|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Sept 14, 2004 11:32:35 GMT -5
hello I could use some help..
I have a 1yr old Shar-pei who is super aggressive at the vets office. Last time we went she bit 2 vet techs while she was sedated. We have a muzzle for her, but it's the nylon kind, which is harder to fit.. We've tried the treat method, and the comands of no, and leave it! But nothing has worked so far..
|
|
|
Post by Iluvmypup on Sept 14, 2004 15:12:22 GMT -5
First I would change the nylon muzzle with a basket type muzzle. They tend to be stronger, and you're better off with these anyways...they protect against bites more, and the dog can easily pant, and depending on the muzzle, drink. Secondly, I would start bring your dog to the vets more often....and make nothing happen. What would you have done if when you were a kid, everytime your mom took you for a car ride, it meant you were going to get shots and a whole bunch of strange men poking and prodding at you? You probably would have put up a fight. So, from now on, try to bring your dog to the vets, and just let him hang out there. Give him some treats, have the people at the office drop treats for him (while he's muzzled of course). Just make sure that you don't let him get any treats if he begins any 'no-no' behaviour, such as growling, barking, or lunging...the office workers will be unintentionally rewarding him. Keep it up-beat, and fun. Have the vets come out to treat him and if possible pet him. Work slowly. Don't have them attempt to pet him if he's showing any aggression at their presence. Just keep having them drop treats and bending down and offereing high value treats in their hands. This has always worked for my adopted 'vet-aggressive' dogs, but it does take patience and yes, time. I took them once a day...I have a patient vet. ;D After the process of doing this, they still didn't appreciate having their vet check-ups done, but they were much calmer, and I never had a biting problem. One began to look forward to vet times, because he knew he was going to get lots of treats and attention (aahhh...the joy of a retriever ;D) Good luck, I'm sure you'll get much more advice from others. Just remember to stick with one plan for at least 1 month. Don't try one way for, say 3 days, just to say it doesn't work. Any aggression problems take time and patience, but the end results will be worth it.
|
|
|
Post by Rowan on Oct 20, 2004 2:06:16 GMT -5
Shar-pei's are a breed I have never worked with. Guess there is some questions concerning if this behavior is only at the vets office. If it has always been this way towards the vets or it started later when previous visits were just fine.
On the muzzle which a basket, cup, or leather weave muzzle is the best for safety as Illuvmypup suggested. To test the fit after you put it on to insure the dog can't slip out of it, is grab the front end of the muzzle with you fingers and lift the dog up off the ground by the muzzle (it wont hurt the dog) if the dog slips out of the muzzle you will need to tighten it. It is a good check to do everytime you put the muzzle on especially if your straps are leather which will stretch and will stretch over time with use.
|
|
|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Oct 26, 2004 22:04:12 GMT -5
She's been agressive from her first vist to the vet, she wasn't happy with them handleing her, and she'd pitch a holy h*ll fit of snarling & yelping. Now all she does is Growl & try to snap at them.. She's never been abused, i got her when she was a 7 week old puppy, she's always been a hard dog, but soft at other times... It's like one time she can be so stuborn, and ignore all your comands, then the next she'll behave like a savior!! She's just a very difficult dog to understand..
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Oct 27, 2004 0:38:53 GMT -5
I think it's time for some good old fashioned NILIF for the pooch, combined with correction for non compliance for a known command . A dog who is secure in their place in the pack would not be quite so stressed out being handled by a vet if Mom says it's ok. And a dog who holds a downstay on an exam table is a whole lot easier to deal with, because her focus is on what she's supposed to be doing, not trying to eat the vet tech ;D.
|
|
|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Oct 27, 2004 13:28:01 GMT -5
We use a prong collar on her, and at times she'll ignore the correction from it.. or she'll fight the correction.. Like I said she's a hard dog to handle... And I can't afford the behaviorists & private trainers.. The vet actually thinks she's dangerous.. I don't know what to say to the vet when she says that about my dog I know we have problems, but I don't know about dangerous.. I'll give you an idea of what can happen.. We took her in for a blood blister & a nail trim, and ear cleaning, so we had her sedated.. First dose didn't have any affect, so they gave her a second shot, still didn't tone her down enough to do anything, then came shot #3, she still fought it. They were waiting for it to fully take affect she lashed out & bit a vet tech on the foot.. why they took the muzzle off I'll never know.. But that's what happens at the vets office, she fights them.. ANd she'll act aggersive in the waiting area if anyone approches me.. Funny thing is I can walk her around the neighbor hood without any problems..
|
|
|
Post by Iluvmypup on Oct 27, 2004 13:54:00 GMT -5
Some dogs are so tough and stubborn they'll ignore any correction given, even if with a prong collar. Have you tried the positive approach and tried anything I mentioned in my previous post?
Does this seem like fear induced aggression to you? Many dogs just need socializing, a little more training, and positive associations with whatever their fear is. A training collar may worsen things if its fear induced, making your dog think that there is something to be worried about. It works differently on different dogs, as I've heard of some dogs' aggression lessening with a training collar, but for some it does indeed worsen.
Hope things can work out...and remember that even just one session with a private in-home trainer may send you on the road to success. Its much cheaper then facing a law suit if your dog ever decides to bite someone.
|
|
|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Oct 27, 2004 20:02:59 GMT -5
It seems like Fear Aggersion mixed with protection of me.. If anyone in the vets office, techs, clerks or vets approch me while I have her in a sit/stay she'll come unglued and try to get them.. We have been trying the treat method, but she starts to get aggersive as soon as she sees someone moveing towards me or her... It's like if you come any closer to me or my Mom your dead.. We're also dealing with some Dog-dog aggersion with my GSD now.. Both want the dominate spot in the pack, The thing with Zeus is though he's not aggersive aside from one bark, and he's fine.. But Sassy is a high prey drive, low pack drive, and high fight drive.. She has attacked & almost killed a stray cat.. I feel like if I keep working I can get her better.. And I don't want to give up on her. Iluvmypup, I can not afford a private trainer. I just get by with my paychecks the way it is now.. And haveing to spend extra money on a trainer would break me..
|
|
|
Post by Brooke on Oct 27, 2004 22:20:12 GMT -5
I think the most important thing you can do is begin an NILIF program. We have information about it all over the training and behavior board. If you do a search you should find all kinds of discussions on it here.
If you tend to think she's a bit fear agressive mixed with some protection of you that tells me more than likely you aren't being a firm enough pack leader so she is feeling as though she needs to step up to the plate. Pack leader protects. Pack leader guides. She may not be up to that which is why she is fearful or seem stressed.
NILIF will help with that. Also how is *your* tension when you visit the vet. I'm sure she senses your nervousness and that can transmit through a tight leash... or being held down. I'm sensing she is playing off what you are transmitting. Are you tense elsewhere? That may be why this is an issue at the vet's office.
People tend to focus so much on the dogs behavior and forget that positive reassurance and treats may go further than you think when you are trying to condition a dog into being better at the vet's office. Think about it. I know if I didn't understand what was going on around me or to me, and I didn't understand english and those things were happening, it would scare the crap out of me.
Maybe loosening up a bit may help...but it most importantly all starts at home working on the NILIF and laying down a foundation of leadership. She should start to look for you to worry about the nitty gritty and lighten up herself. It'll take a little bit to establish that but it should get you farther.
If it doesn't help... I'd say you've got a problem.
|
|
|
Post by Iluvmypup on Oct 28, 2004 10:15:12 GMT -5
I agree, and hadn't even thought of, the fact that tightening up on the leash can make a big difference. Focus on your behaviour a little, like Brooke advised. There are all kinds of calming signals you can send your dog. Be relaxed, give him slack (considering he has a muzzle or other device so you don't have to worry about giving him 'free reign') in the leash, and breathe deeply. Dog can sense how your feeling or if your tense. Your dog is resource guarding you...you may want to check out this book by Jean Donaldson. I've never personally read it, but I'm a huge fan of Donaldson, and you may find this book useful. www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB740
|
|
|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Oct 28, 2004 10:50:03 GMT -5
I'm curently under alot of stress of my own.. Dealing with some family issues & issues of my own.. And I guess I'm passing it along to her.. I'm not 100% sure of myself as a dog trainer.. I don't want to screw up & lose her like I did my other dog... I lost a great dog, Kirby he was a big Shep/husky mix. I didn't take the time to train him so he jumped the fence & got hit by a car.. It killed me to lose him.. When I got Sassy I promised myself it'd never happen again, but I'm slipping again..
|
|
|
Post by Rowan on Oct 28, 2004 12:25:49 GMT -5
Do feel your fustration. and the first thing you must do is believe in yourself, that you can do this, You can't fail if you try, you may have set backs, re evaluations of your position and approach but you can only fail if you give up and don't continue trying. You so much have to truly believe by gathering Knowledge there is a light at the end of the tunnel to work towards. have to ask and you don't have to answer in a post but think to yourself. What attracted you to this breed, this inidividual dog? Have you own this breed before, do you understand what went into developing this breed and why??? Have you talked to any Sharpi rescuce groups, your breeder, or even other breeders of Sharpi's? So very important resorces from others whom own this breed and are successful in handling them, understanding them, and what type of owner you need to be for them. Part of training is understanding the natural characteristics of a breed what drives them it really helps for you to be one step ahead of them in teaching. I was so amazed working with a breeder of bull dogs how different many things were in her idea's, her approches ect.... in comparison to how I relate to my GSD's totally different types of dogs with different idea's of rewards. Big Hug your on the right track in reaching out.
|
|
|
Post by SassyandZeusMom on Oct 28, 2004 18:36:03 GMT -5
Here's how I came to get Sassy. It was 2 weeks after my Kirby died, I was so lost without a dog. A friend of ours told us a litter of puppies had been born. AN opps litter so to speak.. Mom wasn't a full shar-pei & dad was.. So I stepped in sight unseen, and told them I'd take one... Then a few weeks later here comes this little bundle of fur, all full of energy & spirit.. I was hooked. She was such a wild child puppy.. I have a major problem though. Every time I try to correct her, my grandma thinks i'm abuseing her.. She treats her more like a little kid rather then a dog.. If I ever get a chance to move I'm takeing her with me...
|
|