I think the operative words were "which of course scarys us because of the fear that he might bite us." Never, ever let a dog sense fear in you. All that does is make him more aggressive, even if he is your pet.
I also watch the Dog Whisperer and one thing I've gotten from his program is that dogs will sense your energy. It's very important not to give off the wrong energy, especially fear. What Cesar usually does when his clients talk about being afraid is to make them remember situations where they have had to be courageous or commanding and then think of themselves as being in the same position with their dogs. This usually helps his clients to take a more commanding position, which then translates to the dog that you are the alpha dog in the pack and that he cannot threaten or nip at you.
So if your dog turns out to be healthy, then the next step is to reassert yourselves as the leaders of the pack. Do not back down, do not allow yourselves to feel fear, do not allow the dog to nip at you with no consequences for his actions. Always correct the behavior immediately, and if there is a confrontation, make sure you don't allow the dog to win under any circumstances. You must do this if you want your dog to be happy, and healthy and to feel safe with you. |