is it domiance or aggression? or what?
The dog snuck into the bedroom and jumped on our bed while my boyfriend was sleeping. So i called the dog to come and when he didn't i went to get him(because i didn't want the dog to get the idea that he didn't have to listen to me and get more dominant...) anyway, so i cross to the other side of the bed and i go to grap his collar and when i did-all of a sudden he went to the very edge of the bed(closest to where i was standing) and tried to bite, when i backed-up he kept barking and snarling and showing his teeth. to me he looked like one of those rabid dogs you see on law and order who mauled someone to death. Needless to say this was a side i have never seen before and was compltly shocked. My boyfriend shoved him off the bed and the dog then decided he wasnt upset and came up to lick me, like nothing had ever happened. Weird right? So, after a long talk my boyfriend thinks i am not dominant enough over the dog and i should become more so. He put the dog into the kitchen with a baby-gate for some isolation. I went to make soem coffee and the dog jumped right over the gate-right in front of me! So (trying to become more dominant) i said you are a bad dog and went to grab him, and guess what-he did the rabid dog routine again. So my boyfriend seems to believe that this isn't really that much of a problem because he has done this before and has never bitten someone. He also thinks i should become more dominant. I grew up in a household that my dog knew its place in the pack and if this ever happened it would be gone-so im not used to dealing with this. I asked my boyfriend if we could go into a training program but he refused. It seems to me that for whatever reason this dog has decided that he is higher than me and my roommate and not only doesnt have to listen to us, but can essentially threaten us(to bite). I just feel like this is going to keep escalating until someone gets bitten. I would really like to not get to that step-but i just don't know what to do when we already seem to be quite far gone into this problem. So i am wondering, what would you do to train this dog? Thanks for all of your help.  |
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| I just want to say that if you know (and now you do) that going to grab the dog will upset it and cause it to growl (which is a warning system) then don't grab at him. My dog does not like me to grab him by the collar, so I don't.
There are many things you can do to establish dominance like feed him, etc. I'm sure there are others with more detailed directions on this, though. And, if you do a search on this site there have topics similar to this. Good luck and be careful! |
| Bosley's Mom gave me this great link to a dog training website page specifically about resourcing. I hope it helps and BE CAREFUL!
http://www.ahimsadogtraining.com/handou ... rding.html |
| Until you get a handle on what's going on...
If he is showing signs of aggression, be very careful. Personally, I don't think you should not be grabbing him and forcing him to do anything... he is probably viewing this as a confrontation or challenge. Instead of forcing him to do something, reward him for good behavior. If you want him off the bed, have a treat in hand, tell him to come/sit, then give him the treat and close the door. You will achieve the same result but in a much more pleasant manner for both you and the sheepie-boy. To raise your status in his eyes, you might consider being the one who feeds him exclusively... no food from anyone else. Will he allow you to place his food dish on the floor? If so, make him sit, give him his food and walk away. And do not attempt to pick up his food dish while he is present. I lived with a dog with aggressive tendencies for years and it's just about finding a compromise you can both live with. Please don't force the issue... all dogs have a bite threshold and if pushed far enough, all dogs will bite. If necessary, talk to a professional trainer who is experienced in gentle/kind training that can help you achieve the upper hand. |
| Good advise.
Remember, too, that force or aggression on your part will always be met with aggression on his part. Positive training methods work best!!  |
| Is he neutered? If not, get him neutered as soon as possible.
1-2 years old is when your dog is going through his teenage years and bad behavior can easily get out of control at this age. I would not let him on the bed any longer. You are right to think that this is a dominance issue and he needs to relearn his place in the pack. You can get him a nice doggie bed and that should be his bed from now on. Also, I would pick up this book The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation, by Jan Fennell |
| A dog that is growling and showing his teeth is communicating something to you, so best you listen. Don't correct him for this behavior, because he is at least telling you that he is not happy. You need to get to the root of the problem.
Personally, I am not big on the pack order and "alpha" theory between humans and dogs. That came out big 10 plus years ago, but recent research has resulted it that hierchy is species specific. For example, you can have an dog that is alpha to other dogs, but people do not come into the equation, because we are not dogs. But that is another discussion. Annie's mom, I thought of resource-guarding, also. Guarding the bed or the boyfriend. It is difficult if not impossibel to assess what is happening here, unless it is observed first hand. He growls at the room-mate, but there is no way we can suggest reasons why, because we have no idea on the history between them, or the situations it happens. As for your own handling, most dog bites occur in the home, family members are bittne, and it is because of grabbing a collor. Don't do it, because a bite could be the death sentence for the dog, when he is trying to tell you not to do it. I get the impressin that he fears you, or feels threatened by you. Change your demanor with him. Be gentle, fill you pockets with treats, speak calmly to him, give him massages, earn his trust and don't surpise him with negative behavior, ever. Dogs do not forget. And get in a professional trainer or behaviiorist, before something happens. Someone who uses postive reinsforcement. The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) can refer someone. Be carefull, as it seems like no-one knows what the triggers are, so it can happen anytime. |
| good ideas-thanks. I am suprised that you guys responded so quickly! My only problem is, when he is doing something bad like not getting up from the floor because i need to go out and have to put him away he wont get up and he will growl if you attempt to use his collar. So i tried tempting him with a treat for 20 min before he finally gave in,l and that was only after i tricked him by making his shake thus making him stand. That is a little ridiculous. I understand what you are saying about not grabbing at the collar, but if you want him to comply with your directions then how else can you see it through? I also get positive reinforcement, but when an animal has backslide in his training this much and this fast-it makes me feel like there is no winning.
PLus, in the mean time-i feel like my boyfriend somewhat encourages this behavior because-he rough houses with him, if the dog doesn't follow through with a command(unless he has been very bad or up to recently) my boyfriend wouldn't follow-though, until recently he allowed and encourages the dog to go up on the couches and beds-and i believe this allows the dog to think of these area's as protected spaces and his territory. So what would you suggest to do for my boyfriend and I? As for my roommate, she steps into the kitchen and he immediatly growls and shows his teeth to her. She has been here for about 3 months and this behavior has been getting progressivly worse. When she first moved in he was very friendly and ignored her when she came into the kitchen but now she feels almost threatened if she were to go in there to do her morning routine. She has never done anything to scare or hurt him-so i can't even imagine why he is doing this to her. She is also now scared of him. I just don't understand what encourged his behavior all of a sudden. But he was away for a week, and possibly this did it? He apparently did this as a puppy also and "grew-out" of it. This scares me, because what if one day he just does this out of no where? So, sorry to bog you all down with this, i dont know if this info. is any more helpful-but i thought maybe it could help. So if you were in my situation, what would you do? |
| I'd call a professional trainer who is experienced with aggression now and have them come in to assess this sheepie-boys behavior. If he's showing teeth for just entering a room, don't let anyone kid you... there's a problem.
As Nicole mentioned, APDT is a good place to start a search for a trainer. Here's their website- http://www.apdt.com . Membership doesn't guarantee their methods or qualifications but they atleast have to pay the $100 a year membership fee which shows some commitment to what they do. Get recommendations from your vet too... a lot of times they know who's good and the approach they use for behavioral modification. We have a very arrogant Schipperke-mix that has some aggression issues with Panda-the-Fearless-Filbert so we have a trainer (also an APDT member) coming to the house for private training. He's been coming for a few weeks now with another lesson tomorrow. He came recommended by our vet and also other trainers in the area. Just a quick questions... is the dog by any chance being "free-fed"? In other words, is food out for him all the time so he eats when ever he wants? This could be why the treats didn't work for you. You might ask the trainer about feeding him twice a day at set times so he looks to you for all things good. Please call tomorrow... if this behavior just started, maybe they can help determine why and how to correct it before it ever gets to a bite. You all deserve to have a peaceful existance together. |
| I love this forum!! You can always get informed and different answers to chose from that suit your needs and situation!
I would call the vet. They always seem to have a good list of trainers in the area that could help. Also, it might be good for him to aware of what is going on if it turns out to be a medical problem. ( IE: low thyroid, sore neck...) Good luck! alison |
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