by another
lady) to our park, we were throwing sticks into the river for them to
fetch, another lady seemed to tag onto us with her black dog, all was
going fine, the dogs were playing happily, then my dog just went for
this black dog.

I can perhaps account for 'why' he had fights one and three - a ball
was involved in one and a stick in three, but the Boxer?????

After fights one and three I put him on the lead straight away and kept
him on the lead (fight two he was already on the lead). But now I'm
apprehensive about letting him off in the park again. What if it was
this ball/stick that's provoked him into fighting?

My question I suppose is has anyone else experienced a perfectly well
behaved dog, happy to play, run and have fun with all other dogs
suddently turn on 3 unsuspecting pooches?

Sionnach...

Yes. I have personally witnessed this exact behaviour pattern literally
dozens of times with Pit Bulls, AmStaffs, and Staffordshires. I have also
seen it in other breeds where dog-dog aggression is normal, but not as
unversally as in bully breeds.
And I'm very willing to bet that it wasn't without warning; IOW, I'm
willing to bet that someone experienced with bull breed aggression would
have seen the fights coming.

Should I put a muzzle on him in future? If so how long should I muzzle
him for? Months?

He needs to be off the lead really due to his size and strength in
order to get a good enough run/walk, plus even with a gentle leader on
he pulls me all over the place and it's a struggle to walk him with his
energy.

flick...

This is not an answer to every problem you've posted.

BUT - one thing that you need to do is train your dog. I would take him to
a group class if at all possible for basic obedience.

Keep him on lead. All the time. Even if he can't run free and stretch his
legs, he will get plenty of exercise for the time being if you walk him.

If he isn't neutered, get him neutered ASAP. Un-neutered male dogs will not

flick...

Should be, "will not infrequently fight." Sorry.

flick 100785

frequently fight. It's hard to tell from your description which dog(s)
actually started the fighting, but at present that doesn't really matter.
You're going to have to keep him under control and not allow him off-lead.

Not every dog will be friendly with every other dog, btw.

flick 100785

Sionnach...

Responsible bull breed owners do NOT allow their dogs to be off-leash
around dogs they don't know very well, unless the dog is actively engaged in
an activity with the owner, the dog has an impeccable recall/calloff, and
the owner can recognize signs that the dog is considering a fight.

For the sake of the other dogs at the park, YOUR dog's safety, and the
already badly damaged reputation of bull breeds, you need to stop letting
this dog off leash around other dogs until you can meet all three of those
conditions.

Thanks in advance and I'd appreciate helpful advice if anyone's got
any.

Lee
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