Dog Aggression Training PLEASE HELP?
Question by Justine K: Dog Aggression Training PLEASE HELP?
I have a 5 year old flat coated retriever (Harley). She is very well behaved around us, and other people, knows lots of tricks, and, for the most part, listens well. She’s been an angel her whole life and (even though she didn’t have much interaction with other dogs) had a few canine friends. In the past few months, however, I have noticed disturbing changes. She is still an angel around us and our friends and doesn’t care is we’re near her food when she eats (unless its our cats cause they try to eat her food) or anything like that. Lately she has been attacking other dogs. At first we assumed it was territorial; another dog came in our yard so she fought it, understandable. Then she saw the neighbors dog across the street and ran into their yard to attack it, which was when we realized there was a problem. The worst thing was today. My 15 month old cousin was over (Emily). Harley has never had interaction with small children much less babies (I’m the youngest and I was 12 when we got Harley as a 3 month old puppy) but we figured she’d bark and then get over it. We gave Harley a rawhide after some initial barking to keep her quiet so she wouldn’t scare the baby, Harley seemed to relax so we let her be and figured it was fine. Emily followed Harley all around the house and Harley started giving slight growls at her (that should’ve been a warning). We ended up bringing Emily to a different room so she wouldn’t bother the dog. A little while later Emily was walking in the kitchen and Harley came out of the adjacent room and baked feroicously in Emily’s face and looked like she was gonna bite her. Emily started crying of course and was picked up and Harley was instantly told she was a bad dog and crated and since she kept barking and scaring Emily she was moved outside. I have to say, I think the reson Harley did that to Emily was because she didn’t know what Emily was and viewed her more as an intruder or something cause she always fine with new people, but Emily is so little and Harley has never seen anthying like her. I also think Harley’s attacts are fear related because she did have a bad experience with dogs attacting HER (nothing serious requiring a vet or anthying but I’m sure it was still traumatic to Harley). Also, she has always been afarid of other dogs in the neighborhood (there are lots) which meant she couldn’t be taken on walks till after her first birthday because it took so long to break her of that fear. She still does get a little nervous on walks when she sees other dogs but not near everytime and nothing like before. I thought we had kinda broken her of that fear but I guess not cause it looks like now shes expressing it aggressively. What I need help with now is training her to stop acting like she did today, she is my angel and I expect her to behave as such. I need to know how to teach her to respect other dogs and certainly babies. PLLLEEEEEEEEAAAAASE help. thanks =] oh and sorry I wrote so much I felt it was necessary to explain the whole situation.
I appreciate the advice and please keep it coming but do not tell me I have not trained my dog she behaves as she is told she has had a few dog friends (the one across the street used to be her friend) I very much doubt my mother will pay for a dog trainer and I have heard that advice so some other advice would be helpful. I’m not trying to be a bitch or anything but please understand where I’m coming from
Best answer:
Answer by eanne.sakura
Call Cesar Millan, he’s an expert in dog behavior. I’m sure he can help!
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September 2nd, 2011 at 6:26 pm
You have so many different things going on here that you need professional assistance.
The fear of other dogs should have been dealt with when this dog was a pup. She is unsocialized, doesn’t know how to communicate with other dogs, and is dangerous because of it.
I think there is also some enabling going on here, and the dog has no rules or limits of behavior.
Last but not least, YOU set your dog up for failure by giving her a resource and then allowing her to interact with a small child. She was growling because she was guarding her resource, and you are lucky that nothing really bad happened there. The next time you may not be so lucky, and your cousin could have to live with a permanent disfigurement because of your folly. Not to mention your dog being euthanized for it.
You have made many assumptions about your dog’s behavior over the years, and now is the time to step up and find a professional to help you TRAIN the dog.
The Internet is no place to get advice about a dangerous dog.
ETA:You need to understand where I am coming from.
I am not going to be irresponsible enough to give you advice sight unseen on a dog who could be dangerous. We would be idiots to do so.
If you don’t have the money to train the dog, (and I have to tell you that if the dog is fearful, runs and attacks other dogs and resource guards, she is NOT trained), you should probably try to find her a home that can afford to help her.
ETA: Please do NOT do what Amber is suggesting. To leave an aggressive dog alone with people and be to far away to address anything that may happen is just asking for the worst. If you have to, you remove the DOG, not the owner. Heavens!
September 2nd, 2011 at 6:42 pm
You need a professional dog trainer.