Biting Dogs *UPDATE: Post #19*

[Xtina]

I agree with all of that, except I would urge caution with the part about dominating larger dogs. Yes, they do need to be dominated, but ever since I heard the story about the woman whose 1 year old German Shepherd tore her face off when she put it in a dominance roll, I've been very cautious about this technique. I've never done it, even though I know I could force most dogs under a certain size into submission, because I never want that to happen to me. And I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's not an expert. It's just too dangerous. I'd rather leave a dog who needs domination un-disciplined than lose my face or have someone else lose theirs.

To the OP, sorry I hijacked this thread.

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Not saying I recommended doing it, just explaining how I deal with dogs to show that you can't be polite with them. If there were and doubts about the dog they got muzzle. Don't attempt without someone there who knows what to do and us able to read the dog. Its a little bit more then just making a dog lay down, your working on it psychologicaly and some dominant dogs will fight back at first, and all can easily pick up nervousness and any other flaw and they can overcome what you want of them.

 

[Xtina]

Yeah, that's all I want to say. Dominance holds are for professionals. Don't try this at home if you don't have extensive dog experience.

It's just that with people like Cesar Milan demonstrating how just anyone can do this, I get nervous. Especially when my across the street neighbor takes it like it's the gospel and uses it frequently on his dog. Which is all well and good when it's a 40 pound, sweet as sugar Boxer mix, but I'm awaiting the day he tries it on the wrong dog and learns the hard way that he is not a professional and real life is different from TV.

 

[heatherindeskies]

My biggest pet peeve is people who own dogs that are ill mannered. they think it's 'cute' when the dog is jumping up on you, scratching your legs, getting your clothes dirty.
"Oh, she's just excited to see you" these lame owners will say.
If you are unable to control your dog before it makes that first jump on someone, then YOUR pet IS ill-mannered and you ARE an irresponsible pet owner even if it the truth hurts.
keep your dogs away from people unless you can tell the person WANTS to pet your dog. training your dog to not jump up on people to greet them is possible and a sign of respect.

 

[Xtina]

I agree with that as well, but coming from personal experience, a lot of the time it isn't the owner who condones that sort of behavior, it's dog-loving guests who ruin the owner's training efforts. I've always heard tales of the famed "dog owner who thinks jumping is cute" but I've never actually met this creature. But when my lab mix was younger, I had the darnedest time trying to convince my guests not to tolerate jumping. There I was, sending my puppy all the signals you're supposed to in order to teach them that jumping was unacceptable, only to have them nullified by the guests who squealed happily and playfully ruffled his fur in a rough-housing manner. A trainer once told me that for every one time a behavior is accepted by a person, it takes a thousand consecutive times for it not to be accepted before the dog forgets that one time he was positively reinforced for it. Kind of makes training a dog not to jump impossible when the guests don't cooperate.

 

[suzyq53511]

I got bit by a dog in the face when i was 3 and had to have re-constructive plastic surgery over 1000 stitches! it was a border collie and it was sorta my fault. the dog was deaf. could hear me coming. i am only afraid of big dogs.

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Trying to work with dogs behavioraly without actually understanding how their mind works is a recipe for disaster. Too many people unconsciously anthromophize, put human feelings and reactions on them. Resulting in bad behaviored extremely confused dogs who have no idea where their place is and what's expected of them, nor how to act appropriately towards people and other dogs. Its very easy to slide down that slope but its a long slow difficult way back up, which some dogs never fully reaching the top again. Beven when better care must be taken that they don't fall back into old habits.

Most of the herding dogs like shepherds and collies really need the right person to own and raise them, being bred to be completey devoted to their master but totally dominate creatures below them
In the dogs language biting is their way of getting their message across to whatever they're herding and to other dogs. Too few people just don't understand how to work with dogs and some dogs can't handle it, resulting in badly behaved if not dangerous animals and no one in control.

 

[suzyq53511]

Yea the dog that bit me was deaf. Not his fault. I never blame a dog for biting!

 

[SillyChicken]

I was bit in the face by a GSD when I was 12..It was my fault cause I was told not to do what I did in front of the dog.. he gave me a warning bite and I deserved it. I still love big dogs. Of course mine wasn't traumatic even though I had a pierced face for a while.... I do sympathize with anyone being mauled by a dog.

I've had a few fights with my mastiffs. DH learned the hard way he should listen to me and never get in the middle of a fight... after surgery and a yrs recovery not feeling his fingers I think he finally believes me.

I would not recommend a blanket, you'll blind the dog, which in it's state of mind, may go after the first thing that grabs it through the blanket, or it can see when it comes out.... at least with a big dog I wouldn't... little dogs it may work. (although a laundry basket or bucket could work too).

I've used a dog gate, and hose spraying full force on jet into their mouths to seperate the dogs before, and one fight wouldn't end until they both landed underwater in my fish pond.

 

[Xtina]

Yeah, you're right about the blanket thing, I was thinking it but didn't phrase it that way. Also, the intended use of the blanket would be to pretty much net the dog's whole body and pull it away from the fight. All around, it seems like a really bad solution to me, but one that people might find themselves in a position where that's the best thing they can find.

The baby gate is a great intervention that I had forgotten about. Only works if there's a baby gate handy though!

Same thing with the hose. Spraying, I hear, works great, but how many people have a hose in the middle of their living rooms? And how many are willing to use it indoors?