My wife brought home a puppy (10-month old lab/terrier mix healthy castrated male) a couple of months ago and since I can't stand an untrained dog I did some rudimentary lead training with him. I've become his defacto trainer now, as nobody else will take the time. Taught him to sit on command before getting anything from me, but he his still too young and impulsive to really "get" other commands.



He has fallen in love with me and now whenever I am in the house he is by my side and has started being very aggressive toward her. I've been getting up and going to her when she enters a room, scold him when he growls at her, and then let her give him a treat.

It seems to be getting worse. Tonight he nipped her because I was sitting and having dinner when she rushed through the dining room on the way out the door. In some ways this is up to her to take control of the situation, but on the other hand, he only acts aggressively toward her when I'm around, so it is really on me to make him stop. Why is he doing this?

 

Hemingway,

First off, he is in no way too young to begin proper training. I am not sure where you would have gotten that idea or who told you that. I have begun training with dogs as young as 12 weeks and had great success. I have had dogs as young as 6 months completely obedience trained with very little effort.

First, I would suggest that she take the dog to obedience classes immediately if not sooner. She needs to be an active partner in training the dog, and not let things get any further. You are his alpha dog, and in his dog brain he is protecting you. What is needed is a lesson from both of you, to the dog, that he is not alpha or even beta dog in the family pack.

I would suggest checking locally to see if you have a good training program nearby and enrolling him immediately. I can make some small suggestions, but since I don't know the dog well enough I can't even begin to tell you exactly how to resolve this issue, except with proper training.

Do keep us posted.

 

So there isn't much else for me to do, personally, other than finding a trainer and asking her to go.

Oh, absolutely. I just meant he is still very silly and inattentive, which is partially due to his being a puppy, but yes, mostly due to not being properly disciplined.

 

Hemingway, I really don't see any alternative, unless others can suggest something else. I trained dogs for many years, and this is something that needs to be nipped in the bud before it gets any worse. Check with your vet and your local breeders, they can usually let you know of good training programs in your area.

I would also suggest doing some reading on non-treat based training methods. I do similar work to what is shown on The Dog Whisperer along with some Koehler based training, but there are other methods that will work as well.

I hope I didn't sound harsh in my first post, I definitely didn't intend to sound that way, but re-reading it now, it might have come out harshly. Dang text is hard to use to express what you are actually trying to get across.

DO keep us posted and let us know how things work out.

 

We contacted a trainer who gave us some things to try at home, and my wife has been very patient to keep trying them over and over. She suggested my wife enroll him in leash training class and she will also work with him next weekend with her "pack" while we are away for the weekend.

Based on what I've read, his behavior is more like a fear response (hiding, low growling, tail down, hackles up) than Dominance Agression.

I'd really like to understand why he is doing this and what natural instincts are kicking in. The children have told me that he doesn't behave agressively when I'm not home.

 

Well, partly he is doing this because there is no ground rules for him to instinctively follow. You and your wife have not proved to him that you are pack leaders (both of you). That is one of the first steps in dealing with an insecure or fearful dog. Once you assert your dominance in a calm way, one that he understands, and gets, he will settle into a member of the family. I look forward to hearing how he does with the trainer and with your wife. Good start towards getting the problem handled.

Do keep us posted, and let us know how things progress.

 

I've been training him on the lead every night. It takes constant vigilance on my part She's been taking him to leash classes and she has him doing stay & come on command... in class. At home his behavior is better, but it is obvious he is still afraid of her.

If he is in the bedroom when she walks in and he stays quiet, she gives him a treat, but if he growls she commands him to leave with a stern "out! out! out!" and he runs out of the bedroom with his tail between his legs.

So here's a funny story. The other day she was in the next room and the oldest daughter was bugging her for something and she had just had enough so she yelled at her "out! out! out!" and the dog yipped, growled, and ran out of the bedroom with his tail between his legs.

 

Hemingway,

Thanks for updating us. It appears that the daily work with obedience is doing some good, but that there are still some challenges.

It still sounds like he is afraid of your wife. There needs to be more trust built there. Fearful dogs tend to be the ones who bite out of fear, and I still am a bit concerned. One thing that I think would be more beneficial is rather than giving a treat when he remains quiet, she give positive attention if he is relaxed (not geared up but trying for a treat). And with the correction, it needs to be very short, one word, not a stream of them. A simple firm OUT is much more effective than mulitples.

Do keep working with him, as it sounds like some good is coming of the training. I hope that you can find the balance he needs to become a better part of your family.

 

Over the Holidays we have had many occassions to sit together on the couch with the dog between us, which he is happy to do, and he turns his focus to her, putting his head on her lap, not mine. Interesting to watch him repeatedly try to lick her. (This may not be affection, but urge to control, especially the head on the lap.) Then later, when she gets up and goes to the kitchen, he jumps down and barks at her.

In the book Be the Pack Leader, Cesar Millan cites the book The Gift of Fear, by Gavin De Becker, and the story where he had a friend who was interviewing contractors and decided against one because her dog, Ginger, growled at him. De Becker reminded his friend, The irony is that it's far more likely Ginger is reacting to your signals than that you are reacting to hers. Ginger is an expert at reading you.

Now I'm at the point where I'm wondering if the dog isn't picking up apprehension and uncertainly directly from me.

On the other hand, the dog starts barking at her before I even know she is approaching the room, evidently because he can detect the sound of her footsteps on the stairs.

 

Hemingway,

I am glad that some progress has apparently been made, but you are right in your possible thought of control. I would like to see her take him through some advanced classes to help build more trust and confidence within him.

It is possible that you are transmitting some of the emotions with this situation as well. But, you need to make sure that you are in the right state of mind when she's around the dog.

Do keep us posted on your progress, as I would hope that with time and patience, you all can overcome your dog's fear and lack of trust of your wife,

 

Miracle of miracles, her brother is an Army MP who has trained K9s and they spent the afternoon together yesterday. She came home, put the dog on leash, and off they went. I don't know what he told her but let's hope it sticks.

 

Hemingway,

I am glad to hear she also has someone that can work with her on this issue. Many times things appear fine in how we perceive we are doing things, when actually that isn't the case.

Hopefully whatever her brother has her doing, works, permanently.