[mrshrl]

Hello everyone! I am looking for help with my aggressive alpha dog. We have tried general obedience and he is a good dog when he is in a good mood. But when he gets mad he is belligerent. And because he can be so aggressive, I get a little scared of him myself. He has nipped at my face before because I was snuggling with him and made a sound he didn't like, so I am apprehensive. I do feel he would bite me if he felt threatened enough by me.

The issue is, he isn't aggressive with STRANGE dogs (he doesn't have too much exposure to strange dogs but whenever we take him out of his house/yard he turns very docile), he is only aggressive with OUR OTHER DOGS! He growls when they walk by, he blocks them from us, doorways, food, etc. And occasionally, for seemingly no reason other than they got too close to him, he attacks.

I don't want to keep them in crates, they don't need to be in crates for house training purposes, just to keep everyone safe! I don't want my other two dogs to live like that.

Can anyone offer advice?

 

[successjustclicks]

It sounds like you have a multitude of issues going on with your pup and the best advice I have is to hire a positive trainer who is experienced and skilled with resource guarding and fear-based aggression OR hiring certified behaviorist or behavior consultant.

in the mean time, use the crate to keep everyone safe--any behavior that is practiced will get stronger, whether it's good or bad. so you dont want him practicing the aggressive behavior or it will only get stronger.

here are some places to look for trainers near you.

The Pet Professional Guild

Search for Professionals

 

[patronizingrabbits]

Seek professional help if you're afraid he will bite. Also, he's not being the "alpha dog", he seems to have some serious barrier frustration and resource guarding issues that need a trained behaviorist, not a dog trainer, to solve. This is not something for people on the internet to help you with.

 

[Tess]

Yes, you definitely need more help than a forum can provide.

Here are some other links you may find helpful for finding that positive trainer/behaviorist who will help.

http://www.ccpdt.org/index.php?optio...nts&Itemid=102
Association of Pet Dog Trainers - Dog Training Resources

behaviorists
International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)

 

[Kwenami]

Definitely re-iterating that a professional will help LOADS.

Also, you MAY eventually be able to have them un-crated together but separate is best for now-you can't have a fight if they're in crates. It does sound a lot like resource guarding as well so read up a bit on that on your own-you might find it helps until you can get some help.

 

[mrshrl]

Gosh guys, I was really hoping to avoid a professional since it's so hard to find a good one and they are so expensive. We tried one when we first rescued the subject in question and his sister. I spent a lot of money and none of learned anything.

 

[kmes]

I totally understand hoping to avoid paying out a lot of money.
And I know you tried general obedience, but the issues you're facing just aren't going to be addressed in obedience classes.

Your best bet for success is to bring in a pro who has experience in aggression, behavior modification, marker training, etc.

Depending on your location the links everyone gave you may help you find a qualified pro.

 

[mrshrl]

Thanks everyone!!

 

[successjustclicks]

Dog training is a totally unregulated field, any joe-schmoe can call themselves a trainer (TECHNICALLY a behaviorist should have a Ph.D in animal behavior, a behavior consultant should be certified BUT lots of peopel use these labels in appropriately). Evaluating a trainer/behaviorist or getting a referral from another trainer who you like can increase the odds of getting a good trainer.

Online advice for issues as serious as what you have isn't going to be terribly helpful to you in the long run because anythign we say is based off of a GUESS because we can't see the dogs or know their history... so there will be lots of wrong guesses before anyone might get something right.

If you care to share where you are located in a PM (general town/city) I can see if I know anyone in that area who I can recommend....

 

[mopsydog]

What kind of dog?

 

[Doglover64]

What breed is he ?


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[TMsam]

I would have a ring around your local vets & other profession dog/pet business & ask who they would recommend for help with an aggressive dog. Then who ever you where referred to most contact them & before contacting them do a search find people who have used them in the past etc. You may find it will not be the most referred but a 2nd or 3rd on the list that ends up being most suitable & really having the best customer feedback so be prepared to look into each throughly.
Thats how a friend found the right trainer after several disasters.

 

[lene1949]

Most aggression comes from fear... I'm just wondering what kind of body language your other dogs are using?