Posted on 01/08/2005 5:49:18 PM PST by WHATNEXT?
My beautiful German Shepherd has become more agressive lately and the time to decide his future is upon us before something happens to us or someone else.
We got him from a breeder of Schuntzhund shepherds. We took him to some training until we decided he was to inclined to be aggressive and that Schuntzhund training was not what he needed. His breeder even told us she knew he would bite (saw it in him as a puppy -- but big money made her not mention it to us apparently--that was the last time we took him to Schuntzhund -- at least 8-9 months ago). We struggled with discipline and attempting to make sure he knew who the boss was.
We decided to neuter him in the slight hope that his aggression would modify. This took away any value of him in field trials or obviously breeding. We had not purchased him to train as a champion, only for a sense of security in a rural setting and after mourning our previous Shepherd for over 2 years, to seek another wonderful Shepherd.
Over the holidays we had company staying in our home that he growled at (he knew them), he growled at both my husband and myself, and he did slightly break my husband's skin on his arm. This morning I leaned over to pet his head and he growled, I strongly reprimanded him, he continued to growl, I demanded that he get out the front door, which he did but growling all the way. He has spent the day outside. He has always growled over his food (we swore we would never tolerate that behavior). We don't think we could ever trust himk with our little grandchildren
So, we have hit the end of our road with him. He is only 19 months old, beautiful, very intelligent and has does have many pleasing personality traits. Our choices: Shepherd rescue group (we will try but most needing rescue are under different circumstances), dog pound, training (we have tried and I'm no soft touch) or euthansia.
This is so depressing.
Ha! I had a horse, Rocco, I called Rockhead who liked to misbehave with inexperienced riders. He wouldn't go so far as to rear and completely take off, though. Butthead sounds like he was a trip.
Yeah, every dog/horse/person is different. Sometimes it's worth just trying lots of different approaches -- maybe you'll find something they'll respond to.
Absolutely, great point and I totally agree. You can't cuddle them to soothe their fears, or they will quickly learn that bad behavior is how you get cuddles. We just calmly say "no" (but we don't yell, hit or make any threatening motions) and drag him into time out. The key with our dog when he behaves badly is not to interact with him (makes it worse), but instead to just give him some quiet time for a little while. It's still punishment because he is dragged upstairs against his will (reinforcing our physical dominance)...but it also just calms him down.
It does sound complicated. I wish you the best of luck -- it's tough dealing with special needs dogs (but worth it if you can get them to come around). I'm sorry you have to deal with this.
I'd pay a large sum to get a particular friend of mine to learn that with her little monster lap-dog ;~D
>"It's the nature of the beast for adolescent dogs to challenge their owners"
This has not been my experience. The only one that has ever growled at me or been rebellious, was my Alpha dog.<
You've never, ever had a 1 to 2 year old dog disobey a down (my Malinois will go into an exaggerated bow position, when told to down by my daughter, all the while grinning in doggy fashion), keep sniffing some smell when you call, or get up on your place on the couch? The challenge from a dog can be pretty subtle, and it's not confined to growling.
>If this family does not have the ability to get this dog under control, then finding him a home with the police where they have the experience to control that personality is far better than destroying him. He can be both a happy and useful part of our society.<
I will agree that this is an alternative solution to the one I suggested. However, something must be done with this dog to bring him back to safe behavior.
However, it's the wrong tool to use on a dominant dog to correct aggression.
But she doesn't dispute food because she knows that we have to power to take the food away while she's eating, make her sit or down before her bowl until told it's o.k. to eat, etc. She will lift a lip if one of the cats tries to steal her food, but she'll politely wait until the cats are finished eating THEIR food before she licks their plate clean . . .
we dealt with food issues thoroughly while she was still a tiny puppy - that's the issue that Labs can get aggressive on (at least as aggressive as a Lab ever gets, which isn't very. Not this one anyway.)
>He is also not to be permitted in "his" chair (that was the last growling location).<
Most dog trainers are going to tell you to keep this dog off any and all furniture. He needs to be kept on the floor, or in a crate.
The pros on AGBEH will tell you this.
They seem to think that because they have a chihuahua or a min-pin, what would be condemned as unacceptable aggression in a full size dog is somehow "cute" or "tough". It's unacceptable in any size dog, and it isn't cute, and it doesn't make the owner or his dog look "tough". It just shows that the owner can't or won't train his animal properly.
The one I use is not a signal, the sound is turned off, it's an enforcement of a known command. It happens a second or two after the command, only if they aren't moving to act on the command.
However, it's the wrong tool to use on a dominant dog to correct aggression.
Not to simply to zap him for an inappropriate aggression, no, but it certainly can be used to enforce a "DOWN" or "PLOTZ" command, any time, any where, with a territorially aggressive dog. The remote "DOWN-STAY" is the single most important command for a dog that ever works loose. It is the only safe command to give them at a distance sometimes, if they are on the other side of a road, or if they are loose and about to chase something they shouldn't, or if there is a person at the door, or a stranger walking across the yard and the dog goes after him.
The dog is first taught what "DOWN" and means... the collar makes it more enforceable from a distance.
meant to ping you to the above too ;~D
I don't know but I can't stand to listen to her cooo "ooooh honey don't be so upset! It's ok honey" while her dog snarls and yaps.
I've told her. She doesn't think it's a problem ;~D
Had a good dog training moment this morning. Took the dog out before her breakfast for a quick potty break in the front yard. I'm standing there (in my long flannel nightie and duck boots) and Shelley is doing her dogly thing in the bushes, when down the road in the dawn's early light comes a family with a stroller and a Dobermann 30 feet out on a retractable leash.
There are three Dobes in Shelley's agility class, and one of them is her neighbor on the line and a good friend. So naturally she takes off up the driveway to see her friend. I whistle between my teeth and call, "Shelley! SIT!" and she parks her little bottom on the ground in mid-stride. And obeys the "STAY" command as the Dobe and owners stroll past and out of sight. Then came to heel and pranced inside for a well-deserved Special Treat before breakfast.
I still can't believe she minded me that well. Good Dog!
That's great! Any position they will freeze in works. But IMHO the remote "STOP" is more important than the remote "COME". You can always go get them, but you can't catch them if they go!
She's not handling to a blind yet, but she is sending to the pile and learning the "go back" and "sit" commands. "Left" and "right" are next.
It's all so complicated. I don't think I could stand field trialing; I understand that's even worse.
I hunted, but didn't do the hunting titles, so I don't know what's entailed. I did AKC obedience, and a little agility.
Some of those little guys are beyond redemption. :) (I love 'em all anyway, of course!)
When you get up to Seasoned Retriever, she will have to do double marks (i.e. two birds are shot which she sees fall, and she has to retrieve the second bird, then the first from memory), a walkup (moving shot) and two blinds (birds that she doesn't see fall and has to be handled to with signals), one land and one water. Dog has to heel to the line and remain steady without breaking, and deliver all birds to heel and to hand.
I'm not even thinking about Finished Retriever yet. I think she'll have to do triples.
UKC Hunt Tests are supposed to simulate hunting conditions without the hyper-technical requirements of AKC Field Trials.
AKC stuff always gets hyper-something!
Sounds like a cool test. Blind retrieves is certainly something we trained for, because they often don't see the bird go down. They look at you because you made the noise ;~D
I've told her. She doesn't think it's a problem ;~D
She needs to watch "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. He deals with some really nasty snarling yappy dogs and their neurotic owners.
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