Some aggression

[Maxy24]

Phoebe sometimes shows aggression towards certain people. Usually it manifests in the way of growling but she has bit someone more than once. It never broke the skin though. The other day my uncle said small dogs are sometimes like that which made me kinda angry because he acted like it was an excuse. This comes from the guy who used to smack his dogs around for begging, barking, jumping, or doing anything at all he didn't like. With Phoebe he feeds her a little of his every meal, let's her sleep with him and well she's spoiled. Personally I think it's great he has changed but what she's becoming is not really a good thing.

She snapped at my Aunt when she tried to pet her. She bit my other Aunt for trying to pet her. A man who reached in to the car window to shake my uncle's hand got bit by Phoebe who was sitting on his wife's lap (which is sorta understandable) and she always growls at my Uncle's friend Gary.

She also growled at my Aunt (her owner) once when my aunt was getting into bed and Phoebe was laying there. My Aunt went to pet Phoebe and she started to growl (My Aunt then told me she Spanked Phoebe, I would have told her not to punish growling but my uncle was there and he does not like anyone telling him what to do) I do believe my Aunt probably put her face near Phoebe's.

Now my cousin does this which she is not supposed to. She puts her face near Phoebe growls and pull back her face, she want Phoebe to get excited and snap at her, which she does. And it is a fun game. I feel it may be making Phoebe dislike having people's faces near her's.

Phoebe also bites the vet and groomer, she will only tolerate one groomer in the shop. She does not like to be fooled with.

Phoebe was not socialized, is there anything that can be done so she does not randomly choose to dislike certain people? Also what can I do about her touchiness?

[squirtsmom]

Oh boy, those are alot of issues. Spanking the dog is wrong, but with the rest I know someone will get on here and give you good advice.

[Doberluv]

Well, the two things combined; no socialization and your family ruining your dog, she doesn't have much of a chance. Sticking one's face into a dog's face is an aggressive act to most all dogs unless they've been conditioned to it properly. So, naturally, she's biting in self defense. Dogs aren't crazy about being groped at and petted all of the time. It's not even a dog thing. Dogs have learned to like petting because it's associated with good things. There are times when dogs should just be left alone and not harrassed. People just don't respect dogs sometimes at all.

Things have happened which have associated hands with bad things.....being hit. Other things have occurred which have made her so insecure that she feels a need to try and gain some semblance of order because she doesn't have any secure direction. So, she is taking it on herself to take care of herself the only way she knows how. She got hit for communicating. (growling) She doesn't have any other means than her teeth.

They have been mistreating her. What your cousin is doing, is actively teaching her to bite. She is tormenting your poor dog. I hate to say it, but if these people are unwilling to cooperate with what you advise them, your dog doesn't have a chance in hell to be even half way to well adjusted.

You need a certified behaviorist who uses positive methods to come to your home and work with your family, you and your dog. Don't allow ANYONE to treat your dog roughly again. Keep her locked away if these people are present. This spoiling of her; feeding her at the table, giving in to all her whims, smacking her for defending herself and who knows what else are escalating the problem big time. Breaking skin or not, when a dog has bitten, it's time for professional help. It's not a matter of her not "liking" certain people. It's a matter of a mal-adjusted, unhappy, insecure dog through no fault of her own.

I really feel for you. What an unpleasant situation to be in. I think you need to have a heart to heart with each member of your family who is interacting with your dog and plead for professional help and their devoted and serious cooperation. I do hope you get the help you need. Your family needs to realize that Phoebe deserves a safe and secure environment from a dog's point of view.....a dog who has not had ample or any socialization. Her needs are heightened and extraordinary because of it.

Please let us know how things go. I wish the very best for you and Phoebe.

[Maxy24]

The problem is she is not my dog, I just want to give my aunt advice (Phoebe is my Aunt Cathy and Uncle Kevin's dog), my aunt will be willing to listen, my Uncle well.. thinks dogs learn by hitting, it worked perfectly well for his last two so everybody else should shut-up. I get Phoebe all day while they are at work and have been having a lot of fun training her. Uncle does not hit her as much as he did his last two dogs because she is small (they were a lab and a golden) and he is afraid he will hurt her (yeah because obviously hitting doesn't hurt :rolleyes: ). My aunt LOVES Phoebe she just has no clue how a dog thinks or learns. My cousin will be coming over today so I'll tell her to stop with the face thing if I see her do it. I think I'm going to lend my Aunt the Culture Clash since no-one listens to me the 15 yr old kid. I kinda get sick when I see how proud my aunt gets when she says she spanked Phoebe and Uncle's in the room. Sometimes a while ago uncle would come home and my aunt would say Phoebe did something bad and then Uncle would say, well did you give her a smack! and when my aunt would say no uncle would be like "well you have to hun or she'll just keep doing it" (he somewhat yells this). SO when Uncle comes home my aunt is proud to say she spanked her for doing something "bad".

I have told my uncle not to hit dogs but he always shoots back something to the affect of hey it's just like you need to give your child a good whack every once in a while when he does something wrong. He yells this and I am very timid and just don't have the guts to tell him that dogs are not kids and that he should stop pretending they are they don't think or learn like kids and the dog does not know why you are hitting it.

My aunt I can work with, my Uncle I can't and I can probably tell my cousin (she really thinks phoebe enjoys the face thing) it's just a matter of if she will listen to me, I'm only two years older than her. I'll be living with them all next week so maybe we can do some stuff then. I was hoping she would not need a behaviorist because they can't afford it at all. Is there anything I can do to at least help the situation? Anything I can advise my aunt or cousin?

[Doberluv]

Well, that is just ignorance to the max....that thinking that hitting a dog is something a dog can understand and learn from....such a shame. I really don't know what you can do other than to try to drive home the point that dogs are ANIMALS and do not share human morals or our same culture, our value system. If they can't get that, they can't move forward. If they can't see that dogs are not knowingly being "willful" or "stubborn," the abuse will continue. I think if your aunt will read Culture Clash, that would be a miracle in itself. Whether or not she takes it in and relates it to your uncle would remain to be seen. It looks like you, at 15 are light years ahead on the intelligence scale as well as the open minded, bright one in the family. You're willing and so very capable. It is sad that so much of the population is just like your uncle. I've seen it abound and it is disheartening to say the least. I don't mean to insult your family, but they have clearly ruined their dog...all too common a scenario.