Okay folks ... my 2 cents worth. I am desperately trying to understand. From what I have gleened from life experience so far... in the dog/owner world, if the owner doesn't step up and say be the boss/alpha, then the dog will ... not as a challenge but more like filling a vacancy. Example: someone comes to my door, my dogs go ballistic if I do nothing. If I tell them to stop barking and fussing, that I got it under control and they see that and accept it, then I have their trust that all is well and I am the boss/alpha. They never challenged me for the position, they assumed I wasn't protecting the house and did it on their own. When I walked to the door, I spoke loud enough over their barking, remaining calm, and made them get back from the door. In their excitement, my feet were nipped as I claimed the doorway and entrance (was that the challenge or displaced aggression?) and told them to go lay down and back off. They're getting better each time and I only got nipped the first time.
Next example: Rescued dog plays rough with toys and bites hands to get toys and steals toys from other dogs because she owns them all. I bought her hide a squirrell and did the VS squeel when I got nipped. Worked okay for a day or two, then while playing her excitement escalated and she did a closed hit of her teeth on my face under my eye. I did the alpha roll but I couldn't hold her down until she became calm/submissive, she was way to excited and squirmy, and headstrong and wanted up. I let her up early to avoid injury. She won. Within 5 minutes she was at it again, and I alpha rolled her again with a better, safer grip and more serious intent, and matched her excitement level with my voice, remaining calm but very assertive. She became calm and submissive, as I began to remove my hands, she fought to get up, so I continued holding a bit longer. I was gentle but firm with her, as my intent was not to cause her pain or to instill fear, but to let her know in no uncertain terms that biting the human would not be tolerated. I believed she was shocked, but it had the desired effect, and I am carefull not to let her escalate to that level of excitement again. Now we practice sitting on my lap for as long as she will tolerate it, and I oooh and aaah over her. She' s coming by more often now for lap time and yesterday she actually fell asleep in my arms for almost an hour for the very first time (sitting up then leaning back). Normally she would only stay a minute or so. There have been no more intentional biting incidents and I use the VS squeel again which works for tiny accidental nips and keeps her wits about her.
I started to try to clicker train her and on the first click she tried to tear my hand up. They never showed that on TV! I have since desensitized her to where she likes the clicker and I laugh about her first time now.
Last but not least she doesn't brush well on the hind end and legs and forget the nails. She was getting frantic to the point of vomiting which she did. I was nothing but gentle with her the entire time. She refused all treats offered to her on the table. A previous owner or groomer must have done something that has her terrified. I was thinking to take her to the vet for a tranquillizer, but she's got a liver shunt or MVD and I didn't think I could risk it. I did get her combed out and I just tipped her nails, just to show her I wasn't going to hurt her. We'll see when I have to do it all again. |