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Fila owners please- The Fila and dog aggression

iwannafila

Well-Known Member
I am convinced a Fila is the right dog for me, except for one nagging question! During my research, I have seen it stated that Fila's are VERY dog aggressive, and same amount of info that says they are not. To explain fully, my concern is aggression towards my two existing dogs in the household. I understand every dog is different, just want Fila owners to reply with their personal experiences with any other household dogs. Thank you!
 

angelbears

Well-Known Member
My personal experience is our male, Cane could careless about other dogs. The neighbor's little ankle bitters would charge the fence and try to get him to fence fight. All Cane would do is lift his leg and piss on them, then walk off. Cane had no prey drive. He was all defensive drive. He really didn't pay attention to the other dogs in our house. He would huff at them if they were getting on his nerves. Every once in a while he would play with them but not much. He wouldn't lay with them. He really only cared about me and Debra.Ziva, was a female rescue. She was 3 when we got her. We had her about 3 years. For 3 years she and our ACD was best friends, then she just flipped and started attacking her. We had to put her down. She had other problems. She was a highly anxious dog. Very prey driven. Very unpredictable.
 

fila4me

Well-Known Member
Filas should not be dog aggressive , their jobs require them to work with other dogs. Now with that being said, you can and will see some that are. My Flower is very dog aggressive of dogs not in her home, this started after I had my first surgery after being diagnosed with cancer. She was staying with my friend, where she had stayed many, many times before....when I went out of town, had my son, had surgery, etc. My friend has a female Cane Corso , female Fila who was her best friend, female Rottweiler and a female pug. They were all outside playing and having a great time, like always . I got there to pick her up and went out on the back deck when she heard me she came running up on the deck and was oh so excited. She was sitting in front of me when the other dogs started to come up and she just flipped and started attacking them one by one . It was very scary! From that moment on she will attack any dog that gets near me no matter the size. Now I can bring in a puppy and she will be just fine, she will not cuddle with them or go out of her way for them, but she will not attack them and will eventually play with them . I have added 2 dogs to my pack since she started this, but both came in as puppies.My Maddie loves everybody! I have never had a Fila in my 21yrs with Filas, that was dog aggressive. I have brought in fosters of all ages and sizes with no problems , brought in intact males that I showed with no problems . Until this crazy girl. She is the queen bitch and rules all of the dogs interactions with each other . So, back to the point....they should not be aggressive to other dogs in general. Especially bringing one in as a puppy.
 

iwannafila

Well-Known Member
Fila4Me, thank you very much for response! When I get a Fila, it will be a puppy for sure. That should help the Fila, and my two other dogs, being the Fila will grow up with them. Funny thing is, I am so excited about Fila's, and have still not seen one in real life!!!! I have tried to find Temp Tests to go observe, etc. Only found roadblocks!
 

girldogue

Well-Known Member
Where do you live ? my filas have never been overtly dog aggressive - they do enjoy fence fighting with my neighbors dogs though LOL . But that is more of a hobby than a real thing :)
Fila4Me, thank you very much for response! When I get a Fila, it will be a puppy for sure. That should help the Fila, and my two other dogs, being the Fila will grow up with them. Funny thing is, I am so excited about Fila's, and have still not seen one in real life!!!! I have tried to find Temp Tests to go observe, etc. Only found roadblocks!
 

spearchucker

Well-Known Member
My two are not dog aggressive when they are away from home. If we are home or in a vehicle, they hate everything and everybody.
 

Esand

Well-Known Member
Agression involves some proactivity. Here is a video I posted the other day on another forum for some feedback. I had been hoping that Leia would play with other dogs at this park. We've been visiting a lot of parks to work on socialization.

[video=youtube;-XeQOx-0CNg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XeQOx-0CNg[/video]

She won't play, she is clearly uncomfortable by the presence of other dogs but she is very passive about it she doesn't attack them but doesn't let them get too close, unless, I am petting the dog or calling it over in which case she tolerates the dog being close to me and me petting it but is always vigilant and still won't engage in play.

She is very playful with our other dog though.

If anybody here has any feedback on the video let me know. She just turned 6months, is it normal that she doesn't have any interest in playing with other dogs at the park?
 

CeeCee

Well-Known Member
Interesting! From what I saw, in the beginning she did seem a little unsure, semi-tucked tail and curved body, but as time when on, she seemed to gain confidence. The dog tried to engage in play, but she wasn't interested. She communicated that very appropriately to him or her and the other dog received her message and gave her space. Toward the end of the video, the other dog didn't try to engage her (eyes averted as he/she passed), but they passed her (I am assuming between you and her) and then I wondered it she was protesting the other dog's proximity to you. Your girl is beautiful and I love her energy! As for not playing at the park, it doesn't really surprise me. There are so many things happening and sights and smells, she seems to be taking it all in and even possibly enforcing space around you.
 

angelbears

Well-Known Member
I agree CeeCee! I see a dog guarding with no interest in playing. She is doing her job. I don't think she should be out their off leash. She is too young to be considered "bomb proof". I agree you have to socialize but you have to do it responsibly. I would think that even the best trained and best nerved Filas would have a hard time relaxing and playing at a dog park, where different people and dogs are in and out.
 

Esand

Well-Known Member
Maybe it didn't come through in the video but the second pass was an attempt at engagement. He wasn't just passing through or even approaching me, he was approaching her and trying to solicit play. Clearly there was none.
 

Esand

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your comments on the video. She is very tense and alert (although the more we go the less nervous she is) when we're at parks or out and about. As for her being off leash, she will not stray more than 10 ft from me and I'm always extremely aware of our surroundings. If strangers come to say hi and pet her, I reassure her by simultaneously petting her in such a way that when she goes for the jugular (she's tried) I've got a physical hold on her.

Slowly but surely she's become much more tolerant of other people and dogs, but she doesn't enjoy them being around she just eyes them suspiciously.

It's a shame because at home she loves to play with our other dog and was hoping that taking her to parks and letting her run would be a good way to get some exercise on soft surfaces.
 

Hector

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your comments on the video. She is very tense and alert (although the more we go the less nervous she is) when we're at parks or out and about. As for her being off leash, she will not stray more than 10 ft from me and I'm always extremely aware of our surroundings. If strangers come to say hi and pet her, I reassure her by simultaneously petting her in such a way that when she goes for the jugular (she's tried) I've got a physical hold on her.Slowly but surely she's become much more tolerant of other people and dogs, but she doesn't enjoy them being around she just eyes them suspiciously. It's a shame because at home she loves to play with our other dog and was hoping that taking her to parks and letting her run would be a good way to get some exercise on soft surfaces.
My pup enjoyed playing with other dogs within the family until maybe 8 months - 1 yr then he was having none of that, but always trying in engage in play with household dogs. To this day he still tries to engage in play, but no one wants to play with him. She doesn't seem to enjoy the dog park, but enjoys watching. Near the end, she was not engaging in play. She was either protecting her space or protecting yours. Clearly you can hear the snarl and fast frontal movement and her hackles were up at the base of her tail. She is good at getting the message across at 6 months so I feel when she gets older, reactions will get more intense. I think it's a great time to work on obedience around this high level distraction and I really liked how she recollected herself and calmed down quickly after the other dog left in the end.
 

fila4me

Well-Known Member
Please do not have her off leash.10ft away is a huge distance when her temp kicks in and she decides who the bad guy is. Filas are extremely quick and fast when its something they want. Was wondering why strangers are allowed to approach? And pet her? This will change, she will one day not be tolerant, even with you petting her at the same time. This is not what a Fila is about. I don't want anyone but family able to pet my Filas. She is a beautiful girl! But don't get to confident with her, they tend to show us what's up when we do.
 

zebraworks

Well-Known Member
my fila is very dog aggressive to strange dogs (but rarely is around them). She was attacked by a strange dog while under 1yr of age once so maybe that had some impression. She lives with two dogs and they only fight occasionally either about high quality food for attention from me
 

Ivan

Active Member
my fila's are also aggressive to other dogs than our dogs. the bitch has been attatcked by a german sheppard when she was little, they also hate american en englisch staffords and dogs that look like them ;)
 

teodora

Well-Known Member
I don't know what's wrong with staffies from mastiffs pov... Jack is CC, and he HATES staffies with a passion even if he's not otherwise dog aggressive.
 

Ashleygriff1980

New Member
im on my 4th Fila. If you get it as a puppy, it will protect anything it's raised with, young or adult dogs it depends on the dog and how much ojeriza it displays. I've had a young rescue (1yr) fit in with my existing mastiffs after tons and tons of training. The Fila I have now is nasty. She accepts no one or nothing but her family and has been like this since 5 months old. She can not go around anyone or any other family dogs (parents or brothers) and I can not have anyone at my house at spur of the moment I have 2 giant crates one in bedroom and one in living room. If she's in the living room crate I can't leave the room by she wants so bad to "get" my guests that she rocks and slides the crate towards them. They are seriously dangerous dogs. I know a good breeder if you're looking, one that stands behind you with suggestions and lots of information. She's very selective on who gets her dogs because of what they are capable of.