Apologies for the late response, I've had very limited computer time in the past couple weeks. For southern Cali specifically, if Red is unreachable I'd try to contact either Barbara Davis at www.baddogsinc.com or Caryl Wolf at www.doggiemanners.com.
Hope that helps!
"Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Hey Bterz, I have just noticed that you sent me a PM but I have not been on the forum lately and I did not know.Sorry I missed you.I have a lot to PMs to answer to and I am not going to even try tonight but I will look at yours tomorrow evening so please give me that extra time.I'll also send you my e-mail. Let me touch on this though:
It is great that you want to see if there is a way to "fix" the problem but please keep in mind that there are "problems" that is wiser to manage rather than attempting to somewhat fix. That is the safe way to go anyway, I am pretty sure this what Stormi intended to say. Certainly we would prefer that our dogs get along but there are certain circumstances in which this is just not possible and quite unrealistic to expect .I will give you an example with two females of mine....if you were to came into my house and just hang out with them you would think that these dogs are very social individuals who get along well, which is what happens in most cases. But put a squirrel in the back yard, let them out together without supervision and redirection and they'd nearly kill each other over it. It would be a combo of competing for what they consider a valuable resource and what is high prey drive in both of them. If nobody is there to ask one to down stay or get back inside then vet bills would probably be in the way.
That is not a matter of ignoring a problem or giving up easily, but a matter of dogs being dogs, in born instincts and environment that can set them up to behave in a certain way. That is why I chose not to let both females outside alone, in the same fenced area, simply because I cannot guaranteed that a squirrel won't try to commit suicide and climb my fence. Hard to say what triggered your dogs behavior but it is one of those situations in which management such as separating the two dogs when you could not supervise could have prevented. Maybe it was a dog walking near by, some kind of animals, a sound they reacted to, a smell in the air or on the ground...there definitely are many reasons for two dogs to challenge each other.
I'd be happy to come observe your dogs in their environment ,if you wish, but I am not one to give you any kind of guarantees that those dogs will never lay teeth on each other, especially if they are put in the wrong type of situation. It would pretty ignorant and quite unprofessional of anyone to do so when you search for someone to help you keep that in mind.Resource guarding toward you coming close to a bowl of food or toy is something that can be improved easily when the right protocols are used.A very important thing for all pet owners, in my opinion, is to set realistic goals and work toward them rather than wanting to solve all issues and all in once.Also important is to notice improvements in certain areas, which you have seen already, and appreciate them. I would pick one issue you want to work with first and focus on it, then move onto the rest. I'd suggest resource guarding first, working to chance your dog's perception toward your presence by a toy or food. It is not pleasant for the dog nor for you.We'll talk more on PMs.
I'm looking for a way to fix the problem, not avoid it & ignore it...maybe that's not possible, but I refuse to give up that easy.
It is great that you want to see if there is a way to "fix" the problem but please keep in mind that there are "problems" that is wiser to manage rather than attempting to somewhat fix. That is the safe way to go anyway, I am pretty sure this what Stormi intended to say. Certainly we would prefer that our dogs get along but there are certain circumstances in which this is just not possible and quite unrealistic to expect .I will give you an example with two females of mine....if you were to came into my house and just hang out with them you would think that these dogs are very social individuals who get along well, which is what happens in most cases. But put a squirrel in the back yard, let them out together without supervision and redirection and they'd nearly kill each other over it. It would be a combo of competing for what they consider a valuable resource and what is high prey drive in both of them. If nobody is there to ask one to down stay or get back inside then vet bills would probably be in the way.
That is not a matter of ignoring a problem or giving up easily, but a matter of dogs being dogs, in born instincts and environment that can set them up to behave in a certain way. That is why I chose not to let both females outside alone, in the same fenced area, simply because I cannot guaranteed that a squirrel won't try to commit suicide and climb my fence. Hard to say what triggered your dogs behavior but it is one of those situations in which management such as separating the two dogs when you could not supervise could have prevented. Maybe it was a dog walking near by, some kind of animals, a sound they reacted to, a smell in the air or on the ground...there definitely are many reasons for two dogs to challenge each other.
I'd be happy to come observe your dogs in their environment ,if you wish, but I am not one to give you any kind of guarantees that those dogs will never lay teeth on each other, especially if they are put in the wrong type of situation. It would pretty ignorant and quite unprofessional of anyone to do so when you search for someone to help you keep that in mind.Resource guarding toward you coming close to a bowl of food or toy is something that can be improved easily when the right protocols are used.A very important thing for all pet owners, in my opinion, is to set realistic goals and work toward them rather than wanting to solve all issues and all in once.Also important is to notice improvements in certain areas, which you have seen already, and appreciate them. I would pick one issue you want to work with first and focus on it, then move onto the rest. I'd suggest resource guarding first, working to chance your dog's perception toward your presence by a toy or food. It is not pleasant for the dog nor for you.We'll talk more on PMs.
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DoggyDaddy
- Matured Bully
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:53 pm
- Location: Arlington, Tx.
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Diesel is now reactive to dogs on their backs in submission. He jumps in when other dogs gather around the underdog. As a result I have stopped taking him to dog parks. His sister is fine, she just wants to play, so now I take her and leave him at home. He doesn't understand this new deal, but I cannot let him attack like that any more. He's done it twice and that's enough.
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BruinsMama
- Newborn Bully
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:33 am
- Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Hi Stormi,
What about in puppies? We recently got a 3.5 month old pup that had been at the shelter since it was 2 months (that's being socialized in a way right? Seems to me that would be considered being around a lot of dogs?). He is GREAT with people, but pretty aggressive with other dogs. We introduced him to a non-aggressive but big 1 year old pit/lab mix, and Bruin went at him again and again, despite the other dog putting him in his place over and over. He nipped at his cheeks, his neck, his legs, and went for his penis region too...to the point he even cut/scraped the other dogs genital area. A trainer tells me that these are signs of possible canine-aggressive behavior. As a result, we've been doing our version of puppy boot camp...we can't afford a trainer, but we make him work for everything... We hand feed him his food (which he has to work for), we won't pet him unless he sits/shakes/etc. We're hoping these things make him trust us and will allow us to control him when it comes to other dogs in the future. He's very smart and takes orders well, although every once in a while he seems to just not want to obey, and ignores us. Do you have any advice on how to a deal with an aggressive puppy? He is SUCH a sweetheart otherwise. We want to socialize him with other dogs, but not sure what kind/what situations, etc. Does this meant he is going to be dog-aggressive forever? Is this just his personality or maybe it was due to being taken away from his litter too soon? How should we handle it when he ignored our commands? Is there any other training we can do that will help him deal better with other dogs?
What about in puppies? We recently got a 3.5 month old pup that had been at the shelter since it was 2 months (that's being socialized in a way right? Seems to me that would be considered being around a lot of dogs?). He is GREAT with people, but pretty aggressive with other dogs. We introduced him to a non-aggressive but big 1 year old pit/lab mix, and Bruin went at him again and again, despite the other dog putting him in his place over and over. He nipped at his cheeks, his neck, his legs, and went for his penis region too...to the point he even cut/scraped the other dogs genital area. A trainer tells me that these are signs of possible canine-aggressive behavior. As a result, we've been doing our version of puppy boot camp...we can't afford a trainer, but we make him work for everything... We hand feed him his food (which he has to work for), we won't pet him unless he sits/shakes/etc. We're hoping these things make him trust us and will allow us to control him when it comes to other dogs in the future. He's very smart and takes orders well, although every once in a while he seems to just not want to obey, and ignores us. Do you have any advice on how to a deal with an aggressive puppy? He is SUCH a sweetheart otherwise. We want to socialize him with other dogs, but not sure what kind/what situations, etc. Does this meant he is going to be dog-aggressive forever? Is this just his personality or maybe it was due to being taken away from his litter too soon? How should we handle it when he ignored our commands? Is there any other training we can do that will help him deal better with other dogs?
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karmelofuzz
- Newborn Bully
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Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
I have got a 10 week old pup and he is extremely aggressive. Barks noms on everything growls and snips at people. He has been severally beaten i haven't ever had a dog that has come from an aggressive house hold. My other pit we got from a really good friend and they treated their dogs wonderful. I don't want to get rid of him but he barks and i can't get avicted from my apartment. Does anyone have any advice.
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
karmelofuzz wrote:I have got a 10 week old pup and he is extremely aggressive. Barks noms on everything growls and snips at people. He has been severally beaten i haven't ever had a dog that has come from an aggressive house hold. My other pit we got from a really good friend and they treated their dogs wonderful. I don't want to get rid of him but he barks and i can't get avicted from my apartment. Does anyone have any advice.
That's not a "dog aggression" issue, really. Being that he's still so young, I would get him in with a qualified behavior consultant ASAP. You've got very limited time to possibly turn his unfortunate puppyhood around. If you'd like, I'll PM you the info of a couple behavior consultants in your area.
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karmelofuzz
- Newborn Bully
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:41 pm
- Location: Nashville, Tn
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Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Stormi wrote:karmelofuzz wrote:I have got a 10 week old pup and he is extremely aggressive. Barks noms on everything growls and snips at people. He has been severally beaten i haven't ever had a dog that has come from an aggressive house hold. My other pit we got from a really good friend and they treated their dogs wonderful. I don't want to get rid of him but he barks and i can't get avicted from my apartment. Does anyone have any advice.
That's not a "dog aggression" issue, really. Being that he's still so young, I would get him in with a qualified behavior consultant ASAP. You've got very limited time to possibly turn his unfortunate puppyhood around. If you'd like, I'll PM you the info of a couple behavior consultants in your area.
that would be awesome thank u
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Idk if these is a stupid question but whatever. I'm getting a new 16 week old pit female. I already have a 9 or 10 month old pit, male, nuetred, at home. He loves other animals, should I worry about the female dog I'm bringing in causeing problems? Or is she too young??? I need help!
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trexgorawrrrrr
- Pit Bull Forum Addict
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- Location: Ottawa, IL
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
bea4mr wrote:Idk if these is a stupid question but whatever. I'm getting a new 16 week old pit female. I already have a 9 or 10 month old pit, male, nuetred, at home. He loves other animals, should I worry about the female dog I'm bringing in causeing problems? Or is she too young??? I need help!
There is always a possibility in a multi-dog household that the dogs won't get along...
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
bea4mr wrote:Idk if these is a stupid question but whatever. I'm getting a new 16 week old pit female. I already have a 9 or 10 month old pit, male, nuetred, at home. He loves other animals, should I worry about the female dog I'm bringing in causeing problems? Or is she too young??? I need help!
Other than that being a handful for you (a teenager and a toddler, oh my!) I wouldn't immediately assume problems. You may notice some set back in training for your male dog simply because of the change in routine and environment with adding the puppy. Have the two of them met yet? The only thing that I would watch out for, aside from the obvious keeping high value items seperate, is the fact that adolecent dogs do have a tendancy to play very rudely, so I'd supervise play closely just to be sure you're not seeing any leg grabs, tail grabs, torpedo dog, or bullying. If you are planning on getting her into a puppy class, I'd do so quickly as most have a cut off of 18 weeks.
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
My teen dog I have already is great with dogs of all ages. But I'm just worried of them fighting or anything bad like that. Nd no they haven't met. I was planning on introducing them at the park by my house.
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
Do you know what the puppy's socialization history is? Has she met and played with other dogs much since birth? When was she removed from her littermates?
"Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
RHD03 wrote:Today we took all 3 dogs to the dog park and I kept him on the leash because I just don't quite trust him around other dogs yet. And with good reason, he went after every single dog that came up to say hi. I know he hasn't been well socialized in the past and that's my fault for not having enough time for him.
Taking an undersocialized dog to a dog park and restraining him via a leash and forcing him to defend himself is not going to be too helpful. Most dog parks have rules about no leashed dog's inside for a good reason- leashes restrict a dog's flight option. Take that away from one who is already shown he's uncomfortable being bombarded by other dog's is only going to reinforce his feeling of anxiety around other dogs. Now there's a dozen reasons why dog parks are a bad idea for our breed that are detailed out in a sticky in the general thread. Allowing him to practice the behavior of reacting towards other dogs is going to worsen his behavior, not better it.
I might suggest picking up a copy of Leslie McDevitt's "Control Unleashed" and read up on playing the "look at that" game. It will help give you the tools to work with him and gain focus in the presence of other dogs without placing him in a situation that will set him up to react and fail. Socialization isn't something you can re-do, but you can help him gain confidence and positive associations with other dogs.
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jordanberry20
- Newborn Bully
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- Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:23 pm
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
My only problem is my dog doesnt like the little toy breeds or any small breed. She is fine around other breeds her size or bigger unless they start barking at her. My girlfriend has 2 English Mastiffs and she plays with them until they run at her she falls to the floor so they stop and she goes at them again and it just keeps going on like that. My cousin has a pitbull that she always plays with shares her water bowl with his pit but wont share her food. When it comes to the toy/small breeds her hair stands up on her back and shes ready to get them. I usually avoid walking by areas I know with the small breeds.
Re: "Is my dog dog-aggressive?"
My 7 month old pup when playing with dogs of his age starts off great but if there are two dogs and the other two arent really playing with him but eachother he starts to become kind of aggressive? He starts off playing nicely with them but then he'll start to try and forcefully bite the top part of one of the dogs necks almost like he's upset? He doesnt do this with all dogs just certain ones? Does anyone know what type of aggression that may be or what he's doing? With older dogs or large ones he does not display this type of behavior only dogs around his age? Sometimes he gets so worked up i have to remove him from the situation? He is still intact and scheduled to be nuetered in about a week, will this behavior lessen after his operation?
Thanks,
Thanks,
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