help! Aussie puppy fear biting, afraid it will become a problem

[CoyoteMagic]

Everybody (I mean EVERYBODY!!

) at my house is fixed. The day before I found Spook, I found 6 other puppies that someone had thrown away. Didn't get their dog fixed and ended up with 6 unwanted female pups. There are some statistics some place that says a feral female cat and her offspring can produce a few thousand unwanted kittens in a lifetime. Thankfully the pounds around here don't adopt out without having the puppy or kitten fixed. Personally, I don't believe a dog should be fixed until after 6months, but that is just me.

I'm on the Bob Barker Bandwagon "Spay & Neuter Your Pets!!!"

 

[Just a Country Girl]

I would bring your dog to a behavioral consultant that specializes in dog aggression. Theirs a big difference in the way you train an aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. Pinning a dog down to show dominance can work for the right dogs but timing and the way it's done makes all the difference in the world. It can make things 10 times worse if done on the wrong dogs like dogs that are fear aggressive. I have had people come to my training sessions and when they showed me how they reprimanded their dogs pinning them down the way they did they were actually training their dogs to be more aggressive. I'm sorry I can't give much advise without actually seeing and evaluating your dog but I can tell you that Aussies like Border Collies are very smart and usually end up training their owners and running the household. Talk to your Veterinarian about your problem. Certain medical problems can also cause a dog to act aggressive. In some cases behavior modification training along with medication like puppy Prozac is the best way to go on fear aggressive dogs. Ask your Vet to Recommend a behaviorist. Theirs a lot of bad trainers out their that can also make things worse. I've seen to many dogs have to be euthanized because they got in the wrong trainers hand. Don't wait this is the most important time of your puppies life for making her a happy well adjusted dog. And I would also recommend Spaying between four and six months old. Fearfulness and aggression are both hereditary and their are already to many fearful and aggressive Aussies out their. Aussie rescues are overloaded and they won't take an aggressive Aussie Theirs to much liability when owning or giving away a dog that bites.... I have a Border collie that was a rescue and not the friendliest dog. She's now the smartest dog I ever trained including the Police dogs. She won't tolarate any violence and will come between anyone roughhousing or any animals fighting. I can trust her with anyone or any animal. Her happiest part of the day is putting the ducks in the barn at dusk. I love watching her work. With the right training you will be as happy with your dog as I am with mine. Good Luck

 

[Just a Country Girl]

I would bring your dog to a behavioral consultant that specializes in dog aggression. Theirs a big difference in the way you train an aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. Pinning a dog down to show dominance can work for the right dogs but timing and the way it's done makes all the difference in the world. It can make things 10 times worse if done on the wrong dogs like dogs that are fear aggressive. I have had people come to my training sessions and when they showed me how they reprimanded their dogs pinning them down the way they did they were actually training their dogs to be more aggressive. I'm sorry I can't give much advise without actually seeing and evaluating your dog but I can tell you that Aussies like Border Collies are very smart and usually end up training their owners and running the household. Talk to your Veterinarian about your problem. Certain medical problems can also cause a dog to act aggressive. In some cases behavior modification training along with medication like puppy Prozac is the best way to go on fear aggressive dogs. Ask your Vet to Recommend a behaviorist. Theirs a lot of bad trainers out their that can also make things worse. I've seen to many dogs have to be euthanized because they got in the wrong trainers hand. Don't wait this is the most important time of your puppies life for making her a happy well adjusted dog. And I would also recommend Spaying between four and six months old. Fearfulness and aggression are both hereditary and their are already to many fearful and aggressive Aussies out their. Aussie rescues are overloaded and they won't take an aggressive Aussie Theirs to much liability when owning or giving away a dog that bites.... I have a Border collie that was a rescue and not the friendliest dog. She's now the smartest dog I ever trained including the Police dogs. She won't tolarate any violence and will come between anyone roughhousing or any animals fighting. I can trust her with anyone or any animal. Her happiest part of the day is putting the ducks in the barn at dusk. I love watching her work. With the right training you will be as happy with your dog as I am with mine. Good Luck

 

[Just a Country Girl]

I would bring your dog to a behavioral consultant that specializes in dog aggression. Theirs a big difference in the way you train an aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. Pinning a dog down to show dominance can work for the right dogs but timing and the way it's done makes all the difference in the world. It can make things 10 times worse if done on the wrong dogs like dogs that are fear aggressive. I have had people come to my training sessions and when they showed me how they reprimanded their dogs pinning them down the way they did they were actually training their dogs to be more aggressive. I'm sorry I can't give much advise without actually seeing and evaluating your dog but I can tell you that Aussies like Border Collies are very smart and usually end up training their owners and running the household. Talk to your Veterinarian about your problem. Certain medical problems can also cause a dog to act aggressive. In some cases behavior modification training along with medication like puppy Prozac is the best way to go on fear aggressive dogs. Ask your Vet to Recommend a behaviorist. Theirs a lot of bad trainers out their that can also make things worse. I've seen to many dogs have to be euthanized because they got in the wrong trainers hand. Don't wait this is the most important time of your puppies life for making her a happy well adjusted dog. And I would also recommend Spaying between four and six months old. Fearfulness and aggression are both hereditary and their are already to many fearful and aggressive Aussies out their. Aussie rescues are overloaded and they won't take an aggressive Aussie Theirs to much liability when owning or giving away a dog that bites.... I have a Border collie that was a rescue and not the friendliest dog. She's now the smartest dog I ever trained including the Police dogs. She won't tolarate any violence and will come between anyone roughhousing or any animals fighting. I can trust her with anyone or any animal. Her happiest part of the day is putting the ducks in the barn at dusk. I love watching her work. With the right training you will be as happy with your dog as I am with mine. Good Luck

 

[Just a Country Girl]

I would bring your dog to a behavioral consultant that specializes in dog aggression. Theirs a big difference in the way you train an aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. Pinning a dog down to show dominance can work for the right dogs but timing and the way it's done makes all the difference in the world. It can make things 10 times worse if done on the wrong dogs like dogs that are fear aggressive. I have had people come to my training sessions and when they showed me how they reprimanded their dogs pinning them down the way they did they were actually training their dogs to be more aggressive. I'm sorry I can't give much advise without actually seeing and evaluating your dog but I can tell you that Aussies like Border Collies are very smart and usually end up training their owners and running the household. Talk to your Veterinarian about your problem. Certain medical problems can also cause a dog to act aggressive. In some cases behavior modification training along with medication like puppy Prozac is the best way to go on fear aggressive dogs. Ask your Vet to Recommend a behaviorist. Theirs a lot of bad trainers out their that can also make things worse. I've seen to many dogs have to be euthanized because they got in the wrong trainers hand. Don't wait this is the most important time of your puppies life for making her a happy well adjusted dog. And I would also recommend Spaying between four and six months old. Fearfulness and aggression are both hereditary and their are already to many fearful and aggressive Aussies out their. Aussie rescues are overloaded and they won't take an aggressive Aussie Theirs to much liability when owning or giving away a dog that bites.... I have a Border collie that was a rescue and not the friendliest dog. She's now the smartest dog I ever trained including the Police dogs. She won't tolarate any violence and will come between anyone roughhousing or any animals fighting. I can trust her with anyone or any animal. Her happiest part of the day is putting the ducks in the barn at dusk. I love watching her work. With the right training you will be as happy with your dog as I am with mine. Good Luck

 

[Just a Country Girl]

I would bring your dog to a behavioral consultant that specializes in dog aggression. Theirs a big difference in the way you train an aggressive dog and a fear aggressive dog. Pinning a dog down to show dominance can work for the right dogs but timing and the way it's done makes all the difference in the world. It can make things 10 times worse if done on the wrong dogs like dogs that are fear aggressive. I have had people come to my training sessions and when they showed me how they reprimanded their dogs pinning them down the way they did they were actually training their dogs to be more aggressive. I'm sorry I can't give much advise without actually seeing and evaluating your dog but I can tell you that Aussies like Border Collies are very smart and usually end up training their owners and running the household. Talk to your Veterinarian about your problem. Certain medical problems can also cause a dog to act aggressive. In some cases behavior modification training along with medication like puppy Prozac is the best way to go on fear aggressive dogs. Ask your Vet to Recommend a behaviorist. Theirs a lot of bad trainers out their that can also make things worse. I've seen to many dogs have to be euthanized because they got in the wrong trainers hand. Don't wait this is the most important time of your puppies life for making her a happy well adjusted dog. And I would also recommend Spaying between four and six months old. Fearfulness and aggression are both hereditary and their are already to many fearful and aggressive Aussies out their. Aussie rescues are overloaded and they won't take an aggressive Aussie Theirs to much liability when owning or giving away a dog that bites.... I have a Border collie that was a rescue and not the friendliest dog. She's now the smartest dog I ever trained including the Police dogs. She won't tolarate any violence and will come between anyone roughhousing or any animals fighting. I can trust her with anyone or any animal. Her happiest part of the day is putting the ducks in the barn at dusk. I love watching her work. With the right training you will be as happy with your dog as I am with mine. Good Luck

 

[Just a Country Girl]

Sorry. I don't know how that happened. How do you remove it?

 

[Cara]

Quote:
There lies your problem

It is not 'her territory', it is yours.

We have five large breed dogs, and none of them will growl at a human. From day one we won't tolerate it, and they understand that. When they're puppies they will try you, just as they will try each other. You need to make it apparent whose house it is, and who's in charge.

If she was biting out of fear, she would also be cowering, shaking and most likely urinating.

ETA Where did you get her from, and have you contacted the breeder (if you can)? Behavioural problems this early on are often inherited from the parents, in particular the mother. Drawing blood at this age is a serious problem, and she needs to be snapped out of it as soon as possible. The worst thing you could do at this point would be to avoid strangers or situations that provoke her.

 

[breconbcs]

I warn you now, my questions are probably going to seem odd...

What has her vaccination schedule been so far (age/vaxs given)?
What food are you feeding, mainly what is the protein %?
What was her life like at the breeders? What were the parents like? Was the breeder able to tell you anything about the parents' lines or even why she/he choose the parents for that litter?
What is her day like with you? Does she have free run of the house, etc?

I don't have Aussies, I raise Border Collies, but both very smart breeds and have alot of the same issues. For many years I did what the hubby called Border Collie intervention. I tried to help people keep their dogs in the home and when they couldn't or didn't want to try I took the dog in and worked with them and re-homed them.

My reason for asking some of the "strange" questions above: some breeds and individual dogs are more sensitive to vaccinations than others, rabies vax being one of the worst for reactions. I can't remember off hand for Aussies but for Border Collies they shouldn't have a food that is more than 20-22% protein unless they are working hard everyday in some fashion. Also some dogs (I had one sent to me from a humane society) have aggression issues while on commercial foods, it's more to do with additives and grains not a particular food. The way a puppy is raised while at the breeders can make a hugh difference too, especially if there are aggression issues in the lines to begin with. At 8 weeks when a breeder sends home a puppy, it's a big transition for them - especially for those who haven't been desensitized to that coming. It's so important to start right from the get go with showing the puppy that you are alpha. When I say alpha, show that yes you are incharge but not by pushing/rolling/hitting/etc. When I bring a pup in they spend alot of time tied to me this also helps with bonding. Most breeders don't give puppies free run of their house. There is a set area or kennel/run. So to teach the pups to live in the house and follow "House Rules" having them tied to me by a leash helps give me control over them while they learn. It helps to teach them that I am boss and I say when - when they go potty (helps us to keep an eye on their ques too), when they eat, when they play, when they sleep. Given to much freedom can be overwhelming and stressful which will bring out aggression behaviors. Your home is probably nothing like the breeders was and she's not feeling secure so she feels the need to be incharge (be alpha). This needs to be addressed asap as it will only get worse as she gets older and allowed to carry on this way. You will have to bring in a behaviourist or possibly your current trainer depending on their experience level - not only with aggression but with Aussies. Some trainers, even behaviourists I've met haven't a clue how to deal/work with the herding breeds. They misread the dog's ques because they don't fully understand the working dog's mind and mannerisms.

Some basic things to do right now: she works for everything. Nothing can be a free ride. She should have no bones or other highly prized items that she will fight to keep, till she is behaving the way you want her to be she doesn't get them. Everyone in the house needs to spend time with her tied to them. She needs to learn they are above her - not equal or below her. The one thing you can never do to Aussies and Border Collies is raise your hand to them in any fashion. They remember and it can cause them to loose confidence in you as a leader. If you have to do a correction, make it a quick sharp "No", (around here me raising my voice is all it takes, even for my two 8 month olds) and move onto something positive right away that you can praise/reward for. When it only needs to be a warning I use "hey or oye" and drop my voice an octive lower so they know it's a warning and then work on something I know they can do and praise/reward for it.

But if you could answer the questions above, it may give us all better insight into her.

 

[portlandpeeps]

We have a border collie/aussie mix who behaved the same way you're describing at that age. It was definitely a dominance issue with her. My daughter and I took her to puppy training classes. She was the worst dog in the class. We took her to herding classes where we tried to teach her to herd sheep and ducks. She was horrid at it. At the same time we brought her into our lives we brought 2 day old chickens in. When the chicks were old enough to be outside, she would try to get at them by digging under their run. We told her "NO!" We continued to reinforce that we were in charge and made her work for everything including her food by doing tricks and waiting for our command. We let the hens free range and at first we always made sure she was not alone with them. Then we realized that she seemed to be fine with them when they were out in the yard and was very caring. She is now very protective of the hens and watches over them for hours each day without any supervision. She seems to think of this as her job. We also signed her up for agility training once a week and she'll be ready to compete this spring. She's turning 2 on Saturday and is the sweetest, most loving, obedient dog ever!

Hang in there and be persistent in your training. It will pay off!