30 replies to this topic

[Annie Moon]

What a stressful time that must have been !
I'm glad you hung in there.

After having what I considered the perfect dog (Mariah), my second dobie (Majik) has been
a trial from day one. I thought about giving her up more than once.
I often wonder if my expectations were too high with Majik, after having such an angel...
I hope things improve now that you're in your home.
Blessings to you all.

[Bgstk0529]

Our Marley was our first adoption ever and we got him through SCD. He came to us with patches of fur missing around his neck that our vet guesses is from someone leaving a bark collar on him excessively. To this day he barks at anyone passing by the house but we have tried to monitor him at all times and he has improved beyond belief. He now starts to bark and then looks back to see if we are there, if we are he will come to us, still growling but not barking and look for reasurance. It is a work in progress but we couldn't be happier with his progress so far.
We have three dobes from SCD and the only one that has ever tried to bite one of us is our four year old female. She got a muzzle immediately any time the lip curled and I think more effectively she was sent to be by herself for awhile after. They hate more than anything to be away from the group.
Good luck and thanks for hanging in there. They test your patience but the rewards are worth it.

[Kennysmom]

Ok, I have to ask this -
Did Logan bite your HUSBAND - or did he bite a hand that happened to be in the way of his teeth as he was going after the 'shock' thing that was attacking him? If he was tested and not deemed aggression, I'm guessing that he didn't even intend to make contact with hubby at all.

[Dobiegirl51]

I guess I have to say both....the reason for this is when he does bark and we put our palm hand to him and say quiet he curls his lips to bite at us, s few times he has made contact but then pulls back when we say NO. He has a bit of a mean streak when he is barking, if not for that and the fact that he is SOOOOOO strong I have to say he is pretty good. Yesterday I was holding on to his leash and he saw something and my back was to him and he literally yanked me off my feet onto the ground....I ain't walkin too good today......

Arda if you happen to see this post, I sent you an e-mail and was wondering if you got it seeing as I have not heard from you?????????

Sally

Ok, I have to ask this -
Did Logan bite your HUSBAND - or did he bite a hand that happened to be in the way of his teeth as he was going after the 'shock' thing that was attacking him? If he was tested and not deemed aggression, I'm guessing that he didn't even intend to make contact with hubby at all.

[Vicki_Wood]

While I have both a female and male (and Gracie is tempermental), I'd say the male has somewhat of a more stubborn streak and can be a bit more aggressive in the beginning. Both Blue and Cobalt showed the curly lip and possible nipping in the beginning; Coby has even groweled at me. I think though that once they got use to the fact that I was boss and that they were not going to be abused and that this was their forever home; they settled down. I agree with the idea of not using a shock collar, especially with dogs whose history we don't know and more than likely were abused. With Coby, if he snarled or groweled, in was in his crate and ignored for quite a while; he caught on very quickly. Good luck.

[Joaquin]

Hi Sally,

Our Buddy(Lefty) also has an issue with growling both at Alley and us sometimes. Maddy, the trainer Arda recommended, says this SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED! (lol and that's how she says it too). She says things like this is a challenge to you and you HAVE to win EVERY single challenge given to you. She says an alpha would never tolerate an inferior packmate to do this to them and neither should you.

The proper correction according to her is to have a training collar on them and a leash. When they growl or uncontrollably bark....grab the leash about a foot up from the collar and bring your hands together like you are holding a baseball bat so they are touching each other (provides more power).....then while very loudly verbally correcting them, shake the bejesus out of them for 10 to 30 seconds depending on the serverity of the offense. Short for just growling but stopping when corrected and 30 seconds or more for showing teeth, snapping or continuing to keep it up through corrections.

Maddy said though to make sure that after you apply a correction (and they have stopped the no-no and are looking at you) to count to 2 and then praise them excitedly. Seems weird to praise them after the offense but it's dog sense we are trying to make here not human sense. The dog will see it like this.....I was barking or growling.......my master shook the heck out of me......I stopped and looked at them........I got praise..........oh I bet they didn't want me doing that.

Maddy said if they don't stop after the shaking then do it harder and longer until they do, count to 2 and then praise. Corrections of any type should always be followed by praise or else they don't correlate the correction to the deed until they stop and are praised for doing so.

Just thought I'd share the advice given to us. Good luck.

Joaquin

[CAB]

Wow! Sounds like you've been learning a lot from Maddy and we're learning too. Joaquin -Thanks for sharing this advice.

[Bgstk0529]

Great post Joaquin.
The dog must NEVER get away with ANY aggressiveness to you or any other human, except intruders of course as CAB can attest to. Hope you reported the incident by the way.
He must be corrected EVERY time and you will be surprised at how he will catch on.
They will get away with what they can get away with but if you are firm and CONSISTENT they will learn and become the best dog you can imagine.
It takes work and patience but he must, and will, learn that you decide what he can and can't do.

Edited by Bgstk0529, 04 October 2007 - 09:47 PM.

[Karen A]

It sounds so "aggressive" to correct like this, but if you think about it, it's how an alpha dog would put a lower, challenging pack member in it's place. It would bite at the neck and shake. THey don't hurt each other, but I'm sure it's something the dog will remember for next time. I know Maddy is excellent at what she does and I would stick with it and see if it helps Kudos to you Joaquin and Doberpagegirl!

[Sydneysmom]

The proper correction according to her is to have a training collar on them and a leash.

When Sydney was a pup, I had a short lead on her while she was in the house - constantly - so I could grab it and
correct her immediately! Mostly she was a counter-surfer, but it made it so much easier to have that on her, she got used to it real fast and learned quickly.

Yesterday I was holding on to his leash and he saw something and my back was to him and he literally yanked me off my feet onto the ground....I ain't walkin too good today......

Also when Syd was a pup. I had her on a sit and looked the other way for something and when I said OK to release her, she was watching some birds - took me right off my feet and dragged me, down a hill on my back head first!!!!
Good thing it was grass!!! Strong little bugger!!!! Taught me to ALWAYS LOOK where SHE is looking!!!
( I hoped the neighbors never saw THAT!!!)

Edited by Sydneysmom, 05 October 2007 - 07:31 AM.

[Dobiegirl51]

Weird it posted twice???? Sorry I did not reply sooner, was off line again

Thanks Joaquin we are def going to try this one.....

Hi Sally,

Our Buddy(Lefty) also has an issue with growling both at Alley and us sometimes. Maddy, the trainer Arda recommended, says this SHOULD NEVER BE ALLOWED! (lol and that's how she says it too). She says things like this is a challenge to you and you HAVE to win EVERY single challenge given to you. She says an alpha would never tolerate an inferior packmate to do this to them and neither should you.

The proper correction according to her is to have a training collar on them and a leash. When they growl or uncontrollably bark....grab the leash about a foot up from the collar and bring your hands together like you are holding a baseball bat so they are touching each other (provides more power).....then while very loudly verbally correcting them, shake the bejesus out of them for 10 to 30 seconds depending on the serverity of the offense. Short for just growling but stopping when corrected and 30 seconds or more for showing teeth, snapping or continuing to keep it up through corrections.

Maddy said though to make sure that after you apply a correction (and they have stopped the no-no and are looking at you) to count to 2 and then praise them excitedly. Seems weird to praise them after the offense but it's dog sense we are trying to make here not human sense. The dog will see it like this.....I was barking or growling.......my master shook the heck out of me......I stopped and looked at them........I got praise..........oh I bet they didn't want me doing that.

Maddy said if they don't stop after the shaking then do it harder and longer until they do, count to 2 and then praise. Corrections of any type should always be followed by praise or else they don't correlate the correction to the deed until they stop and are praised for doing so.

Just thought I'd share the advice given to us. Good luck.

Joaquin

Edited by Dobiegirl51, 11 October 2007 - 05:14 PM.