Cant stop dog fighting!!!

bradc · 04-23-2006, 03:25 PM

I have a yellow male lab 5 yrs old from expensive breeder,,loving dog but every time I take him to a public dog park he MUST fight every single male dog his size or bigger he does not get aggressive with dogs smaller then him,,,, however also he hates puppys and tears into them,,,it is very frustrating and embarrasing,,,, Ive caught him in the act a thosand times and spanked him but he just wont stop!!! is castration the only course or would a electronic collar work,,,any help would be appreciated

dog_whisper · 04-23-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradc

I have a yellow male lab 5 yrs old from expensive breeder,,loving dog but every time I take him to a public dog park he MUST fight every single male dog his size or bigger he does not get aggressive with dogs smaller then him,,,, however also he hates puppys and tears into them,,,it is very frustrating and embarrasing,,,, Ive caught him in the act a thosand times and spanked him but he just wont stop!!! is castration the only course or would a electronic collar work,,,any help would be appreciated

Yes castration is one way to get rid of aggression but in some cases the aggression is still there.. The best way to stop aggression is you! You need to be watching all the time. The next time you are at the park with your dog have him/her on a long leash like a 25 ft leash. When you see bad behavior start grab that leash pull him/her back and make him/her SIT! Rather any command will do as long as you MAKE them do something. Then positive renforcement offer a treat. Dog will learn that when you do that he/she will get a treat for not fighting. This MUST be done ALL the time..

Whirling Dervish · 04-23-2006, 09:56 PM

Very good advice. And I can't imagine spanking will help much. Please don't strike your dog.

If all else fails, there are professionals now who will come to your home and train your dog, and show you how to carry on when training is over. It's worth it.

Benji · 04-24-2006, 01:45 PM

Man this sounds like a great candidate for the "Dog Whisperer". I watched that show for the first time a few weeks ago - he really knows how to get to the root cause of bad behavior in canines.

Good luck with figuring this difficult issue out.

GSD lover · 04-25-2006, 08:53 AM

This can be a tough issue to deal with but can be resolved with time and patience. Fixing your dog would help ease some aggression but with the dominance problems your dog has the aggression would most likely still be there. What you should try to do is teach your dog the leave it command. If your dog was not socialized at a young age this could be the major cause of the problem and there isn't too much you can do now except do some late needed socialization. Also, never spank your dog. This will only cause the dog to be more aggressive around other dogs. Everytime your dog sees another dog it gets punished. So, other dogs are a bad in its associations. You need to cause a good association and treat it or play with it when there is another dog. Good luck.

Killerdrgn · 04-25-2006, 09:41 AM

Wait are you sure that it's fighting or is it just playing around? Because when my dog plays with other dogs it kind of does look like he's fighting, he nips at the other dogs collar and pull out little strands of hair, but the other dogs just goof around with him that way too. When my dog actually wants to fight he bares his teeth and growls and all sorts of junk that really looks like he wants to kill the other dog, usually a JRT. Yeah JRT's don't like my dog and my dog doesn't like JRT's. Oh and adding to this question thread is that how do i get my dog to recognise the difference between a big dog and small dog, because my dog plays with the same roughness with a small dog as he does with MUCH bigger dogs, so when he goes after a little dog he really just trounces them.

Curbside Prophet · 04-28-2006, 04:54 PM

Seek the help of a professional. I know a lot of people mean well in these forums, but I've seen a lot of advice that's contrary to what I've learned and read. Including the comments on neuturing your dog. It's my understanding that neuturing will not alter your dog's temperment or instinct. It should only be considered if you are not planning to breed your animal, and for the considerable health benefits.

Whirling Dervish · 04-30-2006, 08:57 PM

I agree with Curbside. This is a more serious issue than a forum could possibly help with is my guess. I also had my dog neutered, and his disposition remained the same, except for a tendency to squat instead of lift a leg.

dog_whisper · 05-01-2006, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curbside Prophet

Seek the help of a professional. I know a lot of people mean well in these forums, but I've seen a lot of advice that's contrary to what I've learned and read. Including the comments on neuturing your dog. It's my understanding that neuturing will not alter your dog's temperment or instinct. It should only be considered if you are not planning to breed your animal, and for the considerable health benefits.

I am a professional...just p-m me .. I train all dogs, police to seeing eye dogs. Im not a hack if you need help i will..

Theres a big difference on people who know and people who talk!!!

I can help you..
Matt dog_whisper

Angel69nznz · 01-23-2007, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dog_whisper

I am a professional...just p-m me .. I train all dogs, police to seeing eye dogs. Im not a hack if you need help i will..

Theres a big difference on people who know and people who talk!!!

I can help you..
Matt dog_whisper

Thats funny. You suggested giving the dog a treat for not fighting. Police and Seeing Eye Dogs are NOT trained with treats. They are a very unreliable method of training a dog. Castration can help, but not in all cases and professional trainer will tell you there are most definately other ways to help a dog with an agression problem, however, if you are not planning on breeding then castration has many long term health benefits so I would be doing it anyway. Hitting the absolute wrong thing to do, and I'm not saying it from an "animal rights" point of view, it just plain doesn't work and in most cases hitting a dog is counter productive, it makes any training situation worse, but unfortunately, many dog owners believe and will argue till they are blue in the face that hitting is the ONLY way to control a dog. I took the advice from my Professional Trainer and have never laid a hand on my dog, subsequently he respects me and is extremely well behaved, and its funny, he's NEVER had a treat in training either, I give him treats when I feel like it, NOT when he's being trained. My advice is to go to a reputable dog trainer, who doesn't train with treats, thats what I've done with my Dogue De Bordeaux and he's a well behaved laid back dude despite his size.

Tankstar · 01-23-2007, 11:56 PM

How long have you had him for? Have your properly socialized him? or have you just brought him to the park to meet dogs on his onw (letting him of leash to find dogs by himself)? Beating/spanking will not solve anything at all, there is no need to beat him. Casteration will help, but may not get rid of it all. This dog needs to be trained.

Start from square one with him and introducing him to dogs.

Or just dont take him to the park.

cdubb68 · 01-24-2007, 11:32 AM

I agree with Killer: make sure you're properly diagnosing the body language and it is not playing. When I needed to socialize my pits with other dogs I enlisted a friend's pit. Of course no one got along at first, but before they were even introduced, we leashed them and walked them together with pronged collars. Every time they would become fixated on another dog we'd give a quick correction with the collar. Eventually they could walk side by side w/o interuption. After every walk, we would carefully allow them to sniff each other and after about 10 times of this routine, it paid off--our dogs could all play...they played very rough and to untrained people it looked like fighting but of course, that wasn't the case. If the dog does not perform and tries attacking the other dog, don't freak or strike them...it'll never work. Just start over from square one.

Keno's Mom · 01-24-2007, 12:57 PM

Labs normally are not aggressive dogs. They can play rough tho. If he's not neutered - get him done! But it also might be a case of bad breeding (maybe temperment problems). Doesn't matter if it was an expensive breeder or not - that doesn't mean you will get a good dog.

Did you get to meet the breeder and see the parents and how the dogs were temperment wise? Did you get the dog as a pup or as an older dog?

Meghan&Pedro · 01-25-2007, 01:54 AM

First off - you need to take PREVENTATIVE steps with your dogs. If you know he is dog-agressive, then DO NOT let him off leash in public, and if you see a potentially dangerous situation, remove yourself from it!!

I have a dog with fear-agression towards people (wasn't socialized as a puppy by the woman who imported him to canada....very different from what your dog has, but it's agression none the less.) He's a fear-biter. I know this, and I PREVENT him from biting anyone by not putting him in a situation that would overwhelm him. We are getting better and better every day at metting new people, but it's in controlled situations, and I know how far I can go with him.

I am currently working with a trainer/behaviorist who is helping me leaps and bounds. I definatly suggest that you get in touch with a trainer who can help you make sure that you are in FACT pack leader, and that your dog learns to look to YOU to make all the big decisions - like meeting all the new dogs, etc.

I would recomend doing a lot of body blocking - if your male sees another large male dog from a distance, step in front of your dog, and say 'leave it'. As soon as your dog looks at you for direction, reward, and say 'good leave it'. Gradually you will get to the point where you don't need to body block anymore. That way if you're walking your dog through a park, you see another large breed dog, YOUR dog sees this dog and you know that he wants to do something about it, ask him to leave it, he'll look at you - the idea behind it at first is that YOU are the one who meets all newcomers, you are the one who decides who you both meet, you are the one who picks the direction of the walks etc. Eventually he'll start to look to you to solve a lot of his problems - like a submissive dog should do with the pack leader.

But you have to be consistant. It's all the little things that confuse our dogs, and make them think that the job of pack-leader hasn't completely been put on you, and it might still be open for debate - like allowing the dog to walk through doorways first. And allowing the dog to meet someone or something before you do. Or petting your dog if your dog comes up to you and demands attention. This is why I suggest getting a trainer - if you aren't great with dog behavior and how they interact with eachother, it will be VERY hard for you to be consistant, and dogs need consistancy. To be fair most dogs don't WANT to be pack leader - it's a tough full time job. If you assert yourself as pack leader and make it undeniable to your dog - he'll appreciate it (even if he doesn't seem like he does right at the beginning)

I am at the point with my dog that if he sees something that makes him nervous he looks to me to see what the next thing to do is. He is amazing with vocal cues (such as 'leave it') and never questions who is in charge - he waits for me to meet a new person or dog before he does, he doesn't invite himself up on to the couch, he doesn't budge in hallways or through doorways, and he doesn't demand attention (He gets a lot of attention, but he doesn't demand it. He will try a few licks to let me know he's happy to see me, and to greet me when I come home, but he knows he'll get it when I want to give it)

Good luck

meghan