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I have an 8 month old shelter rescue mutt. (we think he is mostly pitbull and german shorthaired pointer. and something else that is BIG. At 8 months he is 60 + lbs and has huge paws and tons of loose skin.) His name is Jack.
We are sure he has some dominance issues. One of the first things he did when we got him home was try to mount me. Then he tried to mount my wife, then his pillow, then the first dog he met(this is getting better). He was surrendered to the shelter. They said because of food aggression, but neither the shelter nor myself has seen ANY food aggression (At this point I can tell him "leave it" while he is eating and he will stop eating and look at me waiting for "Okay") Highly food motivated, we can use his regular dry food as treats, and he did not understand he could not play with humans with his teeth, but no aggression. Im sure they misinterpreted rough play and his attempts to get the food as aggression. And his large size and puppy energy makes that rough play dangerous. Anyway thats beside the point
He doesnt seem to want to leave my side. we are crate training him, and he does ok with it if we stay in the house. (he might whine for a minute or two). But if we leave, he barks loudly. He still calms down after just a couple minutes. If he is not in his crate and anyone touches the door to leave he is on high alert. Even if its someone new. when they (or I) go outside he runs from door to window trying to see where they went. I recently found out that if we are with a group outside and one person goes inside he acts similar, on high alert, trying to follow the person that left, barking at them if he cant get to them. I know how to deal with things when I am with him. He doesnt use his mouth on people for play anymore(unless he gets super exited, but even that is getting better).
I dont know how to deal with it when I do something like go out to get the mail. I go to the door, and he is on high alert. While I am outside he jumps on the back of the couch and puts his front paws on the counter to get to windows. We had to train him not to get on the back of the couch, but he never gets on the counter unless someone is outside.
I just dont know what to do, cuz I cant correct him or misdirect him or anything, because I am outside! I also dont know if it is anxiety because people are leaving and he is worried they wont come back, or if it is more dominance because people are leaving and he didnt say it was ok.
Sorry this was so long. We have lots of issues with Jack.
We are sure he has some dominance issues. One of the first things he did when we got him home was try to mount me. Then he tried to mount my wife, then his pillow, then the first dog he met(this is getting better). He was surrendered to the shelter. They said because of food aggression, but neither the shelter nor myself has seen ANY food aggression (At this point I can tell him "leave it" while he is eating and he will stop eating and look at me waiting for "Okay") Highly food motivated, we can use his regular dry food as treats, and he did not understand he could not play with humans with his teeth, but no aggression. Im sure they misinterpreted rough play and his attempts to get the food as aggression. And his large size and puppy energy makes that rough play dangerous. Anyway thats beside the point
He doesnt seem to want to leave my side. we are crate training him, and he does ok with it if we stay in the house. (he might whine for a minute or two). But if we leave, he barks loudly. He still calms down after just a couple minutes. If he is not in his crate and anyone touches the door to leave he is on high alert. Even if its someone new. when they (or I) go outside he runs from door to window trying to see where they went. I recently found out that if we are with a group outside and one person goes inside he acts similar, on high alert, trying to follow the person that left, barking at them if he cant get to them. I know how to deal with things when I am with him. He doesnt use his mouth on people for play anymore(unless he gets super exited, but even that is getting better).
I dont know how to deal with it when I do something like go out to get the mail. I go to the door, and he is on high alert. While I am outside he jumps on the back of the couch and puts his front paws on the counter to get to windows. We had to train him not to get on the back of the couch, but he never gets on the counter unless someone is outside.
I just dont know what to do, cuz I cant correct him or misdirect him or anything, because I am outside! I also dont know if it is anxiety because people are leaving and he is worried they wont come back, or if it is more dominance because people are leaving and he didnt say it was ok.
Sorry this was so long. We have lots of issues with Jack.