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Rosey07 · 12-05-2007, 12:42 PM

Maybe this will help you understand...he is protecting whats his...no matter how good that feels, he needs to be put in his place.... or trouble will brew.

Dog Aggression
by Brandy J. Oliver, MA

This article is meant to give simple ideas to help some dominant dogs realize their place in the pack and to help some fear-aggressive dogs gain confidence in themselves and their people. It does not cover all aspects of, or all the different types of aggression that can be diagnosed.

Recommended Books by Brandy J. Oliver:

* Dogs Are From Neptune
* Jelly Bean VS. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Written for the Safety of Our Children & the Welfare of Our Dogs

Dog aggression is a serious problem for people, their families, and their dogs. Dog aggression (in general) is easy to diagnose, but many times is difficult to treat. Many "dog trainers" do not specialize in dog behavior, let alone dog aggression, so it can be difficult to find someone that can help you with your problem. There are only a few excellent sources on dog aggression that have published material. One is Jean Donaldson and her book Dogs Are From Neptune. Another is C.W. Meisterfeld, Ph.D. His philosophy of teaching based on mutual respect and trust has earned him many awards. He is the pioneer of canine psychoanalysis and Psychological Dog Training. He is considered the first canine psychoanalyst expert witness to be recognized/approved in the judicial system of the United States California Supreme Court. He has written many wonderful books, including one that I especially urge you to read if you're having aggression problems with your dog: "Jelly Bean VS. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde." You can find more information about his philosophy at Meisterfeld's Psychological Dog Training website.

It is usually not recommended to suggest treatment for dog aggression without actually having studied the dog, his environment, and his family in person. If your dog has bitten someone, and especially if he has drawn blood, he has a much greater chance of repeating this action. I strongly urge you to seek a reputable animal behaviorist to help you with your dog.

Dominance Aggression

Dominance aggression is many times seen when a dog perceives that his place in the pack hierarchy is being threatened. This can refer to his place in the "family" or in just the "dog pack" if there are two or more dogs in the household and it usually occurs when there is a change in the living environment of the dog in question, such as getting a new puppy, moving, someone moving out of or into the house, or a change in working schedules, and/or where the dog spends his time.

Scenario 1:

When dogs are insecure in their place in the pack, they will exaggerate the essence of where on the hierarchy ladder they think they should be. For instance, if you bring a new puppy or dog home and your original dog becomes insecure in his status, he may exaggerate his dominance. Exaggerating dominance = aggression. In his view, his aggression will secure his position. If you feel this is the cause of your dog's aggression, please read the "Two or More Dogs" article.

Scenario 2:

Some breeds of dogs, and some individual dogs, tend to be more dominant than others by nature. These dogs tend to be very intelligent as well, and if you're not careful they can have you trained before you realize what has happened. This type of dog, if in the wild, would be the leader of a pack of dogs. They have a strong "Will to Power" (WTP), meaning that they have a high potential for dominance and assertiveness. They are leaders. Because they are natural leaders, it is then your responsibility to make sure you are the leader by harnessing their "Will to Serve" (WTS.) A dog's WTS is directly affected by the training he receives (or lacks.) This means that the sooner you begin teaching your dog proper behavior, and the more time you spend teaching your dog, the greater his WTS will grow. When your dog is fulfilled by his WTS, his WTP will diminish. If you feel your dog has a strong WTP and is a natural leader, and that he may be "challenging" or "testing" you, the first recommendation would be to enroll him in a basic obedience class as soon as possible. Once your dog understands and can regularly demonstrate "sit," "down," "stay," and "settle" you can begin incorporating these commands in your daily activities. In order to harness a dog's WTS he must feel he is "serving" you. When you command him to "down" while you prepare his meal, "sit" before you give him a treat, "wait" before he goes out the door, you are taking control of these situations by becoming the "leader" and commanding your dog to "serve" you. This reassures the dog about his proper place in the pack hierarchy.

Scenario 3:

Some well-meaning people simply do not understand the behavioral patterns in dogs and can actually be the catalyst for some unwanted behaviors. A dog is a living, breathing animal. He deserves respect; however, sometimes people confuse respect with giving in to their dogs' every whim and desire. Do you move over on the couch or bed if your dog wants to lie where you are? Does your dog "demand" when you should play with him? Give him a treat? These are simple examples that show you are being submissive to your dog. You are leader of the pack, you should not be submissive to your dog. Many other instances, sometimes complex in nature, can signify your submissive position to your dog. When a dog does not sense that there is a leader of the pack he will many times instinctively assume the leader role. When this scenario happens, the people involved often don't realize that their dog views himself as the "true alpha, leader of the whole family."

If a dog with a strong WTP assumes the leader role in the family, he may become very dominant and aggressive, as any good doggie leader would. If a dog does not have a strong WTP, yet assumes the leader role due to lack of anyone else assuming that role (according to the dog's perception), he will most likely experience a great amount of anxiety with his new awesome responsibility. This anxiety will infiltrate his instinctive protective behavior and (seemingly) unexplained aggression will occur. If this sounds like your dog, you also need to harness his WTS as mentioned above, but at the same time you need to change your behavior so that your dog will feel confident in you as his leader.

In all of these scenarios, your dog needs to know where he stands on the hierarchy ladder. He needs to know he is on the bottom of the ladder, below all humans. This does not mean you should be mean or harsh with your dog. Unfortunately, many normal "corrections" that are taught in many obedience classes are quite coercive. Sometimes very dominant dogs will not respond to force, punishment, or other means of a negative nature. Over time, (and sometimes quite quickly) these types of actions can be severely detrimental to your dog. If you use harsh techniques and coercion on your dominant dog, instead of making him feel submissive, it can trigger his "survival instinct." When dominant animals are cornered, they do not submit - their survival instincts kick in and they fight back. The more punishment, or threats of punishment, given the stronger their inborn survival instinct becomes. Therefore, it is very important that you teach with positive reinforcement and praise.

12-05-2007, 12:42 PM	#3
Rosey07 No Longer a Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: way down South Posts: 860	Maybe this will help you understand...he is protecting whats his...no matter how good that feels, he needs to be put in his place.... or trouble will brew. Dog Aggression by Brandy J. Oliver, MA This article is meant to give simple ideas to help some dominant dogs realize their place in the pack and to help some fear-aggressive dogs gain confidence in themselves and their people. It does not cover all aspects of, or all the different types of aggression that can be diagnosed. Recommended Books by Brandy J. Oliver: * Dogs Are From Neptune * Jelly Bean VS. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Written for the Safety of Our Children & the Welfare of Our Dogs Dog aggression is a serious problem for people, their families, and their dogs. Dog aggression (in general) is easy to diagnose, but many times is difficult to treat. Many "dog trainers" do not specialize in dog behavior, let alone dog aggression, so it can be difficult to find someone that can help you with your problem. There are only a few excellent sources on dog aggression that have published material. One is Jean Donaldson and her book Dogs Are From Neptune. Another is C.W. Meisterfeld, Ph.D. His philosophy of teaching based on mutual respect and trust has earned him many awards. He is the pioneer of canine psychoanalysis and Psychological Dog Training. He is considered the first canine psychoanalyst expert witness to be recognized/approved in the judicial system of the United States California Supreme Court. He has written many wonderful books, including one that I especially urge you to read if you're having aggression problems with your dog: "Jelly Bean VS. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde." You can find more information about his philosophy at Meisterfeld's Psychological Dog Training website. It is usually not recommended to suggest treatment for dog aggression without actually having studied the dog, his environment, and his family in person. If your dog has bitten someone, and especially if he has drawn blood, he has a much greater chance of repeating this action. I strongly urge you to seek a reputable animal behaviorist to help you with your dog. Dominance Aggression Dominance aggression is many times seen when a dog perceives that his place in the pack hierarchy is being threatened. This can refer to his place in the "family" or in just the "dog pack" if there are two or more dogs in the household and it usually occurs when there is a change in the living environment of the dog in question, such as getting a new puppy, moving, someone moving out of or into the house, or a change in working schedules, and/or where the dog spends his time. Scenario 1: When dogs are insecure in their place in the pack, they will exaggerate the essence of where on the hierarchy ladder they think they should be. For instance, if you bring a new puppy or dog home and your original dog becomes insecure in his status, he may exaggerate his dominance. Exaggerating dominance = aggression. In his view, his aggression will secure his position. If you feel this is the cause of your dog's aggression, please read the "Two or More Dogs" article. Scenario 2: Some breeds of dogs, and some individual dogs, tend to be more dominant than others by nature. These dogs tend to be very intelligent as well, and if you're not careful they can have you trained before you realize what has happened. This type of dog, if in the wild, would be the leader of a pack of dogs. They have a strong "Will to Power" (WTP), meaning that they have a high potential for dominance and assertiveness. They are leaders. Because they are natural leaders, it is then your responsibility to make sure you are the leader by harnessing their "Will to Serve" (WTS.) A dog's WTS is directly affected by the training he receives (or lacks.) This means that the sooner you begin teaching your dog proper behavior, and the more time you spend teaching your dog, the greater his WTS will grow. When your dog is fulfilled by his WTS, his WTP will diminish. If you feel your dog has a strong WTP and is a natural leader, and that he may be "challenging" or "testing" you, the first recommendation would be to enroll him in a basic obedience class as soon as possible. Once your dog understands and can regularly demonstrate "sit," "down," "stay," and "settle" you can begin incorporating these commands in your daily activities. In order to harness a dog's WTS he must feel he is "serving" you. When you command him to "down" while you prepare his meal, "sit" before you give him a treat, "wait" before he goes out the door, you are taking control of these situations by becoming the "leader" and commanding your dog to "serve" you. This reassures the dog about his proper place in the pack hierarchy. Scenario 3: Some well-meaning people simply do not understand the behavioral patterns in dogs and can actually be the catalyst for some unwanted behaviors. A dog is a living, breathing animal. He deserves respect; however, sometimes people confuse respect with giving in to their dogs' every whim and desire. Do you move over on the couch or bed if your dog wants to lie where you are? Does your dog "demand" when you should play with him? Give him a treat? These are simple examples that show you are being submissive to your dog. You are leader of the pack, you should not be submissive to your dog. Many other instances, sometimes complex in nature, can signify your submissive position to your dog. When a dog does not sense that there is a leader of the pack he will many times instinctively assume the leader role. When this scenario happens, the people involved often don't realize that their dog views himself as the "true alpha, leader of the whole family." If a dog with a strong WTP assumes the leader role in the family, he may become very dominant and aggressive, as any good doggie leader would. If a dog does not have a strong WTP, yet assumes the leader role due to lack of anyone else assuming that role (according to the dog's perception), he will most likely experience a great amount of anxiety with his new awesome responsibility. This anxiety will infiltrate his instinctive protective behavior and (seemingly) unexplained aggression will occur. If this sounds like your dog, you also need to harness his WTS as mentioned above, but at the same time you need to change your behavior so that your dog will feel confident in you as his leader. In all of these scenarios, your dog needs to know where he stands on the hierarchy ladder. He needs to know he is on the bottom of the ladder, below all humans. This does not mean you should be mean or harsh with your dog. Unfortunately, many normal "corrections" that are taught in many obedience classes are quite coercive. Sometimes very dominant dogs will not respond to force, punishment, or other means of a negative nature. Over time, (and sometimes quite quickly) these types of actions can be severely detrimental to your dog. If you use harsh techniques and coercion on your dominant dog, instead of making him feel submissive, it can trigger his "survival instinct." When dominant animals are cornered, they do not submit - their survival instincts kick in and they fight back. The more punishment, or threats of punishment, given the stronger their inborn survival instinct becomes. Therefore, it is very important that you teach with positive reinforcement and praise.