Fear aggressive dogs

[Tracy Savage]

I have one. He bears his teeth at strangers. Once he knows you he will lick your face off. He just seems very nervous. Hes a Shepard/beagle mix. Will Private lessons help? He sailed thru obedience when he was a puppy.

 

[NikiM20]

Could you go into detail more? One of my danes shows his teeth when strangers aproach, if he feels like they are a danger to me...once I pat him and say Ok he is fine. (This is on leash behavior, outside of the home, off leash in the home). This is not a dominance issue with him, just a protection issue.

You may also want to socialize him more. That will help. I take my guys to socialization classes and to dog parks.

 

[terri01p]

I had a beagle that died last April and from 8 weeks of age until the day she died at 10 yrs. she did the same thing, we were always afraid she would bite someone and she never did, but she would act so mean whenever someone walked up everyone that didn't know her was afraid of her. It was just who she was, but it helped me out with a car jacker one time, he opened the car door to his suprise so we learnt to deal.

 

[Tracy Savage]

I had a beagle that died last April and from 8 weeks of age until the day she died at 10 yrs. she did the same thing, we were always afraid she would bite someone and she never did, but she would act so mean whenever someone walked up everyone that didn't know her was afraid of her. It was just who she was, but it helped me out with a car jacker one time, he opened the car door to his suprise so we learnt to deal.

Thats what Tucker is like. We got him at 6 weeks. I took him to a gathering at 9 weeks and the just shook in fear the whole time. When we picked him out, he was the first pup to run to us, very happy and friendly. I took him to training at 6 months and while he barked like a crazy beagle alot, he was never mean. And he did alot better than the purebreds! He is 4 yrs old now and I have had to build a fence for him, he broke through two wire cable tie outs. He is a nightmare to take to the vet and Kennels don't want him to stay! At home he is so sweet and almost timid. If you raise your voice, even in a nice way he dives under the couch. And like I said before if he knows you, he will bug the crap out of you, licking or wanting to lay on your lap. I live in fear that he will bite.

 

[sha_lyn]

We worked 1 on 1 with a trainer for 2 hrs to evaluate Gizmo's aggression. He was diagnosed with fear aggression.
It takes work, but you can make it easier.
Main thing is to work with them constantly on commands. The dog needs to know who is in charge. You have to act dominate over everything, including the dogs food. A good way to do that is to fix their bowl and hold it or sit in on the table next to your plate while you eat something

 

[Tracy Savage]

We worked 1 on 1 with a trainer for 2 hrs to evaluate Gizmo's aggression. He was diagnosed with fear aggression.
It takes work, but you can make it easier.
Main thing is to work with them constantly on commands. The dog needs to know who is in charge. You have to act dominate over everything, including the dogs food. A good way to do that is to fix their bowl and hold it or sit in on the table next to your plate while you eat something

I can and have taken food right out of Tucks mouth. I can take the bowl away or play with the food when he eats. He'll just look at me and lick me. He's nuts!!!

 

[sha_lyn]

So stranger aggression is the main problem. Could be fear or could be dominance/protection.
So is it mainly when people come to your house?
For that work with him and some treatsw. Have him sit and stay near the front door and near you. Have the person come in. The moment he shows agression take him out of the room. After a few minutes work with him jsut outside the room with a couple of treats, then lead him back into the room.
You might even want to start this all with him on a leash

 

[Tracy Savage]

So stranger aggression is the main problem. Could be fear or could be dominance/protection.
So is it mainly when people come to your house?
For that work with him and some treatsw. Have him sit and stay near the front door and near you. Have the person come in. The moment he shows agression take him out of the room. After a few minutes work with him jsut outside the room with a couple of treats, then lead him back into the room.
You might even want to start this all with him on a leash

Yes, If someone comes to the door, I swear he's go right thru it. He was at my parents today and a neighbor lady walked into the yard. He lunged, snarled and showed his teeth. I can walk him on the side walk and we'll pass people and usually he is fine until they pass then he whips around and really checks them out, sniffing and yanking at the lead. Thanks for your advice. I'm at my wits end.

 

[MushyMushy]

How old is he?

We were never really able to socialize the stranger aggression out of our dog. You really need to think about how you'll deal with it if you can't. We've lived the past 8 years with a dog where we can't take her anywhere or invite people into the house without locking her up and hearing her go nuts. You can live with a dog like that, but you have to be prepared to deal with them being so high maintenance.

If all else fails, you can try a muzzle. I don't know why we never thought of it in the first place, but in the past year we started using a muzzle with our beast and it tames her down like nobody's business!

When she passes, I hope to never have another dog like her again. I love her to death, but she's so much work. ETA: it's not the sweetie in my avatar

 

[Tracy Savage]

Tucker is 4 yrs old. I was just looking at muzzles!!!

 

[tonilea]

You might talk to your vet about some puppy prozac.

You tried to protect your dog after the gathering by keeping him away from crowds, but unfortuantely what he really needed was socialization. I would consult a good trainer and see if they think they can help you. Your vet should have recomendations.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

One of my dogs is like this. He is a 3 1/2 year old lab mix. He has to be muzzled at the vet's office. When a strange man comes into the house he barks and barks. He also backs away and sometimes lets off an awful scent.
If it's a strange woman or girl he barks a little and then stops. If we introduce him to someone outside in the front yard on a leash it's not so bad.
He HATES my BIL. He is finally relaxing with him after 3 years of visits! In fact we hosted Thanksgiving this year and I got a doggy valium from my sister (her dog is afraid of storms) just to calm him down a little so he didn't bark for the whole dinner.
Robin M.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have one. He bears his teeth at strangers. Once he knows you he will lick your face off. He just seems very nervous. Hes a Shepard/beagle mix. Will Private lessons help? He sailed thru obedience when he was a puppy.

I have one and while you can help the dog, you can never trust them not to bite.

It is part of owning a fearful dog.

Do not have them around children that are not part of "their pack".

I wish I had something better to say unfortunately I learned my lesson the hard way. I want to get rid of the dog, but my family has vetoed it.
He will be locked up around kids.

The awful day came when he bit my 7yo nephew. As much training as we did, he is just too fearful. Don't make my mistake. I feel so horrible beyond measure that it happened.

 

[Tracy Savage]

You might talk to your vet about some puppy prozac.

You tried to protect your dog after the gathering by keeping him away from crowds, but unfortuantely what he really needed was socialization. I would consult a good trainer and see if they think they can help you. Your vet should have recomendations.

Actually my vet told us not to walk him in public or take him out of his yard for 6 months until he had his parvo shot as a puppy. I'm sure that didn't help.

 

[CowboyCO]

I have one. He bears his teeth at strangers. Once he knows you he will lick your face off. He just seems very nervous. Hes a Shepard/beagle mix. Will Private lessons help? He sailed thru obedience when he was a puppy.

First, you need to take him to your vet, let them know he is showing signs of aggression, and have him checked out. He could have thyroid condition.

If he is cleared health-wise, then you need to take control of every situation. He is fearful, or he is being triggered by your anxiety as people approach (because you fear he may be aggressive), or both. You need to become the pack-leader and take the stress off him.

Get a "head collar" that goes around his nose and up behind hid ears. Control the head, you control the dog.

 

[CowboyCO]

I have one and while you can help the dog, you can never trust them not to bite.

It is part of owning a fearful dog.

Do not have them around children that are not part of "their pack".

I wish I had something better to say unfortunately I learned my lesson the hard way. I want to get rid of the dog, but my family has vetoed it.
He will be locked up around kids.

The awful day came when he bit my 7yo nephew. As much training as we did, he is just too fearful. Don't make my mistake. I feel so horrible beyond measure that it happened.

We had a beautiful, loving Bichon that for some reason was aggressive to toddlers.

When he was a puppy (10 months) my DS6 let him out of his crate. He made a beeline for our friends 14 month old and bit her.

We worked with him and had a house rule that he wsn't to be out of his crate unsupervised. During a birthday party, MIL heard him whining in his crate alet him out. Made a beeline for a toddler and bit again.

We put him in a bichon rescue. The problem is that you have to be perfect when you own an aggressive dog. And you have to be perfect.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We put him in a bichon rescue. The problem is that you have to be perfect when you own an aggressive dog. And you have to be perfect.

He never bit before but as you know it only takes a instant.

No harness, collar, face lead, head collar, etc (except a muzzle) will keep an aggressive dog from the bite.

They feel threatened and they go for it. It is so fast.

Zip ties on the crate door will keep the kids from letting the dog out.

 

[tonilea]

Actually my vet told us not to walk him in public or take him out of his yard for 6 months until he had his parvo shot as a puppy. I'm sure that didn't help.

That is odd. With a puppy displaying the kind of behavior you describe, the first thing we recommend is lots of socialization and puppy kindergarten.

 

[NikiM20]

Normally parvo shots are give between 6-8 weeks, again between 10-12 weeks , and again between 14-16 weeks. i have never heard of not giving parvo shots until 6 mths. I would definately look into socialization

 

[Tracy Savage]

Normally parvo shots are give between 6-8 weeks, again between 10-12 weeks , and again between 14-16 weeks. i have never heard of not giving parvo shots until 6 mths. I would definately look into socialization

It may have been 4 months. I'm not sure, but he did tell me not to walk him or take him where he may be in contact with dogs or dog poop. I was thinking about getting a remote shock collar. If he so much as barks at some one I could zap him as a reinforcement along with firm commands. What do you think?