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Nervous aggression

3K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  GreatDaneMom 
#1 ·
I have three dogs: a Border Collie, an Aussie and a mini-Aussie. The mini-Aussie keeps starting fights. He'll growl and snarl viciously if the other dogs are in their cages. At times he seems fine, but he's always a bit nervous.

Just to cover the basic, I walk them regularly and they have a large yard to play in, though I have to let the mini out separately. Usually when the others are inside, because he'll start a huge disturbance barking and snarling through the fence that divides my yard. The mini is a good dog to me and my wife, but is generally nervous around new people. The other two dogs are fine with everyone. I don't want to rehome the mini, because with his nervous and sometimes very aggressive demeanor, I'm afraid he'd be put down. He's very sweet to us, and I need to get him to play well with the dogs and people.

Please help!
 
#2 ·
Are the other dogs males or females? Is he neutered and how old is he?
 
#9 ·
The first site I found when googling Nothing in life is free seemed very pack/dominance oriented, which I've read conflicting views about. Another seemed to be less so, but I'm wondering if there's a specific site with the information you're suggesting?
 
#5 ·
I agree with Tulips suggestion. ;)
 
#6 ·
if you got him at 8 weeks its likely he was not mistreated ;)

I agree with NILIF. Training the dogs together is a huge help, do it slowly tho. Also increase his exercise, maybe get some food puzzles or in the search engine look for "101 things to do with a box". Sounds like he really needs some mental stimulation.

Also, when dogs hit the age of about 2 years old their tolerance levels can change. So working on all of the above should help him calm down around the other dogs.
 
#7 ·
The barking/growling/fighting through the fence and crates sounds very much like barrier frustration to me. There is a good link about it somewhere on this forum. I will try and find it for you.

How much actual exercise and mental stimulation is your aussie getting?
I know you said that he gets playtime and a walk, but because he is a herding breed, I am betting that he needs more than you are currently providing. I would really up the mental stimulation (you could start out with treat dispensing toys and clicker training). You may also find a dog sport such as agility or flyball very rewarding. Depending on your location, you could even try herding!

As far as nervousness with strange people and dogs, please don't force any interaction, as that will only make his behavior worse.
Take it nice and slow, and give plenty of rewards and praise for good behavior.
And also be aware that your dog may never be a social butterfly, and that is completely OK!
 
#8 ·
I don't think it's barrier frustration. One of the reasons is that he'll bark and snap even if the other dogs are in their crates first and I walk him by. He usually gets along well with one of the dogs, but not the other. I believe that he acts that way when there's a barrier because he feels safe from retaliation (he's the smallest dog by quite a bit).

I'll get some of those puzzle treats - he'll probably enjoy those a lot. He's very intelligent. Oh, and I don't push social situations. I usually leave him in his crate, which is in another part of the house, while company is over, unless it's one of the few people he likes. Thanks for the advice.
 
#10 ·
hmmm NILIF really means the dog must do things to receive treats/food/toys/entrance to a room etc. For example the dog must sit before letting through a door, say outside or inside from outside. Something I have been doing with my dogs lately is training sessions with their dinner. They must offer a good behavior to receive a good treat or a good toy, and so on and so on. At no point are you asserting anything because if the dog does not do a behavior, they simply do not receive the treat, make sense? I tend to ramble ;)
 
#12 ·
NILF is about being a leader, yes, but in the most gentle way possible. I hate the dominance theory, but this really works well for me and my two, and when I used it to introduce my puppy to my older dog and he started resource guarding, it made his lunging, snarling, and going for her dissapear in a matter of days. NILF isn't about being the boss in a lordyly way. It's about being a gentle leader - it works really well for insecure dogs, as they may feel they don't have a strong protector or leader in stressful situations; when NILF is introduced, they feel a lot like I imagine a child would that's wandered off and is desperate for guidance to help him along his way. It's not cruel, and it's very rewarding for both of you. All you have to do is ask for your dogs to do something for you before you give them a resource. Then, they learn that you're in control of the resources, you are the leader, and they no longer have to worry or, in your case, correct the other dogs. So next time you feed the dogs, ask them to go into a sit before placing the bowls down, or a down. Soon you can more to a down-stay whilst you're preparing, too. Then ask for a down or sit when they ask for a pat on the head, or any other time a resource is going to be given. I actually get mine to sit before I open the back door - I need them to know that I control all good things without being brutal or thuggish. NILF is not about intimidating your dogs - it's about creating a harmonious relationship where they feel enclosed in your protection and leadership and thus, things that would need to be corrected in a pack such as resources being taken or insecurity, will no longer be such a press to them as they'll feel much more trustful of you to take care of it. :)
 
#13 · (Edited)
NILF is about being a leader, yes, but in the most gentle way possible. I hate the dominance theory, but this really works well for me and my two, and when I used it to introduce my puppy to my older dog and he started resource guarding, it made his lunging, snarling, and going for her dissapear in a matter of days. NILF isn't about being the boss in a lordyly way. It's about being a gentle leader - it works really well for insecure dogs, as they may feel they don't have a strong protector or leader in stressful situations;
Since doing quite a lot of reading on it and watching my and other dogs, I've come to a tentative belief that the truth is a somewhat in the middle (pack/dominance theory). Dogs do seem to exhibit some of the traits people associate with pack and dominance theory, but don't exhibit many of the others.

Controlling some resources, like food, appears to be an instinctive behavior, but after only mild encouragement, my dogs will often eat out of the same bowl without problems. They also stay close together (when not fighting), and I've observed 'dominance' actions, like putting paws and head on one of the other's backs. But they don't act that way to me. I can ask for any bone or toy they have and they give it to me. One of them dug a mostly-eaten pork chop out of the trash, and when I said "drop it" he just spat it out on the floor for me to pick up. Often, one of my dogs will walk up and deposit a bone or chewed toy in my lap. Ick.

I've also observed that dogs don't seem to respond well to classic dominance training. In the short term it appears that they do, but it's instilling fear in them and their happiness suffers as a result. I think this just oppresses their natural personality. Then their behavior becomes unpredictable, since they'll often try to get away with things when you're not looking. It's not the same as wolves in the wild that accept and understand this (if that's all accurate).

I've seen some clicker training methods that wait for an action from the dog (on top of asking for certain behaviors) and click/treat when it occurs. This is meant to get the dog to choose to do good things, rather than always needing to be told specifically. I really like that, and I've just started that kind of training with mine. I'm going to take advice given here and try to train the troubled dog with the one he fights with most (very carefully). Giving up the mini whose showing nervous aggression is not a good solution, as his nervous aggression would probably get him put down. The thing is, he's really good to me and my wife. I can walk up to him and take a bone out of his mouth with no problems. He responds to basic commands and is very affectionate. He just hates most everyone else and sometimes flips out on my other dogs. If I can curb that behavior, he'll be perfect.
 
#15 ·
I'm glad you understand it and aren't someone who finds the dominance theory and its 'quick fix' results attractive. :D

I suggested NILIF not because of whether he's responsive to you or not, but if you reassure that you control the resources, it's like saying to him 'I'm in control of the situation.' When my girl is insecure and barking a lot at another dog, I tell her this by body blocking, asking heri nto a down, and then she's much happier to have me go and say hello and then she's very happy to too.
 
#16 ·
I've actually found that the dominance theory doesn't yield a quick fix. I mean, immediately you do see a change in behavior, but then the behavior continues. The dog has had their behavior briefly controlled, but they don't "want" to change.

While walking, if my dogs pull at me, I've started coming to a complete stop and waiting for them to sit. Then I click and give them a treat. Since they performed the behavior on their own and got a reward, they start to associate sitting calmly when I stop with happiness, so they choose to do it without instruction. I'm still working on this, but the theory seems sound (not mine - I saw this demonstrated in several videos). I'll continue this way. I didn't like getting yelled at and smacked when I was a kid, so I'm sure my dogs don't, either.
 
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