I remember many years ago having a Yorkshire terrier and I actually thought that when he snarled and growled at my friends if they got close to me, was actually cute. Then when my friend’s pitbull made the same sounds and faces when with other dogs, I thought he was aggressive.  Boy did I not understand back then, but that was decades ago and I’m much more dog smart these days. I was wrong in both cases.

Personality, genetics, home environment, socialization, obedience training, and even the current situation your dog is in, can cause aggressive behavior. Don’t buy into breed specific aggression. The fact of the matter is my friend’s dog, the pitbull, was only playing – there was nothing aggressive with his behavior. On the other hand, my Yorkshire terrier’s behavior was actually aggressive, as I would find out years later, after he bit a friend.

Diagnosing dog aggression isn’t always easy. Food and toy aggression can be extremely dangerous, especially where there are children who may accidentaly trigger that aggression. Some of the most common signs of dominant behavior are

• a dog that will block the path of a person or dog
• a dog that puts his head on another dog’s back
• a dog that pushes himself between you and another person (for instance when you are hugging someone)

If you are seeing dominant behavior, you should start to work on training these behaviors out. Oh, by the way intact males have a much higher likelihood of being dominant.

When it comes to fear aggression, this is harder to predict and there are different signs to observe. A defensive aggressive dog’s body language is harder to predict.  A dog that is defensive will actually display body language that’s submissive. Watch out for

• pulled back ears
• avoiding eye contact
• lowered head and body
• a tail that’s tucked between the legs

A defensive aggressive dog does not like touch and will bit out of fear. You will need the help of a trained professional to solve this issue.

Dog aggression towards people generally involves lunging, posturing, direct eye contact, prickled ears, raised hackles, and teeth exposure. Don’t confuse a play bow and barking and growling when the body language is relaxed – this is not aggressive behavior.

Learn the signs of aggression. If you are unsure if your dog’s behavior is aggressive, ask for the help of a trained professional. It can’t hurt to find out what’s going on – that way you will know and can train appropriately or get the help of a trained professional. Dog aggression should never be left unaddressed because the outcome can become devastating for your dog and for a person or other dog as well.

The post My Dog’s Not Aggressive, He is Just Protective appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Over the years, I’ve rescued a few dogs. Of course, I also love puppies! Anyway, when Lexi came into my life as a rescue I already had five other dogs. We were a happy household – if there’s one thing I found is that one dog, three dogs, six dogs – there’s not a lot of difference. So I was excited to bring Lexi into our pack, and she was just as excited to meet the pack. In fact, I would have to say it was a success.

But not all was going to go off without a hitch. Lexi had come to me when I picked her up. She was extremely scared but we went slow and things were okay. Once in my home the same applied. She was hesitant and scared but we took it on her terms and things moved along nicely. In just a couple of days she was this fabulous love bug that wagged her tail so hard her bottom half looked like it was going to disengage.

After Lexi was settled into my home, in love with me and the pack, it was time to introduce her to some new humans. This did not go at all like I had envisioned! After all, up until now there had been no signs that would have made me think there might be any aggression issues. So, imagine my shock when I introduced Lexi to my Mom and she almost took my Mom’s face off. In fact, I’m pretty sure if my Mom hadn’t been as calm as she was she would have suffered some serious bites. Luckily, Lexi chose not to make that final move and bite.

Having done rescues in the past and worked around dogs all my life, it takes a fair bit to alarm or worry me but this certainly did! I decided to consider that,  just in the off chance that this would not happen again. But I was wrong. Every time Lexi was introduced to people the reaction was pretty much the same – aggressive lunging, teeth bared and foaming at the mouth. I was pretty sure I had an aggressive rescue dog in my hands. Yet with me, she remained this beautiful cuddle bug that was happy and obedient.

So what to do? Well of course, it was time to call in the professionals. This is when I learned that not all dog trainers are created equal. They certainly don’t have the same skills and they certainly don’t approach the problem the same way, even those who say they work with ‘aggressive dogs.’

In fact, the first gentleman to arrive to work with Lexi, , said he specialized in aggressive dogs. He worked with Lexi once and then after that came up with excuses why he wouldn’t come back. The second trainer worked with Lexi for 20 minutes and then left, and where I live there aren’t a lot of trainers. All I can say is, thank goodness for Doggy Dan and his video training system.

Make no mistake Lexi’s aggression towards humans was so bad that I simply could not allow her near any other human. Why she didn’t eat me on our first meet, I have no idea but she must have decided she needed at least one human in her life. In actuality, she needed two humans – Doggy Dan being the other human being. It was his training techniques that gave Lexi a shot at having a normal life.

Almost a year has gone by and Lexi is truly a lady these days. No one would believe what she was like back then. This kind lovable creature has learned to trust others in the way she trusts me, although I will say it does take her some time to warm up, and that’s okay!

The post Meet Lexi: Rescued With Severe Aggression Issues appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

I rescued a dog once that was so warm and cuddly to me right from day one, but anyone else she wanted to eat. This was obvious aggression, but it’s the more subtle signs of dog aggression you need to watch for. Let’s say you are having a game of tug and your dog is starting to get a little overbearing growling at you (not the noise they make when you are playing tug) and even showing his teeth if you try to take the toy away.

Well, I know in the past my reflex would have been to let go and give my dog her toy, but I know better now and I also know that’s not the right approach. However, for most of us we don’t even recognize this is as a sign of dog aggression.

From the toy possessiveness to the next step can be very small or subtle. My border collie -and these guys are not aggressive dogs- was great. But she started getting possessive of her toys, then her aggression moved to snarling and warning for any animal that stepped within a two foot radius of her. Soon that progressed to humans and slowly the aggression was growing. And I did not recognize it as such because it was far more subtle than my rescue dog who would simply try to have you or anyone that tried to be nice to her -except me- for lunch.

The key here is that we all need to learn how to recognize dog aggression before we can actually deal with it. Aggression that is left unaddressed can turn into a major problem. The cause of this early aggression – many want to know is it them or the dog? And the answer is both. Some dogs may be born with a more aggressive personality, while others may simply be testing the boundaries.

It becomes you, when humans fail their dogs, when they fail to recognize the early signs of dog aggression and get the necessary help they need. Because when that aggression is left untreated, the potential for you to land up with a vicious dog that likes no human or animal and poses a real threat to anyone she comes in contact with, is just too great. Too often, this leads to a dog being surrendered to rescue or worse, being euthanized.

All of us are learning about our dogs. Most of us want only what’s best for our dogs and for them to have a healthy and happy life. So, it makes sense to take a little time and learn more about the subtle signs of dog aggression before it becomes the recognizable aggression many of us are familiar with.

The post It is Me or My Dog – Why am I Seeing Aggression appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

So why am I thinking that my border collie was acting aggressive? Well there were a few things. For one, he was beginning to spend a great deal of time nipping at the heels of everyone and that to me seemed like aggressive behavior. In addition, he would quickly show a lip or make a snarl at anyone that wasn’t doing exactly what it was he wanted.

My plan of attack included calling a local trainer that had experience dealing with dogs that had aggression. I was worried. This was my dear sweet border collie, my buddy, my four legged family but what was I going to do if he was having aggression issues? Could the trainer fix him?

The trainer took my Timmie, my border collie, for an evaluation. They were gone a couple of hours. I was getting pretty nervous already. All these horrible thoughts are running through my head as I anxiously wait. The trainer finally returns with Timmie in tow tail held high and wagging. That’s what’s usually going on in Timmie’s world – how could such a happy dog have aggression?

“So what’s the scoop?” I ask the trainer. “What are we going to do to solve Timmie’s aggression issues?”

The trainer lets out a chuckle and replies, “You have nothing to worry about. This isn’t aggression. This is pure border collie bossiness.”

As we continue our discussion, I learn that heel nipping is very common in border collies. It’s how they herd the sheep and it’s also how they heard people. So the first focus is going to be to train Timmie not to heel nip. As for the snarl and curled lip that showed teeth apparently, that was also part of his herding skills. And actually showing the teeth is sometimes simply giving you a big ole grin when they are happy.

It became quickly evident that what I was dealing with were typical border collie traits. That said, I knew I still had to train these traits out. If you have ever had your heel nipped by a dog you know it’s very painful!

One of the things I decided to do with Timmie was actually put him to work. After all, he’s a herding dog and loves to work and I know I haven’t been giving him enough exercise. There’s a local farm here that does just that – takes dogs out and trains them to herd on their farm. The trainer felt that would help Timmie to learn when these traits were appropriate.

In addition the trainer gave me some tips on how to stop the heel nips, like have a person lift their foot and connect with his face (not overly hard of course) whenever Timmie was following too close. As for his talkative nature, well we will just learn to enjoy that!

The post Is My Border Collie Aggressive? appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Teaching your dog the down command gives you a solid foundation for many of the more advanced commands you will teach your dog. That’s because lying down is submissive and puts your dog in a bit of a vulnerable position. For a dominant dog, this is especially a trying command and she isn’t likely to give it up easily.

When your dog is made to change her mood and she becomes unsure, she can become dominant and respond with resistance by asserting herself. She will push back and likely growl if she feels your hand on her shoulder blade. At this point, don’t bother trying food because she’s already stressed, so there won’t be any interest in a treat, even when it’s her favorite.

The dominant dog is misunderstood. That’s because by nature she is active and direct and so when she is dealing with people she tends to run into emotional dead ends. As a result, your dog will interpret any change that is related to you or other humans as bad.

To train your dominant dog the down command, start by making sure your dog is really hungry. That’s because when she is hungry transitioning your dog to a down position will occur quite smoothly with the incentive of food. It is important that you continue to improve on the contact training between you and your dog, as this is the biggest hurdle you will face with a dominant dog. When you continuously work with your dog, she will begin to relax and she will learn that change is good. As a result, she will become more flexible and less fearful.

Eventually you will have to address your dominant dog without the use of food, so the earlier you begin to work with her using food, the easier this next step will be. When it’s time to train without the use of food, simply hold the lead with your right hand while putting your left foot on the lead. Now you need to patiently wait and slowly increase the pressure downward on her neck, unless she begins to panic or overload. Then you need to wait, let her relax, and try again.

You should not place your head near a dominant dog as this will intensify the problem and it will force her to resist even harder. As she becomes less resistant, you can see her starting to think about giving in and lying down, you need to talk very soft and comforting to her, to help to weaken her resistance. You can amplify the relaxation by scratching her ribs.

You want your dog to feel that by lying down she becomes the focus. She needs to feel like you aren’t trying to be dominant over her, as this would really add to her being unsure and it would also confirm her initial negative assessment to people that make her change her mood. Rather what you want is for her to learn that when she becomes a subordinate it will lead to a very positive experience.

When your dog lies down, make sure you rub her belly. It’s okay if she rolls over, because energizing her at that moment will be seen positively by her. She will quickly learn that the down command is not to be feared and the down command will come easily.

This same method applies to all commands or tricks you are teaching a dominant dog. Don’t push her too hard or too fast, and you will be rewarded with successful training.

If you enjoy watching and learning from videos, then check out Doggy Dan’s Online Dog Trainer site where there are over 100 detailed dog and puppy training videos that cover every dog problem. You’ll also find downloadable audio and video clips and a free dog training Forum. I highly recommend it.

The post Training the Down Command to a Dominant Dog appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Neutering Your Dog To Curb Aggression

Hi Daniel,

My dog, Bello is making a lot of progress, thanks primarily to the techniques I have acquired reading your work, but I still have a question.

Bello is extremely friendly both with my old friends and with people I have met recently. If he understands that the person in front of him is a friend, then everything is fine. But he still shows aggressiveness toward people he considers dangerous. It might be a drunkard on the boardwalk or a homeless man on the main avenue, or simply someone who stops to pet him. Until a few months ago, he would just lie on his back and let anyone pet him, and enjoy it very much. Now he’s growing more and more selective about who can approach him. On the other hand, he’s very patient with some other people. For instance, one of the men who helps the super in this building was running in the hallway one day and literally fell on Bello. Bello didn’t react in any way to that. And today a teenage boy was about to run him over with his bicycle on the sidewalk where we were walking. Again, Bello didn’t react at all, although I was walking him on a long leash, so he could very well have jumped and attacked the teenager.

Thinking back to all the cases in which Bello’s aggressive behavior was triggered, I realized that most of the people who had tried to pet him had dogs of their own (and the others may also have had dogs, though I have no way to tell). Could this be the reason? Now I think so, especially because Bello let them approach and pet him, sitting patiently for a few seconds before he turned aggressive.

In addition to drunk or homeless people and to people who own dogs, Bello is also (naturally, I guess) aggressive towards other male dogs, especially if they are new to his surroundings.

Although all of this is being curbed, I’m writing with one specific question in mind. Should Bello be neutered? I have read what you wrote in your book, so I should know what your position is. However, I’d like to know what you mean when you say that neutering doesn’t help in some cases.

I’m very torn over this, and unfortunately I should make a decision as soon as possible, given that Bello is already 18 months old. In principle, I am disinclined to do it, perhaps because in Italy people usually don’t fix their dogs (as far as I know). In addition, Bello is so happy and healthy, and I’m afraid that all of that might change.
On the other hand, Bello’s vet keeps urging me to do it. According to him, Bello will be healthier and much more manageable. Do you agree? I don’t plan to mate him, so this is not an issue at all. What I want to know is, in those cases in which neutering doesn’t work 100%, does aggressiveness in male dogs still decrease? And what about their roaming instinct? Will I be able, in time, to let him off the leash without worrying that he might get into a bad fight or, even worse, that he might run after a female dog in heat and be hit by a car? Also, I’m planning to take Bello to Italy again in December as well as in the years to come. Do you think that his being neutered will make those trips easier? Finally, is it really true that a neutered dog that eats well and exercises will not get lazy and overweight? Can Bello still be as beautiful, healthy, and happy as he has been so far?

I thank you in advance and await your response.

Best,

Alberto

Dog Trainer Reply:

Hi Alberto,

Thanks for your email. It sounds as though you are doing a great job with Bello, and it’s obvious that you are a very caring dog owner.

As you have probably guessed, we here at SitStayFetch are very much Pro-Neutering. Neutering will help with a number of behavioral problems such as aggressiveness towards other dogs, and roaming etc.

Often people, particularly men, are hesitant to have this procedure done. They tend to think about how they would feel in the same situation, but you have to remember that dog’s do not think like people do – mating is purely instinct for them.

I will list some of the reasons why we believe in neutering dogs.

• For population control. There are too many dogs without homes. You just need to go to your local shelter to see how many – Males generally make much better pets when neutered.

• Males will usually lose the urge to roam. I have seen statistics that state that 90% of dogs that roam will stop after neutering.

• Dogs will be less likely to urine mark.

• Males are usually less aggressive towards other dogs (60% less according to statistics I have seen).

• They are less dominant with their own families.

• Prevents testicular cancer and prostate problems later in life.

• They are 70% less likely to mount other dogs or people.

Despite popular theory, neutering does not affect your dog’s weight – too much food and not enough exercise is usually the cause!!

If I were you, I would have Bello neutered, for at least one, if not all of the above reasons.

Make sure that you are using the Alpha Techniques to teach Bello that you are the Top Dog. In the wild, the Alpha determines how the pack will react to different situations, and if Bello sees that you are comfortable about being approached by strangers, then he should follow suit. Carry treats, and praise and reward Bello for positive interactions. Remember to remain calm yourself – if you tighten his leash, he will think that you are afraid of the approaching stranger, so is more likely to be aggressive. If he is aggressive, reprimand him by squirting him with cold water, and growling a guttural growl.

Good luck with your decision Alberto, and please let me know how you progress.

Yours For Great Success With Your Dog,

Daniel Stevens

If you’re interested in getting a more detailed look at how to deal with your dog’s issues, then you should check out Secrets to Dog Training page now.

The post Dog Neutering Against Aggression appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Dog Aggression and Genetics …

By Adam G. Katz

Dear Adam:

I know you probably get a ton of e-mails from people needing help but I hope you have time for this because I have tried to follow the videos and information as closely as possible to not ask a question you have already answered.

[ To read more about the videos he's referring to, please see: The Secrets Book ]

I have been working with my girlfriends 30lb mix bread female dog (2 1/2 years old) for about 4 months now. Gabby has problems with aggression towards people and other dogs. She can one minute be fine with a person and the next minute go crazy snarling and biting ( but she has never actually got a hold of anyone).

The dog fights are the same one minute fine the next attacking but never really drawn blood. Some of these incidents might be attributed to situational things like food or toys but put in the same situation 10 times – the reaction may only happen 1 out of 10 and sometimes the reaction happens with nothing causing it that I can tell. There is plenty more as far as detail into these events that I can go into if you need it.

We have seen improvement since starting Gabby on the loose leash training and the down stay training. The structured discipline has helped as well as setting the tone for who is in charge. But sometimes I just feel like she is totally void of knowing what is going on – it’s like a switch is flipped and no amount of correction can bring her out. In addition she never seems to relax – almost like she is always afraid or needs to know everything going on – hence we hardly ever get to relax.

Like I said I am seeing improvement but it is slow going 4 months now of strict discipline is wearing on everyone and the results aren’t exactly as good as I hoped. I totally believe in your training methods – I’m not questioning that – but my question for you – is it possible to have a dog that can’t be trained out of aggression or does it just take a really long time?

Thank you for any and all suggestions you might have.

Phil

Dear Phil:

Thank you for the e-mail.

First, I get the impression that you’re letting this dog interact and play with other dogs. This is a big “no-no.”

As for your question about aggression: With some dogs, aggression can be controlled but never eliminated. A lot also has to do with the temperament mix of owner and dog.

But there are always triggers.

For a dog like you’ve described, I would recommend using an electronic remote collar. The correction can be matched exactly to the dog’s temperament, you don’t need to be at all physical with the dog, and the texture/sensation of the correction tends to be more “strange” feeling to the dog-which creates a “break in her state”. However, since it’s an aggression issue -and sounds like a pretty serious one- I’m going to recommend that you work with a professional instead of trying to use the e-collar by yourself, as there is a greater possibility that you may be misreading the situation. (And I can’t tell by e-mail). So, I’d prefer to error on the safe side and recommend professional supervision.

Although it may take some searching to find someone who is competent.

Just remember: As long as the options for the dog are clear, the dog will not continue to do a behavior that has a negative association linked to it. When you teach her that it’s a lot easier to stay calm and get the praise than it is to be aggressive and receive a negative association, you’re on the path to recovery.

As for her never feeling relaxed: This is one of the problems with adopting a mix-breed from unknown genetic stock and unknown puppy imprinting. If she has poor nerves, you can use the obedience exercises to make her more tranquil, but you’ll never overcome her genetics.

That’s all for now, folks!
-Adam.

Copyright By Dogproblems.com. All Rights Reserved.

Adam G. Katz warns : Do Not Attempt To Train Your Dog, Or Even Think About Hiring A Dog Trainer Until You Read This Page!

The post Dog Aggression and Genetics appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Abused Miniature Schnauzer Fear Aggression

By Daniel Stevens

Hi Daniel,

Our puppy is 17 months old and we got her when she was 13 months. We are her third home as she was abused and the breeder took her back. We have no idea what happened to her in terms of the abuse but she has several issues we are working on.

She is a miniature schnauzer and is gentle and loving and very protective of my husband and me. She has serious issues with people but loves (LOVES) to play with other dogs and does so really well.

We are teaching her that we are the alpha dog as per your on-line book (which was very helpful) and we have seen amazing results in just a few days. She seems much calmer and at peace. She listens to me more now when we are off leash and she actually will follow me on the path versus always having to lead.

Our major concern is her problems with people. This is improving but she still has a tendency to nip or bite. For example, my sister will play with her and they are having fun and all of a sudden she turned and bit her drawing blood. Another example is my mom will sit with her and give her treats but if she tries to pet her, she snaps at her. She is like this with most people. We have advised people to ignore her and we will see how that goes. We have her on a gentle lead and that works well. She tends to pull but I am stopping when she does and she will come back to me. She is very stubborn (is the breed after all) and so this will take time but it is improving.

Do you have any suggestions on how we can work with her to control this biting and snapping? We never let her out of our sight and we advise people not to touch her.

Thank you!

Claire

SitStayFetch Reply:

Hi Claire,

Thank you for your email, it was very well detailed and explained your issues well.

First of all, I think perhaps the best bet for you and your puppy will be taking time and patience, as abused dogs always take longer to adjust to their surroundings and overcome their fears.

One technique to help her overcome her fear aggression may be to fit her with a muzzle and then expose her to as many strange people as possible. Most dogs hate wearing muzzles, so make sure you have her used to it before she meets anyone. Fit it on her and then take her for a walk to distract her, this way she will not associate the muzzle with negative events, or strange people with wearing a muzzle.

She will soon learn this way that, although she has had bad experiences before, no real harm will come to her now. At the same time no one is at risk of being bitten while she receives her “exposure training”.

It is also important that you communicate with her what is unacceptable behavior. Sometimes people are too sympathetic to reprimand an abused dog, you can still be assertive with her without being aggressive. If she tries to bite/snap, growl at her and certainly keep up the good work with the “Alpha dog” training too.

Yours For Great Success With Your Dog,
Daniel Stevens

P.S. If you’re really serious about obedience training your dog then go to this page right away! You’ll discover all of my most explosive dog training secrets, strategies and tips that took me over 14 years to test, fine-tune and perfect.

The post Abused Miniature Schnauzer Fear Aggression appeared first on Dog Aggression Training.

Dog Displaying Fear Aggression Against Family Member

By Daniel Stevens

Dear Daniel,

We have two dogs, a chow mix (about 6 years old) and a Labrador mix (about 5 years old). Both are neutered males and we got both from people who had to get rid of them. The owner of the lab found out he was allergic and the owner of the chow was moving and couldn’t keep him at his new house.

I have a step son that the lab mix always barks at. No matter what we try he still barks non-stop when ever he comes into the house. I know the dog is afraid of him because he will go behind a chair and bark. I know my son has never done anything to the dog. When he’s barking I can’t even get his attention.

We have tried squirt guns which seemed to work for a while but now he pretty much ignores that.

The only other time we have a problem is when we are walking and another dog comes near him. I try and make him sit when other dogs go by. He just goes nuts.

He is an extremely energetic dog. Right now we try to lock him in a bedroom whenever the son comes into the house. It seems to keep him quiet for a while. I tried to get the dog to walk with both of us but the dog was so scared he slipped his collar.

The previous owner said he had a neighbor who used to be mean to the lab. The lab had also gone through heartworm treatments. The only other thing I can think of to mention is that my son sleeps in a detached garage and is kind of a night owl so he comes in the house when we’re asleep.

We used to sleep with the bedroom door open but now keep the dogs with us and the door shut.

We have used some of the techniques in your book and were doing quite a few things wrong and it has helped but not as much as we would hope for.

Thanks for any help you can give up.

Bob

Secrets To Dog Training Reply:

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your email. It is likely that there is something about your lab’s previous owner’s neighbor that is similar to your step son, causing him to act in this aggressive manner.

I recommend a few things.

1. Please read and use the Alpha techniques as set out in the bonus Alpha Book. It is really important that your lab knows that you are in charge. In the wild, the Alpha determines how the pack will react in various situations, so if your dog knows that you are the Top Dog, and you are happy to have your son come in and out of the house, he should follow suit.

2. Try a gentle introduction. Put your dog in to a separate room, and then have your son come into the house. Get your son to sit down, with a treat in his hand, or a squeaky toy if your lab is not food motivated. Attach you dog’s leash, and then bring him into the room, speaking to him in a happy, confident voice. Make sure your son does not speak to, or make eye contact with the dog, and that he remains sitting. If your dog barks, shake a can of pebbles, or growl at him. Praise him for not barking, even if he only stops for a few seconds. Have your son throw the dog a treat, but still without looking at your dog.

Try this a number of times, and if the dog approaches your son, only then should he try to pet him, and never on the head or back of the neck. Instead, have him pat your dog under the chin and on the chest. Speak to your dog in a happy voice throughout, and praise him for positive interactions.
Your son could even try engaging the dog in a game of fetch or frisbee.

3. Have daily obedience lessons with your dog to increase his confidence, and use lots of praise to encourage him.

I hope this helps Bob. Good luck, and please let me know how you progress.

Kind regards,

Daniel Stevens

If you’re interested in solving all your dog behavior problems with the help of a leading expert, then I suggest you go here right now!

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Border Terrier Displaying Dominance Over Other Dogs And Owner

By Daniel Stevens

Dear Daniel,

I have a very alpha border terrier and a non-alpha pug. My alpha border continually challenges me but remains submissive to me – yet he’s always there pushing the button. I’ll explain as we go. I am a foster home for strays and rescues from the shelters. I foster until the dogs are adopted and this turnover is about every 2 weeks. Most rescues I place are small dogs and most come with issues.

Should I always let my border terrier be alpha or dominant to the foster? Should I try to not let any of the dogs show dominance to each other? If there are dominance displays, should I allow them to find their own level in the “pack” or should I ensure my alpha border stays as top dog in the pack (behind us humans, of course!)? Should I discourage my border from displaying dominance (he always tries)? What if the foster sees this as a weakness and starts trying to overdominate him (snap at his food, shove him out of the way for attention, etc.)? This is a short term situation with each dog. The one thing I want to do is make sure they all know who’s alpha – me and us humans. After that, what should the pecking order look like given the temporariness of the fosters? I don’t want to squelch their friskiness but I also don’t want to belittle my own pooch, the border terrier.

One result of ensuring alpha-ness came with not allowing him to be near our table when we’re eating. The other dogs, foster included, will calmly sleep on their pillows in the family until we are finished eating. But my border will not stay in the room when we eat. The minute we start to eat, he leaves the room and stays in our bedroom. If I try to make him stay in the family room, he’ll stay standing or at least with his back to us! Should I let this continue? If not, what should I do? He started doing this when the first foster came in the house and I was training the foster not to stay under the table when we eat. Sort of like my border says, “Well, I won’t stay under the table but I’m also not going to stay with these others, I’d rather have my OWN place while you eat”. Then he’ll leave and he’ll come back when we are done eating.
If you can answer these questions, I’d be most grateful. It will bring aboutpeace in this home!

Kellie

Secrets To Dog Training Reply:

Hi Kellie,

Thanks for your email. Firstly let me congratulate you on fostering these rescue dogs! It takes a patient and kind person to do that job, so good on you!

You have asked some interesting questions!

One very important thing you need to do is assert yourself as the Alpha Dog in your household. Make sure that all of the dogs, whether it be your Terrier, or any of the rescue dogs, know that YOU are the Top Dog, and are to be respected! Discourage any attempts at dominance over you. Please read and utilize the techniques outlined in your bonus book “Secrets to becoming the Alpha Dog”.

Is your Terrier neutered? This might be an option if you find that he is constantly challenging you for dominance.

As far as the Dominance between your dogs, it is probably best if you let them sort the hierarchy out themselves. If you think that there is any danger of things getting out of hand, you might want to muzzle your dogs. It is OK for your Terrier to show dominance over the other dogs, but not over you.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the dominant dog is treated like the dominant dog (after you of course) and that the submissive dogs position is also reinforced. Please read the chapter in SitStayFetch on “2 Dogs in the House” for tips on how to do this. Although to humans this might seem mean, to a dog, hierarchy is perfectly natural, and you should find that if you reinforce their place in the pack, they should all get along quite happily.

Your dogs refusal to remain in the dining room while you are eating is a very interesting behavior! It is quite likely that it is a challenge for dominance over you, so I recommend that you ensure he remains in the room to enforce your Alpha position. Ask him to sit, or lie down, and wait until you have finished your meal before allowing him to move.

As a general rule, always make sure that your dog’s get plenty of exercise, including regular obedience training (train your dogs separately). If possible, give each dog some one-on-one time with you every day.

Good luck Kellie. Please let me know how you progress with these issues.

Kind regards

Daniel Stevens
Secrets To Dog Training – STOP Your Dog’s Behavior Problems!

P.S. If you’re really serious about obedience training your dog then go to this page  right away! You’ll discover all of my most explosive dog training secrets, strategies and tips that took me over 14 years to test, fine-tune and perfect.

Kellies Reply:

Thank you, Daniel, for your kind words of encouragement. I do enjoy fostering and being able to make these dogs more adoptable (we usually get the extremes which usually makes them less attractive for adoptions). I found your site and was thrilled to be able to talk to someone about my problems, with the alpha dog method in mind.

To the extent I know what I’m doing about which does or does not keep me in the alpha position, I’m doing all I can. In fact, my border was a pain and got us thrown out of the agility ring because of his dog aggressiveness. He is much more controllable now. He now doesn’t automatically charge out the doors, resigns himself to never get on the couch or bed or chair without my permission, and other things you’ve mentioned in your alpha book. Because I took so much of dominance away from him I was feeling guilty about this mealtime thing. So thank you very much for your suggestions.

Yes, my terrier is neutered (at about 3 months age). I don’t mean to say he’s aggressive to me – he just keeps finding new ways (like this dinner thing) to push my button.

I tried your suggestion tonight and he stayed in his area without leaving and finally in a relaxed position! I believe the difference this time is I wasn’t guilty about removing all his dominance towards me (he has always loved to lead – now I won’t let him). I simply gave him the command to sit in this spot – no ifs ands or buts. Wow! It worked! Thanks again.

On the matter of dominance over other dogs, I sort of had the impression from fellow rescuers that I should always make sure my doggies stay in the upper hand. But I didn’t find that always worked. I basically do as you say, let them sort their own way and level. Except in a couple of spayed females, my border was in each case always the top dog. But came the first female and all of a sudden he allows her to be dominant (she was a dominant type) and I wasn’t sure if I should have imposed (I didn’t) and things seem OK. But now you’ve confirmed it’s OK and that eases my mind.

We do walks, especially with the foster dogs this is very helpful to get rid of all that pent up energy. One-on-one time is sparse with the fosters and perhaps too sparse for my border because he seems to be more my companion between fosters. So I’ll work on that more.

Again, thank you very much.

Kellie

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