Agression Training: Help!
Well we finally decided to get Sammy some Rage management help. Here is Why: Last month: Jumped our fence and attacked a dog being walked. He gave the dog puncture wounds= a nice vet bill... Christmas Eve: -Sammy Growled at a 2 year old boy. (Tried to bite one in August, a different 2yr.old) Christmas night: Sammy got into a fight with my in-laws little mutt. I broke it apart and got bit on the head (by Sammy) when trying to break them up---blood was gushing out of my head like in a horror movie. Had to get three stitches, luckly his family are all doctors-so they sowed me up in the kitchen; hence, I did not have to spend the evening in the hospital. So we are going to see the top trainer in Maryland tomorrow for a meet and great at their compund. They usually deal with Pit Bulls, Shepard’s, Rots, and Boxers who are biters and have horrible temperaments. The options for training: We have the option of boarding him there for Three weeks> that way we get a guarantee. $550. Or we do individual lessons $55 each or 10 for $450> no guarantee, but he won't think were abandoning him. Sammy is a great dog. He's loving to all adults, teens, and older Children. He listens, does many tricks, and never messes in the house. Even scrapes on the door when he need to go out. He is so good we let him sleep in our bed too. Does any one know what would be best for this type of situation? Also Sammy is neutered. -Thanks- PS. I'm really scared for when we have babies, which could be in the next three years. I guess he will have to wear a musle when we cross that bridge. |
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| I strongly recommend NOT leaving Sammy for his 3 week training retreat. I would be directly involved with his re-training and make sure that YOU are learning as much as he is. Aside from the abandonment issue - he would also see the trainer as who he needs to listen to - and you may end up with problems when he returns home (not responding to you). I also would rather be there to see what is done to him during this time. MAke sure they don't use horrid punishment tactics (like Zap Collars when he misbehaves) - as this could backfire with a dog like Sammy. I was involved with a Rescue case where the family had spent thousands of dollars on one of these "boot camps" and the dog came back worse and came close to having to be euthanized - the trainer Zapped him with every wrong move - and it was horrible.
In addition to training - I would suggest you have some bloodwork / workup done on Sammy. Often times, aggression is due to hypothyroidism. I would recommend getting him out of the bed too - this could be causing some problems. I wish you the best of luck! I hope everything turns out well! Hang in there. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers! Kristen |
| I definitely agree with Kristen - be directly involved with Sammy's re-training. Do NOT leave him at the trainers for three weeks. You may also want to investigate getting a trainer to come to your house. Sammy may act differently at the trainer's compound than at your home.
Good luck. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Jennifer |
| ... YOU have to take active part in his training. Sammy's clearly one of those personality types who doesn't understand who's alpha (boss) of the pack (that thing us uprights call a "home"). This lack of understanding on a pup's part is actually quite common. It's how we get it resolved that makes the difference.
Sammy doesn't understand his position. He's acting out. I seriously doubt he was born to be an alpha, he's had no example of how an alpha behaves to preserve the pack, and now he thinks he's in an alpha role. This is a terrible, unwelcome pressure on him; for which he's horribly unequipped. He'll be much better behaved, as well as much happier, once YOU do something to correct the home. Don't wait for him to do it -- it won't happen. This isn't about "rage management": it's about a healthy pack under your roof. A normal dog doesn't exhibit rage: he's only trying to defend some aspect of his pack as his unguided instinct tells him he must. He's a dog: canis familaris might have been selectively bred by mankind, but we've never succeeded in breeding out their pack instinct. When we choose to welcome dogs into our homes, we have to remember that theirs is a different language and a different standard of behavior. Fortunately, it's a language that's easy to understand and a standard of behavior that's easy to divert into something acceptable by humans, as long as we make certain allowances and set certain boundaries. When you take Sammy for training, remember that YOU are the one being trained -- Sammy's gonna pick up whatever it is the trainer has for him to do very quickly. Do NOT just send him away. What that trainer is offering to guarantee you for your $550 is that you'll have a thoroughly broken canine when he's returned to you. Oh, he'll behave, alright. He'll just be neurotic as h**l, and you'll probably want your old dog back; but it will be too late. Anybody can break a dog, and if you just send him away for 3 weeks, that's what you're going to get. But if you work with him, you'll get all kinds of benefits: (a) you're the boss, easier to establish alpha position at home, and (b) you'll probably get so sick of this guy's methods that you'll seek some alternative. Been there, done that .... but I think you can learn to be the alpha dog without going to those terrible extremes. And that might be all Sammy needs. Never having met him, I wouldn't have a clue; but my suspicions are strong. I've been trained by two professional trainers, who spent their time training ME more than the dog I had with me at the time. Not a bit of what they taught really sunk in until I read a book called The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation, by Jan Fennell. Before you invest thousands in professional trainers, please read this book. I wish I had: my choice of trainers would have been much different ... I would have asked better questions before signing on the dotted line. The book only costs $20 .... If you don't correct your dog now, you're going to have nothing but trouble come later. I see -- quite sadly -- yet another foster "special needs" OES in our future if you don't. Or worse. Perfectly good dogs get put to sleep for less. Sometimes, we uprights -- in our ignorance -- break the spirit of our dogs in an effort to 'civilize' them, and sometimes I don't know which is worse: having them PTS, or turning them into neurotics. But now, having been informed, you have an alternative. BTW, your dog -- having bitten humans and animals previously -- is eligible to be declared a "vicious dog" in many areas. I don't think I have to tell you what that means. Act with urgency, please. You, Sammy, and your unborn children remain in my prayers. Peace, --Jim-- |
| You've had some excellent replies... there are alternatives, many options, and you may have to try a few to find what works, but as Jim said, the sooner the better.
I believe it CAN be done. However, that being said, not even a dog with the most wonderful temperment in the world should ever be left unattended with a child, especially an infant. For the child's and the dog's safety. Good luck!  |
| Erinb,
You have a beautiful animal and the prospect of a wonderful family member with the proper training. 100% of dog training is training the upright, not the dog! With that being said, I support reading about the pack mentality and understanding how dogs think. You don't have a bad dog, you have a dog who doesn't know which end is up and what I think you will find is that you have a "pleaser" he wants nothing more in the world than to please you. I have one pleaser and one that is very selfish. My pleaser has had similar situations with dogs, I'm lucky he never attacked kids. I really believe that once you understand what they are thinking, you can turn this situation around and with little or no effort. Read everything you can. Like The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation, by Jan Fennell and I also recommed The Hidden Life Of Dogs, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. I wish you good luck with Sammy, I look at his photo and see a good dog who just needs guidance from those who love him. Leslie |
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