Fear Aggression

[Giselle]

In all honesty, a professional trainer is probably in order. I thought I had enough experience when dealing with fear and anxiety, but nothing I tried ever seemed to nip Ivy's fear aggression in the bud. Then, I contacted a trainer and it amazed me how simple the solution is. When you yourself are in a stressful situation, it's difficult to gauge how you *really* act. You may think you're staying calm when you're actually sending your dog mixed signals by gripping the leash tightly and holding her back to avoid the child. For example, you said Daisy doesn't let people touch her unless you physically hold her. That physical restraint is only frightening her even more. While physically restraining her may work for a quick pet, it's not doing anything to lessen her anxiety.

I've seen this analogy used over and over again, but it's the clearest explanation: Suppose you are terrified of spiders. If a person stuck a tarantula in your face and said, "It's okay. She's nice and friendly", would you feel better? Would you touch it? Probably not. You'd only go near it if the person held the spider on his open hand and allowed you to approach it whenever *you* are comfortable. The same goes with Daisy. You have to get her to approach a child on *her* own time. If you follow what I wrote in the previous post (and please, go slowly) Daisy will eventually come around. Even if it takes you a week to get her within 20 feet of the child, it's still good progress!

How did your little brother hold the treat? Was he leaning his hand out towards her and beckoning her to come near? Was he making any frightening gestures (shaking his hand? jiggling the treat?)? In order for my method to work, the child must not do anything whatsoever. He must be sitting calmly and looking away from the dog.

Also, for training treats, I never settle for less than real meat. I can almost guarantee you that Daisy will not refuse plain boiled chicken or beef or turkey, etc. Good luck!

[applesmom]

Allowing any small child within 20 feet of this fearful dog is an invitation to disaster!

Her fears have been reinforced and confirmed over and over by the reasurrances and the added pressure she's been getting when she acts this way. The only way she's ever going to accept small children and strangers is to desensatize her in a calm setting as described above.

For right now forget the food, forget the reasurrances and the pampering and concentrate on allowing her to view strange people and things from a distance with no added stress or attempts at bribery!

The situation can be overcome but it didn't come about overnight and it isn't something that can be resolved quickly.

[tikeyas_mom]

In all honesty, a professional trainer is probably in order. I thought I had enough experience when dealing with fear and anxiety, but nothing I tried ever seemed to nip Ivy's fear aggression in the bud. Then, I contacted a trainer and it amazed me how simple the solution is. When you yourself are in a stressful situation, it's difficult to gauge how you *really* act. You may think you're staying calm when you're actually sending your dog mixed signals by gripping the leash tightly and holding her back to avoid the child. For example, you said Daisy doesn't let people touch her unless you physically hold her. That physical restraint is only frightening her even more. While physically restraining her may work for a quick pet, it's not doing anything to lessen her anxiety.

I've seen this analogy used over and over again, but it's the clearest explanation: Suppose you are terrified of spiders. If a person stuck a tarantula in your face and said, "It's okay. She's nice and friendly", would you feel better? Would you touch it? Probably not. You'd only go near it if the person held the spider on his open hand and allowed you to approach it whenever *you* are comfortable. The same goes with Daisy. You have to get her to approach a child on *her* own time. If you follow what I wrote in the previous post (and please, go slowly) Daisy will eventually come around. Even if it takes you a week to get her within 20 feet of the child, it's still good progress!

How did your little brother hold the treat? Was he leaning his hand out towards her and beckoning her to come near? Was he making any frightening gestures (shaking his hand? jiggling the treat?)? In order for my method to work, the child must not do anything whatsoever. He must be sitting calmly and looking away from the dog.

Also, for training treats, I never settle for less than real meat. I can almost guarantee you that Daisy will not refuse plain boiled chicken or beef or turkey, etc. Good luck!

Thanks so much for the helpful post!! I will start trying the cooked chicken idea. Hopfully it'll pull through.. Today on our walk we walked by several new serwer caps that have just been put in around our home.. Daisy is dealthy affraid of them too? I dont know why, I made her sit on every single one to try to break her fears. Wich didnt really work. But she did sit, and she did listen when said Stay. So I will just keep at it and hopfully it works out.

[agilityk9trainer]

OK. Let me get this right. You have a scared pitbull that has lunged at children in the past and you TOOK THE HAND of a ONE YEAR OLD and made it pet your SHAKING DOG!!!! Guys!!! Where on earth is your common sense!!!!

This dog is a time bomb. Fear aggression can pop at any second, and you cannot predict it. You put that child - and the dog - in extreme danger! Everytime you take your dog around children, you are putting them and the dog at risk.

You are trying to over come fears using the "flooding" technique that rarely works. Flooding is when you force a dog to face it's fears. That's what you're doing. And, doing it mighty dangerously at that.

I can't believe the first post you got didn't tell you to seek professional help. This is a strong breed with a history of growling and lunging out of fear. You absolutely need to get an animal behaviorist or a trainer on the case. You do not need to be working this on your own or seeking advice over the internet.

Aggressions are very tricky for professional trainers. Thet must see the dog in person to help. Seeking advice over the internet is a bad idea as the way you treat one aggression feeds the other. Do not hesitate. You are not going about this in at all the right way, and you need help now. Get one-on-one professional help, and do not delay. This is very serious.

[tikeyas_mom]

I would never put a child in danger, I figured that if Daisy seen the child was no harm she would feel better about coming up to him. She has indeed lunged and growled at children, and strangers, BUT she has never bitten anyone. We dont have a good trainer in this area. So this is why I am forced to deal with her on my own.

[agilityk9trainer]

If you brought a one year old child anywhere in the vacinity of a shaking, fearful pittbull, you DID put a child in REAL danger. Again, you CANNOT predict when a fear aggressive dog will react. You dog has lunged and growled in the past. This WAS a very dangerous act, and I hope you do not repeat it.

No matter if you have to drive a few hours to get help, you need help. Also, people tend to say, "There are no trainers near us" when they really haven't looked in the proper places. Most traienrs are not on in the phone book nor on the internet. To find a good trainer, you have to ask. Call your vet. Call your local animal sheltier. Look at major cities near you. If you're in the US, you can find a trainer within a couple hours drive (unless you're really in the boonies).

Your lack of understanding of this issue did put a child at risk, and every time your dog is near children, they are at risk. Quit wearing blinders and get the help yoru dog needs.

[tikeyas_mom]

I feel for you having a fear aggressive dog. Thankfully Ebony has no fear issues at all. I have some sites you might want to check out. One is a pit bull forum, there are lots of people on their that know tons about the breed. I have learned a lot just reading stuff their. The working pit bull site is amazing. The lady that runs the site really knows her stuff about pit bulls. She trains them. Also, Jason at pit bull lovers gazette is super nice and really knowledgeable about the breed. He's really good about emailing you back if you email him. Maybe one or all of these places will help you out. I know you must be frustrated. Please keep us posted on Daisy.

http://www.pitbullforum.com/index.php
http://www.workingpitbull.com/
http://www.pitbulllovers.com/pit-bu...er-gazette.html

Thanks for those sites I will Check them out right away.. I am havig a really hard time emotionally with Daisy, I really love her, and I hope we can get over this hump. I wish I would have known her as a puppy, then she would have NEVER turned out this way. It really makes me sad.

No matter if you have to drive a few hours to get help, you need help. Also, people tend to say, "There are no trainers near us" when they really haven't looked in the proper places. Most traienrs are not on in the phone book nor on the internet. To find a good trainer, you have to ask. Call your vet. Call your local animal sheltier. Look at major cities near you. If you're in the US, you can find a trainer within a couple hours drive (unless you're really in the boonies).

Your lack of understanding of this issue did put a child at risk, and every time your dog is near children, they are at risk. Quit wearing blinders and get the help yoru dog needs.

I dont live in the US, and there isnt any good trainers around me. Yes there are a few trainers in my area (puppy classes n' agility training) But none that deal with the issues that Daisy has. Even if there was I highly doubt Daisy would let the trainer even get close to her.

The closest good trainer would have to be in Vancouver, But thats a 4.5 hour drive. We cant just pick up and leave to go to Van, my BF works 6 days a week-14 hour days, and I have no idea of even how to get to Vancouver on my own. Not to mention how expensive it is to drive there, and get a hotel (its like a weekend trip). We just cant do it, not on our budget. If there was a good trainer or even a behaviorist here I would gladly contact them. But sadly there isn't that option for us.

I am trying to figure out what I can do to help my dog. There has to be a way to fix this problem without a trainer. I have spoken to the vets about my problem, (and about Babys too, shes our Great Dane who is female dog aggressive) And the only person she could think of to recommend was a trainer nearby. This particular trainer We have gone through in the past, and I wouldn't do it again.

I'm definitely not blind to the fact that my dog needs help, I want to help her. We are doing every option we have available to do so.
Daisy is going to have to learn to be around children, and thats THAT!. If she can't learn, then I dont know what we will do. We have a Baby coming in Three months, so we have that long to figure this out. I have been already working on socializing Daisy for more then a year, taking her to dog parks, family parks, the store, walks downtown, in petstores, to peoples houses, inviting people she doesn't know over, getting them to pet her etc etc etc.. And she has gotten ALOT better since we spayed her. But she still doesn't like other dogs while she is on a lead, and she is affraid of children/strangers and bikes.

[agilityk9trainer]

I understand your situation and I feel for you. The fact remains that you do need help here. You have made some really basic and dangerous errors in judgement and training. Your dog can be helped, but you need to get the right instruction. And, you can't beat one on one training. BTW, many good agility instructors can help you. Call them and find out.

In my area of the country, we often travel five hours to trainers. It's what we do for our dogs. My suggestion is to find a good trainer and go make a visit even if its a long drive. You can accomplish a lot in only one or two visits. As you're on a time schedule and you have a baby coming, you do need to get on this issue.

This is a dangerous situation that you don't want to leave up to internet advice. The results to you new baby could be disasterous.