My dog just went crazy, what should I do?

[Cackling Hen]

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Not for me..
She knows what shes doing.

If my dogs did that, they'd be lucky it was the horse crop and not the gun!

Sometimes I find it strange that something as basic as a horse crop, with is a short handled flat crop, designed to make more noise than pain, would be considered animal cruelty. Had this been an argument between two dogs, it would have involved teeth and blood.

"Le Cenard de Barbarie" what would have you done if it was you in the situation? And why?

-Kim

Ditto if a dog ever made me scared bye bye doggie

 

[emvickrey]

If you plan to keep her you have to take charge now. This is what we do when we are showing a dog exactly who IS in charge. What ever the offence, the dog gets chained in an area where there is no contact except for dailly food and water. NEVER back down, ever. If they growl and they are loose, stand your ground and try to look big and mean. Put on your meanest face you can muster and sternest voice you have and make them stand down. If your dog knows commands, use them. I agree with taking what the dog was growling at you over. Carry it around so the dog can see you with it, while its on the chain. lay it on something of yours a table or a chair. Leave it a little while and go back and get it but when you do make sure you look the dog in the eyes with your mean look.
I have always trained my dogs without violence. A dog that big, you have to get their attention and prove you are boss. They either do what you say or they get punished. WE aquired a St Bernard that had no training what so ever. He jumped on us and would run into us and knock us down. I taught him to stop in his tracks before he ran any of us over. He wouldn't jump pn us anymore and I could make him sit with a hand command. He wasn't mean at all, just big and dumb. If your dog is a male, i suggest neutering. That calms them down to where they pay attention. Something about testicles and brains don't mix. The testosterone takes over. Snip, snip and you they have a new attitude.

You should keep your dog away from your birds too. Let him know he can't kill them. It may be too late for that now that he has tasted them. I was told that back in the day, they would tie the bird around the neck of the dog and let it rot there. That cured any dog from killing chickens. Sounds discusting to me though. I never had to go that far

 

[Wildsky]

Mr. Peepers :

I've owned large, somewhat "sharp" working/protection breeds all my life. I've also read this whole thread.

If this were my animal, I would put her down. This kind of behavior is very difficult to modify and the odds of your success are low. Just one more occurrence could be truly disastrous. You are dealing with a very dangerous situation.

There are all sorts of experts and behaviorists who could give advice, but there's always a great risk that they'll be wrong and/or unsuccessful. The only reprieve I would consider would be to have her spayed and place her with an expert handler who is well aware of the risks and willing to assume them. In no case do you want to pass this kind of behavior on to the next generation.

I have to agree.

I have a young dog, a heeler, much smaller and easier to handle - she got a little food agressive a while ago - with my kids! She got a good lesson, pinned down - we even growled at her, and she's never done that again! But I'm not sure that could be done with a 3 year old that is SO big!!

The risk is too great.​

 

[chickerdoodle]

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I start all my dogs from the moment I have them (puppy or adult) that I am to be respected as I control all food and pleasure (similar to the NILF mentioned in an earlier post). I also teach this to my clients with dogs who are exhibiting problems with excellent long term results. I have never had to hit any of my dogs and strongly believe violence begets violence. Starting by having them sit before you set down their food bowl is easy to do even as pups--every single time. They will soon do it without being asked. They are taught to wait at the door until I say "OK." I teach them "off" so they will jump off the couch if I wish to sit there. I have had very assertive and confident large dogs (Belgian Malinois and Dobermans) and they would look at me the moment I walked near the couch and if I'd say "off" they jump immediately off the couch and then turn and wag their tail at me. I trained them to do this with positive reinforcement. If you play with them and have fun with them they learn you are great to have in their lives and want it to stay that way. Clear instructions are essential so they don't need to test you with aggression. They may become "pushy" by sticking their nose under your arm to be petted but you can ignore them by turning your head in the opposite direction and they'll stop. Same goes for jumping on you. The jumping and licking your face is really a greeting but humans find it annoying so the dog can learn to not do it. You need to continue training throughout the dog's life although not as frequently as the dog ages to keep them looking to you for instructions.

It is never a good idea to hit a dog but I do understand why it happens. For so many years it was the method used by Kohler, a famous dog "trainer." Behaviorists and the veterinary community have since ruled Kohler's techniques as archaic and abusive. Cesar Milan's total pack/dominance techniques are considered out dated as well by most professional behaviorists today as well--although they are certainly not as outright cruel as Kohler's were.

 

[that_crazy_lady]

in a nut shell you should get the help. you need to A. get a handle on her, B. put her in the hands of someone who can handle her, or C. have her put down.
don't forget the breed, with any LSG breed you have to stay on top of them mently speaking
I am in no way for putting a dog down just beacous it snaped at someone, but it is something for you to think about cuz she did it to you.

it sounds to me like she got away with more then she sould have, then got locked onto something {be it a food thing or not} you snaped her out of it, and she snaped at you beacous she knew she could.
if it had been me I would have hit or kicked her with all I had. I would have thought Oh no you didn't, you thought OMG!

My Kota thought he wanted a rooster one time too meny, I rushed him, tosted him, and held him by the throte until I relaxed. I did that beacous I did not want him getting shot by someone. but he was 6mo, not 3 years. now his close to 3 and I can take him to a rodeo with tons of kids running lose, and stays locked onto me, that is his job. He does it well and I love him for it.
and it is not always a good idea to use shock collers on adult dog that have never had one used on them, they tend to be more likly to bit as you buzz them.

a lot of good dogs with try you once in their life time

Talk to someone who knows the breed and can come see you with her. Best wishs to all

 

[Mr. Peepers]

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As I said before, there are lots of theories. But the facts do remain.

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Obviously, but would you turn your back on this animal or trust it around your children or grandchildren? I certainly would not, and it's foolish to encourage chickNjake's to do so.

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Although this b1tch wasn't a threat to me or my family, I did as I advised chickNjake's to do. She was placed with an experienced owner who understood the situation and had no other animals that would be in conflict. I recognized the b!tche's behavior for what it was and realized that there could easily be a re-ocurrence.

 

[Brindlebtch]

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Well said.

 

[Freebie]

I really don't have anything new to add. Lots of good information. I would definately get some outside help. and it is something you have to commit to and be consistent. As for my dogs, when they were pups, everyone of them got a lesson in food. I would sit with them, put the food in the bowl, take it out, give them a piece here and there, make them sit, lay, down, whatever. I would take their food bowl and give it back to them. put my hand in the bowl. Just messed with them. I have never had an issue with food aggression, to this day(the youngest is 6)

Just be consistent with whatever method you use. and please get a professional in for a consult.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Chickerdoodle I truly believe the dog was raised to your standards. I have raised, trained and showed many AmStaffs and this was the only one to ever challenge me in this way. I truly love and adore my dogs and do not beat or abuse them to train them or for any other reason.
This was a one off occurrence. I do not generally use Koehler methods, and I also do not use a clicker. I do believe they can be useful upon occasion depending on the situation. I use food and toys and praise with a neutral marker word for undesirable behavior.

All my other dogs know 'off' and do so quite happily. All my current dogs do so. Burbus did so. That night he did not. He did so quite happily ever after more, for 10 more years, since this occurred when he was 4.

Putting aside what you seem to believe is my faulty training, what would you have done late at night when you are very tired, have nothing in you hands, and are presented by surprise with a large dog that has unexpectedly decided to seriously challenge you? I mean really seriously challenge you. What would you do in that very moment?


In response to other comments: I find it more humane to beat the dog once in its life than put it down.

Mr. Peepers: I'm glad you rehomed the beta. Spaying the GP is a great idea. We also have a dog aggressive b1tch we must be careful with. Great with people, bad with dogs.

Wolf-Kim: Yep, this was a short flat leather covered crop with a big flapper on the end designed to make a big noise!

 

[EweSheep]

All good advices!

I had a Borzoi B1tch that did the bad deed once, by food aggression when my nephew which he was roughly about 6 years old, walked by the chair which she was eating her food off from. For no reason at all, she nailed him on the side of her face. My mother and me, clobbered that Borzoi, short of breaking her %@#! nose! Such a quick response from both of us, she never did it again. With a mothering instinct that both Mom and I had to defend our nephew, it was too late to take back the grabbing her scruff and smacking her mouth hard twice and pin her down on the floor. It happened so fast but looking back at it, it has been more than ten years ago, I dont think I would have done it differently. One rule that my father instill us, as he done alot of obidence training on his collies, NEVER EVER let a dog dominate you.

Another incident, with a different Borzoi neutered male, sweet as a collie but one day he had a bad day, decided to lay on my bed which it was off limits. I commanded him to get off the bed. He cocked one eyeball at me, put his nose up the air and curl every so little on the side of his mouth. BAM! I got him by the scruff of his neck and literally picked up the 100 lb dog off the bed onto the floor and yelled at him dont you EVER do that to me every again or you will DIE! Then I let him go. He was one hell of a mess of jello after that and he never did it again after three years later, of old age, skin problems that I had to put him down.

As for the OP's GP dog, if I dont think I feel safe handling a large dog, and the risk of being nailed or lawsuit, I would put the dog down. We had an abused collie that my parents adopted and she never got out of her attack mode despite of all the training my parents invested in her.