Will a Citronella spray collar help?

[JRP3]

I have an Australian Cattle Dog who is getting aggressive towards strangers and people that he doesn't know that well. Last night he lunged at and bit my girlfriend's brother, who had been in the house with us earlier that night. He went outside to start his car, and when he came back in, the dog went for him before I could stop him. I've been looking at a shock collar with a remote control as a way to stop the dog if I can't get to him fast enough, but I don't really like the idea of a shock collar.
I've seen Citronella spray collars that come with a remote as well and I wondered if anyone has used these.
I know the dog is just being protective, but now that he is more comfortable about what is his territory, he's more aggressive to others.

[tatsxxx11]

I'm not sure how well those citronella collars work. I've heard they are fairly effective with minor issues, such as excessive barking. But I think your pup needs to learn boundries; with correction, not out of fear of being sprayed or zapped. I have known people who have used the "training collar," but only under the guidance of a trainer/behaviorist familiar with their use. Used incorrectly, you can create all kinds of other problems. Is this type of behavior new to your dog? How long have you had him/her? I think consulting a trainer first would be the best idea. Have you ever attended obedience classes? Left uncorrected, this type of protective/territorial behavior might escalate, and you don't want to wait until something really serious happens; someone gets injured. I would at least start with introducing the dog, on lead, to any new visitor/stranger outside of the home itself; say, in the yard or driveway. Keep treats in your pocket and give the visitor one to offer your dog while you have him on lead. Keep him on lead in the house when new people arrive and keep him by your side. Tell him to sit and have the visitor offer him a treat. At the first sign of any aggressive action, give him a strong correction correction jerk with the lead, "No!!!." Cattle Dogs are known to be spirited and independent minded, but you still need to establish that while it is his home, you are alpha and in control. Hope this helps a little. As I said, I definitely would consult a trainer. I hope you and your pup can work this out

[clara4457]

I absolutely agree with Aly on this one. Many times if you have an aggressive dog - shock collars, citronella collars, prong collars, etc. can backfire and make them more aggressive. It is kind of hard to judge through cyberspace, but there are so many reasons a dog could become aggressive, that a vet visit (for possible medical issues) and then a behaviorist is the best way to go.

In the meantime, I would crate the dog when you have company over. Take him out of the "pack" if he is not going to be polite to everyone.

Good Luck

[JRP3]

Part of the problem is our dog is a rescue dog and he's not a puppy, he's just over 3 years old. He was never socialized very well, he was a working dog that didn't do his job properly, so he was neglected much of the time.
We got him 6 months ago, and he was great when we got him. We live in a marina, and in the summer, there are lots of people around and he was good with everyone and with other dogs. However, in the winter we are very isolated and he doesn't see many people, and I think he's expanding his territory and becoming more protective or something.
All the research I've done suggests that this behavior is very much part of the breed, and the vet sees nothing physically wrong with him.
Normally he is not aggressive at all, he's sweet and loving, but when he hears a noise at the door he starts barking and runs for it. Yesterday my dad walked in and the dog started barking when he heard the door open and ran to it ready to attack, but stopped when he saw it was my dad, who he loves. If it weren't my dad, the dog probably would have attacked.
When he does attack or bark aggressivly at a stranger, he immediately gets yelled at, smacked, and either locked in a room or tied up outside, so he knows he's getting punished.
My thinking on the Citronella or shock collar is to distract him and stop him when I can't reach him. If his bad behavior is met with an upleasant blast in the face each time, or a shock, wouldn't that deter him? I know it would deter me.

[tatsxxx11]

Despite being 3 years old, there's no reason to think that his negative behavior can't be corrected It seems that after a brief honeymoon period, settling in with your family, he has in fact become protective of his home and pack and is definitely attempting to assume the alpha role.

With a breed such as his, it is MOST important that you assume the alpha lead and that he knows it! You mention him having been undersocialized in the past. Have you signed up for obedience classes? For SO many reasons, having him attend classes is critical.

I work with rescues and each and every adopter, no matter how well behaved/socialized the dog is prior to the adoption, is required to attend a minimum 6 week obedience class. It not only teaches the dog manners, bu as well, how to resond to and respect the handler. Again, I can't say it enough. He has to see you as the leader of the pack.

Especially as you are more isolated in the winter months, it's important that he have regular socialization time, with humans and other dogs! And as you mentioned, the Cattle Dog is a very high energy, working breed dog who needs a role/job to do, even if by human standards, he doesn't do it "well"! Cattle Dogs do great in agility classes; it stimulates their minds and gives them focus and an outlet for their energy; you might consider, after a while, enrolling him in classes! And please, do try the suggestion of keeping short leash on him while he's in the house. As other's have said, it can be your "lifeline" and assures that should the need arise, you have control over him. Take hold of his leash when someone comes to the door and should he bark and growl or show aggression, give him a correction, make him obey a command such as sit and praise him for his positive response. And have the visitor give him a treat and "good boy" him all over the place!

Punnishing him by hitting him or relegating him to his crate AFTER the negative behavior is not addressing the problem and he needs to learn the proper response to people coming by the house, not just be punnished for his bad behavior. He will not be a happy dog. If you know strangers are coming over, if you feel you must, put him in his crate before they stop by. And it's not a good idea for him to correlate his crate with being punnished for being "bad." His crate should be a place to find comfort and peace; a place he wants to go, but not out of fear. Never tell him to go into his crate using harsh words or to punnish him...(as he sees it)

We had a Cattle Dog (Dexter) here on the Cape who was constantly being picked up by animal control, being brought before a dog hearing board for escaping, terrorizing walkers-by, nipping at their heels, etc. The town worked very hard with the family to ensure the dog's future and the safety of the neighborhood. He was compelled to attend obedience classes and in the end, was sent to 2 weeks of doggie boot camp with a trainer who works with especially "difficult" clients. In the end, his behavior was managed with the help of an electronic training collar and a lot of hard work and education on the part of the owner. But as I said before, the use of the collar was under the supervision of a skilled trainer; usually these type of collars are a last resort.

You have done such a wonderful thing rescuing this dog and it breaks my heart to think that this match might not work out. Please, before things get out of hand and you become totally discouraged, consult with a professional trainer, preferably someone who is familiar with the breed. And I can't stress strongly enough the importance of enrolling him in basic obedience/manners classes!

Please don't give up! It's exhausting to be constantly on guard because you're uncertain of how your dog will respond in certain situations. But addressing and correcting his negative behavior instead of just responding to it, will make him a happy, well adjusted dog and you a happy guardian! Please keep us informed how things are going! Paws crossed! Sandra

[JRP3]

Thank you for all your help and information. You don't have to worry about me giving up on my dog, I love him too much and I'm as tenacious as he is, so I'll keep trying with him. A few months ago I seriously thought I'd have to get rid of him after he bit my girlfriend twice, but she loves him as much as I do and she is willing to take one for the team once in a while till we get him straightened out. He has been good with her lately.
She's actually the one who got him, she brought him home from work when she saw how he was neglected, but I'm the one who is with him most of the time. He goes to work with me every day, so he's bonded more to me. I really think he gets jealous sometimes when she's close to me, because that's when he's gone after her.
I do think he knows I'm the alpha dog.
He's never been aggressive with me, he follows me everywhere, even if I get up from a chair and walk 5 feet away, he gets up and stays close to me.
He does have a stubborn and independent streak, and if he want's to go somewhere he has selective hearing and doesn't always listen, so I end up running after him and leashing him when I get him. He probably thinks it's a game. I figure any 40lb dog that can chase 4000lb bulls around has to have some attitude.
I try to run around with him every day for a mile or two, even in the winter, but maybe he needs more activity and stimulation than that. We've talked about training classes for him, but I've never had to do that with my dogs before. I suppose it can only help.
I'll try to keep you updated with his progress. Thanks again for everything.