That's the nature vs. nurture debate, and I think it's both. Everyone, dogs included, inherit traits from their parents. I look at the parent dogs, at their behavior. It can't all be trained. I want stable, calm, well socialized parents, not skittish or snappy dogs. Also good structure. I wont get into it, but there is an entire system of dog testing and qualifications required for breeding German Shepherds in Germany, where all my dogs originated. In the US, anyone can breed anything and get papers that mean virtually nothing.
My dog bit a kid
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That's the nature vs. nurture debate, and I think it's both. Everyone, dogs included, inherit traits from their parents. I look at the parent dogs, at their behavior. It can't all be trained. I want stable, calm, well socialized parents, not skittish or snappy dogs. Also good structure. I wont get into it, but there is an entire system of dog testing and qualifications required for breeding German Shepherds in Germany, where all my dogs originated. In the US, anyone can breed anything and get papers that mean virtually nothing.
Agreed. But the breed is usually (not always, of course) a big factor with well bred dogs.
So many times I hear about a family that wanted some dog because of how cute the breed is, when they know nothing about the breed. A border collie can be a great dog for the right person, but a high energy, high intelligence herding dog in a family with small kids that doesn't have time to get it excercise and put it to work is a recipe for disaster.
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dell30rb
Final Approach
You make a good point as well. Some dogs need less training/exercise than others.
jpower
Cleared for Takeoff
Ooh ooh stranger stranger wanna play wanna play wanna play huh huh huh?
Kaye
Line Up and Wait
My worst dog was from a breeder...a "good" breeder. My rescues have been the best, both temperament and health.
denverpilot
Tied Down
You need a professional's help and to dedicate more time to protecting the dog and people from the situations where the dog misbehaves. Folks shouldn't be unnecessarily wary of rescue dogs, but they almost always require more time and resources than folks think.
A pro can determine what steps are necessary. Jumping straight to a shock collar isn't smart if say, only a muzzle and lots and lots of desensitization training and scenarios are needed.
But you need a pro and not a chain training store. For example, the "Sit Means Sit" franchise is just a front company for a shock collar manufacturer. Find a real trainer.
A pro can determine what steps are necessary. Jumping straight to a shock collar isn't smart if say, only a muzzle and lots and lots of desensitization training and scenarios are needed.
But you need a pro and not a chain training store. For example, the "Sit Means Sit" franchise is just a front company for a shock collar manufacturer. Find a real trainer.
douglas393
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douglas
Like people dogs have different personalities. Personally, I am a dog person, and like to think that bad dogs are bad because of bad owners, but know that is not always true. As for the dog in question, you definitely need help from a professional trainer, that has experience in this sort of issues. There are a number of approaches that trainers take. Interview a number, and find on you feel you can work with, because you will be spending a lot of time with them on this. However, training is not only for the dog but also for you, and anyone in your family. It is a way of life, and you need to work with the dog everyday. If you cannot give the time to the dog that it needs, then you are not doing it any favors, and need to find it a new home. Your dog has been abused in the past, and allowing him(?) to continue the same will only lead you and him to further sorrow and disappointment.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Ted
The pilot formerly known as Twin Engine Ted
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iFlyNothing
Yep. That's why I would never get a dog from a breeder and would only get rescues.
Nice seeing you back here, Kaye. Stay a while.
timwinters
Ejection Handle Pulled
Our dog history during our 28 years of marriage.
Ozzie, golden retriever mix, rescue dog, great dog. died of old age. (named after ozzie smith)
Harriett, German shepherd dog mix, got from a friend as a pup, very aggressive, had to put down at 18 months.
Bruno, Chesapeake bay retriever, from breeder, great dog. Died of old age.
Afra, German shepherd dog, from breeder, great dog. Died of old age.
Cody, lab/great pyrenees mix, rescue, great dog. Died of old age.
Rorschach, Dalmatian, rescue, great dog, had to put down due to severe injury.
Buddy, German shepherd dog mix, rescue, great dog. Still with us.
Sonny, lab (maybe pure), rescue, great dog. Still with us.
Shirley, boxer mix, rescue, great dog. Still with us.
We have had no worse luck with rescues than we've had with reputable breeders. And actually, most of our rescues were mutts and our mutts had far less issues than any of our purebreds. Except Bruno. Chessies are indestructible and low maintenance, at least he was.
Hope things work out for you Captain.
Ozzie, golden retriever mix, rescue dog, great dog. died of old age. (named after ozzie smith)
Harriett, German shepherd dog mix, got from a friend as a pup, very aggressive, had to put down at 18 months.
Bruno, Chesapeake bay retriever, from breeder, great dog. Died of old age.
Afra, German shepherd dog, from breeder, great dog. Died of old age.
Cody, lab/great pyrenees mix, rescue, great dog. Died of old age.
Rorschach, Dalmatian, rescue, great dog, had to put down due to severe injury.
Buddy, German shepherd dog mix, rescue, great dog. Still with us.
Sonny, lab (maybe pure), rescue, great dog. Still with us.
Shirley, boxer mix, rescue, great dog. Still with us.
We have had no worse luck with rescues than we've had with reputable breeders. And actually, most of our rescues were mutts and our mutts had far less issues than any of our purebreds. Except Bruno. Chessies are indestructible and low maintenance, at least he was.
Hope things work out for you Captain.
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asechrest
En-Route
I work in P&C insurance. According to some sources, dog bites account for over 1/3 of liability claims by dollar amount.
It's actually a significant liability risk, and the dollar amounts involved in a single claim can be quite large. So do what you need to do to keep the dog away from visitors, and find out if your homeowner insurance covers animal liability. In Florida, animal liability exclusions are extremely common. So are limited buybacks, which I guess are better than nothing. If you have the exclusion attached to your policy, I'd consider switching insurers if you can find someone that'll write it with animal liability included, even if that means a premium increase. In some cases, you may also be able to find a specialty insurer that does standalone animal liability policies.
And get an umbrella policy (be sure it also includes animal liability, or is follow-form with the underlying). They're cheap.
It's actually a significant liability risk, and the dollar amounts involved in a single claim can be quite large. So do what you need to do to keep the dog away from visitors, and find out if your homeowner insurance covers animal liability. In Florida, animal liability exclusions are extremely common. So are limited buybacks, which I guess are better than nothing. If you have the exclusion attached to your policy, I'd consider switching insurers if you can find someone that'll write it with animal liability included, even if that means a premium increase. In some cases, you may also be able to find a specialty insurer that does standalone animal liability policies.
And get an umbrella policy (be sure it also includes animal liability, or is follow-form with the underlying). They're cheap.
I like dogs, I've also had Great Pyranese guardian dogs that lived with a herd of goats. Once I had to get in a fight with him because I was breaking up a fight between him and one of my nephews dogs and came at me. I got his head over the stall rail and pinned his throat till he gave and he was a great dog after that accepting me as Alpha. Dog gets one fight with me, and if I would have lost 80 stitches worth, that dog was going somewhere else. A second attack by any dog is unacceptable, especially at that level of damage. Aggressive dog owners need professional help for themselves, not the dog. They have to learn the signals a dog works to instinctively, how to "talk dog" and become its Alpha.
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
The problem with fighting a dog, is that most of them, will cave and you'll win. But there are the rare few that have a ridiculous amount of fight in them and would about rather die then lose. If you have no prior relation to such dog..it's not going to get really messy.
Skylane81E
Final Approach
Your dog needs his ass kicked, YOU are Alfa, the space is YOURS and only by your good graces do you let the dog borrow some.
dell30rb
Final Approach
If the dog is in your way of going somewhere, don't go around the dog. Make the dog move. If he does not move, spank him and push him out of the way. If he gets snippy at you, kick his ass. I mean really kick his ass. Yell loudly, grab the skin on the back of his neck, with your foot or other hand sweep his front legs out from under him and flip him on his head.
Its funny thinking about how used to do this to my Lab who is now a mature, nice dog. But from the time he was 6 months to about 2.5 years old, he would get pretty hard headed sometimes and need to be reminded who the boss was. You should have seen the time he wanted me to feed him, and growled at me when I ignored him and walked past the food container.... WHOMP dog gets flipped on head
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You have to go for the throat and pinch off the windpipe, they will all submit, that's how they fight to set pack order.
steingar
Taxi to Parking
I go for the scruff (what mama dog uses) or the loose skin under the jaw (what an alpha male would grab). Doesn't work in all dogs (yelling at my Moogie worked, though it was the only thing that did), but I'll bet it works in most, since those are the things dogs use to communicate within a pack. But you have absolutely got the let the dog know who's boss.
Would you let a child think he or she is running the household, and let them run around with no rules or boundaries? Of course not! Why would you allow something like that of your dog?
N5922S
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N5922S
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cavmedic
Line Up and Wait
The dog is fine until you stick your face up into his ... First time was a freak accident 3 weeks after we got him from the pound , and the second time was my fault. We were playing tug , I was getting a little bit rough with him , and like a dumb ass, i put the tug toy up to my face pretending that I was tugging it with my own mouth ( while tug toy was still in my hand) , as he was resetting his grip on the toy , I flew front as he was going for the new grip and my nose got there first as be bit and head jerked.
Someone really messed this dog up as a pup . There are times in the middle of the night, when sleeping , he will wimper , squirm , yelp then wake up snarling and chomping at the air like he is going to eff something up. When he realizes where he is , his eyes refocus and he gets his bearings then goes back to sleep. The best way to describe him would be a human who just comes out of a seizure and is postictal. They have that blank stare of not knowing whats going on.
cavmedic
Line Up and Wait
I wont lay a finger on the dog. He now knows by the tone of my voice and will run to my feet , cower and roll immediately on his back....
After the second incident, we sent him off for two weeks to a doggy boot camp as I call it ... He is very obedient now . The second I yell "come" he flies to my feet and sits at attention, the same with the command "stay". But this training also included a shock collar similar to the ones used by hunters and some Police dogs.
dell30rb
Final Approach
I don't know that sounds pretty normal to me. My dog has gotten a piece of hand by accident when playing rough with toys and it sounds like the second time he got you by accident.
But if he ever snaps at YOU, growls or snarls at you or any of your family members, you need to correct that behavior by immediately owning the dog (see my previous post)
dell30rb
Final Approach
Nothing wrong with a shock collar as long as you use it right. But its a tool to get them to behave, not something to stop them while they are attacking you or someone else. However their personality will change once they realize they are at the bottom of the family totem pole.
I have one for hunting and use it around the house occasionally. I bought a book on shock collar training from the manufacturer and followed its instructions. Worked like a charm
I have one for hunting and use it around the house occasionally. I bought a book on shock collar training from the manufacturer and followed its instructions. Worked like a charm
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steingar
Taxi to Parking
The point of a shock collar is to distract the animal away from its objectionable behavior. In their natural state dogs are passive and submissive to their alpha. If they can be distracted when experiencing behavior problems they will naturally return to that state. Dogs have limited memory and no thought to the future; they live in the moment. If you really want to control their behavior you must do likewise.
Dogs do this naturally. Mother dogs set limits for their pups which respond in turn. Pecking order is maintained in packs with minimal bloodshed. Treat your dog like a human and it won't know what to do. Treat it like a dog will and you'll see a great deal of change. And yes, dog behavior can change once they know they're not the alpha. Usually for the better.
Dogs do this naturally. Mother dogs set limits for their pups which respond in turn. Pecking order is maintained in packs with minimal bloodshed. Treat your dog like a human and it won't know what to do. Treat it like a dog will and you'll see a great deal of change. And yes, dog behavior can change once they know they're not the alpha. Usually for the better.
Swampfox201
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Todd W.
We had a stray show up a week ago. Nice dog and the kids have takin a liking to him. Hes a blue heeler collie mix. He's at the vet getting his nuts whacked off. That outta teach him who's boss.
Kaye
Line Up and Wait
LOL!!
comanchepilot
En-Route
Yep . . .
I will add that the current owners can change the behavior often.
You need to be the alpha and you need to start acting like it.
People who get all nervous about their dog's behavior contribute to the dog's behavior. Step 1 is starting to act like the alpha and stopping the bad behavior by firmly and with zero doubt as to who is boss - stepping in and stoppign the slightest behavior you don't like. Firm. You are boss. Dogs, like terrorists and communists, only recognize brute authority - not abuse - authority.
99% of dog problems are human problems . . .
Skylane81E
Final Approach
An accidental bite is very much different