Dog Aggression (fear)

Soubrette

Another important aspect of a dog behaviourist is how you gel with them. I actually believe there is more than one way to train a dog but it's how you feel about it.

Some people find some aspects of training too cruel for them - Cezar Millan's correction based methology for example, other people find some reward based behavioural methologies don't fit well with their ideas of 'pack leader' etc.

Make sure that the way that you view acceptable training gels with the your chosen behaviourist as you will have to work just as hard as your dog and put a lot of time in so you have to trust their methods totally.

Also agree with Foreign Correspondence - dog aggression occurs for many different reasons, if anyone offers advice without assessing your dog....run a mile :eek:

Sou

adandem

pboae wrote: »

Don't get hung up on the pack leader stuff, a lot of it is nonsense, and can make things a lot worse when applied to a fear aggressive dog.



if they talk about check chains, water pistols, rattle bottles, throw chains or spray/shock collars, then run a mile.

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Totally agree, most behaviouralists have also thrown out this thinking with the dishwater now. I personally don't think animals form a pack with humans, just other dogs.

Most of the 'hierarchy' stuff is also very outdated, I think consistency is the most important thing in any approach to dog behaviour.

I hope you can get some positive help soon.;)

foreign_correspondent

hmm, personally I do believe pack theory might be useful, but in quite a subtle way - I think my dog needs to know that I am in charge, but that this can be shown in many ways (ie. I control the food, when and where she goes and what she does. eg. right now she is itching to get up on the sofa with me but is waiting till I tell her she can!)

However, I totally agree that
if they talk about check chains, water pistols, rattle bottles, throw chains or spray/shock collars, then run a mile.

I think getting into a battle of wills with any dog is counter productive and that these 'tools' can do more harm than good.

When I was ten I got a rescue dog who was dumped near us (a smooth, black and white fox terrier x) who had been clearly been knocked around (smashed teeth, odd fears etc). All her life she had a tendency to growl at strange men, and occasionally nip at them, especially those in overalls and I think it was quite clear it was a bloke who had beaten her.

I never raised a hand to her and trained her with treats and fuss, and as time went on she behaved impeccably for me, and never, ever growled at me. I knew b*gger all about dog training, so just went on intuition and what worked I suppose, but I was told countless times by adults to 'hit her on the nose' if she misbehaved etc, but I didnt want to because she was nervous enough.

Looking back on it, I am quite sure if she had gone to someone who had tried to 'dominate' her by using harsh training techniques she would have become a nightmare.

Sadly she eventually went missing and we had reason to believe she was shot by a local farmer who has a bit of a 'reputation' for doing this.:(

Anyway, I am sorry, I am rambling a bit now, but I suppose what I am saying is, I agree with Pboae on this one! Look for a kind trainer for your lad.

pboae

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

hmm, personally I do believe pack theory might be useful, but in quite a subtle way - I think my dog needs to know that I am in charge, but that this can be shown in many ways (ie. I control the food, when and where she goes and what she does. eg. right now she is itching to get up on the sofa with me but is waiting till I tell her she can!)

Which is why I say most, not all, of it is nonsense . What you are describing is primarily good manners, rather than dominance, or pack theory, and teaching them to obey your commands, which is relatively natural for a domesticated dog anyway. In fact it actively goes against some genuine aspects of pack behaviour (e.g. a dog of any status can guard it's own food, especially if it found or killed it itself, whereas we train dogs to give up food that they aren't meant to have).

I think adendem is right as well, consistency is the key. The one advantage dominance and pack theory based training methods have is that the very rigid structure forces the owner to be consistent in their training. It's just a shame that the way it is implemented can (with some trainers) lead to the dog suffering. When the same results could be reached more kindly if the owner just applied the same level of consistency to another training method.

But I promise to shut up on this subject now, because I don't want to take this any further off topic!