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Hi James,
Your dog sounds like she as a sweet nature… though it seems she could be nervous when it comes to other dogs. (It could be she feel they could be a threat to her). Do you find she will play comfortably with dogs that she doesn’t consider a threat to her? My other thought is it could be “redirected aggression” as dogs become her object to attack with those triggers you speak of when she goes after a dog. Though with Redirection aggression it is generally cause by frustration/excitement at the dog not being able to get at the source of what is frustrating it. You have done well to identify her triggers for when the behaviour occurs. When you know what the triggers are you can either remove her from the trigger before the behaviour starts (like you are doing on your walks) or you could teach her alternate behaviour to do instead. You could teach her a command like “leave it” or a “come” command to get her focus back onto you instead of the dog that she goes after to attack. If she is apprehensive about playing with other dogs then I wouldn’t push it. This is my thoughts to what may be happening… I’m still in the early stages of learning here so please don’t quote me on it. She is such a lucky girl that you have given her a new home.
