Author Topic: Books about dog aggression  (Read 8969 times)

nickerbokker

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Re: Books about dog aggression
« Reply #15 on: August 13, 2005, 12:43:53 pm »
im totlaly going to read this....but later cz i dont have time now.....moon, i love you lol

Offline billybooker

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Re: Books about dog aggression
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2005, 08:28:41 am »
I have a two suggestions for these problems. The first is to hand-feed any dog with any aggressive tendencies.  Do this for six months to a year or more if that's what it takes-maybe for life. Hand-feeding establishes that You are the leader of the pack and You control the resources. (Everyone who gets a new puppy should be doing this for the first few months) If there is one true leader (human) than fighting among others in the pack should be minimal. Actually, get everyone in the family involved, including children (with supervision), so that the dogs see that All humans are higher up than them. The second is exercise, exercise, exercise! (Not a walk on leash around the block) These large working or sporting dogs need to get the led out as they are so rarely used for their actual in-bred duties anymore. Bring the dog to an empty ball field for example and play fetch for half hour to an hour until the dog is pooped.  Do this 4-5 times a week and the dog will be so tired that he will not spend so much time and energy squabbling among others within the house.
Hope this helps.   
Jennifer W

Offline moonlitcroatia

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Re: Books about dog aggression
« Reply #17 on: August 16, 2005, 07:18:42 am »
Great ideas billybooker!  Thank you for sharing.  Very interesting and unique approach to establishing pack leadership.  This is the first I've heard of this method and it sounds like a solid plan.
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive.  ~Gilda Radner

Offline billybooker

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Re: Books about dog aggression
« Reply #18 on: August 16, 2005, 12:09:39 pm »
I got the info from a well-known Canadian dog psychologist at one of his dog behaviour seminars (Dr. Stanley Coren). My dobe has fear-aggression problems, so I take all the good advise that I can get. People don't realize that when you feed a dog from their dish or the ground that they think the food comes from the floor. They need to understand that food comes from people. Dogs actually think that our hands are mouths. So I guess just like a mother wolf would feed a pup regurgitated food, we feed from our hands. And there are few in the pack who will mess with the leader who provides food. Things like pinning the dog down to establish dominance will not work well and is dangerous. So I grasped the idea of establishing dominance without being physical with the dog. I have been feeding my dog by hand ever since I heard this, while practicing her obedience commands-with time I hope to see a calmer, less fearful and aggressive dog when she meets other dogs.
Jennifer W

Offline WhiteShepherdDog

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THROW out the books and find an up to date professional
« Reply #19 on: November 06, 2005, 11:13:32 am »
This book confirmed that by stating that it is best to have opposite sex dogs

I think that pointing to gender as the focus for behaviorial/D2D/aggression issues is simplistic.
TrainingĀ  (conditioning) is also only a part of it.
I do agree some aggression issues can't be fixed easily.
Bad genetics are bad genetics.
I had to euthanize a beloved older female as she was teaching my younger dog to be dog aggressive.
I had let her think she had the highest ranking member in my pack.
So this was opposite sexed dogs but due to the psychology of the dogs, it was not a healthy pairing.

It depends more on the temperments or personalities of the dogs, place in the pack....I would say than just the sex or spayed or neutered state.

No book can do as well as a consultation with canine psychologist --- dogs have to be observed and analyzed in the unique situations with the people and dogs...all the pack members! ;D

The best tact to take with aggression is to ferret out a good behaviorist!
I would see a vet to make sure that there isn't an underlying medical problem.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2005, 11:32:00 am by WhiteShepherdDog »
Regards,
Martha in Texas

Offline WhiteShepherdDog

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aggression breeds aggression
« Reply #20 on: November 06, 2005, 11:29:46 am »
!...When a dog knows his place he is a much happier dog...I learned this the hard way!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, but normally dogs routinely exert their leadership without such extremes.

Most aggression that is behaviorial (not medical or genetic) does come from a weak (inconsistent) human pack leader.
Dogs are much more consistent in establishing and negotiating their leadership roles than most humans.
Beating/smacking a dog is stupid and unnecessary if you understand canine behavior.
You use that sort of thing on a German Shepherd, it can turn on you and anyone else.

The subtle ways to exert your leadership is to control resources (food, sleeping areas, toys).
You can constantly move your dogs sleeping areas. Never let your dog sleep in walkways or doorways or on your bed.
Don't make a big deal, just use your body language and move into their space...they get up and move.
You don't need to say anything or use anything more than a nudge.
If you observe dogs, the dominant dog subtly takes over the sleeping space.
Feed your dogs after you. Make them watch you eat first. "Leader" dogs eat first.
Withhold food to use as reward when training...
Leaders initiate the play....put toys away when play is done. You get the toys out.

I would rather train a dog using canine behavior than smack it or use any sort of physical punishment.
Alpha rolls are so outdated and proven to be ineffective in so many ways. The Monks of New Skete are out in left field on this practice. I think even they have stoppedĀ  the practice. Alpha rolls were a result of misinterpretat ion of dog behaviors.
My dog rolls on his back for me, cause he respects me and knows his place. I never coerced this relationship.
I built the relationship with my dominant male dog by using dog psychology. I control resources:food, water, bed. toys. It's all mine! And I am lots of fun...he gets a rich life in return for his place in the pack.

I established myself as leader by training him to respond to me using positive rewards, putting in him in timeout for displays of unwanted behaviors; by correcting his misbehavior with verbal cues.
I have off lead control by working very hard at training.
Beating a dog teaches it not to do the behavior in your presence.

The only excuse for beating a dog, rather than training it positively is lack of committment and time to your dog.
You are lucky *this time* if you don't create a worse problem than you started with.
Using aggression on dogs showing aggression is a time bomb.

« Last Edit: November 06, 2005, 11:59:32 am by WhiteShepherdDog »
Regards,
Martha in Texas