Malaysia Dog and Puppy Portal: Behavioral Problems: Aggresive Dogs and Puppies: Aggresive or Dominant

Home


	MAIN INDEX	FAQ & HELP	PHOTO GALLERY	WHO'S ONLINE	LOG IN

Home: Behavioral Problems: Aggresive Dogs and Puppies:
Aggresive or Dominant

Enroll Your Furkids To Training Classes

Building a great bond and relationship with your dog

Find out more >>>

SeanYoung
Dog Kichi

Mar 24, 2004, 8:54 AM

Post #1 of 9 (3213 views)
Shortcut

Aggresive or Dominant	Can't Post

Hi,
Someone gave me a Thai Ridgeback which is 8 months old. The dog will pee everywhere marking his teritory. It looks very dominant. He is not responsive to my voice or command at all.
When I take him out, he will pull me everywhere. Trust me, he is very strong. He can pull me across the road - almost accident. People were laughing at me as I could not control my dog. Some were running away. The previous owner has experience broken leash (metal leash) - showing how strong the dog was. I need help. i spend so much time training the dog, only sometimes successful when he is very hungry. I purposely make him hungry so that he will respond to training (feed and train).
Sometimes when I pet him and say good boy, he will open his mouth and try to bit me and also show me angry look. Can anyone advise? I will hold up his collar and say a loud No and look angry at his eyes - to show power a bit lah... He will try to bite me. I really don't know what to do. At day time, he will be with my mum - 70 years old. I'm afraid one day he will be aggresive and bully my mother or even go to the extend of biting her. Should I give the dog away? The previous owner did not train the dog and that is why the dog is dominant. I'm not sure why he does not want to keep the dog.
Advice anyone?

surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Mar 24, 2004, 8:23 PM

Post #2 of 9 (3211 views)
Shortcut

Re: [SeanYoung] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

Sean ...

You are posting all over the forum ... and basically you are repeating the same issues in different forms ... If you keeping posting everywhere, on basically the same issue ... you are going to get yourself and members confused.

(A) You cannot just blame the previous owner ... that is past. What is important is what you do now, at 8 months the dog is still young.

(B) You decided to take the dog without checking its temperament ... and perhaps without sufficient consideration as to how much time and attention you have for the dog. You also post that you might be going to Hong Kong permanently.

(C) Don't be so quick to label the dog "aggressive" ... A really aggressive dog would not "try" to bite you ... It would have "bitten" you already ...

Don't forget, this dog has been moved about and changed owners ... and the previous owner is still visiting etc ... The dog is probably still unsettled ...

(D) Shouting NO at the dog is not going to do any good until you FIRST teach/train the dog what NO means ...

Learn what is positive training and how to apply positive training ... If you have a strong willed dog ... all this tugging at his leash, pulling and screaming ... and keeping him hungry is not going to get you very far ... You cannot demand respect from a dog, you earn the respect ...

(E) You need to start a proper & organised play & training schedule with the dog ... You probably need to sequence play & training sessions several times a day ... maybe morning before you go to work and evening when you get home ... Don't forget play is just as important as training to a young dog ...

If your dog is tied up or crated for long periods, don't expect your dog to be responsive to training when you finally release him in the evening ... For sure, the dog will have much energy and want to run around & play ... So play with him first.

But you also need to learn about training ... and you are not going to learn that by just asking questions in this forum ... You need to get a good training manual and start training ... NOW.

Don't worry about other peoples' reaction ... what is important is what happens between you and your dog ... Start playing, training and bonding with your dog in a positive way ... This is a very important period ... how you proceed will determine how you and the dog get along ...

Cheers Smile

(This post was edited by surchinmy on Mar 24, 2004, 8:25 PM)

SeanYoung
Dog Kichi

Mar 24, 2004, 9:32 PM

Post #3 of 9 (3207 views)
Shortcut

Re: [surchinmy] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

Surchinmy,
I thought the forum addresses different issues. When I notice my dog showing this behaviour or growling and trying to bite me, I post it here.
When he doesn't respond to training, i post it in training forum. I appreciate your advice and hope u don't simply jump into conclusion that I'm one of a kind or what and I don't like dogs. A forum should be a discussion mode and not a place to pinpoint people's fault. If a person do not like dogs, they won't be here in the first place. If a person makes a mistake, give a good suggestion and not putting a person down.
Hope you understand what I mean. Thanks. Sorry if I have offended you but this is not my intention - just to make things clear.

surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Mar 24, 2004, 10:23 PM

Post #4 of 9 (3199 views)
Shortcut

Re: [SeanYoung] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

My apologies ... perhaps this what I should have posted in the first place ...

All the various issues you have raised in your different posts, are probably related and arise from the same set circumstances ... they are in all probability. just different manisfestations from the same set of causes ...

If you spend enough time (consistently and with patience) playing and training your dog ... much will be resolved ... And you need to equip yourself with the require and necessary knowledge ... Do you have that training book/manual?

Cheers Smile

SeanYoung
Dog Kichi

Mar 24, 2004, 11:23 PM

Post #5 of 9 (3193 views)
Shortcut

Re: [surchinmy] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for replying. No hard feelings ok?
I bought two books previously cost about RM150 but those are general dog training manuals and not breed specifics. Just general understanding about dogs and dogs behaviour. Last week, purchase ebook as advise by some of the members here cost USD9. Reading it and trying to apply. My dog is not responding at all. I still have a feeling that u said it's quite true on the unsettling down as my uncle is bringing the dog almost every evening over to his house to play with the other dog. The dog looks more excited seeing him than me. I'm not sure whether this is a potential problem. I don't mind the dog playing with each other which is good for them. But bonding more closely with somebody not living with the dog may be a potential problem. The dog is smart and when i read from the internet, this breed knows how to choose its owner. Like I said, I love the dog very much but if he is not going to response, I really don't know what to do. Have you tried being pulled by your dog that tries to run away and break a metal leash. Do you think this is acceptable behaviour? I don't hate the dog but trying to find a way to help him to behave properly and that makes him a good companion.
Some suggest me to whack the dog if it growls or try to bite but not using hand rather use the shoes. If use hand, he will shy but it's ok if uses shoe. This shows him that you are a pack leader. They mentioned that you need to tell the dog that biting and growling should not be tolerated. Otherwise, when he grows bigger, you will have to worry about aggression or possibility that the dog will run out to bite the neighbours which will bring me into problem.
Anyway, i'm trying very hard to train the dog. I have contacted a professional dog trainer and making appointment to see him tomorrow evening. I'm not sure how professional he is. I ask whether he uses beating as part of his training (i don't like this type of training). he just kept quiet. He said that he can even teaches the dog to attack on command or to attack strangers that climb into the house.
I'm not sure whether i'm into this. If my brother forget to bring a house key and climb through the gate, i may be visiting him in the hospital the next moment. Cheers! No hard feeling man! Take care.

surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Mar 25, 2004, 1:23 AM

Post #6 of 9 (3186 views)
Shortcut

Re: [SeanYoung] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

No problems ... no offence intended and no offence taken ... Let's concentrate on your dog ...

If your dog is already having trouble responding to you ... I certainly will not suggest hitting the dog (whether with hand or object) ... that to my mind, can make matters worse ... Physical punishment of a dog, seldom solves problems ... (It may work sometimes under certain circumstances, but it takes an experienced dog person to know when & how to apply such reprimand ... so perhaps, we should simply leave physical punishment out our thinking) ...

No, I do not think it is acceptable for a dog to snarl or growl at or threaten to bite its owner ... and I also do not think it is acceptable for a dog to pull madly on a leash ...

The issue therefore is ... how do to you go about sorting the above out ...

Acceptance: Accept that it is going to take time, effort and patience on your part ... there is no short cut ...

Background: Accept that the dog is currently unsettled ...

Suggestions: I make my suggestions based on and assuming an ideal situation ... you will have to consider your personal circumstances and make whatever modifications you require.

(A) I suggest you have a serious talk with your uncle ... and tell him that what he is doing is making it very difficult for your dog to settle down with you. Your uncle can visit to say hello, but he should not bath or walk the dog. or take dog back to his house ...

(B) You draw up a play & training programme, which you should follow diligently everyday ...

For example:

*** Before going to work: Feed the dog. Allow dog to eliminate. Play & walk the dog for 30minutes. Short training session: 15minutes.

Please arrange for someone to release the dog several times a day from confinement during the day, while you are at work. To let dog have 30minutes to stretch its legs and eliminate. Constant confinement (whether in crate or leash) can building frustration and unecessary anxiety in a dog.

*** After coming home from work: Feed the dog. Allow dog to eliminate. Play & walk the dog for 30minutes. Short training session: 15minutes.

*** Rest of evening: Allow the dog to spend as much of the rest of the evening with you as possible. Let your dog watch telly with you ... sit next to you ... whatever. This is just rest time ... relax time ... belly rubs ... and quiet time together.

How to play:

Find out how your dog likes to play, does he like playing catch? Chasing balls? Retrieving? ... whatever works ... even if its just running around in the garden. Use your imagination ... this is just to reinforce good times with your dog. Learning to play with your dog is evey bit as important as properly training your dog ...

What to train:

Generic training books (if written by an experienced trainer) should be sufficient ...

Train the basics first ... teach and train "recall, sit & stay" ... these are the basic commands all dogs should know and form the basis for more complicated commands. Read your training manuals carefully ... good manuals will provide you with the methods for training these basic commands. Keep the sessions short sweet and upbeat ...

Don't worry about "heeling" yet ... that will come later ... concentrate on recall, sit & stay ...

Do this everyday ... and you can even incorporate short recalls, sits & stay into just about every activity ...

Concentrate on your basic commands ... and once you have grounded the basic commands (it will take about 14 days of consistent training to ground the commands to a reasonable degree) ... then you can consider teaching "heeling"... When you are teaching the basics, you should also be paying attention to how your dog reacts and behaves - so observe and learn about the dog's personality.

In the meantime, consider getting a Halti Collar or a Gentle Leader Collar (check forum threads) to help you control the dog without unecessary tugging and pulling on the leash ... These collars are humane and will help with controlling a dog that pulls ... very effective when used properly. They are available in KL.

Using treats, praise & Jackpots:

Check the threads in the forum for these topics ... There are many kinds of treats available ... find a few that your dog likes ... Just remember to give small amounts only ... so that dog does not get fat.

You see ... with a dog that is unresponsive to you ... it is very probable that the dog is still viewing you with some apprehension & caution ... and has not yet accepted you ...

Under such circumstances, any harsh training or punishment merely reinforces the dog's caution about you ... And that is not what you desire

A dog will naturally and instinctively growl at people it has not yet accepted into its life ... And your primary goal for the time being ... must be to establish a relationship with your dog ... And you need to start doing this now, everyday ... consistently.

Reprimand should either be ... a withholding of treats, ... or withholding of attention ... or a firm low growl NOOOOOO ... or a combination ...

Just as with people, if you scold all the time, then the scolding is not effective after a while ... So, you need to learn how & when, how to time your reprimand ... Refer to your training manuals for details ...

Biting & mouthing: As for threatening to bite and mouthing ... you need to take immediate steps to curb these unwanted forms of behaviour ... Your efforts to curb these behaviour must be carried out simultaneously with play & training sessions, and building a bond with your dog ... all these efforts go hand in hand with each other and are not separate issues or problems ...

Mouthing, or even growling (by themselves) do not necessarily indicate that the dog is "aggressive" ... Dogs growl and mouth for a variety of reasons.

When a dog mouths, it is actually restraining itself from applying bite pressure ... and that in itself is a good sign ... For sure, when a dog really bites, you will know ... Similarly a growling dog is giving warning and that too is much better than a dog that bites without warning ...

However, if a owner beats a dog for growling or mouthing (instead of properly learning how to train the dog), then the owner may very well be creating an dog that will eventually be aggressive and bite.

Check the forum threads for tips on how to control growling & mouthing ... these topics have been discussed in detail ...

Responsible leadership includes ... learning to understand your dog as an individual, learning dog language ... learning to understand issues from a dog's perspective ... reasonable teaching & training with firm, fair & reasonable discipline ... being consistent & patient ...

Finally - don't expect the dog to start responding immediately ... that will take time ... How long it takes will be directly proportional to the time and effort you spend with your dog.

Cheers ... Smile

(This post was edited by surchinmy on Mar 25, 2004, 1:42 AM)

SeanYoung
Dog Kichi

Mar 25, 2004, 9:03 PM

Post #7 of 9 (3174 views)
Shortcut

Re: [surchinmy] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Surchinmy. I'll do that.

surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Mar 25, 2004, 9:12 PM

Post #8 of 9 (3171 views)
Shortcut

Re: [SeanYoung] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

All the best ... Smile

animallover08
New User

Feb 19, 2005, 5:25 PM

Post #9 of 9 (2566 views)
Shortcut

Re: [SeanYoung] Aggresive or Dominant [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi, Umm Yea my dog was the same when she was a puppy...She used to bite me for no reason and shes none obedient too... Welll I can help you because I know how things went... K first if you can get training for your dog... With my dog I trained her to walk on the leash n stuff and that was fine as long as you keep practising... Umm with the biting thing the trainer told me its because she/he thinks you want to play and doesn't understand so walk away if she/he nips go away for a couple mins and come back, umm My dog is now 3 1/2 years old and she doesnt bite anymore, they usually grow out of the bitting...I hope that helped