Serious question about my vicious dog

[Kathleen in VA]

I have a very small, cute, adorable but very stupid dog. She is a mutt - a mixture of poodle and some sort of terrier. She was the runt of the litter. I've had her since March of 2005 and she is very, very, very protective of me. She sits on my lap as soon as I form one and she sleeps curled up next to me whenever I sleep, where ever I sleep. I feel her fur on my ankles when I walk around the house and I trip over her when I'm in the kitchen trying to cook. I think she likes me.:)

 

However, she is waaaaaaaay too overprotective and I am beginning to worry about her actually harming someone - even another family member. She seems to have gotten even more intolerant of others in the last few months. She growls whenever either of my two youngest approaches her and yesterday she bit dd12 on the arm. (no broken skin, just tooth indentations). That made me pretty upset and mad at my dog.

 

Whenever anyone comes in our yard, driveway, or drives on the street in front of our house she barks incessantly. If the UPS guy comes to the door, we have to shoo the dog into a back bedroom before we open the door. This happens whenever we have to open the door to anyone. She's so stupid, she even barks ferociously at family members until she sees the whites of their eyes.

 

Anyway, I think this dog has become dangerous. She couldn't do a lot of damage (she's only about ten pounds), but I'm still concerned that she could bite through someone's skin and there's always that off chance that she could get through our legs and race to the living room before we could catch her. She bit dd when dd tried to pick her up to get her in a room when my neighbor came to drop off his 5yo son so I could take him to our VBS at church. What if the dog had gotten away and had bit my neighbor's son???

 

What would you do with a dog like this? I'm extremely attached to her, but I cannot have a biting dog in my house. Any advice??

[Mrs Mungo]

Have you tried dog training sessions?

[Caterpiller]

Is it possible to put a harness on the dog, so you can easily put a leash on her to move her and keep her away from another? If that is not an option, rehoming the dog through the help of a vet or even the animal shelter would be the only thing I can think of.

[Kathleen in VA]

Have you tried dog training sessions?

 

No. Do you think she's still trainable at her age?

[Teachin'Mine]

A dog trainer would be ideal, but they are pricy. :tongue_smilie: Isn't there a guy called the dog whisperer - or something like that - who has a show on TV about how to deal with specific dog problems? I believe I caught his show once when this problem was addressed. Maybe try googling? I'll see if I can find it as well. Or ... maybe there's a dog trainer who you could barter with? Maybe she or he needs childcare, or ...

[Mrs Mungo]

No. Do you think she's still trainable at her age?

 

It's worth a shot, I would think. I am not a dog expert though.

[Kathleen in VA]

Is it possible to put a harness on the dog, so you can easily put a leash on her to move her and keep her away from another? If that is not an option, rehoming the dog through the help of a vet or even the animal shelter would be the only thing I can think of.

 

Yes, I could put a leash on her when folks come. I have done that when I expected people for a visit. The worst times are when someone comes unexpectedly. We seem to just rush around like chickens with out heads cut off yelling, "Get the dog! Get the dog!" I should probably have a more orderly approach - a protocol - since it seems to happen often.

 

Also, just want to add that we've tried to spray her with water when she barks but she just licks up the water, lol. She seems to enjoy it. *sigh*

[AuntieM]

My mom has a dog like this. Honestly, it has affected the amount of time she's been able to spend with the grandkids. After it tried to bite my dd, I asked her to please kennel it for safety when we visit. Mom loves the dog and is reluctant to do that. It makes for a sticky situation. This animal has been a loyal and constant companion and we are somewhat irregular visitors, so I guess I understand my Mom's feelings. But it's still not a safe place for my kids, and has kept us from visiting more often.

 

She lives out of town, and having the dog prevents us from staying at her home. It makes traveling to see her expensive and difficult.

 

Just being honest, Kathleen, knowing you have a new grandbaby. Whatever you decide to do, please freely communicate with your dd/ddil regarding your plans to keep the dog from harming the baby.

Edited August 26, 2011 by AuntieM

[Kathleen in VA]

A dog trainer would be ideal' date=' but they are pricy. :tongue_smilie: Isn't there a guy called the dog whisperer - or something like that - who has a show on TV about how to deal with specific dog problems? I believe I caught his show once when this problem was addressed. Maybe try googling? I'll see if I can find it as well. Or ... maybe there's a dog trainer who you could barter with? Maybe she or he needs childcare, or ...[/quote']

 

I actually watched a few episodes of that show before we stopped getting cable. There was a dog just like mine. I can't remember what he suggested now, but we did try whatever it was back then and it didn't work.

 

The pricey thing is an issue for us as well. I cannot afford a dog psychologist, kwim? I'm not even sure I can afford simple training classes (although I can't afford to have someone get bit either!!!!).

 

I will look into the training idea.

[Audrey]

You can train a dog of any age. It just takes more work when they're older. Kathleen, I would suggest you take her to your vet and discuss her behaviour with the vet. Sometimes, when a dog's behaviour changes, there is a health issue that could be causing it or exacerbating it. Your vet may also have suggestions for a trainer as well.

[Live2Ride]

Water with a strong shot of vinegar should cure the licking off of it. I would also institute NILF (Nothing In Life is Free). No more laps, no more beds, no more couches. Seriously. She needs to realize that she is a dog and at the bottom of the chain in your home. Do not baby her, do not give her affection until she has done something to earn it (sit, stay, down, etc). Even food must be earned ie: sit, dog sits, dog gets kibble, down, dog lays down, dog gets kibble, etc. Keep a harness and a 6-8 foot leash on her at all times for control. And trust me, a 10 lb dog can do more damage than you think. I hope you can get it under control. If it were me and I couldn't get her under control, I'd put her to sleep. I can not knowingly give a dog that bites to another person.

[Parrothead]

Victoria Stilwell deals with these kinds of dogs often on her show. Maybe her website will be of some assistance.

[Live2Ride]

You can train a dog of any age. It just takes more work when they're older. Kathleen, I would suggest you take her to your vet and discuss her behaviour with the vet. Sometimes, when a dog's behaviour changes, there is a health issue that could be causing it or exacerbating it. Your vet may also have suggestions for a trainer as well.

 

This as well, but it sounds more like you have a spoiled pooch that has a skewed view of what her job is. Oh and take her on nice brisk walks. Everyone can take turns. A tired pooch is a better behaved pooch.

[KS_]

One thing to start doing is to not let her up on your lap or sleep next to you. She needs to be at the bottom of the totem pole in the household. Training her to wait until you are ready to give her attention instead of making you give it to you by being in your lap, etc., will help. I know there are books and websites that can give you specifics on step-by-step training, but it sounds like she's an anxious dog and also trying to assert her place in the pack order and maintain it, which makes her aggressive.

[Kathleen in VA]

My mom has a dog like this. Honestly, it has affected the amount of time she's been able to spend with the grandkids. After it tried to bite my dd, I asked her to please kennel it for safety when we visit. Mom loves the dog and is reluctant to do that. It makes for a sticky situation. This animal has been a loyal and constant companion and we are somewhat irregular visitors, so I guess I understand my Mom's feelings. But it's still not a safe place for my kids, and has kept us from visiting more often.

 

She lives out of town, and having the dog prevents us from staying at her home. It makes traveling to see her expensive and difficult.

 

Just being honest, Kathleen, knowing you have a new grandbaby. Whatever you decide to do, please freely communicate with your dd/ddil regarding your plans to keep the dog from harming the baby.

 

Yes, we've already had to deal with this. Ddil and ds come every Sunday for lunch after church. We just put the dog in the boys' bedroom but we still have to listen to her bark for 3-4 hours (it gets old very quickly, btw). I will not have her out in the living area for any reason whatsoever when we have folks visiting. And I have thought of the baby - she won't be a tiny infant forever and the situation will become more strained as she grows. Ugh.

[TheReader]

For the barking, we've had medium success with a small metal can with coins in it. A quick shake next to the dog's ear gets her attention, distracts her, and interrupts her bark. If she resumes barking, another shake and a stern No! usually is enough to stop her.

 

For when people come over unannounced, I wonder if the general chaos might excite her more than normal and actually make things worse? Perhaps keep her leash on a hook by the door, keep a harness or collar on the dog at all times, and since she follows you everywhere just leash her up as you calmly walk to the door (with her at your heels, I'm presuming). Then you can just calmly pick her up or hold her by the leash (or have a child follow you, take the leash and return with the dog to a different part of the house) while you open the door, deal with the guest/intrusion, etc.

 

I think if you keep her calm rather than the house turning into chaos, that will help a great deal.

 

For biting your kids -- if you don't already, have your children feed her. Have them give her treats by hand. Have her sit and wait for the child to put his/her palm out with the treat and then allow her to gently take the treat. Make sure that she's not getting signals from you or your children that tell her she's higher in pack order than they are -- she should not go through doorways ahead of your children, she should not eat before them; if you feed her at dinner time, give everyone else's food first and feed her at the end of dinner.

 

There are other signals, and I'm not a dog expert by any means, just a dog owner who's had to go through this with our own dogs. I used Cesar's book on dog training (the dog whisperer); it was a relatively inexpensive book and likely available in US libraries.

 

General obedience training will help, too, and I do think she can still learn. If you can't afford a class, there are tons of articles on-line about how to train for specific behaviors. When our dog is misbehaving, I find I have far better success getting her to correct the behavior if I first call her to me, put her in a sit position, etc. If I merely tell her to stop doing what she's doing, she'll ignore me. If I call her to me, tell her Sit!, etc. I either have then interrupted the behavior or in my dog's case can tell her "Leave it" or "Drop it" so she'll release whatever toy or shirt she's carrying in her mouth that she's not supposed to have. Works much better with a general obedience command first and then the "stop that" (whatever it is) second.

 

Also, have your children help work with the dog on general obedience. That will help cement in her mind that they, too, are above her in pack order and she'll start to respect them more. Won't help with outside folks, and I'm not sure what to do with that, but it will help with your own family and perhaps by widening her pack that in & of itself might help with her aggression towards others as well. Not sure, but worth a shot.

 

Best of luck. I do think there's hope if you intervene now, though how much time you want to give before seeing improvement is up to you.

[Kathleen in VA]

You can train a dog of any age. It just takes more work when they're older. Kathleen, I would suggest you take her to your vet and discuss her behaviour with the vet. Sometimes, when a dog's behaviour changes, there is a health issue that could be causing it or exacerbating it. Your vet may also have suggestions for a trainer as well.

 

Thanks, Audrey. I was kind of wondering if she was having some sort of health issue since her aggressiveness has seemed to escalate recently. I will definitely get her to the vet (after Irene goes away.:))

[Kathleen in VA]

Water with a strong shot of vinegar should cure the licking off of it. I would also institute NILF (Nothing In Life is Free). No more laps, no more beds, no more couches. Seriously. She needs to realize that she is a dog and at the bottom of the chain in your home. Do not baby her, do not give her affection until she has done something to earn it (sit, stay, down, etc). Even food must be earned ie: sit, dog sits, dog gets kibble, down, dog lays down, dog gets kibble, etc. Keep a harness and a 6-8 foot leash on her at all times for control. And trust me, a 10 lb dog can do more damage than you think. I hope you can get it under control. If it were me and I couldn't get her under control, I'd put her to sleep. I can not knowingly give a dog that bites to another person.

 

Yes, I know I could never give her away. She would just not tolerate that at all. If worse came to worse, the only solution would be to put her down.

 

I am a terrible dog mom. I actually like the fact that she cuddles with me and follows me around all day. You are right, though, she needs to learn her place. This is not going to be easy, but considering the alternative, I will have to try. Thanks for the specific advice - very helpful. I think I will need to buy her a bed of her own - she's sleeping right now on a folded up blanket on the sofa.

[elfgivas]

we crate-trained our poodle, and it was one of the best things we did. she loves her crate, and will go to it when she needs to be alone. however, she also gets put in it whenever there is company, and each night. because she is used to sleeping in it, she is quiet when she is in it. it works for her.... and for us!

 

hth,

ann

[Kathleen in VA]

Victoria Stilwell deals with these kinds of dogs often on her show. Maybe her website will be of some assistance.

 

Thanks for this recommendation. I will peruse this later tonight.

[Kathleen in VA]

Thanks, TheReader. Good practical advice.

[kchara]

Victoria Stilwell deals with these kinds of dogs often on her show. Maybe her website will be of some assistance.

 

:iagree: I was just thinking about her, too. I've seen her deal with a number of dogs like that.

 

Edited to add: I think her show is called It's Me or the Dog. It might be on Netflix, I'm not sure.

[Mothersweets]

Water with a strong shot of vinegar should cure the licking off of it. I would also institute NILF (Nothing In Life is Free). No more laps, no more beds, no more couches. Seriously. She needs to realize that she is a dog and at the bottom of the chain in your home. Do not baby her, do not give her affection until she has done something to earn it (sit, stay, down, etc). Even food must be earned ie: sit, dog sits, dog gets kibble, down, dog lays down, dog gets kibble, etc. Keep a harness and a 6-8 foot leash on her at all times for control. And trust me, a 10 lb dog can do more damage than you think. I hope you can get it under control. If it were me and I couldn't get her under control, I'd put her to sleep. I can not knowingly give a dog that bites to another person.

 

:iagree: Great advice! Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) deals with dogs like this ALL THE TIME on his show. Do you have Netflix? or maybe your library might have a season of his show. We have a couple dogs and his methods WORK.

 

CountryGirl2 mentioned this in a later post and Cesar Milan has his clients do this - walk your dog. Getting more exercise will help to get your dog into a better frame of mind and help to make YOU the leader of your pack.

[Danestress]

but it's also harder to rehome an older dog, especially when the reason for the rehome includes aggressive behavior.

 

It's not fair to the dog to rehome it because training would be too hard. And it's not fair to anyone else to continue to let the dog believe that she's the queen of the house and to behave in a threatening manner. It doesn't matter that the dog is small.

 

So I think if I were you, and I say this knowing how very very much I would hate to spend the money, I would feel obligated to spend the money to have someone come into the house and do a few private lessons working on specific problems regarding possessiveness and aggressive behavior. If you are diligent and really really commit to working on the problem, you probably will see some success. But it will cost you:(

[5KidzRUs]

Baby gate and diligence.

[Kathleen in VA]

:iagree: Great advice! Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) deals with dogs like this ALL THE TIME on his show. Do you have Netflix? or maybe your library might have a season of his show. We have a couple dogs and his methods WORK.

 

CountryGirl2 mentioned this in a later post and Cesar Milan has his clients do this - walk your dog. Getting more exercise will help to get your dog into a better frame of mind and help to make YOU the leader of your pack.

 

Don't have Netflix but will check the library - I have a very good library system so hopefully they'll have something.

 

but it's also harder to rehome an older dog, especially when the reason for the rehome includes aggressive behavior.

 

It's not fair to the dog to rehome it because training would be too hard. And it's not fair to anyone else to continue to let the dog believe that she's the queen of the house and to behave in a threatening manner. It doesn't matter that the dog is small.

 

So I think if I were you, and I say this knowing how very very much I would hate to spend the money, I would feel obligated to spend the money to have someone come into the house and do a few private lessons working on specific problems regarding possessiveness and aggressive behavior. If you are diligent and really really commit to working on the problem, you probably will see some success. But it will cost you:(

 

It's already costing me - I'm losing my sanity. I'll try the videos and websites and see if I can institute my own doggie boot camp. If that doesn't work, money will have to be spent.:tongue_smilie:

 

Baby gate and diligence.

 

Yup. Especially the latter I'm afraid.

 

Pray for me folks - this is going to be a real challenge for me.

[laundrycrisis]

When our rat terrier was around 6, DH entered the scene and she decided she didn't like him. The solution was obedience training. She went to residence bootcamp for three weeks. Then she came home and did daily obedience workouts with him at the leash, and weekly obedience classes with him. She ended up a very well trained and well behaved dog.

[KristyND]

.

Anyway, I think this dog has become dangerous. She couldn't do a lot of damage (she's only about ten pounds)

 

Having watched a shih tzu nearly take off a 2yrs olds ear, I strongly disagree that she couldn't do much damage.

 

You can find a lot of great dog training info at the library/ on the web. And you can definitely train and older dog.

[Live2Ride]

and I second the crate, they are an inexpensive training tool. My dogs love their crates. We do not use them for punishment though. They are their homes and we never let the kids get in them. Dogs need a safe place to retreat when they are stressed.

 

I hope you can get this resolved. You all will have to be very diligent though. Soda cans with pennies, strategically placed around the house for all of you to use would be helpful (or the water bottles with a good amoun of vinegar).

 

Oh and a bark collar may not hurt either if you can't get her barking under control. I personally use one for when I'm not home on our beagle. She can get out of control and will not listen to anyone but us.

 

And I will pray for you. It's hard, but can be done. I have successfully retrained and rehomed (or kept) a number of dogs that we've taken in. I had a Dane, she was babied by her previous owners. Slept in their bed and on their sofa. Did what she wanted. Then came Katrina. She was left behind on two moves temporarily, but it caused some issues. Some dog aggression, growling at people when she didn't want to do something, fear issues, destructive separation anxiety, etc. The owners did not want to deal with it and listed her in the paper. We bought a crate (as big as my love seat!) and started retraining. She found she loved her crate and felt safe. She whined at first, but we had toys for her, the TV or radio on and left the window shades open for her to see. She learned that we would always return from our short trips and that she was ok. She also stopped being aggressive once she was in her proper place in our home. Then about a year later we started leaving her out when we'd leave on a short errand. She would go lay in her crate and we'd leave. She did great. A few months later we packed it up into the attic and that was that. Now it's not always like that, but she did good. It's funny though that a few months after the crate was gone, hubby thought he'd let her up onto the bed to sleep with him one afternoon. I came in a few hours later and when I told her to get off she growled at me and when I got stern she sort of grumbled while slowly getting off. Hubby knew then that she could not be allowed up there again.

 

Be consistent and firm.

Edited August 26, 2011 by CountryGirl2

[DarlaS]

Is it possible she has vision problems?

[Kathleen in VA]

Is it possible she has vision problems?

 

I don't think so, but then, how would I know? What kinds of behaviors would she exhibit that would clue me in?

[Mama Geek]

You have to be alpha dog instead of letting your dog be alpha.

[Parrothead]

:iagree: I was just thinking about her, too. I've seen her deal with a number of dogs like that.

 

Edited to add: I think her show is called It's Me or the Dog. It might be on Netflix, I'm not sure.

Thinking about it, it seems VS says dogs like how you described yours just want someone to be alpha. Your dog doesn't have a strong pack leader so she is becoming the pack leader.

[WishboneDawn]

Yes, I know I could never give her away. She would just not tolerate that at all. If worse came to worse, the only solution would be to put her down.

 

I am a terrible dog mom. I actually like the fact that she cuddles with me and follows me around all day. You are right, though, she needs to learn her place. This is not going to be easy, but considering the alternative, I will have to try. Thanks for the specific advice - very helpful. I think I will need to buy her a bed of her own - she's sleeping right now on a folded up blanket on the sofa.

 

You're not a dog mom though, you're a dog possession. :) She's not allowed on the sofa anymore. She's only allowed on your lap when you invite her. Any aggression gets a very quick correction from you (I use a sharp tap or push with my parents little dogs). Any food or treat is only given when she's sitting quiet. Anytime someone comes in she has to go to her bed and you stand right there and keep her there (block her, tap her, gently push her bum down so she's sitting).

 

My parents two little dogs are like this as well. They think it's cute. No, it's not when they have teeth like needles. I don't tolerate it from them and they treat me much differently then they do others. Things is, they're also MUCH calmer around me. They aren't on guard, they're not tense, they're relaxed. If you're in charge then you free them from a whole lot of responsibility and worry so don't think you're doing a bad or hurtful thing for your dog by taking charge.

[DarlaS]

Aggression and dominance aren't the same thing.

 

This doesn't mean you take nonsense from the dog. You're the parent (pack theory is hooey ETA: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm ) and just like parenting kids, you'll need to be firm and consistent.

 

Talk to a trainer. It may not be as bad as it seems.

 

As for the vision thing, I really don't know how you'd find out. A vet could tell you for sure. It was the comment about her barking at family members until she could see the whites of their eyes that brought that to mind. She could be clinging to you for the same reason.

Edited August 26, 2011 by darlasowders

[Mama Geek]

Aggression and dominance aren't the same thing.

 

This doesn't mean you take nonsense from the dog. You're the parent (pack theory is hooey ETA: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm ) and just like parenting kids, you'll need to be firm and consistent.

 

Talk to a trainer. It may not be as bad as it seems.

 

As for the vision thing, I really don't know how you'd find out. A vet could tell you for sure. It was the comment about her barking at family members until she could see the whites of their eyes that brought that to mind. She could be clinging to you for the same reason.

 

Pack "theory" does work. I know from experience. Dogs are pack animals, I really don't see how you can say that it doesn't work. Yes there are other ways to train dogs, but it isn't hooey.

[Kathleen in VA]

You're not a dog mom though, you're a dog possession. :) She's not allowed on the sofa anymore. She's only allowed on your lap when you invite her. Any aggression gets a very quick correction from you (I use a sharp tap or push with my parents little dogs). Any food or treat is only given when she's sitting quiet. Anytime someone comes in she has to go to her bed and you stand right there and keep her there (block her, tap her, gently push her bum down so she's sitting).

 

My parents two little dogs are like this as well. They think it's cute. No, it's not when they have teeth like needles. I don't tolerate it from them and they treat me much differently then they do others. Things is, they're also MUCH calmer around me. They aren't on guard, they're not tense, they're relaxed. If you're in charge then you free them from a whole lot of responsibility and worry so don't think you're doing a bad or hurtful thing for your dog by taking charge.

 

You're right! She owns me!!! I've created a monster!!! Yeah, and I know what you mean about needle-sharp teeth.

 

Aggression and dominance aren't the same thing.

 

This doesn't mean you take nonsense from the dog. You're the parent (pack theory is hooey ETA: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521112711.htm ) and just like parenting kids, you'll need to be firm and consistent.

 

Talk to a trainer. It may not be as bad as it seems.

 

As for the vision thing, I really don't know how you'd find out. A vet could tell you for sure. It was the comment about her barking at family members until she could see the whites of their eyes that brought that to mind. She could be clinging to you for the same reason.

 

The funny thing is people are always telling me how wonderfully behaved my children are (since they were all little). You'd think I could train a dog!

 

I think she got off on the wrong foot (or paw, so to say). When we first got her everyone handled her and we took to other people's houses and she seemed to be getting along fine. Then Ds24 got in a bad car accident and couldn't get in an out of his loft bed easily when he got home from the hospital. He slept on the sofa and doggie became a protective fixture to him. She even bit me when I tried to shake Ds' feet one morning to wake him up.:glare:

 

Now she seems to think anyone on the sofa is in dire need of guarding. I have a bad back and have spent quite a bit of time on that sofa so she's transferred her protectiveness to me (that and Ds24 got married and moved out). Soooooo, now she thinks the sofa, living room, house, yard, county, etc. belong to her and I've indulged her because, darn it, she is sooooo cute. (Cute as in "she's so ugly she's cute" - not cute as in yorkie:D).

 

Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I'll update if anything changes.

 

ETA: I don't know about the vision thing. She's got a terrible sense of smell though. I've always thought she just wasn't very bright. She hears the car in the driveway, hears the car door shut, (all the while now she is barking), hears the steps on the front stoop, hears the door open, and as soon as family member comes in she starts wagging her tail and stops barking.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Kathleen in VA

[Guest annrie]

I have a dog like this. We got her at the pound and she is about 10 pounds also. She is part Brussels Griffon (we think), she has an underbite which makes her look odd, but we love her anyway. She is very attached to me, although in the past yr. she has stopped sitting in my lap. We say she is bi-polar because she can be friendly one minute and snappy the next. She was abused by previous owner and if you swat with newspaper (like on the couch and tell her no) she gets crazy. We have discovered that time outs work best with her. Never have I had a dog that this worked on, but it does with her.

 

I agree with the others who said she thinks she is alpha. When Gizmo(my bi-polar dog) gets grouchy, we firmly tell her no and put her in her crate. Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes longer. She eventually got the idea. Also, she has a health problem where she does not produce cortesal (sp?) and has to be on prednisone for the rest of her life. If she has a flare up, she really gets nuts to the point of trying to bite anyone that touches her. This doesn't happen very often. I would try the time outs and see if that helps. You have to be very firm, use the same word every time (ex. NO) and put her straight in her crate till she calms down. Then let her out and proceed until she does it again. If after a week or so you don't see any improvement, I would try the vet. But the main thing is don't let her have control.

 

Hope this helps!

[Kathleen in VA]

Thanks, Annrie. Wish I could blame my dog's bad behavior on a previous owner.:D I have a crate and will try the time out approach on her next time she shows her fang (she has one bottom tooth that sticks out - she really is so ugly she's cute).

 

I pulled the blanket off the sofa and put it at my feet. She came and lay down on it. I also got a bacon strip treat thingy and am tearing off bits to use as rewards. I am giving her a bit when she obeys my command to stay and lie down. She is behaving very subdued right now. We'll see how long this lasts.

[ktgrok]

A dog trainer would be ideal' date=' but they are pricy. :tongue_smilie: Isn't there a guy called the dog whisperer - or something like that - who has a show on TV about how to deal with specific dog problems? I believe I caught his show once when this problem was addressed. Maybe try googling? I'll see if I can find it as well. Or ... maybe there's a dog trainer who you could barter with? Maybe she or he needs childcare, or ...[/quote']

 

Please, not the dog whisperer. He is ridiculous and dangerous. However, there is a VERY inexpensive book called "MINE!" that you can get on amazon. It is very very short. It has step by step directions on how to train her so she isn't like this. This is called object gaurding, and the object is you :)

 

The good news is it is the easiest type of aggression to fix. Get the book, get a GOOD trainer if you can.One that is CPDT certified. A bad trainer is worse than no trainer, so if they don't agree with what you read in "MINE!" don't let them near your dog. A good friend, who is also a veterinarian, hired a trainer recently. (I used to train for her, but I moved away). She was having agression issues starting up with her springer that comes to work with her each day. After a few sessions with the trainer he was 10 times worse. After talking with a good veterinary behaviorist she now keeps the dog in the other room during work hours, so he can have time to recover from the "training." ugh.

 

Anyway, this is the book: http://www.amazon.com/Mine-Practical-Guide-Resource-Guarding/dp/0970562942/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314395970&sr=8-2

 

In the short term, if the dogs growls at someone while sitting in your lap, stand up. Don't let him sit in your lap. Using leashes is the safest way to deal with this. Definitely put the dog away before answering the door. the more the dog practices being agressive the more ingrained the behavior.

 

And do not use harsh punishment, or "alpha" rolls or such....it is a recipe for a dog bite.

[DarlaS]

Pack "theory" does work. I know from experience. Dogs are pack animals, I really don't see how you can say that it doesn't work. Yes there are other ways to train dogs, but it isn't hooey.

 

IS that what I said?? :001_huh:

 

And dogs are pack animals only when it suits them or if they have no choice. Otherwise they form small family units and generally view outsiders as competitors for food. Fortunately acting as the parent plays out like acting like a pack leader. So it can often be better (at least temporarily) than letting the dog push you around.

 

It very often can work or appear to work--generally with more submissive dogs, but it is still based on flawed science. It's also potentially dangerous when people think alpha rolling an aggressive dog is a good idea because Cesar does it (and yes, I do realize no one actually suggested that).

 

He has a better-than-average grasp of dog body language that has served him well in lieu of actual animal behavior education (hence the "don't try this at home" type warnings flashed across the screen during his show...). Those tricks don't work for everyone. He's a grown man, and very few dogs would not naturally submit to him, but when they don't, he gets bitten. He's actually been bitten quite a lot.

 

Where's hornblower these days? She had a lot of great advice for aggression and resource guarding problems in dogs. I miss her posts.

[ktgrok]

:iagree: Great advice! Cesar Milan (the Dog Whisperer) deals with dogs like this ALL THE TIME on his show. Do you have Netflix? or maybe your library might have a season of his show. We have a couple dogs and his methods WORK.

 

CountryGirl2 mentioned this in a later post and Cesar Milan has his clients do this - walk your dog. Getting more exercise will help to get your dog into a better frame of mind and help to make YOU the leader of your pack.

 

Cesar has also had dogs almost die at his facility from his training methods. Also, if you watch the show, he gets bit almost every episode. If there is one thing that is a sign of a bad trainer that is it!!! He says every dog is dominant, even the VERY submissive ones. Dogs that are giving every single "fear biter" submissive signal they can, and he says it is dominant and then uses "flooding" to try to cure it. The dogs he works with often shut down, but the problem is not cured. I've been to seminars at veterinary conferences dissecting his show. It is awful. Please please don't use his methods on troubled dogs. Yes, some of his ideas are valid, like lots of exercise; no one is wrong all the time. But his methods on dealing with aggression are out of date, not based on science, and damaging to the dogs. Not to mention dangerous for people...hence the "do not try this at home" at the start of each show. Every veterinary behavior organization has written to try to get his show taken off the air.

 

"It's Me or the Dog" with Victoria Stilwell is an amazing show, in contrast.

[ktgrok]

Pack "theory" does work. I know from experience. Dogs are pack animals, I really don't see how you can say that it doesn't work. Yes there are other ways to train dogs, but it isn't hooey.

 

Dog packs do not work like that. There is little to no physical intimidation by the "alpha" dogs. There IS voluntary submission by the subordinate dogs. But, even subordinate dogs will growl and protect their food from the dominant dogs. It is very fluid, and who is "in charge" changes from situation to situation.

 

The "pack theory" stuff came out of studies on captive wolves relating to each other, and were totally misneterpreted. The studies have since been redone, and came to different results. Too late for the mainstream media though. Either way, they dealt with wolf/wolf interaction, not wolf/human interaction. We are not wolves and not able to act like wolves. And our dogs are not wolves. The whole thing is silly.

[ktgrok]

IS that what I said?? :001_huh:

 

And dogs are pack animals only when it suits them or if they have no choice. Otherwise they form small family units and generally view outsiders as competitors for food. Fortunately acting as the parent plays out like acting like a pack leader. So it can often be better (at least temporarily) than letting the dog push you around.

 

It very often can work or appear to work--generally with more submissive dogs, but it is still based on flawed science. It's also potentially dangerous when people think alpha rolling an aggressive dog is a good idea because Cesar does it (and yes, I do realize no one actually suggested that).

 

He has a better-than-average grasp of dog body language that has served him well in lieu of actual animal behavior education (hence the "don't try this at home" type warnings flashed across the screen during his show...). Those tricks don't work for everyone. He's a grown man, and very few dogs would not naturally submit to him, but when they don't, he gets bitten. He's actually been bitten quite a lot.

 

Where's hornblower these days? She had a lot of great advice for aggression and resource guarding problems in dogs. I miss her posts.

 

I totally agree. I often told clients that he gets away with what he does because he has REALLY good timing, not because he has good methods. And timing is 90% of training. But, very few pet owners I've met have the same kind of ability to time things, so they need to have good methods. Using his methods with bad timing will do horrible damage to the dog, and probably result in the person being bitten.

 

(speaking about dogs with aggression, not normal dogs)

[WishboneDawn]

Dog packs do not work like that. There is little to no physical intimidation by the "alpha" dogs. There IS voluntary submission by the subordinate dogs. But, even subordinate dogs will growl and protect their food from the dominant dogs. It is very fluid, and who is "in charge" changes from situation to situation.

 

The "pack theory" stuff came out of studies on captive wolves relating to each other, and were totally misneterpreted. The studies have since been redone, and came to different results. Too late for the mainstream media though. Either way, they dealt with wolf/wolf interaction, not wolf/human interaction. We are not wolves and not able to act like wolves. And our dogs are not wolves. The whole thing is silly.

 

My young dog has been teaching me this. We just don't realize how far dogs have come from their wolfy days. They've evolved physically to communicate with us - the way they recognize our voice commands, show so much of the whites of their eyes, even mimic our expressions.

 

They're not people, not by a long shot. Neither are they wolves.

[Guest annrie]

Kathleen, my dog has a tooth that sticks out also!! How funny.

[SonshineLearner]

You can train a dog of any age. It just takes more work when they're older. Kathleen, I would suggest you take her to your vet and discuss her behaviour with the vet. Sometimes, when a dog's behaviour changes, there is a health issue that could be causing it or exacerbating it. Your vet may also have suggestions for a trainer as well.

 

I agree ;)

Edited August 26, 2011 by NayfiesMama

[NCMom]

IS that what I said?? :001_huh:

 

And dogs are pack animals only when it suits them or if they have no choice. Otherwise they form small family units and generally view outsiders as competitors for food. Fortunately acting as the parent plays out like acting like a pack leader. So it can often be better (at least temporarily) than letting the dog push you around.

 

It very often can work or appear to work--generally with more submissive dogs, but it is still based on flawed science. It's also potentially dangerous when people think alpha rolling an aggressive dog is a good idea because Cesar does it (and yes, I do realize no one actually suggested that).

 

He has a better-than-average grasp of dog body language that has served him well in lieu of actual animal behavior education (hence the "don't try this at home" type warnings flashed across the screen during his show...). Those tricks don't work for everyone. He's a grown man, and very few dogs would not naturally submit to him, but when they don't, he gets bitten. He's actually been bitten quite a lot.

 

Where's hornblower these days? She had a lot of great advice for aggression and resource guarding problems in dogs. I miss her posts.

 

:iagree:

Yes, yes, yes - dogs are not wolves, WE are not wolves. And the science this was based on was baaad.

 

Note that the Monks of New Skete retracted their alpha roll advice; they really popularized that idea way, way before Cesar came along.

 

American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement...http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/dominance%20statement.pdf

 

To the OP - I have used this protocol successfully to retrain an older dog. http://www.shirleychong.com/keepers/mindgames.html It's one of those "no free lunch" protocols like an pp suggested.

 

Just changing one aspect of their lives at a time seems to retrain the brain, lol. In fact I'm about to start this with my 12yo dog cause he is really getting in a rut, which is my fault for not training for such a long time.

 

:grouphug:

 

You can do it!

Georgia (also wishing for hornblower...)

[vettechmomof2]

Water with a strong shot of vinegar should cure the licking off of it. I would also institute NILF (Nothing In Life is Free). No more laps, no more beds, no more couches. Seriously. She needs to realize that she is a dog and at the bottom of the chain in your home. Do not baby her, do not give her affection until she has done something to earn it (sit, stay, down, etc). Even food must be earned ie: sit, dog sits, dog gets kibble, down, dog lays down, dog gets kibble, etc. Keep a harness and a 6-8 foot leash on her at all times for control. And trust me, a 10 lb dog can do more damage than you think. I hope you can get it under control. If it were me and I couldn't get her under control, I'd put her to sleep. I can not knowingly give a dog that bites to another person.

 

:iagree:

[WishboneDawn]

Water with a strong shot of vinegar should cure the licking off of it. I would also institute NILF (Nothing In Life is Free). No more laps, no more beds, no more couches. Seriously. She needs to realize that she is a dog and at the bottom of the chain in your home. Do not baby her, do not give her affection until she has done something to earn it (sit, stay, down, etc). Even food must be earned ie: sit, dog sits, dog gets kibble, down, dog lays down, dog gets kibble, etc. Keep a harness and a 6-8 foot leash on her at all times for control. And trust me, a 10 lb dog can do more damage than you think. I hope you can get it under control. If it were me and I couldn't get her under control, I'd put her to sleep. I can not knowingly give a dog that bites to another person.

 

There was a case locally not to long ago of a little Shih Tzu that attacked someone's face. They're cute and usually carried and people like to get close. A big dog might take a chunk out of your leg but a nasty little dog could take off a nose, ear or cheek.