Some of you may know that I have been caring for my mom's dog Katya for about three months now. She is a Caucasian Ovcharka and is a "natural" gaurd dog (no training, just their instinct). About two weeks ago my mom came to my house to stay for the weekend and we decided to walk the dogs. She was walking Katya and I was walking my two dogs. A man started to walk down the sidewalk towards us and for some reason mom didn't reel Katya's leash in (it's a extended leash) and Katya got close enough to the man to bite him. She tore open the back of his pants and left a superficial bite wound on his upper calf. He called the police, a report was filed, and he was seen at the hospital. He decided that he didn't want to press charges or petition for Katya to be PTS. She was on quarentine for ten days at my home and everything went fine. Mom said she just wasn't strong enough to reel her in and took full responsibility for the bite, it was not the dog's fault, she shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place.
Well this last week my mom was to go home and took Katya with her. It didn't work out and she came back to stay with my aunt as she had been before. She wanted to keep Katya there until Tuesday since I am leaving town this weekend. Well today my uncle's nephew came to the house to fix some plumbing problems, he was told to enter the side door which he did not. My mom then told him to stay away from Katya, which he didn't. She proceeded to bite him on the leg and on the hand. Once again the dog was put into a situation she shouldn't have been put in. The nephew did not file a police report. I arrived at my aunt's house to pick up my boys and was told that mom was at the vet's putting Katya to sleep. I rushed my butt down there and negotiated with my mom that she can come to my house until we figure something out. My mom has been having some mental health issues and I was terribly worried about what the death of her dog would do to her. I also know that I have never had any issues with Katya and that I am well aware of what sort of needs she has, ie. staying away from all people and introducing her properly to new people she needs to meet.
My question is can you possibly de-sensitize a dog that has an intrinsic nature towards gaurding? I would hate to see Katya PTS because of bad decisions on my moms part. It is evident that at this time she is in no conditon to handle/care for Katya but I am willing to put the time and energy into it myself if she can be saved. We are not able to pay for a behaviourist at this time, due to mom's medical problems she has no income coming in currently. If anyone knows of any links, books, referrel systems that I could use to determine if this is a feasible idea it would be greatly appreciated. I love this dog a lot and I know it is not her fault, she was doing what she was bred to do. Is there any hope to teach her new ways?
Well this last week my mom was to go home and took Katya with her. It didn't work out and she came back to stay with my aunt as she had been before. She wanted to keep Katya there until Tuesday since I am leaving town this weekend. Well today my uncle's nephew came to the house to fix some plumbing problems, he was told to enter the side door which he did not. My mom then told him to stay away from Katya, which he didn't. She proceeded to bite him on the leg and on the hand. Once again the dog was put into a situation she shouldn't have been put in. The nephew did not file a police report. I arrived at my aunt's house to pick up my boys and was told that mom was at the vet's putting Katya to sleep. I rushed my butt down there and negotiated with my mom that she can come to my house until we figure something out. My mom has been having some mental health issues and I was terribly worried about what the death of her dog would do to her. I also know that I have never had any issues with Katya and that I am well aware of what sort of needs she has, ie. staying away from all people and introducing her properly to new people she needs to meet.
My question is can you possibly de-sensitize a dog that has an intrinsic nature towards gaurding? I would hate to see Katya PTS because of bad decisions on my moms part. It is evident that at this time she is in no conditon to handle/care for Katya but I am willing to put the time and energy into it myself if she can be saved. We are not able to pay for a behaviourist at this time, due to mom's medical problems she has no income coming in currently. If anyone knows of any links, books, referrel systems that I could use to determine if this is a feasible idea it would be greatly appreciated. I love this dog a lot and I know it is not her fault, she was doing what she was bred to do. Is there any hope to teach her new ways?