Dog Aggressive??

[jackienmutts]

Dogster I had never seen that DINO stuff before, it's FABULOUS!! Going to go back and take another look, may have to order something.

Dlilly, so sorry about that paint ball incident, that's just so rude and frightening, I can't believe it. Glad that's "all" it was, and not something more serious. And I can only imagine how frustrating that has to be, with neighbors letting their dogs just roam free. Will Animal Control do anything if they're called?

Keep working slowly with him, it sounds like you may have a long road ahead. He's lucky to have you. How are things going with him otherwise?

 

[Dogster]

Dogster I had never seen that DINO stuff before, it's FABULOUS!! Going to go back and take another look, may have to order something.

I think I may want to order some stuff too, so people won't come up to my dog and get in her face, or drag their dogs over to her, she just gets too excited. Some people think that she's DA, cuz I try to avoid other dogs on the street, lol

 

[Dlilly]

When my mom found out, she was SO upset and went over to talk to his mom. He says it was an accident, didn't mean to shot at me and his gun is on automatic, but I don't believe it. Honestly, if it was anyone else, I would believe it, but this is the boy who is constantly trying to show off to my brother and bug him. Plus, we were on the other side of the road pretty far away. I think he was trying to scare us by shoting the road or something, but he hit me in the head instead. I have a bump on my head now. I'm seriously terrified because he just got his license. With my luck, he'll hit me with his new car while I'm walking Rory.

There are rarely people walking their dogs. This woman was very nice and kept her distance. People here let their dogs roam free, so I have no clue who the dog belongs to, or if it is feral or not. (I've seen feral dogs hunt a deer while walking Shiloh! ) If Rory was okay with my dogs, I could let him run in our yard, and he wouldn't need to be walked. He hangs out by the doors though and my dogs will bark at him and then he starts barking back, so I have to walk him. My brother comes with me now and looks for a weapon every few feet.

OH the drama!!!!

 

[Dogster]

Don't worry, things can only get better.

 

[Dlilly]

Dogster I had never seen that DINO stuff before, it's FABULOUS!! Going to go back and take another look, may have to order something.

Dlilly, so sorry about that paint ball incident, that's just so rude and frightening, I can't believe it. Glad that's "all" it was, and not something more serious. And I can only imagine how frustrating that has to be, with neighbors letting their dogs just roam free. Will Animal Control do anything if they're called?

Keep working slowly with him, it sounds like you may have a long road ahead. He's lucky to have you. How are things going with him otherwise?

They will take the dog to the pound. My mom wanted to call, but I was weak and said it's fine. Next time I'm going to call. It's just not safe...

I made a thread about him trying to herd me. That's pretty much it for his serious behavioral problems. He is already getting better about not jumping on me or my family. As for pulling on walks, he pulls at first, but then stops pulling after a bit. The deer have been FREAKY lately, they've been super close to us….. Rory did a fantastic job, he pulled to go after it, but I just kept walking and he got over it. Other than him not liking other dogs, he's AMAZING! It stinks that he doesn't like other dogs, that's a big problem. I'm trying to not think about the cats, I know that will also be a problem. (he'll want to herd them) Right now, I'm just focusing on the dog issue...

He actually chased our rooster, he pulled out his 'man feathers' on his butt, and I caught him soon after that. The chickens were being a pain and hanging out around him, but now they don't. I'm not sure if I should be teaching him to leave the chickens alone, or to just have him around them a lot? Right now, I'm just going to wait and ask when we start herding lessons.

 

[MaryK]

That's ghastly Dlilly, I too can really feel for you. Never been near a paint gun, and don't want to either, but imagine they would be quite painful seeing the combatants all wear protective clothing. And dogs just roaming, that's soooooooo awful. Not too much here thank goodness but did have, as everyone knows, the one dog who jumped the fence without warning and attacked both Ra Kismet and myself. It's a terrifying experience and I sure hope you can manage to avoid it. Good for you hiding in the bushes, I would have done the same thing. I agree with Dogster, you're going to have to be extra careful about off leash dogs. Just checked the DINOS site - great one

 

[southerngirl]

so sorry to hear that Dilly For your saftey and Rory's you might want to consider getting a spray that keeps away dogs.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751003
When the labs were barking at Rory did he have a total explosion(lunging, hackles, barking)? Other than those incidents does he seem to be getting better at being around dogs?

 

[MaryK]

so sorry to hear that Dilly For your saftey and Rory's you might want to consider getting a spray that keeps away dogs.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751003
When the labs were barking at Rory did he have a total explosion(lunging, hackles, barking)? Other than those incidents does he seem to be getting better at being around dogs?

Just checked that link, wonder it it's available here in Australia? Will have to google. If not, may consider getting it from the States AFTER checking the quarantine laws, they're very good at confiscating stuff from over seas

Would be good for Dlilly though, sounds like it is just the thing to protect them both

 

[southerngirl]

@MaryK you might be able to find it or something similar to it at you local petstore

 

[MaryK]

Will check, haven't seen anything like it, but then have really been looking for it. Although LOL I do tend to wander around checking everything out, it's the only place here I can 'shop with the boys'

 

[Dlilly]

so sorry to hear that Dilly For your saftey and Rory's you might want to consider getting a spray that keeps away dogs.. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751003
When the labs were barking at Rory did he have a total explosion(lunging, hackles, barking)? Other than those incidents does he seem to be getting better at being around dogs?

His hackles went up, then he started barking and pulling at the leash to get to them.

 

[MaryK]

Was he totally 'zoned out" or could you click/treat? Sounds like you have the same problem I had with Ra Kismet after he was attacked by another dog. If he hasn't totally zoned out on you, try the click/treating. Also, I found it helped Ra Kismet to put him on a Halti/Gentle Leader. This may help you and also it does make it easier for you to keep a hold too

 

[southerngirl]

I was always scared that Missy was going to hurt herself with the gentle leader cause she still lunged at other dogs so I had two leashes on her. I personally like the easy walk harness. When he starts going off try tugging at the leash and calling his name in a happy voice when/if he comes click and treat for that. If he is totally zoned out just leave. Not sure if you have but if not teach him let's go so that when he zones out completly focused on another dog just say let's go and walk away from the dog.
Not sure if this make you feel better, but Missy would put her hackles up and lunge toward other dogs so I though she was aggressive but it turned out she did it because she never was socialized like Rory. so she was like(and still does not as bad) "oh my gosh it's another dog can we go see it pleeeaase." Unsocialized dogs just don't know what to do with themselves when they see another dog.

 

[MaryK]

Ra Kismet actually likes the Halti above all else. He's never harmed himself but has managed somehow to slip out of it, thankfully it has a 'safety link' to his collar. When Ra Kismet went into his totally zoned out over reaction tantrum, he wasn't responding to anything I said, in fact, he wasn't even aware I was there, hanging on the lead. But I will use the 'let's go' as he's calming down know so well he's aware I exist. Thanks for the tip

His over reaction big time came about from being attacked by another dog, who jumped the fence and was going first for me then Ra Kismet. That's when the 'rot' set in when another dog, on the lead, came up quickly behind him, he had a 'flashback'.

Yes, Ra Kismet has the same feelings about other dogs, "hey I want to say howdy and do the meet and greet'. He missed puppy pre school, by the time the vets had enough pups he was 'too old' and the wretched school I took him too, was so bad we left after two and a half weeks, so he's not really had a proper chance to learn the correct 'meet and greet'. He's fine with dogs/owners who do let him meet and greet but would get very upset when they walked right past, just like Missy. His hackles don't go up but he sure does, or rather did, get a bit 'frenetic' if he wasn't allowed to do the meet/greet. It does make me feel better to know I'm not the only one who has had these problems He's always been fine with other dogs off the lead, will play and has had many play dates, it's just on the lead I have/had problems with him.

 

[Dlilly]

Well, sometimes he totally zones out, but now he's starting to listen to me more.

My dogs bark at him every time we pass the house to go on a walk, and then he barks back, so I decided to do some LAT training by the window. I started out far away from the window, then I slowly moved closer. He was perfect! He would look at Shiloh then back at me. I'm glad we've had some sort of success.

I actually have a gentle leader head collar and I was thinking of putting it on him, but I know that he will dislike it. Shiloh hated it, but she got used to it after a while. I'm also worried since he lunges, that he might hurt his neck…. I'm really thinking of at least trying it, and just putting a leash on his collar too.. Do you know of a positive way to introduce it to him? I don't want to put it on him and drag him around….. Right now he has a harness with a back clip. I didn't get a front clip harness because I was worried he'd somehow break it.

 

[MaryK]

Well, sometimes he totally zones out, but now he's starting to listen to me more.

My dogs bark at him every time we pass the house to go on a walk, and then he barks back, so I decided to do some LAT training by the window. I started out far away from the window, then I slowly moved closer. He was perfect! He would look at Shiloh then back at me. I'm glad we've had some sort of success.

I actually have a gentle leader head collar and I was thinking of putting it on him, but I know that he will dislike it. Shiloh hated it, but she got used to it after a while. I'm also worried since he lunges, that he might hurt his neck…. I'm really thinking of at least trying it, and just putting a leash on his collar too.. Do you know of a positive way to introduce it to him? I don't want to put it on him and drag him around….. Right now he has a harness with a back clip. I didn't get a front clip harness because I was worried he'd somehow break it.

Great, it's tough when they totally zone out

That's a good idea to start inside working up to near the window It's safe for you both that way and less frightening for him Keep going, one step at a time and each time the next step will bring more success It's a great feeling isn't it, even a small success and you know it's all worthwhile, that complete success is just around the corner

I was very fortunate with Ra Kismet he took to the Gentle Leader without any fuss at all. In fact at the shop where we went to have him fitted, they were amazed at how he just sat there and never gave it a seconds thought.

How I introduced it with a GS who didn't take to it so quickly, is to first just let him sniff around it, not even attempt to put it on him. click/treat all the time of course. Then what I did was just place the nose band over his nose, just as far as he would allow it which was barely at all first time around (I used just treats back then, so click/treat will work faster of course). click/treat. I would ONLY do it once, I didn't keep on, took it VERY S- L-O-W-L-Y. As he accepted just the nose band, at first it wasn't even around his nose, I then moved on a bit further and gradually got him used to it. Oh I didn't have the lead attached at all when we first started. Next step buckling it up, one step at a time.

Once he was comfortable with the head part I then attached the lead and allowed him to get used to that just 'being' there. Next step was loose lead in the house, and so on, allowing him to set the pace of how much we progressed and I kept each session short! The last step before going out on the streets, was the garden.

I do NOT agree with the practice of just putting it on and letting the dog struggle etc. etc. It's commons sense (not much in evidence with some so called dog trainers) that if the dog has to fight and struggle to 'get adjusted' then the dog is NEVER going to be happy wearing the Gentle Leader.

My vet introduced me to the Gentle Leader because the GS had had a very rough start to life and was quite a handful on the lead period! I did ask if it could cause any damage to the dog and he said no it wouldn't and was much safer than any neck collar. But that is the only advice I have about causing damage/harm to the dog. My GS lunged, pulled and almost did cartwheels he was really hard on himself, but he did calm down immediately with the Gentle Leader.

 

[jackienmutts]

Dlilly, I walk a very reactive dog on an Easy Walk front clip harness. If any dog were going to break out of it, she'd have been the one. It's been a life-saver, as without it, she'd not be getting walked. Easy Walk Harnesses are made by the same company that makes the Gentle Leaders. I prefer the harness for lungers as they can do cause great injury to their necks on the Gentle Leader head halters. For dogs who only pull, they're great - but for dogs who are pulling and lunging (and heaven only knows what else?), I'd be too afraid of neck injuries. You may want to consider a front clip harness. I've got a friend who adopted a 98 lb GS mix, who was very reactive (great, huh?) - he pulled the dog walker down numerous times. She got a front clip harness and I believe she's managed to remain standing now for years. Might be worth the investment.