Anti-social Behaviour

[I love dribbly dogs]

Hi there

I want some advice, 6 year old Saint Bernard, lovely temperament, docile, snuggly, friendly, to people, and great with kids. But she can't stand other dogs. Apparently she wasn't socialised as a pup (we got her about 2 yrs ago). She gets along great with my Basset Hound after some initial crankiness and alpha stuff, and she is better than she was 12 months ago.

I'm trying to introduce her to other dogs slowly and give her praise and treats when other dogs are around so she associates other doggies with something good.

She really wants to savage/stand over other dogs and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas? :rolleyes:

[Erny]

Hi ILDD. When you're dealing with any form of aggression, 'tips' over the internet are not your best option - not without first having a trainer/behaviourist observe and consult. There are sooooo many things you can try doing, but whether it would be right for your dog AND for you is another matter. And in aggression, there can be no room for error which has the potential to lead to harm - neither to the other dog, your dog or yourself. There are just too many anomolies to take into consideration.

But don't lose hope. If the problem is a matter of insufficient socialisation you might not ever be able to 'cure' the problem to the extent that it is 100% fixed, but there is often a big window of opportunity and chance to remedy it to a manageable level. But it is likely to take time, patience and a dedication to a planned routine of behaviour and response (from you) to gradually achieve the ultimate results. The 'plan' should be devised by and monitored by a trainer/behaviourist though, as during the course of behaviour modification, the 'plan' will shift and alter, depending upon the dog's changed responses.

I didn't stop to look to see if you have given us a proximity of your location. If it's not already stated, perhaps you would let us know and we can make some suggestions/recommendations for a trainer/behaviourist who would be able to help you.

Good for you for adopting a dog who for whatever circumstances obviously needed a home . And good for you for wanting to try to work through this dog's problems.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Erny