Spoiled Aggressive Dog

[sas]

No one is going to kid you, yes it is hard emotionaly to start with until you get the hang of it and you can feel like a real meanie, but you always have to think of the reason you're doing this.

I let one of mt dogs on the sofa because she gets off when I ask and she gives me no issues with aggression or disobediance.

BUT with my boy, no way in hell, he's not allowed on the furniture, why? Because he's a dominant male who thinks he's king S&^* and he challenges us, so he's being put in his place as we speak.

Yes, I feel like a meanie sometimes, but showing him leadership is giving him what a dog needs to feel secure, he's learning that I am the leader and I make the decisions....there's no need for him to have a go at another dog because I'm the protector, I handle the situations, not him.

The key to a well balanced dog is consistancy, I can't stress that enough, everyone who has anything to do with your dog needs to be consistant.

Will the aggression go away? Yes, No, Maybe, it's really up to you, it's not going to happen overnight, it's a long term commitment.

Will de-sexing help? Maybe, Maybe not, I wouldn't be relying on this solely at all.

Invest the money on your dog, research an animal behaviorist, ask other people in the doggy community about them.

The NILIF methods means that of course you can pat your dog and do all the normal things but only when you initiate it. So if pooch is being a good boy and laying down or sitting down, go give him a cuddle, if pooch comes over, ask pooch to sit before you pat, be aware of what you're dog is demanding, you'll soon come to see you're dog is very damanding and invades your personal space a lot, once you tune into that, you'll be on your way to a better relationshiop with your pooch.

You wouldn't let a child get away with what you let your pooch get away with, right?

And I'm not sure if you pick your dog up alot, but if you do, try and minimise this, leave it on the ground where it belongs, no need to further confuse the dog about it's place in the pack structure.

In the long term you're going to have a dog that respects you and is happy and doesn't feel the pressure of having to be the leader because you'll be the leader.

[Erny]

“off the bed and off the sofa” I was wondering why can’t dogs sit on the bed and sofa? My dog does both.

I've got to admit that my dog gets on the sofa - but on the condition that when I ask him to get off he does so politely and immediately! Many of these NILIF rules can be relaxed when your dog has accepted his place in the pack structure, and does not display dominance-type behaviours towards you any longer. But IMO it's best to start off using all of the rules, and then decide which ones to relax later on.

As usual, some pretty 'spot on' advice from Amhailte. Many dogs get by with being allowed on couches/sofas without problems, but I agree with Amhailte, it is far better to allow this on OUR terms, rather than on theirs (ie teach command to come up, and a command to get down).

However, where there are issues already in evidence, it is, IMO, fairer and easier for the dog (and generally better all round) to "wipe the slate clean", so to speak, by drawing a VERY CLEAR and DEFINATE line by teaching your dog that getting up on the couch IS SIMPLY NOT on the agenda. By doing this, you are not being mean (even if you might feel you are) .... you are being clear by sending precise signals to your dog who does not otherwise understand OUR ways. You are being kinder to your pet by being firm, believe me.

Maybe later, much later, when there have been no aggressive or dominance issues for quite a longish period of time (at least several months, if not longer, I'd suggest), you can relax this rule by teaching those "up" and "down" commands. Provided your dog's behaviour does not take a backward slide (even the slightest) as a result, this shouldn't be a problem.

Edited September 21, 2005 by Erny

[Lyssa87]

In a book I’m reading right now says that I should take all his toys away and only give him one after each training lesson. That way he would look forward to the training more. The only thing I could think of when I read that is my dog going to bore to death! That this how it suppose to be in the NILIF also?

I’m trying to practice the NILIF program lately. (my family still spoiling him, but they promised to stop when the actual training begins) I couldn’t take him to the behaviorist yet because there are lots things going on right now. Anyway, whenever he tries to beg for some food that I’m eating, I tried to make him sit first. The thing is, a lot of time he would sit first even before I give the command. How do I make him work for what he wants?

Also one more question about the sit command. Say I’m eating a cookie and my dog comes. I put a piece of cookie over his nose to make him sit. When he sat, I just share the whole cookie with him or should I make him stand then sit again to earn another piece?

[Staranais]

In a book I’m reading right now says that I should take all his toys away and only give him one after each training lesson...The only thing I could think of when I read that is my dog going to bore to death!

I wouldn't just give the dog all his toys to play with at once, I'd make him earn them one at a time. But that doesn't need to wait for training sessions. If he's looking a little bored, why not ask him for a "sit" or a "down" and then toss him a toy to play with for a while.

Anyway, whenever he tries to beg for some food that I’m eating, I tried to make him sit first. The thing is, a lot of time he would sit first even before I give the command.

It doesn't have to be a sit - you could make him lie down, or shake hands, or speak, or roll over. Doesn't matter if it's a silly command, cos the point is him working for what he wants, rather than being given it for free.

Also one more question about the sit command. Say I’m eating a cookie and my dog comes. I put a piece of cookie over his nose to make him sit. When he sat, I just share the whole cookie with him or should I make him stand then sit again to earn another piece?

Are you still in the early stages of teaching the sit? If so, just give him the small piece of cookie you lured him with, with lots of praise. Say "yes!" and throw him the small piece of cookie as soon as his butt hits the ground. You can demand longer sits when he's got the hang of this.

But if he already knows the meaning of the sit command well, you shouldn't have to lure him with food anymore.

[sas]

The thing is the dog is still begging. I guess in the esrly stages this is ok if it's doing something in return for your food.

I don't give my dogs any food I have in my hands for me, a dog won't beg unless it thinks it has a reasonable chance of getting what it wants.

I don't want my dog begging for food if I have guests around. You see even with NILIF method your dog is still demanding the food, I just simply would not give it your food, it gets it's own food and that's it (excluding training treats)....is your dog overweight?

I think it's great that you're trying it out! With the toys you can always have one of two toys laying around the house and then rotate the toys....just like kids if you give them a bunch of toys they are unlikely to play with them all, they'll be likely to get bored of them and not appreciate them.

When you're eating would you feel comfortable leashing your dog away from the table and teaching it "on your bed' comand whilst you're eating? Yes pooch will probably wine and make you feel bad but when it understands when you're eating it should go and lay on it bed and be good and then for being good you can give it a doggie treat it will soon understand.

Have used this methods with out dogs and foster dogs, the longest it taken any of those dogs to learn the on your bed command when we're eating is a week.