Yesterday we rehomed a gorgeous Lab who is three years old. We don't know too much about him other than he was attacked as a pup and up until 6 months ago he was very obese as wasn't properly exercised. He is now at a healthy weight. He really pulls when being walked and his previous home has tried using a harness and also a haltie. So far we've been using the harness.

Today was the first time off lead and he was fine. Ignoring other dogs , coming back when called etc over the field. We had been told he sometimes showed aggression to some dogs but not all, mainly un-neutered males. This afternoon however in a popular woodland nearby he was agressive to 9 out of the 10 dogs he met. Is this something that can be helped? It would be such a shame if he had to be kept on a lead everytime we were out.

Would a behavioural therapist be able to assist us with us?

ik have this same problem with buster my 4 yr old lab he to was a rescue/rehome dog . i use a halti with him whitch works well for us although he can get t of if u give him the chance

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http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/michellebendle0711

You have had him just one day and you are letting him off the lead already? Needless to say, I would not recommend this and would urge you to use a long line attached to his collar until you can be more sure of his behaviour. Let him settle in with you for a couple of weeks or so, however long it takes for him to twig on that he lives with you now and that you are his family and then find out what training classes are in your area as it is not too late for him to be trained and you need to learn how to teach him. There's a list here Local Dog Trainers - Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK or you could try asking at your vets or pet shop but please be aware that ANYONE can set up as a dog trainer and run classes whilst having no insurance, no qualifications and questionable experience in some cases so it is a bit of a minefield out there! In other words, if you are not comfortable with the methods used, vote with your feet! I gave you the APDT link as they do prefer members to use kind, fair and effective methods and to be educated where canine behaviour and training are concerned rather than just accepting members who use any old methods.

Thanks ladies for the advice. I admit it may have been foolish to let him off after one day. I think i got carried away. He was so over weight because his previous owner never took him out and has come on in leaps and bounds in just 24hrs. His foster carers for the last six months have been socializing him and taking him out regularly. I will take this as a reminder not to run before i can walk.

If you do need a behaviourist then I'd reccommend chosing one from the APBC- The APBC | Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors. If you have him insured it's likely your insurers will want a behaviourist from here.

Give him a few days to settle in and I'm sure he will be fine. May be let him off the lead a little at a time and keep practising his recall with high value treats/toys.

My dog, Baxter, is entire (not for much longer!) and he is often growled at by other dogs. I don't think it means your dog is aggressive, it's just one of those things that neutered boys don't like entire dogs. With Baxter it was just a phase and most dogs seem to like playing with him again now.

I hope he settles in well x

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Hattie and Baxter - the 2 Black Labradors

Probably you're simply letting him approach the other dogs too quick, not reading the other dog's apprehension. Growling is a distancing signal, wanting in general more space. My entire dog, rarely is growled at and neutered dogs often quite like him, simply because he signals & heeds signals.

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For eager & reliable recall, be fun for the dog to come back to! Then often send them off right away to do what they wanted!
DT&B - Glossary of acronyms & jargon terms.
Encouraging good behaviours, whilst consistently avoiding practise of bad alternatives leads to extinction of the bad. So if dog sits 6/10 times it doesn't sit 4/10 times, encouraging with the right rewards (positively-reinforcing) enough for 9/10 times means it now fails to sit only 1/10 times, sit 10/10 means...