Help Me Please! What Is The Right Thing To Do?

I actually ordered him a Thundershirt from amazon a few days back. Should be here next week, so we are going to try that. Along with a muzzle to make sure the trip to the vet is a safe one for everyone involved. One of the nice basket-kind so he can still pants and drink.



I have gotten a reference for an dog trainer in my area. I live in a very rural community, so must things are done by word-of-mouth. No one has web pages or anything. But, apparently, this guy is some kind of doggy-magician.



My next step is a vet. I want to be sure there isn't some kind of underlying medical cause for his aggression, he is intact as well. I know I shouldn't have put it off for so long, but, I was hoping I could get this dog to a place where I wouldn't have to tranquilize him to have him examined. At this point, I'm willing to do what I have to though.

- Learn the root of the aggression. Is his tail between his legs, is he cowering? Or is his tail up at "alert" and "wagging" with his hair standing up?



- If need be, try using the "Thundercoat" for dogs. Something like that. It's a doggy jacket that you wrap around them, and it applies pressure to pressure points and relaxes them. It may be useful for vet visits, as long as you don't have to take it off. Otherwise, you may have to medicate your pooch to get him to the vet.



- The average consultation with a behaviorist is $100-$200. Find one who works with aggressive dogs. It's not just your life the aggression is affecting, it's your dogs life. To constantly live on the edge is not pleasant.



If you can't afford a behaviorist to help you teach your dog through positive reinforcement and trust techniques, you may want to gradually expose him to people. He may never be OK with everyone, but you can make it so that he doesn't want to bark at people or eat strangers. He might always be distrustful of people- but dogs have come back from the depths of worse. The Michael Vick's dogs, for example, only 2-3 dogs out of 51 had to be euthanized, the rest were rehabilitated. One dog had to be put down for medical reasons, the other was bred so aggressively that she didn't trust a soul.



Have hope, and try little by little to get him to trust. If he isn't neutered, that may be part of it, as adrenaline levels decrease with the drop in hormones. Fight or flight goes down. I would make it your goal to get him to the vet, to make sure the aggression isn't of a medical nature.

Hi look up "Emily Larlham" on "YouTube". She has some amazing videos on dog training all for free. The one thing I see no-one has mentioned is "The yawn" whenever a dog is stressed a noisy yawn is a way of saying to a dog, "I'm very calm and it doesn't frighten me" Also lip licking watch dogs try and understand THEIR language instead of them expecting to understand ours.



We have 3 dogs all from the pound (shelter) some take a lot of work. Understand that some dogs NEED a very STRONG alpha figure. You HAVE to be the boss.



There is no way on this earth I would hurt an animal but please understand I think you dog needs a very strong and confident leader. Some simple rules NEVER let your dog eat before you. NEVER let you dog go through a door before you. If when walking you dog, he/she is infront of of you immediatly about turn, THEN the dog is behind you where he should be. It's all about the dogs language NOT yours.



I sincerly hope this helps to some degree, I have tried to learn the language of dogs not people.



Cheers Pete and his wonderful friend Jack

Have you tried benadryl? It's not only used for allergic reactions, but because it makes your little one drowsy, it is used a lot by professional trainers as a stress reliever. I give my dog a child dose and she just kind of mellows out.



There could also be an underlining medical condition causing all this acting out. The vet would know what to do, what to look for. I know you're worried about him biting people, even the vet. But they do their best to comfort the animal and treat them.



It's not my decision, but I would recommend working more, change some of your strategies, because he doesn't deserve to be given up on. Often times the best remedy for stress is affection and love, and it sounds to me like you adore this dog, just worried about him hurting someone.



Please promise that you won't make any decision until you've thought about and considered all your options so that you can give him what is best.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to thank you all for your help and comments. After a particularly bad incident yesterday involving a guy I had hired to cut down some trees in my yard - I had a bit of a doggie-meltdown. I had never seen this dog get THIS aggressive with anyone and it scared the crap out of me. I am SO SCARED of this dog hurting someone.

After a good nights sleep, I've resolved that I can't do this yet. I have put in 6 months of hard work with this dog, and I'm not ready to give up. I have ordered him a muzzle (he needs to see a vet more quickly than I think I will be able to resolve this, and a muzzle seems like the safe way to go for everyone involved). My search for behaviorists thus far has come up pretty empty, but I'm going to start harassing the local vets and humane societies to see if they can recommend someone to me.

--- I knew this post would draw some "less-than-helpful" comments. I have trained this dog. I have done nothing but train this dog. Before me, he had never even had a collar on his neck! I'm not some doggie-expert. Had there been any indication when I took over his care that this dog needed professional-help, I probably would have reconsidered before taking him on - for his benefit. But, he's here now and I'm doing my absolute best.

I have decided I haven't exhausted all of my options, most of them, but not all... so we are going to keep trying. I am going to try to find someone to give him a professional evaluation and tell me whether or not he is "savable". Until then, I will continue controlling his environment and interactions, continue our daily walks and training sessions - and add in some of the tips you guys have left me here.

I really LOVE the EP community. I had thrown my arms up in the air yesterday, I was really afraid I could do no more! I was fed up, exhausted and feeling really defeated. You guys have given me a second wind and I am very greatful for that. So is Frank - who looks about as dangerous as a kitten sleeping on my living room floor right now.

Hire an animal behaviorist, this is different than a dog trainer. Your dog diserves to be given the chance to change, it doesn't seem like your equpped to do it but someone out there is.

train your dog

You need to get a professional dog trainer who is experienced in dealing with aggression, to help you. You can't do this by yourself. Ask around at the vet or the animal shelter, or anyone who is an animal lover, or has had similar problems, to get a few names. The trainer will need to come by the assess the situation and will recommend whether this might be overcome, based on the dog's behavior, and your commitment to what would need to be done, as well as other constraints that impact the situation.



You also need to face the possibility that even if everyone did their best, it still might not be sufficient.



If you have done all that was possible and practical, you have discharged your responsibility. You also have a responsibility to those whom he might harm. Euthanasia is the right thing to do, in certain circumstances, and is often the final act of love, for a responsible pet owner.

Do you take him for walks every day? I have a feeling the separation anxiety would be helped if he was more worn out. If he does go on walks, its important that he sees you as the leader. (Dog next to you or behind you, following, not out in front.) That will give you access to help him with his aggression, and he will get the message that aggressive behavior isn't acceptable to you. Make sure you don't pet him when he is aggressive to calm him down. That encourages their mind that aggression is good and that you agree. :/



What do you do when the dog gets aggressive? How do you react? I don't think love is your problem. I think he needs serious exercise and discipline to be rehabilitated. Your love is the key, but love is also helping him with the above two ways too.



Also I noticed that you said he is protective of you... that isn't good. If he is acting like the pack leader, he OWNS you in his mind and he is keeping everyone else away from you, because he can, and he doesn't know whats ok or not. And someone can get hurt. Its very important that you let this dog know, through being calm and telling him what behavior you want, that him protecting you that way isn't wanted. That will help him to calm down. Its important that he relax, so he can know that nothing is wrong.



When someone comes over its important that they ignore the dog. Nobody needs to be touching him or looking at him until the dog comes over and shows that he wants to be touched. Looking at a dog can be taken as a challenge and can make him nervous. Dogs are curious. But the fact that he is sitting in a corner growling is him saying he doesn't like the situation. Its important that you tell him no, and let him know that growling at YOUR guests is not ok, and disagree with his behavior. Don't feel bad. You know that nobody is out to hurt you. Thats why its important that you be in charge. Don't pet him to calm him down there either. That is very bad. He needs to know that you are in charge, and if you see him staring or growling, get his attention and tell him no.



I totally think that you can fix your dog. It might take a lot of work, but the advice above should help a bit if your able to do it. And if there are people or friends that you can practice the stuff above with then that would help too. Good luck, and if you want to run some stuff by me let me know. I am willing to listen and see if I can help. Good luck, to you and your dog. :)

you need Ceasar....i know it would be almost impossible to get him to evaluate your dog but i'd try if i were you and the amount of time and love you have for this dog..i'd take a professional of his stature to evaluate him , as heartbreaking as it is..even Ceasar has said some dogs can't be saved/ sounds like you want to exhaust all your options, please do ....i hope there is a chance for you both.. i have 2 pits that i'd do anything for. my youngest, if we had not been his first owner very well would have had his aggression brought out...we work diligently with him God bless you both...

As sad as I am to admit it I think Pen has the right idea.



We had a German Shepherd that we'd had from a friend that no longer wanted him. He settled in quickly. Slept in our beds. But he developed fear aggression. He wouldn't let non-family members into the house. We shut him in the back room when we had visitors but it made him worse. In the end we stopped people from coming over. He broke out of the garden once and bit one of our neighbours. Luckily no damage was caused so we upped the security. He developed a lick granuloma (self harming where they lick and chew at their own leg) and then colitis (inflammation of the colon) both caused by stress. The dog was so stressed out trying to keep us safe he'd made himself ill. We had to have him put to sleep at 6 years old due to bad health. We had no life and looking back it was no life for him either. He was really ill for longer than I care to admit.

We'd taken him to 3 different classes and got advice from 2 different dog behaviourists. One of which made him worse by squirting water in his face for barking. Stupid cow had no idea how to treat fear aggression.

Sorry for the long ramble but I hope this helps.

I am a dog lover. I promise you that I am. I've had 2 dogs in my life and my wife has had many more.



I believe there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. You are not the bad owner, but the previous owner was. But, it is time for you to do the responsible thing for you are sitting on a time bomb.



This dog will hurt someone soon. You know it. You do not have the resources to provide this dog what he needs, which is constant supervision. You must either find him a new home (on a farm? In a junkyard?) immediately or you must euthanize him.



You will have a lifetime of regret if he hurts someone.

Putting him to sleep is like killing a friend. I was almost teary-eyed when I read this too, because I love dogs, and I know they're so loyal and all. Why not just try to tie him up on a leash when you're not around or when people visit you? isn't that possible?