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Originally Posted by Sweetums  Oh, ya. I forgot to add something. Part of Cesar's rehabilitation is to channel a lot of the dog's excess energy into activity. He feels that walking a dog is one of the best ways to use up the negative energy and establish who is the pack leader. You may think that walking a Yorkie isn't necessary. But for a dog that is showing aggression, it is necessary, in fact essential. When you use up that excess energy, you have already taken a lot of the fight out of an aggressive dog. And the way you walk a dog is a very effective way to establish dominance. You never let the dog out of the door ahead of you, they have to wait. You always make sure the dog walks beside you and a little behind, never ahead of you. You should keep the lead slightly slack. This is important because a lead that starts pulling is a challenge to the dog to pull the other way. You should make sure your body language communicates a relaxed but assertive stance. It is important that you think of yourself as the dominant one, the one who is in charge of the situation while you are walking. Try to look objectively at yourself as you walk...are you stiff and tense?; are you too tentative and anxious?; or are you confident and sure of yourself? Your mental attitude has so much to do with how a dog will perceive itself. Dogs don't analyze, they just react to you and where your energy is at. So you've got to have the right inner attitude. This is what Cesar is so good at. He immediately sizes up what your energy is saying to the dog and how the dog is reacting to it. |
Thanks for everything you've said. I'm actually going to visit his site in a minute.
We did all those things....I tried so hard not to let him assert dominance, and for me to be the dominant one, but with the 'demon' behavior, it didn't work. I don't know what was triggering that, but most of the time, he wasn't even sleeping, or had just laid down. I wish, wish, wish, that I knew how to fix him, but I don't, and I had to let go. I just hope that he finds someone to help him, and love him. That's all I want for him, is to be happy, and he wasn't happy all the time here, or he wouldn't have been doing that.
Thanks again for everyone's advice, and kind words. I came in from the store a few minutes ago, and moved some things in a chair, and there was Rascal's leash. I thought my husband had taken it with him, but apparently not. It just broke me all over again. Today was a better day, though. More better days to come, I hope.
~Melena