View Full Version : behaviorally challenged dog
Dijon04
03-07-2006, 12:10 PM
Hello all...I just joined this message board. I have an almost 3 yr old doxie who is my pride and joy baby. only problem is he hates other people. like barking and biting hates other people. he went to training (at petsmart) and did okay with the other dogs but never let anyone pet him or anything. i am moving to the northern va area and have to now worry about things like apartment maintenance people and how he'll react to them. also i'd like to take him to doggie parks and things like that but dont want to get sued. any advice on how to get him to calm down?
he's a standard size
so yeah getting him to be calm for the airplane ride should be fun
My Tasha is a rescue who was not socialized. So she's very defensive and barks and growls at people who come to our door. She's better if they come into the apartment, and we sit on the couch (though then we get submissive peeing). When we've had the super in she'll growl for hours, I just hold her, and let them work. It did mean when our former landlord wanted to show the apartment we always had to be home...
There are lots of good books on socializing a shy, fear agressive dog, I'm sure others will have suggestions but I like How to be the Leader of the Pack...And have Your Dog Love You For It and The Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell. Also, working with a behaviorist might help.
What Jen said are all amazing suggestions!! You also might want to talk to your vet about drugs for the actual plane ride. I am not usually a big advocate of drugs without trying other things, but since this will be a one time thing, I wouldn't want to subject an already stressed pooch to even MORE stress with the move.
But long term, small positive steps and a behaviorist really should help. You will get the personalized attention you need to give Michelangelo Dijon the confidence he needs.
Dijon04
03-07-2006, 03:11 PM
thanks for the suggestion i'll have to make a trip to half price books and check those out.....
unfortunatley all the airlines say i'm not allowed to drug my dog? something abou the air pressure
how would i get hold of a behaviorist? is it by referral or do they have actual businesses? he did bite the tar outta the trainer at petsmart who was sooo sure she could get him to calm down...i think she scared him...:mad: she ended up with like 13 stitches in her hand
Alex's Mom
03-07-2006, 03:26 PM
My Alex is a little curmudgeon doggie too. When she was young, she was impossibly rude to people and dogs, just like your little Mikey D. I did a lot of socializing with her, especially through obedience classes...we never did get the dog aggression thing sussed (she HATES all other dogs!!!! Although oddly, she's not too bad with cats as long as they don't run from her), but I just couldn't have her mistreating guests who came to the house. However, I did eventually go to a trainer who specialized in aggressive dogs. In her case she is a fear biter, so the thing was to get her more self-confident around strangers (or even people she knew! It's really great if you have some friends who are willing to help you work with him about people coming to the door). I also talked to a behaviourist at our local vet school (which is the best place to try and find one), and she gave me a lot of good ideas as well as some insight as to how Alex's furry little brain was working (or not...:rotfl: ). The big thing I learned was that when she's getting all revved up about something I really really need to stay calm so that she's not feeding off my emotions (not always easy when you're thinking "oh my god, law suit! :rotfl: ), and if she doesn't calm down, to just remove her from the situation entirely until she's chilled. It's taken a lot of years (she's 13 now), and I never trust her completely around people, but she's so much better. So there is hope, but it needs a LOT of work and even more patience! ITA with the other suggestions here, and those are great books...they really helped me a lot! Good luck with it, and by the way, :welcome2: !! Your Mikey D is a real cutie patootie!!
I highly recommend a certified pet behaviorist for his aggression and the sooner the better. I'm sure your vet can recommend someone.
I've listed links for info on finding a behaviorist and traveling with your pet by air. Most airlines require a health certificate within 10 days of the flight, check with your airline.
http://www.iaabc.org/consultant_locator.htm
http://www.pettravel.com/0001216.cfm
(#15 is about sedatives also pay special attention to #12 because of the loss of the Whippet a few weeks ago)
http://www.urbanhound.com/houndPlay/airTravel.html
(Orig posted by Tasha’s Mom)
I also recommend any books on behavior by Patricia McConnell.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Dijon04
03-14-2006, 10:15 AM
thanks for all the links and info...sorry i'm just now responding...i was out of town for a few days.....i'll keep everyone updated on his progress
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