Dog on dog aggression continued.
“Jennie,
Thank you for the advice. I will try this—-but what if he bites a dog that we meet on a walk? that is my fear as he’s turned on dogs a lot. they’ll be doing the sniff-each-others-butts thing, and suddenly he’ll just snap. other owners are horrified when they see his teeth.
He’s such a rascal—-we just uploaded a video of Milo scaling the mudroom door to get out. it’s on my blog (www.fixerupper.typepad.com)—on the left side of the page.
Adrienne”
Dear Adrienne
First of all, there is a big difference between nipping and biting. You said before that Milo ’s never actually bitten a dog before. If Milo is purposely biting then you have much bigger problems and you may be in over your head. I would recommend private classes with a trainer if it is that bad.
But if Milo is nipping at other dogs, then there is a good chance you can correct this behavior yourself. Remember to keep all doggy meetings very brief. I’m sure you know your dog better then anyone else, so , for example, if Milo can only sniff another dog for a maximum of 5 seconds before he gets snappy, then you should only allow him 3 seconds to sniff the dog, thank the owner, and be on your way. You always want to be in control of every situation. Also, never force Milo to do anything he is uncomfortable with because insecure dogs can attack out of fear. Dogs always give warning signals (using body posture) before they nip. These signals include flaring lips, showing teeth, sticking the tip of his tong out, glaring at the other dog, lowering his head below shoulder level, stiffing/tense body, front legs out in front and wide apart, leaning his body forward, or crouching, tail between legs, trying to hide or run away, not allowing another dog to sniff him. If Milo does any combination of these things, then it is time to move away from the other dog because he is already thinking about nipping.
If/when Milo nips, the only thing you can really do is apologize and then leave. Explain to other dog owners before hand that you are trying to socialize your dog and warn them that he might nip. It’s up to them if they still agree or not. But you must not scold Milo for his bad behavior until he figures out what it is you want him to do instead (not nip).
Thank you for the advice. I will try this—-but what if he bites a dog that we meet on a walk? that is my fear as he’s turned on dogs a lot. they’ll be doing the sniff-each-others-butts thing, and suddenly he’ll just snap. other owners are horrified when they see his teeth.
He’s such a rascal—-we just uploaded a video of Milo scaling the mudroom door to get out. it’s on my blog (www.fixerupper.typepad.com)—on the left side of the page.
Adrienne”
Dear Adrienne
First of all, there is a big difference between nipping and biting. You said before that Milo ’s never actually bitten a dog before. If Milo is purposely biting then you have much bigger problems and you may be in over your head. I would recommend private classes with a trainer if it is that bad.
But if Milo is nipping at other dogs, then there is a good chance you can correct this behavior yourself. Remember to keep all doggy meetings very brief. I’m sure you know your dog better then anyone else, so , for example, if Milo can only sniff another dog for a maximum of 5 seconds before he gets snappy, then you should only allow him 3 seconds to sniff the dog, thank the owner, and be on your way. You always want to be in control of every situation. Also, never force Milo to do anything he is uncomfortable with because insecure dogs can attack out of fear. Dogs always give warning signals (using body posture) before they nip. These signals include flaring lips, showing teeth, sticking the tip of his tong out, glaring at the other dog, lowering his head below shoulder level, stiffing/tense body, front legs out in front and wide apart, leaning his body forward, or crouching, tail between legs, trying to hide or run away, not allowing another dog to sniff him. If Milo does any combination of these things, then it is time to move away from the other dog because he is already thinking about nipping.
If/when Milo nips, the only thing you can really do is apologize and then leave. Explain to other dog owners before hand that you are trying to socialize your dog and warn them that he might nip. It’s up to them if they still agree or not. But you must not scold Milo for his bad behavior until he figures out what it is you want him to do instead (not nip).
In addition to socialization, obedience training plays a major role when trying to combat aggression. I don’t know if Milo has any prior training, but if Milo can perform a solid sit-stay or down-stay, then you can use this to your advantage and have him lie down or sit and stay while other dog owners and their dogs pass by. This may even be a better place to start until you and Milo become comfortable enough to try meeting other dogs face to face. Start by practicng sit-stay and down-stay in your back yard until Milo will automaticaly respond correctly each time you give the command. Then try having Milo sit-stay or down-stay at random times during a walk (both with other dogs near and without other dogs near).
Good Luck – Jenn
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05:28:26
