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Aggression and stuff about my dog

22K views 284 replies 26 participants last post by  glowingtoadfly 
#1 ·
From the other thread

Gtf, it wasn't a club that evaluated him. I didn't go there yet. I asked my trainer to eval him. My trainer competes nationally and I'd say def knows what he's doing. He also hosts a club though not taking any members now (or didn't want my dog)

In any case, I'm having a hard time dismissing what he says. I might still go for the eval and the club already told me they Will take him. They said any dog can do some parts. It is expensive, $500 down and $100 a month. So if anything, I'd be more inclined to ignore their eval because they'd tell me things I want to hear to get me to join.

My trainer isn't gaining or losing anything.

But my dog has nerve issues. There is no way around it. I can dance around and make excuses but there's no reason for him to bark at people. He barks at someone almost every day. He barks at every dog.

My trainer saw him react to a dog and said It was defense, so fear but I already knew that.

I'm almost sure he reacts to people out of fear too.

The reason I'm trying to understand what drives his reactions is because I don't want to punish fear. I'm confused.

Also, I can't correct him hard enough. Once he goes into a fit he doesn't feel anything.

Even if he wants to sniff something really bad or pull - I can yank all I want, total ignore.


If he's fear aggressive or insecure then where's this hardness coming from? How does he take all this pain and ignore it? Or he can be nervy and hard at the same time?


I'm soo confused if it's not obvious


One more thing. I know I should catch the reaction before it happens (optimally) but since I've missed a few I think now I might be popping him thinking he was about to react and he wasn't.
So unfair again
 
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#2 ·
He can absolutely be nervy and hard. I have a nervy/hard dog and a nervy/soft dog. Then there's patty. :D

Have you tried look at that training? I never corrected Frag for reactivity towards dogs when he was young (he never reacted towards people) and used LAT instead with fantastic results. Now he's a demo dog for my classes and attends dog events and festivals frequently with no issues.
 
#3 ·
I have looked into it and dabbled a little. He's ok if the dog is 5 ft away. He's not ok but I can say no before the reaction and he doesn't react. Anything closer - nope.

Also, I don't have dogs to practice on. Usually we see a dog and go the other way. Or they walk up on us and then he lunges.
 
#5 ·
I got my dog evaluated for free at the GSD club. Do you have one of those? You have to figure out what to work on first, people or dogs, even though it will be almost the same kind of conditioning. I would prefer a dog to be dog aggressive versus human aggressive. What kind of prong are you using, the bigger or smaller links? First, you have to realize he might not ever change but managed. To ignore and tolerate. What would your dog do if a person of dog got right in front of him? Attack, cower, ignore?
 
#6 ·
People for sure. There was a period when he didn't react to people. I don't know if my training worked or it was a coincidence but it was amazing. Then he got into a fight with a dog and again, not sure, coincidence or not, he started back again

If a person stands in front of him - not sure. We never got there. He lunges at whoever might be approaching so we never get to that point. I'd say cower based on what happened today
 
#10 ·
Have you tried going somewhere where people are and you can start at a good distance? Maybe sit on a park bench and keep his focus on you with someone 50 ft away, after a week or so 30 ft away,etc. Your job is to keep him focused on you with obedience, focus, leave its, etc. if he is focused on you he won't even realize someone is walking past until they are past him. I would set a goal of something like 5 people 50 ft away, then 5 at 40 ft, 3 at 40 ft,etc. Once he does it don't push it, walk away. Set him up to succeed.
 
#11 ·
Yeah that's what I did originally to get him to stop reacting. Used to stand at a busy bus stop.

I still do it. Problem is that as long as people are ignoring him He ignores them. We play every day on a small patch of grass next to a busy road and building and people. Ignores everything. But let someone say he's cute.
 
#13 ·
But you probably shouldn't start somewhere that has lots of people. You need to find a place in a calm setting that people pass by every so often. Your setting him up to fail if you think he is nervy and you throw him into an area that us hustling and bustling.
 
#15 ·
But he does fine there. He doesn't react. Watch the first minute. See how many people are there and how close they are.

He reacts when someone approaches. It can be in a busy street, my building, my staircase, someone coming from nowhere, someone coming up to him.
 
#16 ·
I don't see a dog that is afraid at all. He looked at people, ignored the ad carry on. I know when my dog was reactive it was at everything, not just here and there. This was a decent walk without issue, so I'm not to sure its fear. Maybe someone else sees something I don't.
 
#17 ·
Yeah he didn't react there. Then 2 mins later he barked and lunged at my neighbor. That's not on the video

So he can be around people like this and he will even play with me but then something sets him off.

Also, on the video, at some point I say nope, he was about to react there. At least that's what I thought.
 
#19 ·
Ok I watched the whoooole thing:) I don't see a dog who is afraid or people reactive in the video..He wasn't stressed , he walked well, and ignored people, minded his own business.

At the 3 minute range, I did see him perk up, focus on something? Maybe another dog? Like "alert"?? When you see another dog in the distance or near you, predict that behavior, and use a good LEAVE IT, BEFORE he focus's in on something like another dog..LEAVE IT and continue on, no big deal.

Like lombardo I don't see a thing wrong with his behavior in that video..He doesn't have to like ANYONE but YOU, he doesn't have to interact with ANYONE but YOU, he just has to mind his own business and that's what he did.

I see he likes carrying a stick, maybe get a special toy, have him 'carry it' on his walks..

I do not see any "fearful behavior" in that video.
 
#21 ·
Omg that's almost like watching paint dry lol

no, if it was another dog you'd see a blow up. it was a person. either they were looking at him or walking towards him, I don't remember.

I do bring toys but he spits them out after a while. and yes, loves sticks. wouldn't give it up. he does now

I don't need him to interact with anyone, I'm totally fine and would rather actually him just ignore people.

problem is that he does react sometimes. and I can't think of the reason being anything other than fear.

I do exactly what you said, try to predict the reaction and say NO. it works most of the time. sometimes I don't notice it early enough.


I walk while staring at him. so when I say I don't notice it it's not because I'm looking the other way, it's because I couldn't recognize the reaction coming fast enough
 
#20 ·
you posted when I did.. Just keep your distance from other dogs,,probably hard in your area, but if you see a dog, TURN AROUND, get him to refocus on YOU, LEAVE IT< TURN AROUND, LETS GO..and GO..I think having him 'carry' something, might be a good thing to.
 
#23 ·
I did use a ball for Midnite sometimes. Do you think that if a dog is fearful it will be fearful at all times? Is fear aggression hit or miss?
 
#37 ·
I will check but what do you mean you don't see a fearful dog? trust me I'm happy of that's true but are you saying fearful dogs have a way about them?

he looks normal until he reacts. then he looks aggressive. maybe he's not fearful but insecure. and tries to scare stuff away
 
#31 ·
I do think fear aggression can be hit or miss..As I think in some cases downright aggression can be hit or miss as well.

In this case tho, since I have not seen the dog in person,,is it fear aggression? aggression? a case of he just downright doesn't like something about certain people? people staring at a dog can be perceived as a threat in some cases, someone coming at them full boar, confident in stature can be perceived as a threat..

I had a fear biter, years ago..This gsd was BIG, if someone he didn't know or was not real familiar with walked in my house, he would go right up to them barking, if they ignored him totally, in 2 minutes he'd be fine,,if you (person coming in) put their hand out for him to sniff it, (like they tell people to do!), he'd sniff it, when you pulled your hand back, he'd nail you and back off..Never broke the skin on anyone, but he did 'nip' a couple of guys thru the years..that failed to take my IGNORE the DOG seriously.

I wouldn't say mine was 'fear aggressive',,he could go out in public, as long as he was left alone, he didn't lunge at people or just nail someone nilly willy..I would label him a fear biter tho.

I would wonder lalachka what yours would do if he did get face to face/nose to nose with another dog? one that's he barking at? and if he lunged at the neighbor, do you think he would have nailed him if he could? downright attacked him??

Obviously we can't set those scenerio's up, but just curious what you think he would actually do, what he would follow thru with...
 
#39 ·
i will try Suzanne but i have no reason to not trust my trainer and we tried getting a reaction from him. he wouldn't react.

it's me labeling him as fear aggressive lol. the trainer didn't say that.
I'm going back this week, i will ask a few more things


about dogs, i know what he would do because I used to have him off leash at the park. he'd keep barking and lunging and backing off and I guess all the while checking out the other dog
once he decided the dog wasn't a threat he'd do a play bow)))) he's adorable

I don't let him near dogs anymore except two he knows.


mine sounds like yours except so far thankfully, he hasn't bitten. I do realize he can at any point.
 
#32 ·
Isn't suzanne clothier in New York? She would be someone I'd have evaluate him..
 
#33 ·
I say heck no to prongs. My parents(deceased) had numerous Great Danes. Some were rowdy, imagine that with a dog that big. They bought prong collars, they didnt work and they hurt 1 dog. They have been set aside and never used again. They are unnessary cruelty.
I use a Gentle Leader and also at first a soft muzzle. I take it still but havent had to use it in months. And yes my guy would growl and bark and stand on back legs. Now he just wants to play.
And why are there mutiple posts of the same thing?
 
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