anyone have experience dealing with dog aggression?

[Bondonutz]

Originally Posted by ClodMaxx

i'm 6'2", 250 pounds...with a loud, booming voice.

Eeep, I'm glad I was happy w/the Slash !

[TexasSP]

I always follow a method of training similar to the dog whisperer. I learned it from a trainer and it has worked well. The guy who taught me specialized in difficult dogs with emphasis on pit bulls. He had several pits that other trainers gave up on that he had perfectly trained.

My boxer I had last was great. Extremely smart and always ready to please. At night before bed I could tell him to go pee and he would immediately pee and come back instead of taking his sweet time. I could have food right in front of him and he wouldn't bother it unless I told him it was okay. Great dog and I miss him a lot.

[hoober]

I agree, get a few videos of Cesar's show and if you watch a few it will be clear what to do. Some of the best (people) training I've seen.

Boxers are cool dogs. But I have zero tollerance with dogs that are overly aggressive to other dogs. Therefore I have labs.

[ClodMaxx]

i've been watching just about everything cesar has been doing since he was first on national geographic. the man is amazing - and i agree with you, hoober - it's the people. i totally agree there is no such thing as a bad dog - there is a bad owner. my dogs (being rescues) had horrid previous owners. i was lou's 7th home, at 4 years old. no one knew how to deal with him. but, patience and persistence & dog whisperer has helped me turn him into a totally docile, loving lapdog. no aggression whatsoever anymore.

i've been 'stepping up' the training with khloie for the past couple of weeks, and i can already tell it's starting to pay off. i just hope it continues, and isn't just hopeful thinking. if i tell her to lay down, it's now just once (not repeated commands like before) and she now lays at my feet. she's not nearly as good with my gf - but she (my gf) understands that it's her not being assertive enough, not due to khloie.

cesar has his share of critics, but i don't agree with 100% 'positive reinforcement'. some negative reinforcement is necessary, and is much more effective. i don't practice physical punishment - but the dog(s) do know when i'm not happy. i just use the tone of my voice, and all cesars tactics. i'm mostly calm assertive. mostly.

[PedeBasher]

Cesar goes by the "positive enforcement when needed and negative enforcement when needed" principal. Basic psychology and its amazing how it turns killers into teddy bears.

Have you read any of his books? I definitely recommend "Be The Pack Leader". It is a very interesting book that goes deeper into his methods and how he uses psychology as a training technique. It is designed to give you everything you need to know to turn a dog like Khloie into a dog like... uhh... your other one.

[ClodMaxx]

i've not read his books - i'd like to, though. his story is pretty amazing... he was a fence jumper and didn't speak any english, and didn't know anyone. he got a job as a pet groomer, taking all the aggressive dogs no one else could handle. and - what's most amazing - he's completely self taught.

thanks for the recommend...i'll check that one out.

[swiftneed]

Im glad to here they are behaving better a treat every now and then and they will listen to you even faster after you trained them thats what I do

[lincpimp]

I have a toby, very special mix or american eskimo and poodle/mutt. He is super smart, so mouch so that he knows when he has done something wrong and will usually punish himself. I do agree that pack leadership skills are a must, and included being your dog's buddy as well as being his master. Dogs are just like 2yr old kids, they watch you and they do pay attention.

As for toby he only bit me once, and it was becasue I was being a bit forceful with my scolding and scared him (I am only 5-10 and 250lbs, but I can be very intimidating when I am pissed, red eyes and steeming ears, plus lots of broken stuff) so I got him cornered and the lightning quick prick that he is bit me in the hand. He knew what he did immediately and tried to "apologize" the onl yway he can, be submissive by lying on his back. More my fault than his, he is only a dog.

Best of luck with the training, I think you will be successful. I would observe the "don't take any shit" method at all times.

[BP-Revo]

I think it's been said very well, but obviously persistence is key.

Do you watch dog whisperer at all? Some (a lot) of what he says is actually very true.

When humans (you and your wife) are anxious that something might happen, they sense this energy and match it, and it usually causes something to happen.

Therefore you must be calm and show little emotion, and simply reprimand if they get out of line (sharp two fingered prod on the side to "snap em out" of whatever they are doing).

One good tool that we used to train our 2 german shepherds is a plastic bottle with either stones or coins in it.
shake it, they hate the noise and if they go for anything throw it near them and it gets their attention pretty quick :)

[BP-Revo]

Originally Posted by BL-revo

One good tool that we used to train our 2 german shepherds is a plastic bottle with either stones or coins in it.
shake it, they hate the noise and if they go for anything throw it near them and it gets their attention pretty quick :)

That's what one of my friends did to train his dog not to go in a certain section of the house. He cordoned off the area with a huge line of soda cans with pennies in it tied strings so the dog would surly trip one if he tried to enter the area. Now they just keep a can nearby and if the dog starts to come in they shake it and he runs out as fast as he can - paws slipping on the wood floor and everything.

[shaunjohnson]

we've gotta maltise poodle cross called Stupid.
it eats rocks, chases rocks, rolls on rocks, collects rocks, barks at rocks and sometimes pee's on the floor because it cant quite seem to make it out the door...only gets close to.

[ClodMaxx]

Originally Posted by shaunjohnson

we've gotta maltise poodle cross called Stupid.
it eats rocks, chases rocks, rolls on rocks, collects rocks, barks at rocks and sometimes pee's on the floor because it cant quite seem to make it out the door...only gets close to.

holy crap, lol - i just shot pop out my nose while reading that one! hilarious.

i did the handful of pennies in the tin can trick with louie, to keep him off the bed. he hated the sound so i just sat the can on the bed. if he jumped up, it would rattle the can. probably wouldn't work on a temperpedic bed though.... heh.

[lincpimp]

Originally Posted by ClodMaxx

holy crap, lol - i just shot pop out my nose while reading that one! hilarious.

Pop must be samll guy or you have one helluva big shnozz, Or maybe both? Pray tell, what was pop doing in your nose? Searching for treasure? "Philip, can you check my azz for abnormalities?"