My Experience With Dog Aggression by Penny Garwood Where did my sweet puppy go? That's what I seem to be asking myself quite often these days. Robin was the feistiest, wildest puppy in the litter. His breeder often told me that when Robin left all the other puppies started to behave. He loved to be the center of attention. He was the happiest when he had a toy or ball and could run with it while all the other dogs chased him. At mealtime, he had to be fed first, barking hysterically until he got his food bowl. Of course, he had to be first out of the door, first in the door, the only one to have toys, attention, etc. Since I had never owned a male dog, much less an intact male, I pretty much raised Robin the same way I raised my 7-pound Toy Poodle, Ginger. Robin was pampered, spoiled, and given his own way most of the time. Let's face it, most people gave Robin his way because he was so darn cute! What I didn't realize because everything happened so gradually was that, during Robin's three and a half years, he was testing me just to see how much he could get away with. He always passed the tests, and I failed dismally. Because Robin was so cute, I never saw the signs that things were getting out of control. For example, Robin loved to play the steal-a-toy-and-watch-Mom-chase-me game. He would steal something off the counter and run to the sofa waiting for me to come and get the toy and call him a "bad boy." We have been playing Robin's little "give-me-attention" game for a couple of years. Recently though, the rules changed. Robin would growl just slightly under his breath when I would take the toy. At first, I thought he was looking at one of the other dogs and growling, but on one occasion, no one was in the room but me. Then there were the attacks on Reddy. Reddy is my year and a half-old, neutered male Standard Poodle. The attacks became more frequent, almost daily. Reddy would never do anything to provoke Robin and would never fight back. I would always punish Robin for the attacks. On one occasion as Robin left the room after attacking Reddy, he growled at me. The last incident happened at the training building during his agility class just four days before Robin was neutered. The night was not going well, to say the least. Robin would not hold his down stay while I walked the course. He wanted to run around and socialize with the other dogs. He wanted to do all the things he loved to do and be the center of attention. While waiting for our turn in the ring, I held Robin down by standing on his leash. He didn't like that at all. I was preventing him from doing what he thought he should be able to do. After all, he thought he was the boss. When it was our turn to run the course, Robin was a maniac, barking and running around the course. We left the course and stood outside the ring. Robin wanted to go to another dog and socialize. I pulled him away and tried to force him into a down. Robin lunged at me snarling and growling. I have never been so shocked or hurt in my life! To think that the same dog that I raised from a puppy, loved, and lived with for over three years would turn on me was incomprehensible. I just couldn't believe it! I took Robin outside, lifted him off the ground by both sides of his neck (I guess it was adrenaline because I'm not a strong person) and told him never to do that again. Well, I also used some language that I better not print! I cried all the way home and cried off and on for the next two days. To rule out any possibility of a physical problem which could possibly be causing Robin's aggression, I had extensive x-rays and blood work done while Robin was being neutered. The x-rays showed Robin's front, hips, and spine were good, and the blood work (which included thyroid work) came back fine. After Robin was neutered, I got in touch with Cathy Dodgen and asked her opinion on what I should do with this strange dog who I didn't really know anymore. Cathy is an animal behaviorist and is also a MDTC member. She gave me wonderful advice. She told me to retrain him as though he were a puppy. Never take his leash off. Make him do a down or a sit before he gets his food, toys, water, etc. Put him in a long down stay and let the other dogs play around him. Never let him have toys unless I give them to him. Don't let him on the furniture. No agility training; only obedience every day. In other words, he must learn that he is not in control--I am. We have been working on our new training program for almost two weeks. I already see an improvement. Cathy told me not to expect instant progress. It took three years for Robin to learn all his bad behavior, and it could take a very long time to retrain him. But I'm in this for the long haul. I love Robin very much, and I think he is worth saving. He is a wonderful worker and wants to please. He just didn't have the strong, heavy hand that he needed in the beginning. My purpose for writing this is to warn you not to be afraid to correct your dogs for unacceptable behavior. Some dogs will walk all over you if you let them. The 30-minute down stay was once in our Basic homework. It was taken out because some instructors did not think it was necessary. I was probably one of them! I now think the exercise is probably the most important exercise we could teach to a Basic obedience dog. I have also learned that I am a very good obedience for-the-ring teacher but not a very good dog manners teacher. Treating our dogs as though they were our children sometimes doesn't work. We forget they are animals and do things that seem normal to them but that we find horrifying. They say that every cloud has a silver lining, and I guess the best thing to come from this problem is that I think it has given me a better understanding of dog training, and it has also forced me to train Robin in obedience every day. Now maybe we can get ready for that UD! Wish me luck!   Return to Support Corner