My Dog Is Aggresive To Others

[Lexi_Lover]

My dog, Lexi, is highly aggresive towards other dogs and people. She has not bitten anybody.....yet, but we do NOT want to take any chances. She is a 10-month-old Jack Russell Terrier, she has had an excellent life with us.

Please I need help on what I can do!

[Pit Chick]

Has she always been this way or is this something new? How much socialization did she get with people and other dogs when she was younger? You may want to find a behaviorist to evaluate her.

[Lexi_Lover]

She has actually been this way most of the time, the vet told us that we should not socialize her until she has had all of shots, till the age of 6 months! That really cut down on her socailization! She is now 6 months old and we can not even take her on walks anymore. To people she will:

-Lunge
-Snap
-Jump
-Cry
-Bark
-Stick her back hair up
-And bare her teeth

To dogs she will:

-Lunge
-Snap
-Jump
-Cry
-Bark
-Stick her hair up
-Bare her teeth
-Trys to get off her leash
-Bites people around her or holding her to get to the dog

HELP ME! Actually we do have somebody helping her, but she is still very violent!

[Mandy1]

Well if she is crying at other dogs and people perhaps she is just intimadated? She might be doing this because she is scared, it's her way of protection.

I hope you find an answer. Good Luck:D

[Glacier]

Well, first of all, and I can think of no polite way to put this, your vet is an idiot!! The window for socializing puppies closes at 16 weeks, that's four months old. After that it's a long drawn out, slow, limited process!! You shouldn't have taken her to dog parks and places where you couldn't guarentee the health of other dogs, but she should have met other dogs who you knew had their shots. She should have been exposed to as many people, places and different things as possible long before now. Socializing her can be done at any age, but it's much harder and takes much longer now.

Dog aggression is a JRT trait. People aggression is not. They are assertive, dominate little dogs though and require consistent, firm but gentle handling. They are hunting dogs. They were bred to hunt and work. They need mental and physical stimulation in large amounts! If your dog can't be walked even, she is getting neither and the problem will only get worse. A bored dog of any breed is going to get into trouble!

Get her to a trainer who specializes in aggressive dogs--a good trainer. Do some research on the trainer before taking her to anyone. You said she bites people when they try to restrain her? All it takes is one bite to a child or anyone else that gets reported to the authorities and your dog is dead!

http://www.terrier.com/breed/breedmenu.php3

Maybe there is a JRT club or other owners in your area. They could likely point you in the right direction for a trainer.

[Lexi_Lover]

When she was little we USED to take her for walks and she used to run up to people and lie down with her belly up for a good belly rub and it was a sign of submission but then she just changed!

As I am writing this she is sleepign beside me, looking so innocent!

But now if the door bell were to ring, she would be up and running to the door before you could say doorbell!

We took her to puppy school and I not only had to put her at the other end of the classroom because of her talking and biting but we had to muzzle her! I hated it and she looked like it was hurting her! She could not be herself! In the end she was a very good girl!

Actually she knows many tricks and commands she knows how to:

-shake a paw and other paw
-high five
-down
-sit
-stay
-wait
-settle
-heel
-quiet
-Where did your tail go, and where is your toy!
-Plenty more actually!

She is a good little girl until you see a new person or a dog! My friends around the street got a cute little blue merle Australian Shepherd and she is only half his size and she tried to take out a scrap of meat from his poor little body!

[lv4dogs]

I couldn't agree more with what Glacier said.

As far as the puppy class goes, if they seperated you fromt he other dogs at the other end of the room, well than obviously that was not a puppy socialization class, Your instructor was probably not a good one. You should of dropped out right then & there & found a more reputable trainer. But you can't change the past.
I would seek the help of a behavorist that specializes in aggression ASAP.

How about the breeder from your pup, have you contacted them? They should be able to point you in the right direction.

good luck

[Dixieland Dancer]

I also think your vet is an idiot! Most puppy series of shots should be complete at 12 weeks but at 9 weeks they should have sufficient antibodies to allow them to be in controlled social environments. There is no window of opportunity more important than the 8 - 16 week period of a newborn pup to be socialized to it's environment. The 7 - 8 week period is invaluable for learning to socialize with it's pack. That is why I hate to hear of dogs being taken from their litters before 8 weeks.

Please Note: The Jack Russell Terrier is now officially called a Parson Russell Terrier as of about a year ago or so.

I have seen several PRT's put down because of this aggressive trait. On the other hand, I have seen PRT's that are the sweetest, most loving dogs ever in the hands of a persistant owner. You need to read and learn more about this trait and what can be done to help the dog before it is too late. The AKC has even published this as a recognized fault in the dog because it is becoming more wide spread through poorly planned breedings.

I strongly encourage you to read more about the breed on the AKC's website. http://www.akc.org/breeds/parson_russell_terrier/index.cfm
They also have many listings for PRT clubs. Contact one of them to try to get some help.

In the mean time, be firm in what is acceptable behavior and never reward behavior that is not. Find something the dog loves and use it as a teaching tool. JRT's usually love to play ball. If the dog acts out when it goes for walks, consider walking it with a halti collar on. This is a muzzle restraint system that is dog friendly.

[Lexi_Lover]

We have studied very hard to obtain this wonderful breed with their happy antics and wonderful nature! Lexi's tail is undocked and her ears are also uncroped!

We have a behavioursit in here and she is doing ok with Lexi. Lexi was amazingly good with her ....................after like a half-hour!

I hope there is some future in this dog! And she is only 10 months old!

Thanks so much! I will keep you all posted on Lexi's progress!

[Lexi_Lover]

I forgot to attach a picture of her!

You will all see the wonderful smile on her face!:D

[Dixieland Dancer]

Sounds like you're on the track to a great relationship with your pup! Keep up the hard work. It will pay off in the long run. :D

[Lexi_Lover]

I'm not to sure anymore though! The other day a BABY came over and Lexi knocked her down with one tap on the back. Lexi kept barking and barking, she wouldn't let up!

I was so embarrassed, they asked if something was wrong with my dog and all I could say was that I didn't know, does anybody have a clue from what I described in earlier posts in this thread what is wrong with my dog!

Is she intimidated, because she won't even back down at a German Shepherd 5 times her size! Is she just plain scared! Or is she naturally aggresive?

[Glacier]

Originally posted by Lexi_Lover

Is she intimidated, because she won't even back down at a German Shepherd 5 times her size! Is she just plain scared! Or is she naturally aggresive?

She's not scared. She's a Jack/Parsons Terrier--that's perfectly normal behavior for the breed. I've never seen a JRT back down from any dog, regardless of size. They are fearless little dogs.

You do need to get her under control before she hurts someone though. I think she needs more help than you are going to get on the Net. She needs direct training and intervention. Talk to your vet for a recommendation. Well, maybe a new vet, since I'm not impressed with the advice your current vet has given you!

Is she spayed?

[Lexi_Lover]

No, she isn't spayed, but she will be in the New Year, the behaviourist tells me that if we do that it will calm her down a little bit, but not very much!

Also the vet and others around here and there tell me that as well! We might want to let her have puppies one day but if she doesn't calm down with other dogs then we will have sapy her!

[Pit Chick]

Originally posted by Lexi_Lover
We might want to let her have puppies one day but if she doesn't calm down with other dogs then we will have sapy her!


Please don't breed her. With the issues she has, you will only be creating more dogs with problems. Breeding is done to improve the breed and it doesn't sound like Lexi would make a good contribution as far as temperament goes. She may be a great pet to you and she is a very beautiful dog, but it sounds like her temperament is not very stable and it would be very irresponsible to let her reproduce. Breeding isn't easy. It costs a lot of money to produce/take care of a healthy litter of puppies and even more for a disastrous litter. For each puppy you were to sell or place into a home, an equal number will die in a shelter because no one wanted them. You have your hands full with Lexi, you don't need a litter of little Lexi's running around causing problems. Not everyone can handle a dog like Lexi and chances are her puppies would be dumped in a shelter because the buyers couldn't handle them. Leave the breeding to the professionals and let Lexi be your baby.

Here are some websites to check out before you breed:

http://www.learntobreed.com

http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/fair/1901/chart.html



The first one listed has a lot of great info so you'll want to navigate through the whole site. I also highly recommend doing the "virtual breeding".

[lv4dogs]

No offense but with the aggression she is showing she does not seem like she would be a great specimin for breeding. Breeding should only be done to improve the breed. You want the parents, grand parents, great grandparents to be of great lines, all to free of any health problems, excellent health (tests etc.. to prove it), good standard for the breed, great personalities, good behavior and so on.

Spaying her may not only help with her behavior but will also make her healthier in the long run. It will reduce her chances of numerous cancers and infections by quite a bit.
And the sooner the better!!!!!
Granted spaying will probably just make her more focused on you the training, it might help with her aggression towards male dogs, but it will probably worsen the aggression with female dogs.
It is proven that spayed female dogs have more aggression towards each other than any other combination of sexes spayed/neutered or not.

Good luck

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by Lexi_Lover
We have a behavioursit in here and she is doing ok with Lexi. Lexi was amazingly good with her ....................after like a half-hour!

I hope there is some future in this dog! And she is only 10 months old!




What does your behaviorist say? You should be listening to them and not getting advice off the net. This will help you prevent conflicting advice. The behaviorist should be able to help this dog, especially since she is still a puppy. Work with them.

DO NOT BREED THIS DOG! I have bred my Golden and can tell you the amount of time it takes to research lines and getting health clearances is very time consuming and costly. You don't just have to search your dogs lines, but you need to check the other dogs lines too. All that is considering your dog has all the genetic making to be a contribution to the breed. From everything you have posted about this particular dog, the temperament is not what you would want to pass along to off spring. That may be a disappointment to you but it is a reality you should face.

I wanted to use my male as a stud dog and he has everything to make a great contribution to the Golden breed but he has allergies so I won't even consider it. Allergies are something that can be controlled with medications but why would I want someone to deal with that when it isn't necessary. There are many other dogs out there who don't need meds. Disappointing? Yes, but I'll get over it. It is the right thing to do as a responsible dog owner and breeder.

[Luna]

I have the same problem with my dog, though she only shows aggression towards other dogs. Someone called it fear aggression. When we walk past another dog, she growls, barks, and pulls so hard she almost rips my arm off. Her fur on the back of her neck stands so far up, I would sware she has some shark in her. lol Once she gets near enough to do something, she instantly turns into a scared dog. She has a puppy who seems to be picking up the same bad habit.

I'm taking my dog to the humain society where I got her. They are going to give her an aggression test and then we will go from there. I'm hoping I can get her into a class with dogs with similar problems. This way I can socialize her with other dogs, and I don't have to worry about other people in the class, because they are having the same problems as me.

[Pit Chick]

Originally posted by Luna
I have the same problem with my dog, though she only shows aggression towards other dogs. Someone called it fear aggression. Once she gets near enough to do something, she instantly turns into a scared dog. She has a puppy who seems to be picking up the same bad habit.

Prime example of how it can be passed to the offspring.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by Luna
I have the same problem with my dog, though she only shows aggression towards other dogs. Someone called it fear aggression. When we walk past another dog, she growls, barks, and pulls so hard she almost rips my arm off. Her fur on the back of her neck stands so far up, I would sware she has some shark in her. lol

Whether it is fear or dominance aggession there is a training tip you can use to try to desensitize the dog.

It's called " Bar Open" "Bar Closed". When you are walking your dog, and you see (and your dog sees another dog) feed treats over and over again (aka Bar Open) until the dog is out of site. The treats will need to be something really yummy to entice the dog not to think of the other dog coming. Use positive verbals during the feeding frenzy time too.

Once the dog is out of site, stop feeding treats (AKA bar Closed). Your dog will start to associate that every time a new dog is around it's a VERY positive thing.

Good luck!

[Luna]

" Bar Open" "Bar Closed"

This is a good idea, and I've seen it work for many dogs, but unfortunately with my dog, I could have a T-bone steak in my hand, and she wouldn't notice it's there.:(

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by Luna
I could have a T-bone steak in my hand, and she wouldn't notice it's there.:(

My Dusty is not food motivated either. However, he is a crazy man when he sees his frisbee! When other dogs are around he can care less if his frisbee is visible. He marches to the tune of Mr. Frisbee! On the other hand though, I have to be careful another dog doesn't try to take his frisbee. He thinks it's only for him. :rolleyes:

Most dogs have some kind of motivational item. That's what you could use for the Bar Open, Bar closed training technique.

[clara4457]

I have to agree with Dixieland Dancer here. If you had a consultation with a behaviourist, they must have given you a behavior modification protocol - you need to follow it religiously. She is at an age where behaviour modification is very valuable and could improve both your lives immensely. Getting advice over the net from people who have never met your dog with aggression could be dangerous.

My guess is that she/he has recommended putting her on a NILIF protocol and possibly suggested a "Grumpy Growler" class for her (possibly the one you mentioned at the Humane Society). Whatever she/he recommended - please follow it. It will make a huge difference in both your lives.

PS - breeding an aggressive dog is not only irresponsible, it is downright dangerous. Passing on aggressive traits could mean someone somewhere sometime could get hurt as a result.

[cali]

question: how does she carry her tail when she acts this way? how she carries her tail when she is acting agressive is VERY important to know wheather its aggression or fear aggression. becaise if its fear aggression we have to make aboslute sure that you do NOT punnish her in any way, shape, or form when she is doing this or you could only make it worse...

[Lexi_Lover]

When she sees other dogs she carries it high, yet when we get closer it goes into a "hook like" position where the bottom part of her tail is up and the tip and a bit more is down. But sometimes she will carry it high or low!

[cali]

hmmm sounds like its more then likley regular aggression, in which case I cant help, sorry :(

[vinjashira]

Originally posted by Dixieland Dancer
Whether it is fear or dominance aggession there is a training tip you can use to try to desensitize the dog.

It's called " Bar Open" "Bar Closed". When you are walking your dog, and you see (and your dog sees another dog) feed treats over and over again (aka Bar Open) until the dog is out of site. The treats will need to be something really yummy to entice the dog not to think of the other dog coming. Use positive verbals during the feeding frenzy time too.

Once the dog is out of site, stop feeding treats (AKA bar Closed). Your dog will start to associate that every time a new dog is around it's a VERY positive thing.

Good luck!

I am not convinced with this technique. The last thing I want the dog to think is that she is being rewarded with treats for showing aggression. I know the idea is to distract the dog before it even shows the signs of aggression but does it always work?

[cali]

yup, I did this with Happy, but you dont reward the dog for showing agression, you keep an eye out for other dogs and when you see a dog you take the dog aside and start handing out treats BEFORE she shows any signs of aggression, keep her attention on you, and everytime she looks at the other dog without barking or snarling or whatever, treat immedietly. however you do need to stay outside your dogs comfort zone, so for the first while you do this it will have to be cotrolled, if the dog starts acting up then you are to close for comfort, and you need to back up, the comfort zone will slowly shrink the more you do this. when I did this with Happy, her comfort zone shrunk rather fast, she went from no closer then 40 feet away from the other dog, to walking 4 inches away from him.

[rattiluvr]

well one reason she is acting the way she is, may have something to do with the fact that she is a terrier. terriers are naturally territorial dogs. she may be fine around you and some certain other people, but that's beacuse she knows and trusts you. she doesn't know starngers/new dogs, or even just people she isn't frequently around so she feels like they are invading her space. also a lot of smaller dogs(especially terrier) tend to be nippy. she needs to relize that other people and dogs aren't going to hurt her or take her home away from her. you should try to socialze her more. keep her on a fairly short leash with a choke chain. that when she tries go after the other dogs or people you can pull her back and sternly say NO. then we she turns around comes to you say good, reward her with kind words and treats. this will definatly take time to work due to the servarity of her case, but hopefully in time this will work.(please keep in mind that this problem will never fully go away, and that breeding this dog will only cause a long line of problems and heartache.)good luck:D
p.s this is my rat terrier.:)