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Post by jothelioness on Oct 20, 2005 11:01:59 GMT -5
My Aussie T. (australian terrier) shih tzu mixie is deathly afriad of people. aussie t's. are gaurd dogs wraped in small packages. she barks visciously, but won;t go near them. it scares a bit of people, but the thing is it's only because she is afraid. i will NOT d a trainer, because i prefer to do it myself. i did everything else that way, and it gives you an authority and friendship.
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Post by Aussienot on Oct 20, 2005 16:50:25 GMT -5
Some more information please! How much obedience has Scrappy learned? How old is she? What are the circumstances in which she barks (on lead, off lead, at home, outside etc). Is it just people, just some kinds of people or dogs too? Does she show aggression in any other circumstances - food, bones toys? How much socialising was done as a puppy/adolescent?
And sorry, but I don't understand what you mean about not wanting a dog trainer? If you mean a send your dog away and someone else trains it, there are a lot of reasons why that is not a good idea. But training your dog under the direction and guidence of a professional dog trainer is very helpful in most situations.
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Post by jothelioness on Oct 20, 2005 17:51:31 GMT -5
i prefer to do this myself, as i know i am capable. she had the basics of obediance, such as sit, stay, come, and kennel up. she is 3 yrs old. S he is an Aussie T. a gaurd dog, so no mater what the curcumstance, she barks. just in people, or one dog she dosn't get along with. she is the most loveable thing in the world, and dosn't show agression with anyhting else.
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Post by sibemom on Oct 21, 2005 7:16:29 GMT -5
OK I know your dog has gaurd dog tendicies but gaurd dogs are MADE not BORN. You have taught her several commands but left out the most important one "LEAVE IT" I have a dog that is a GUARD DOG no doubt about that she is a 92# GSD, and she would make your dog look like a CREAM PUFF, don't take the the wrong way You have to get a handle on your pup, and yes involving a pro would be a good idea. Teaching the leave it command is one of the first things I do. My dogs know that no matter what the circumstances are they will NOT take controll. I am the one in controll. I understand what you mean by training the dog yourself, but that is where most of my clients come from, having dogs that they have tried over and over to break of bad habits such as this one, but for some reason just are not making alot of progress. Sometimes a second set of eyes is a good thing to have, which is how I handle it. I observe the dog and the owner first for several sessions THEN I start implementing the FIX. I make the owner train the dog so in essence I train the OWNER to train their own dog. Utilizing a pro does not mean you loose the bond with your dog, it strengthens it because a good trainer will show you how to maximize your training sessions to get the point across. I think your dog has been left to make decissions for itself and now you have to change that. You must start over, show the dog that you will NOT allow this. You must teach your dog to be settled upon meeting new people, composed when faced with a scarey situation and you do this by implementing some fair but firm corrections when these behaviors surface. I don't know what kind of training collar you are using or if you are using any at all but I would research a few. At 3 years old the dog is old enough for a pinch collar and yes you can use them on a small breed. Everytime that dog would react in the way you describe she would get a firm collar correction followed by the "LEAVE IT" command. If she is not going to be the freindly sort, then she must learn to IGNORE outside stimulas. Please get rid of the idea that she is a gaurd dog. Many breeds are meant for guarding but it is how you train them whether they become that or not. Being a small breed she is probably afraid of alot of things. Small dogs are a bit more defensive and rightly so. Terriers by nature are protective but smart so with a good training plan she should come around. Again Gaurd dogs are made not born so step up your training plan and get a grip on this at 3 she is young enough to reform ;D
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Post by jothelioness on Oct 21, 2005 16:33:25 GMT -5
ok. thanx guys. she knows te leave it co,mand, but usualy it;s just for food. i REFUSE to use a training or pinching collor. that seems inhumane to me. i will start doing so, tho, sibermom.
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Post by sibemom on Oct 21, 2005 17:17:45 GMT -5
Good to see you have an open mind to this ;D Don't cancell out the pinch collar I know they look AWFUL but they are NOT I am not sure that will be the cure for this because I have not seen your dog or her reactions but it sure can't hurt. Good luck and keep us posted to your progress we are all here to help
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Post by Richard on Oct 22, 2005 7:14:11 GMT -5
jo,
You've gotten some good advice regarding your situation with your dog.
My male GSD was dog aggressive in his early years and that was my fault for not excercising more control over him. He figured he'd handle any dogs or sometimes people, who crossed our paths. I had to go to a pro to get things sorted out..more me than Rocky. He knows now that I'm in charge of the pack and I'll handle whatever happens. Does this mean he doesn't still bark at another dog? Heck no, he will once in a while get provoked into a bark match...which I quickly squelch - but that is a rarity these days.
To be honest, the training never stops!
I don't care about the size of the dog cuz when it comes to aggression issues, there are no size or breed limits. Your dog needs to know that you will handle the day to day stuff, which includes, dealing with other dogs or people. She needs to trust you and not think she has to be the one to deal with those who cross your path. If she barks at the door when people come to it, then, if that is what you want her to do, that is good. But as soon as you get there, she needs to know to backoff and let you handle the person there.
If you search through this forum (I know it's getting bigger everyday!!), you'll see a lot of people have had similar experiences as yourself. Like them, you are dealing with the situation head on and that is what's necessary for both of you to get through this time.
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