Aggressive Dog - Do I hit her or what? [Archive]

tainted_870

02-03-2006, 05:21 AM

Rubylove

02-03-2006, 05:49 AM

First and foremost. You must never, ever, ever hit or kick (or punt) your dog ever again. You are teaching her aggression, this is the worst possible thing you could be doing. She will end up biting someone if you continue to do this.

Second of all. Your dog is not aggressive. She's never aggressive towards you, is she? Only other people and dogs? She is behaving as alpha dog of your particular pack. She feels protective of you, and she manifests it by being `aggressive' towards others, and you are punishing her for it. Not your fault, to us its misbehaviour, to them its normal. She is probably hopelessly confused - she's looking after you, and you yell at and kick her. Poor dog no wonder she behaves the way she does. Rhodesian Ridgebacks in particular are very protective of and loyal to their owners. In her eyes, she is looking after you.

Thirdly. You must always praise your dog when she returns to you off leash. Yelling at her will teach her to not come when you call. She will not confuse praise with returning, for praise for being `aggressive'. You must praise the immediate behaviour, and in this case it is her coming when she is called. ALWAYS praise this.

I am so glad you came to this site for advice before you decide to actually hit your dog. Sometimes, with people, a smack can get a message across. It NEVER works that way with dogs, and you are spelling your own doom if you do this.

You need to reclaim your position as alpha dog, and give your poor dog a rest from this role she has taken on, that she is not equipped to handle.

Tell me, does she display other dominance behaviours such as jumping up, pulling on the lead, going through doors before you?

What is her level of training, is she spayed and how old is she?

Most of all, don't expect her to behave like a human - she is all dog, and she is behaving that way. She is confused and does not know what you want, and it's your job to teach her. Stick around and we'll go through some tips together, but please right now go and give her a hug and tell her you love her.

They can be very trying, but you need to absolutely reverse your way of thinking if you are ever going to get this dog relaxed, happy and calm.

moe

02-03-2006, 06:01 AM

The following link is to a site with excellent information on aggressive dogs and how to deal with them, well worth a read.

http://k9deb.com/socialis.htm

Mo

Fuzz Puppy

02-03-2006, 08:22 AM

I wouldn't hit the dog. Then the dog could become even more aggressive. So, hitting the dog teaches it to be aggressive.

shyeow2

02-03-2006, 09:01 AM

hi
i hv a dog similar to yours, just share my experiences with u..
may b u can try to check weather he aggressive coz of fears or he lack of socialize.. best solution i found is we nid to social our dogs more during puppyhood, to dogs and to human.. our life will be easier if they can get along with human and with others pets.. so.. social them more..!

Doberluv

02-03-2006, 10:41 AM

Rubylove gave you excellent advice. I recommend getting her into a class with a reputable, positive method trainer. There are other threads here about aggression that you should read.

You never ever treat aggression with aggression. Desensatizing and associating people and dogs with good things is how you get your dog to be OK with them. If you associate them with punishment, they're going to be all the more aggressive. Don't punish your dog. Condition him and modify his behavior. You'll need some help with this from a professional, I think. There are effective methods for training and punishment is not a part of it. Create a good, trusting relationship with your dog. You cannot train a dog without it. You have to be the dog's leader so he doesn't think he has to take care of everything. This comes from training and by your being calm and not emotional. Good leaders don't do anything punishing in a physical way. Give your dog affection when and only when he's behaving the way you like. Don't inadvertantly reward his unwanted behaviors. Anyhow, I highly reommend that you get some help.

Julie

02-03-2006, 11:05 AM

I say you should not let the dog off lead in public parks.
The dog should always have a lead on so you can always keep control of the situation.:)
Your dog has warned you, next time you might not be so lucky.

Doberluv

02-03-2006, 11:10 AM

Good advice Julie.

You can always use a long line.....30 ft or so and that way the dog can run around a little, but you still have control if someone comes along. You could lose your dog if he bites someone or kills someone's dog. Do be responsible.

tainted_870

02-03-2006, 05:04 PM

Thanks for all the help guys.

In response to Rubylove:

She has NEVER been aggressive towards me or my family; she may have been a few times when playing (e.g. growling when I tug on a toy etc) but she has never been sincerely aggressive towards us (if you get what I mean).

She is just over 1yr old, and she hasn’t been spayed.

She does pull on the lead at the beginning of a walk (when she has loads of energy) and she WON'T come back if she sees another dog whilst she's off the lead dog... not a chance in hell (well, maybe small chance, but still quite low). She will do whatever I want her to do if I put meaning into what I say, aslong as there are no big distractions (like other dogs she wants to play with, or people she wants to bark at), in otherwords she will obey me in the comfort of our house, outdoors it can be a bit harder. As for walking through doors, I tend to make her sit, and I walk through first.

Shes generally not aggressive towards dogs, although recently there have been a few she hasnt liked for some reason (they tend to be dogs of a similar size, or bigger).

It does make sense about you saying she’s confused. I've always wondered why she goes for people when she knows she’s doing wrong (after scaring someone, she will cower, knowing she’s been bad. She can be quite submissive).

So, are you sure that the next time she goes for somebody (I’m not planning it or anything, just in case of emergency) then I should treat her for coming back. She won’t start thinking its ok to attack people right?

Thanks a bunch.

Saje

02-03-2006, 05:09 PM

Don't let her off leash and you won't have that problem. You need to be responsible about it and keep her under control until you have the problem solved. Worst case scenario is she'll hurt someone and get put to sleep. I doubt you want that. DON'T let her off leash.

Like it was said before, don't punish your dog for coming or you'll teach her not to come when called. Don't kick your dog because all you'll do is teach her to fear you. Use the NILIF link above to learn more about becoming the 'alpha' in your relationship. A lot of people don't know the difference between a dog who is afraid but not learning and a dog who respects you.

You need to socialize your dog with other people and animals and you may need a good trainer to do that.

This might help:
http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DTB825

tainted_870

02-03-2006, 05:24 PM

Oh, and here are some pics:

Took this one last summer...
http://lozware.com/images/pictures/Pets/Fara%20Sun.JPG

This is what she tends to do when she sees other people. Thats the park I talked about...
http://lozware.com/images/pictures/Pets/Fara-Sprint.jpg

This is where she used to sleep, now we stop her from coming up stairs. My mate said we were spoiling her...
http://lozware.com/images/pictures/Pets/Farra%20Sitting%20on%20Sofa.JPG

First dog she ever met as a puppy (my mate's choc lab), which brings me to another question. When they first meet b4 every walk they play fight, but it sounds like they're killing each other, and Im not exagurating either - this sounds REALLY aggressive. I understand its setting up 'pecking order', but considering he's like her 'best-mate' its a bit weird she sounds more aggresive to him than she does to any other dogs...
http://lozware.com/images/pictures/Pets/Fara%20in%20Field%20%28silly%29.JPG

Thats all, I wont bore you with any more pics. lol

Oh and thanks again for all the feedback. I've learnt a lot.

Rubylove

02-03-2006, 09:37 PM

The pics aren't boring they are beautiful! She is a stunning, stunning dog. You have obviously taken very good care of her, phsically at least. :D

Now you need to start looking after her psyche. You can pm me, if you want, or I'll try to get back and post a bit more later after I've done the morning puppy run here at home!! LOL!!

Brattina88

02-03-2006, 10:26 PM

Good Advice Ruby!

does make sense about you saying she’s confused. I've always wondered why she goes for people when she knows she’s doing wrong (after scaring someone, she will cower, knowing she’s been bad. She can be quite submissive).
I would just like to add that at this point your dog is not cowering because she knows he did wrong. She is cowering / behaving submissivly because she knows you're angry. Dogs don't connect the behaviors they did previously to punishment in the present. If you catch a dog in the act they can be corrected, but after the fact it is too late.
Here's a website that some have found helpful in establishing themselves as the 'leader of the pack.' I do, however, disagree with certain harsher meathods, but its very informative.
http://www.leerburg.com/groundwork.htm
There's a section in which its explained that if a dog knows that the leader can and will handle potentail threats or situations that make the dog nearvous they won't see a need to display the type of protective behavior you described.

Let us know how things are going!

yoko

02-04-2006, 02:57 AM

the whole playing but sounding like they are killing each other. i totally understand my dog does that with her buddy rover. trust me they're just playing. if they are really fighting you'll be able to to tell just by watching them

Doberluv

02-04-2006, 05:05 AM

You've been given great advice from Saje, Rubylove and Bratina. If you continue to be harsh with your dog, you'll ruin her. Like Bratina said, she's cowering because she fears you and what you'll do to her, NOT because she knows she did something wrong. Dogs don't have a sense of guilt or morals. You need to learn something about the way dogs think or you won't be able to train your dog.

Don't follow trainers who are harsh with their dogs. It is not the way to treat an animal. Dogs all over the world are trained beautifully with positive, kind, gentle methods. This is not the same thing as permissive. There are ways.

I recommend looking for a reputable trainer who uses operant conditioning based methods and taking some times to learn about dogs. You'll enjoy your dog so much more and your dog will have a happier life and be much more bonded and loyal to you....the way it's suppose to be.

Dogs' lives are too short as it is and we don't have much time with them. Make your dogs life happy. Never kick or hit or lose your temper. It won't teach the dog anything but to fear you. It also will not make you a leader in your dog's eyes. You have to be a good leader for your dog. In wild dogs, at any rate, if a leader is harsh, causes fear and pain, that leader is disposed of at once. The rest of the dogs will not keep a leader like that. Our domestic dogs don't have that option. So, they often live on with the insecurity of not having a leader and struggling within themselves to try and be the leader because they don't know what else to do. Someone has got to be the leader. Behavior problems come about because of this insecurity and then the poor dogs get punished for those behavior problems, when all along....those problems are the owners' fault. If a dog has behavior problems, it is not the dog's fault, but the owners. So why punish the dog?

Please spend some time learning about training and dog behavior. It will change your life. And your dog's.

Here's something to get you started. :)

http://www.dogpatch.org/obed/obpage4.cfm

Gorgeous dog, btw.
Oh....yes, dogs play very roughly sometimes. If there are no wounds or blood, they're playing. Look online for "dogs' body language" and see if you can find something helpful.

Rubylove

02-04-2006, 05:20 AM

I thought Ruby and Chester were going to kill each other a few times with their playing!! It can get VERY full on....but you'll be quickly able to tell the minute it gets serious. It's a VERY different kettle of fish, then, and easily distinguishable from play, no matter how rough it gets.

jxxlxxs

02-04-2006, 09:01 AM

Maybe try getting a wire muzzle, just as a safety procaution, because it doesnt sound like youre 100% sure she WONT bite someone, letting her off leash un muzzled sounds like a TERRIBLE idea. They sell wire muzzles that allow your dog to open its mouth some to pant and i think drink yet it fully surrounds the dogs mouth so it cant bite anything/anyone(not like the cloth ones they use at vets that hold the mouth completely shut) the wire ones are safe to use for a couple hours, where as the cloth ones should be removed as soon as possible.

jxxlxxs

02-04-2006, 09:13 AM

and about the playing- OH my, you should see my dog when he gets wound up lol (the new pup isnt allowed out with the big dogs yet, im afraid hell get squished!) but it seems like every neighbor we have has atleast a couple dogs that are all friendly, and we live out in the country, so usually once every 2 weeks or so we get em all out and rompin around (the only reason they dont get to play more often is they ALL are totally covered in dirt/slobber and need baths) but our one neighbors breed boxers, australian shepards, and shelties, then we have a couple goldens, a golden mix, 2 schnauzers...its tons of fun!! Socializing your dog is really important, if none of these dogs were well socialized they wouldnt get to have "play time" and thatd be a sad thought!

tainted_870

02-05-2006, 07:44 AM

Guys your help is amazing. I did nothing but praise my dog today. Even when she took like 10 minutes to come back, I praised her when she did. She seems to actually want to come back now (maybe it’s because I had biscuits, lol).

Anyway, thanks again.

RedyreRottweilers

02-05-2006, 10:18 AM

Hey guys.

I have a 38KG Rhodesian Ridgeback Bitch. She's overly protective about the house, and there are a few dogs that she doesn’t seem to like. She's also aggressive to most people that don’t have dogs with them.

As of yet she has never actually bitten anyone, but she scares the crap into people, and is a right menace.

I was going to take her on a nice long walk today, and I stopped by the park on the way (and let her off her lead - no one was around). Some woman then came into the park, and my dog sprinted towards her and she was pretty bad to her (in fact, probably the most aggressive I’ve seen her - she still didn’t bite though).

So you took a KNOWN aggressive dog and released her in a public area.

[mod edit. flaming] You are lucky you are not in a lawsuit.

I was pissed off the say the least,

Why would YOU be pissed? You already state you know the dog is aggressive. *YOU* let her loose, knowing the tendencies and obviously untrained status of the dog. I don't see anyone to be pissed at here but yourself.

and getting my dog back on the lead is quite hard when she goes nuts like that. When I managed to get her to sit, I put the lead on her, yelled at her, and punted her in the side with my foot (not hard, just enough to let her know I was real mad).

[mod edit. flaming] You finally get the dog, so you punish her by yelling and ABUSE HER BY KICKING HER? You don't deserve a dog.

She was really submissive all the way home (like she normally is when she goes for someone, because she knows she’s done wrong - yet she still does it!), and when I got into my house, I locked her in the corridor which is quite small, and I imagine is quite un-comfy (she's used to being allowed to roam about downstairs, and climb on furniture).

Sorry I know that's lengthy, but I realise that there's a lot of factors involved in dog training, so I thought I would tell you the full story.

So, do I punish her when I get her back on the lead to let her know she’s done bad (which may make her not want to come back in future)?

Or do I tell her she’s a good girl for coming back (which she may mistake for a treat for attacking someone)?

No. What you do is rehome the dog with someone who will TRAIN it, who won't turn it loose when they know the reactions it is going to have and it does not have a recall.

I suggest a pet rock for you. No dogs.

You are quite lucky not to have been bitten yourself by this bitch before now.

Feh.

:mad:

Debi

02-05-2006, 10:31 AM

Redyre, that was a bit harsh. I think it's obvious that the poster needed help with the situation, asked and received good information, and shows appreciation because they want to improve. adding additional information is always helpful, and something you are usually so eager to do. I understand your passion...but sorry, your post here was out of line.

Doberluv

02-05-2006, 10:50 AM

The pics aren't boring they are beautiful! She is a stunning, stunning dog. You have obviously taken very good care of her, phsically at least.

Now you need to start looking after her psyche. You can pm me, if you want, or I'll try to get back and post a bit more later after I've done the morning puppy run here at home!! LOL!!

Rubylove, this is a quality post. You've given the message that this dog needs her psyche looked after, that you're willing to help, even by way of a p.m, that you recognize the good physical care given to the dog and given positive feedback for the pictures. You've given the o.p. the opening needed to receive help which is apparently being asked for. Good job!:)

We all get frustrated from time to time, myself very much included. We hate to see a dog being hurt. And we tend to get very protective about these creatures we love. When someone comes on the forums who's unfamiliar with dogs, who's asking what they should do, as much as it frustrates or angers us to hear what is happening, as long as there's a chance that the poster is receptive to getting help and taking advice, we need to try to give that help. When, after giving advice, the poster is balking at it, that's perhaps the time to step back and find someone else who needs help so we can reach more people. But up until now, I don't see that happening (this thread hasn't been going on for too long yet) so let's hang in there together and try to show the op some help.

I agree with Redyre that you are risking a lot by letting your pup off leash where other people are. You can use a long line which will let the pup run but you'll still have control over her. You can't teach the dog to come reliably if she has freedom to run off. It's not good enough that she comes eventually. We'll help you teach her a good recall....there's tons of info here and if you let experienced dog people, like Redyre and others show you how to do things, you'll end up with a much better dog who's not giving you problems. Redry really knows dogs and can be a terrific source of info. There are lots of people here experienced with handling dogs and I think you'll be so much better off if you take the advice free for the asking. And as you can tell, hitting or kicking the dog needs to come to a halt or your dog will be ruined. And I know you don't want that. We'll show you ways to deal with stuff. There's no need or good to come from losing your temper. So, hang in there.:)

tainted_870

02-05-2006, 11:13 AM

It was my mate's farm. No-one goes there except for me, him, and our dogs.

I didn’t take any note of who wrote that rather offensive message, but just to clarify things, my dog doesn’t try and HURT anyone, she just scares them by BARKING at them. She has never bitten anyone - I know that dogs are unpredictable, they could do anything, but that can applied to any animal. I have had my dog for over a year now, and she hasn't bitten anyone.

Ah that’s it, 'RedyreRottweilers'. Look mate, chill. I haven’t let her off the lead yet in a public area since i submitted this post. And in response to your question (I don’t care if its rhetorical, I'm answering it anyway) where you asked why I would be pissed off, well let me awsner it for you...

Hmmmmm.... My dog just scared the crap into someone, there was nothing I could do about it, the woman had appeared almost from no-where. My dog was ignoring me, and the woman looked kinda pissed. Am I missing something here, should I be happy?

I KNOW that I shouldn’t let my dog off when there people about, and I don’t. I constantly have my eyes on the entrance to the park, and if I see anyone approach the entrance I put her on the lead. Ever since that incident I have never let her off the lead except in my back-garden, in the house, and at my mate's farm.

[mod edit. flaming]

'Feh'
:mad:

(oh yeah, get your facts straight before you start accusing me of anything.)

Debi

02-05-2006, 11:19 AM

OK...now that it's all out of our systems...on to taking note of the productive information. :) tainted, Redrye is someone with extensive knowledge..you do want to listen. Doberluv is awesome, as was all posts concerning help. now, do chill yourself...and let's stay on track. good job to ask questions!!! :)

tainted_870

02-05-2006, 11:38 AM

Thanks Debi. I have learnt a lot already, especially on how dogs think.

Im sure he/she does know his stuff, and there's no denying that. But he sure as hell is a crap teacher. When I was at school, there was only ever 1 teacher that mocked their students in a way that 'RedyreRottweilers' did, and he got fired.

You say that being angry at a dog is a very bad way of teaching it something. Well use your common sense, being angry at me is also not a very good way of teaching me something. What exactly did you hope to gain by twistng my words and making me sound like an idiot? Nothing, you just pissed me off, and gave me a negative attitude towards this forum.

Doberluv

02-05-2006, 11:41 AM

Well, truth be told, if a dog is scaring someone, even if not biting, that's enough to have the authorities on your back. There was a dog in my old neighborhood who ran out onto the street and would scare the livin' you know what out of my daughter when she was younger and other kids. This dog didn't bite anyone, but barked very menacingly. These people were warned two times by the animal control people and then they had to get rid of the dog. That was it.

And you're so right. Dogs are unpredictable. If they act the way you describe your dog, barking, running up near people, this in itself is aggression and it can very very easily escalate to a bite. Don't think your dog wouldn't bite because she hasn't yet. She most certainly could.

That being said, is there a place, a ball field with a fence or some other place with a fence where you can let your dog run, fetch a ball or whatever, where it cannot get away and where no one else is? If not, you need to keep your dog on a long leash (light weight rope from a hardware store is cheap and easy) You can make it any length you like. Let the dog run but hold onto the end. (be careful though, when she gets near the end that her neck doesn't get yanked because she can get a severe spinal injury) You can even tie a short bungie onto the end of the rope. (lose the metal things) It gives her a little give at the end. But still be careful. Otherwise.....that is one way to let your dog run around, but all will be safe.

You can enforce your command to "come" easily with a long line. And reward the heck out of your dog when she comes every single time. This way, she'll look forward to coming to you. Make it really fun when she comes. If you practice over and over every day, (frequent, but short sessions) along with some other skills so she doesn't get bored, she'll get into the habit of coming. But she has to be sure that you won't get mad at her. It has to be the most wonderful thing in the world to come to you. Throw a party. LOL. Make her trust you in all you do and she'll be so good at learning new things.

Remember, letting her free where there is any chance of someone being there or if they're not there already, coming there, is a huge risk and you could end up having your dog destroyed or taken from you. And you'd feel horrible, if in fact your dog bit someone. What if it were a little kid? Kids are very often viewed as prey to a dog. Dogs have killed many a small child. So, I do hope you'll believe me in my seriousness about this. I have had and worked with dogs for over 40 years, since I was a small child. I know dogs and I've gone to school and studied canine behavior, then studied it more for several years, their instincts, the way they learn, the way they interact with people. Please take what I say seriously.

Fuzz Puppy

02-05-2006, 03:34 PM

I really hope you can find out what to do. I'd concider a head harness for her. That may help so you can control her in public areas. She's really beutiful,by the way. Aggression really is scary isn't it? I never seen aggression witgh people, but I've delt with dog to dog aggression and I bet people aggression is just as scary. Your doing the right thing by trying to get advice. Good luck.

Hannah

tainted_870

02-05-2006, 04:21 PM

Thanks for the luck, and I made real progress today on my mate’s farm (with recall etc)

She is obviously fine with people she knows, and she is fine with most other dogs. If someone is with a Dog, her attention will be taken away from the owner, and if she is aggressive towards them, it will be at the dog.

If I'm walking past someone, I normally put her on a short lead (I wrap the lead around my hand a few times). This seems to make her nervous, and she will make an attempt to get at the other walker-by. My mate said that she may be sensing my 'fear' through the lead getting tighter. So, recently I have tried walking past people with a loose lead. She doesn’t bother the walkers-by now, but she does try and sniff them on the way past. Maybe my friend was right in saying she could sense my 'fear', and now that she doesn’t, she wont try and 'defend me'.

Fuzz Puppy

02-05-2006, 05:07 PM

It's great that she's getting better. I'm extremely glad it's working out and she's being less agressive because she doesn't need to protect you.

Doberluv

02-05-2006, 05:48 PM

Maybe my friend was right in saying she could sense my 'fear', and now that she doesn’t, she wont try and 'defend me'.

Oh yes, definitely. She may or may not be trying to defend you. It's hard to say. But if you're nervous and tense, she'll feel that and sense it right down through the leash. Try and act like it's no big deal that there's another dog or person and just keep walking..."let's go" in a cheery voice. Try to make out that the thing she's worried about, dog or human is no big deal. It's allllll good. LOL. If she behaves nicely when you go by, give her a treat and a cheery bit of praise. Let her know that by being around these people/dogs, nothing bad happens. In fact, good things happen. Then she'll start to see them in a more favorable way. Also, if you can let her see these things from a little distance at first, get her use to them that way and gradually move closer, that should help. Be sure and not forget to praise for good behavior. Good luck.

Brattina88

02-05-2006, 06:08 PM

I'm so glad you're already making progress! This makes me proud to say I'm part of the Chazhound community. You've got a lot of good advice from several different people, and I happy you found this forum and your pack is getting the help you were looking for.
Here's a command I thought might be useful for you and your dog:
Teaching Your Dog to "Watch Me"
Deffinition
“Watch me, look at my face, pay attention and be ready for further instructions.”
Practical Uses
“Watch Me” is the foundation of all training, as it serves to get your dog’s attention before you give her another cue. You must have your dog’s attention before you can teach her anything. There will also be times when you want to distract your dog’s attention from something that is inappropriate, such as another dog, a squirrel, a dead something that might be fun to roll in or other temptations.
How to Teach “Watch Me”Hold the treat in your fingers, put it near the dog’s nose and move the treat toward your nose. As soon as she
looks at your face, *click and reward her with the treat and with praise. You may have to be quick to click
before she jumps up or looks away again. If she jumps up after you click, wait until all four feet are on the floor to reward her. The click signals the end of the behavior that you want her to perform, so it’s OK if she looks away after you click.
Comments
Wait until your dog consistently follows the lure to your face before adding the cue words, “watch me.” When she looks at your face, click and give her the treat you’re using as a lure. Begin to use the treat as a reward, rather than a lure, when she immediately looks at your face when you give her the cue. Without holding food in your hand, point to your eyes and say, “watch me.” When she looks at your face, click and give her a treat from a different source, such as your treat bag, your pocket or your other hand.
Try not to bend over your dog. Rather, stand erect to increase the distance between her eyes and your face. Work toward a quick response to your cue “watch me.” When she looks at you immediately, begin to increase the length of time she looks at you before you click and treat.
Reinforce eye contact by holding a treat in your hand behind your back or straight out to your side. Your dog will probably stare at your hand, but be patient and don’t say a word. Eventually, she’ll look up at you.
The second she makes eye contact, click and give her the treat.
Once you can consistently hold your dog’s attention for about five seconds, begin to click and treat every second or third time. When you are not using the food reward, simply point to your eyes, using the cue “watch me” and praise her when she complies. You are building her attention span, so be patient!
Remember that eye contact is a type of dominance behavior. Less confident dogs may look away as a gesture of submission to you. Overly confident, pushy dogs may initially interpret direct eye contact as a threat and respond with threatening behavior. Smile at your dog, talk to her in a jolly, high-pitched voice and relax your eyes rather than stare at her. If necessary, look at the top of her head or her ear rather than directly into her eyes. As your relationship with your dog grows, she should become more comfortable with
sustained eye contact with you.

**If you're not using a clicker saying "Yes!" or "good!" can be interjected at the correct times

Good luck, and good job! And keep the questions coming, because as that EC saying goes "Knowledge is power" :D

Doberluv

02-05-2006, 06:12 PM

Excellent help Brattina! What a great explanation. That is such a useful command.

tainted_870

02-05-2006, 06:13 PM

'If she behaves nicely when you go by, give her a treat and a cheery bit of praise'

Yeah, I always praise her when I walk past someone and she doenst bother them. She’s definitely getting better in that respect, but I don’t trust leaving her on a loose lead when walking past children. She really hates children. My next-door neighbour has his grand-children round each Sunday, and they always used to run up and down their garden winding up my dog (they are about 5 - 8ish, the annoying age!). I only realised this about a month after it was happening, but my dog has been unsure of children ever since. I don’t know if you have ever seen a Ridgeback's hackles go up - but it turns into a fully grown Mohican! It’s really easy to tell if she's feeling defensive/offensive.

I tend to walk on the other side of the road if I can see kids coming towards me. There's no point in risking it, if she jumps at one she would knock them over, and possible in front of a car (not a good scenario).

Doberluv

02-05-2006, 06:27 PM

Wow, it's too bad she didn't get more kid socializing as a young pup. This is clearly a dangerous situation. Can you get some professional help with her? It sounds like things might be coming along in some areas. You're doing great. But the reaction toward kids is very frightening. What if she ever escaped? I really hope you can get someone to help with that.

yoko

02-06-2006, 03:18 AM

i would really try to find a trainer to help you out with the children thing. that's something that could turn into a really bad situation easily

Rubylove

02-06-2006, 04:15 AM

Oh yes, definitely. She may or may not be trying to defend you. It's hard to say. But if you're nervous and tense, she'll feel that and sense it right down through the leash. Try and act like it's no big deal that there's another dog or person and just keep walking..."let's go" in a cheery voice. Try to make out that the thing she's worried about, dog or human is no big deal. It's allllll good. LOL. If she behaves nicely when you go by, give her a treat and a cheery bit of praise. Let her know that by being around these people/dogs, nothing bad happens. In fact, good things happen. Then she'll start to see them in a more favorable way. Also, if you can let her see these things from a little distance at first, get her use to them that way and gradually move closer, that should help. Be sure and not forget to praise for good behavior. Good luck.
Absolutely. Dogs are incredibly sensitive to body language, and don't forget their noses are literally 10,000 times more sensitive than ours. They can smell how we feel, too, not just read our body language.

The best way to get your girl to be cool in a situation is to desensitize. As Doberluv said, you need to act like there's nothing at all in the world out of the ordinary going on - and pretty soon your pup will act like that too. Her attention should really be on you the whole time, and so distractions aren't as, well, distracting!!! A good way to do this is something you've already discovered for yourself - treat, treat, treat. She came to you when you had biscuits, she will start paying attention to you ALL the time if you start randomly treating during the day, on walks - whenever she does something good, whenever she's lying there being quiet, anytime at all. Just a treat, for no reason, and she'll start to wonder when the next one's coming, and pretty soon she won't be able to take her eyes off you. That's when the training can begin in earnest.

Also, she's smart - so keep it fun. Short sessions, and to the point. She'll love you for it!