[Goodgirlinred]

Harm and I tried obedience school when he was nine months old or so. Even then he was almost half my body weight. He pulled me down so many times that I hurt my back and we flunked out.

Unfortunately, Harm has established himself as the Alpha male and me as the Alpha female. He rules. RATS! He even used to gently put his mouth around my throat when he would get me down on the floor. He doesn't do that anymore. Whew! He has some very big choppers!

However, he is a big sweetie and loves people, except for the ones he senses are a threat to me. There have been a couple of those and he has taken care of the situation. ;)

So, do you think we could try obedience school again? He listens to other people, especially people with deep voices, better than he listens to me. :(

Oh, Harm does recognize my late husband's 17 year old sheltie as the alpha dog when they are together. Teddy has dementia, is very hard of hearing and has difficulty seeing. Harm will not try to take Teddy's food away. When Teddy growls at him, Harm lies down on his back and exposes his throat. He also looks after Teddy when they go outside.

[apackof2]

So, do you think we could try obedience school again? He listens to other people, especially people with deep voices, better than he listens to me. :(

Yes I do because Harm shouldn't be the alpha, YOU should be!

used to gently put his mouth around my throat
when he would get me down on the floor.
Yup this is dominant dog behavior

If you allow him to be the alpha, that's why he doesn't listen to you, and a 90lb dog that doesn't listen/obey his owner can be problems, like jumping on people. He is so big he could hurt someone!

Also when Teddy passes then Harm will assume Teddy's alpha postion and he could get bossy!

I know its hard because we tend to think that our dogs are furry kids and sometimes think they think like us, but they don't and Harm NEEDS to know that YOU are the boss (alpha). Its really the best for you & him.

[HairOfTheDog]

Harm and I tried obedience school when he was nine months old or so. Even then he was almost half my body weight. He pulled me down so many times that I hurt my back and we flunked out.

90 pounds is not an OVERSIZED dog. But he's too strong to be yarding you all over the place with a flat collar. I'd recommend a pinch collar.

It looks like a torture device, I know, but it is not as bad as you think. You can try it on your own leg if you doubt me. What it does, better than any amount of pulling with a flat collar, is speak to the part of his brain that only his momma could reach when she used to grab him by the back of the neck. It mimicks the dominant throat hold of the dominant dog. And it equalizes your strength to his. You put it on him only when on leash, and you never let him pull on it. Only sharp jerking corrections when he needs them.