| FirstYorkie | 11-14-2006 12:48 PM | The problem with harshly disciplining a dog who growls is that you teach him him he's not allowed to tell you when he's uncomfortable in a situation.
What are you left with?
A dog who bites for no reason "out of the blue".
Dogs who feel threatened and want to protect themselves will usually, first, try to back away. If they are cornered, they will normally growl and, if really desperate, snap. If you take both of these away, some dogs will freeze. Many dogs won't; they'll freak. Voila! You have produced a dog who bites "for no reason".
Mind you, I'm not advocating that you should ignore a dog that growls. He is growling for a reason and that reason needs to be dealt with appropriately. But, will kicking the cr_p out of dog who is growling because he is fearful make him less fearful? I think not.
Stephanie (love the sarcasm, BTW), if you really want to read more about the debunking of Dominance Theory, PM me. I'll be glad to share my sources with you.
Good night all! |