Jabber, we have to put a muzzle on Max (greyound) when we take him for a walk...just in case. He's attracted to small, fast moving dogs. Maybe you could muzzle Xena? Just a thought. Max can drink water and even eat food with his on, if need be.

Ah Dianne, great minds really do think alike, LOL!!! That exactly what I suggested she do, and to keep her away from other dogs. It sounds like she has plenty of room to run on her own property. I also suggested a body/brain scan in case she has a tumor which causes her intermitent pain changing his mood. I lost a wonderful dog that way, she had a brain tumor which would cause her to get vicious when she was in pain. She had to be put down but that was in the 60's and now they have surgeries that work wonders for our pets.

Dianne, like I told Chatty, we do use a muzzle. Though, even
with that device in place, she still acts aggressive. We do
try to keep her away from other dogs. Have driven most of the
other people out of the park when we walk. We have a radio
active collar, which we use when she's off leash and we're walking that 1 1/2 mile stretch through the park. That's so if Xena sees deer running in front of her, we can get her back before she gets too far away. If another dog comes around, we
put her back on the leash. She had two dogs, she used to play
with, without incident. But a park worker drove passed in his
truck, we had to collar her and stop the play. Ever since then, she's been aggressive with those two dogs. I don't know if she blames her friends for having to stop the play or what? But instead of just running and playing, she's aggressive now. WB punished her for attacking, and IMO she blames the punishment on those dogs. Who knows. But that's the long and short of it. The private behavior evaluation specialist still hasn't answered our email, as yet. I'll let you know what she advises, if we can contact her for an appointment! Thanks everyone!

A while back, Xena attacked a raccoon over in the county park. WB rescued the creature. It was alive and unharmed when we left it. But ever since then, Xena has been in an aggressive mode. We have a two hour appointment with a behavior specialist for Xena, next Friday. I'll let you know what she advises us, in case any of you have similar dog problems. I pray this lady can help us; I'd rather be shot, than put this dog down!

Please understand, everyone, we had Xena checked by a vet
immediately after the raccoon incident! She got a good bill of
health. But she seems more "prey oriented" since then, more
aggressive and in more of a stalking mode. Shadow hunted and killed a squirrel and a woodchuck over in the park, before I could stop her, or realize what she was up to. And Shadow was mildest mannered dog I'd ever known. That must be part of the lab makeup, to be "prey" minded. That's a question I'll ask and a mode I'll attempt to curb.

Jabber, there is NO need to put an aggressive dog down unless she becomes aggressive with poeople, and even you and your family, then the prospects of harm are too dangerous. Simply curtailing her interaction with other dogs and wearing a muzzle when she may be near then should be sufficient. She could also change back to her old sweet self as quickly as she turned aggressive. I've seen that happen more than once.

That's what I'm hoping for: she turns back to being gentle.
She's attacked a couple of dogs and knocked a couple owners
over in the process. That's where the problem is unnerving.
It would be the last resort, Chatty, you can bet your boots on that. It would be the last resort! I'm for helping and healing, not destroying!

Jabber I don't mean you here in any means, and my next comments may seem weird to some but are true.

When we bring a pet into our home it's the same as having another child. If a child misbehaves or is suddenly out of control, we don't take them and have them put down...(maybe not a bad idea in some cases...LOL)

Why is it so easy for people to kill a pet because it acts up or doesn't potty train as fast as they think it should or it isn't cute a cuddly anymore?

In todays world nothing is indespensible, don't like a spouse, dump them, pet acts up, kill it, don't want this pregnancy, end it with abortion...

We seem to have become a nation of lazy, heartless monsters.

Jabber, if your dog has such hunting instincts, maybe a hunter would be interested in buying her? Those kinds of dogs are asked for around here. I do strongly suggest visitng the owner and checking to see how the dogs are cared for. But I'm sure you would do that anyway.
A dog should not be a stress factor. I believe JJ gave her last dog away too. Sometimes it is the best thing you can do for yourself and the animal.

Chatty and Ed3,
WB and I will work with and attempt to curb Xena's aggression.
She scared me when she attacked several dogs, one after another and knocked a gentlemen stranger off his feet to get at his dog and mall her. Thank God she didn't and doesn't actually hurt any animals. We've had this lab to training classes, and now have an appointment with another dog behavior specialist. She has bounded from us to attack other dogs, on occasion; keeping tighter control. Corrective measures are our focus. We've invested time and money in Xena. If she harmed any person or pets, serious measures would have to be taken. We may even be forced by authorities to do something we don't want to do. That's why I mentioned this here and why I was looking for ideas. Read read Caesar's books; watched his shows; had a professional trainer come here and walk in the park with us. I just DON'T want to be sued. Xena was traumatized by her 1st family dropping her off at a rescue center. Thanks 4 the help!