Hi Peter,

From what I understand, thyroid can be a contributor to mood swings and aggression in dogs. I am not a vet, but I am not usually in favor of medicating dogs to solve behavior problems. JMO

Unfortunately many dogs are inadvertantly conditioned into the "red zone", by their owners.

I have seen a huge problem in dogs which are both isolated socially, or conditioned to become excited at the sight of another dog, due to their only contact with other dogs being the "free-for-all-excitement-zone" of dog parks.

Hi Everyone,
I need help!! I have a shi tzu who will be a year old in less than a month. When I am home he is a perfect angel. But he has a case of seperation anxiety, no matter what he always pees when I am gone. Recently he has started pooping as well. I keep him in a kennel when I leave the house. I have tried everything, from leaving him alone for short periods of time to get him used to being alone. I have tried doing everything to make him comfortable while I am gone including playing soothing music and leaving a night light. I have tried ignoring the behavoir, I have tried punishing the behavoir, I have even tried giving him Benadryl to calm him down when I leave...Which brings me to my question, how can you correct behavoir when your not home? Does anyone have any advice for me?!?!?

Peter:
I am not a dog trainer...but have worked in the animal field. I have learned so much from watching Dog Whisperer shows...the gist of it is we humans need to change our thinking about so many things. dogs are a different species and they do think/work differently. While your German Shepherd needs expert help, watch several of the Dog Whisperer shows (Fri eve, National Geog. channel) (& check the website for repeats of last season) and see how Cesar 'reads' the dog, where the dog is at and why he is behaving a certain way, how he thinks...I think you'll see what I am getting at. I do believe w/the right professional, he could be helped. Maybe you could call Cesar's center for a referral, etc.
His case is nothing you should handle by yourself, but with the right professional...

vets do give that answer alot...they are vets, not trainers, and i wonder if 'liability' enters into the picture in a major way...training/rehabilitatin is not their area of expertise...

Good luck to you

Hi Jamie,

The one thing I can suggest is to take your shi-tzu to the vet and make sure he doesn't have a bladder infection. It is very unusual for a dog to soil his personal kennel as dogs like to keep their "den" as clean as possible and most will only pee or poop in their kennel under the most dire of circumstances. My dog started peeing in her sleep even though she's quite young and now takes medication that has strengthened her bladder muscles so that she can "hold it" for a more reasonable amount of time (like 4-6 hours) rather than just 1-2.
Also, crate training can be great for seperation anxiety, it's worked for all of my rescue dogs. My suggestion would be to get an interactive crate toy for your dog (like a Kong), fill it with treats, and throw it in the crate with your dog. It should distract him long enough for you to get out and keep him busy and calm his mind. And like Cesar always says, keep calm, and just walk away, don't make leaving the house a big deal, your dog will only feed on your excitement. Good luck!

Hello, I have a 2 year old Blue Heeler.
She is a great dog, and very friendly to humans and other dogs, but when I give her a bone or any treat including food she turns very aggressive. She has bitten me and snapped at my wife. I was wondering what I should do?
Thank you, Gene

I have a male yellow lab who is every aggressive towards his food. We found him when he was about 8 months old. He was very good natured and we had no behavior problems other then the typical puppy behavior. When we went away, we took him to a kennel and the 2nd time he was there, when he came back, he became very aggressive towards his food. He growls at us and refuses to eat unless we are sitting with him (as he snarls at us) and even then he eats very slowly as to challenge us to dare take his food. We have tried hand feeding him, using a different feeding bowl, putting his food on the floor, all these worked for alittle while. Once I reached down to pick up a pill I had thrown into his bowl and he bite my hand severally. Of course it was my faught because I should have known. He has lunged at me and my husband too. He is what I call dangerous during feeding time. Although I love this dog with all my heart and would never put him to sleep, I feel like we are his prisoners. He loves us too and is very possessive of us, on our property, but when it comes to his food, he turns into a monster. What is going on in his head? Does anyone have any recommendations. He is a 100lb lab, and he WILL bite you should you take his food.
I did some volunteer work in New Orleans and I want to bring home this very mild, gentle black lab/chow. With my dog (Cody) being so possessive is there a way I can work this out?

I have 5 dogs,but 2 of them do not get along at all. One is a 6 year old Boston terrier and the other is a 4 year old lab cross. The lab,Sadie wants to play with Mitzie,the boston terrier but mitzie just wants to eliminate Sadie. If mitzie smells sadie she goes directly to the source and aims to kill. Mitzie even lost an eye from a fight they got into. How can I train Mitzie to tolerate Sadie?

Two years ago my husband and I adopted to Rottweilers from the humane society. They were very sweet and loving and well-trained. Our neighbor was afraid of them and unknown to us was threatening them and they became agressive. We moved and had no more problems. Workers and pet sitters came in the yard and they were sweet and lovable. We also have a 8 year old chocolate lab, 3 year old rottie mix, and 12 year old dobie mix

I had always wanted to have a Rottie and we adopted them, knowing and understanding that they had been picked up off the streets and we did not know their background. However, we knew the shelter would not place an aggressive animal and the shelter people really loved the dogs and hated to see them go. All in all, for the last two years, all five dogs were getting along well.

Last Wednesday the weather was good so I left all five dogs in the yard for the afternoon while I ran errands. Because of Millie’s age (dobie mix) she usually stayed inside. When I returned home about 6:00 pm the dogs were all ready to be fed but I could not find Millie in the dark. After feeding the others I continued to call for her and finally heard her whimper. She had been severely mauled. We rushed her to the emergency care where it was decided that her wounds were too severe to expect recovery and the decision was made to put her down. Since the yard is completely fenced I have to assume one of my dogs did this to her and the obvious candidates, due to the extent of her wounds, would have to be the large Rotties. Millie weighed about 50 lbs, the lab and Rottie mix a little more—maybe 60 or 70 and the Rotties were over 100 each.

I love all my animals. Millie had been with me a long time and I always called her my “bestest one”. The dogs were often all out in the yard together and there was never any real aggression among them. I just can’t believe my Millie died this horrible death. And I can’t believe my sweet Rotties did it. My husband is angry and doesn’t feel he can trust them around our other dogs or even me. The vet says we should put them down and they never can be trusted again. I just can’t believe it and don’t know what to do. I have separated the Rotties from the others and have spent some time with them since the incident. They are still happy, sweet, and loving. They don’t know why they have been separated and aren’t getting their regular afternoon “house time”.

Please help me understand what happened and what I need to do now. I am mourning the loss of my Millie, horrified at how she died, but I also miss my Rotties. I need your help soon before my husband takes action of his own.

TINA G.

Just do what I told Gene Bauer

~Chantel

My husband and I have a 2 yr old german shepard. He was from a great line and a reputable breeder. We didn't get him neutered until a year and a half and thats when we started seeing problems. The day we took him to get neutered he saw a dachsund and at first they got along and then the owner of the dog let him down and thats when our dog bit him. The second time our neighbors dog(a yorkshire terrier) had wondered into our yard and ran at our dog barking and then jumped at our dog. Thats when our dog bit the yorki. The last time happened at an obediance class that we had scheduled. we were in the waiting room when a bassett hound came in. our dog looked at him and then ran at him and bit him for no good reason. It seem like he only has problems with smaller dogs. he has never had a problem with medium to large dogs. He plays with a standard poodle, golden retriever and a springer rottwieler mix. Have you ever heard of a large breed dog only not liking small dogs? Hes great with adults but almost want to dominate with small children. He has never bit a child but we want children and do we take the chance with our dog and our children. He is a wonderful loving dog and great with our close friends and family but none the less he is a 100lbs german shepard and we just need your opinion on what to do.
Thank you
Laura

In response to Peter, I too have placed a bully/chow mix on Prozac recently. I have six dogs and he is very aggressive at times to one of the other males. I plan on taking him in to have his thyroid tested as a big shepard/lab of mine was aggressive toward dogs. We later found out he had problems with his thyroid and now is on meds and is not aggressive.

In response to Karen, I'm so sorry about your dobbie mix. I have heard that in a pack, an older sick dog will be attacked and killed which is an instinct pack behavior to weed out the weak. I would consider basket muzzles before having the dogs destroyed.

In response to Tina, I would suggest anti-depressant trial and a basket muzzle until training can be completed. Also thyroid testing.

In response to Cynthia, I would suggest the same as above, especially a basket muzzle. They keep it on because they can't be trusted to not bite. It is an alternative to killing aggressive dogs. With the muzzle, all they can do is beat each other around with it. Not to much damage.

To Shelly, I recommend a muzzle. I'm not sure how to train a red-zone dog until Ceasar can help, a muzzle is the best bet for dogs who can't be trusted to not attack. They can drink water through the muzzle.

About a month ago, I had a boyfriend and a pack of 5 dogs that got along well. Well, the boyfriend left and took his dog (who was the most submissive of the pack)and all hell broke loose. Tempers are flaring and a huge fight occured between the two females. I tried to break it up and couldnt. It lasted for nearly 10 minutes. They were slamming into walls, pictures were falling off the wall, plants were overturned and I have never been so scared and traumatized in my life. I struggled to get the other two out of the house and finally got my thoughts together and grabbed a bucket of water and poured it on them. I guided one dog out with the water bucket over her head. Both dogs had injuries but none severe enough for a vet trip. I was stressed to my limit and begged my friend, who also has a dog (male) to watch one of my females for 2 weeks while I tried to figure things out. Upon picking her up from her little "vacation" I tried to be calm, and assertive on the van ride home. As she got out of the van I put her on her leash and proceeded into the house where we were met by the other 3. Instantly the fight between the girls resumed; luckily I had her leash on and was able to pull her off and back out into the yard. I am stressed about this so much. My house is not the calm happy place it used to be. Of the 2 females, one has to be crated at all times as to not start another fight. This is no life for a dog. I have considered getting rid of one, but just cant bring myself to go through with it. Grawling is exchanged between the 2 through the crates and things are just a whole lot more complicated and time consumming. I admit they are not walked regularly and I need to change that. Even though it may mean 2 or more separate walks. There is no way with working full time and working out at the gym in the evenings that I can properly "tire out" my kids. Hour long walk on a tight heal does not seem to tire them and doing that 2 or more times a day......well, I would have to quit my day job. I do not trust the baby gate anymore as a means of separation and my 2 males seems confused as to why were not all hanging out together anymore. When one is loose and playing with the boys, the other sits in her crate and whines or barks. I feel so stressed and I just dont know what to do anymore. It seems as though everyones emotions are "geared-up" and grawling and snapping has become the norm for all. Can anyone help? Can we ever get back to the way it was?

My boyfriend and I have a terrier mix that we adopted about 8 months ago. At the time of adoption, we were told she was around 2 1/2 and was a stray. Since we have had her, her temper has gotten worse and worse. At first it was about once a week, but it has gotten to the point where it is every day. She will growl, charge, bite, and just be really mean in general. She is now even charging other dogs outside. We tried everything that our vet suggested. In mid-December we took her to a doggy behavior expert who put her on Prozac and Amitriptylin. Since then her medicine has been increased twice as her temper has not gone down at all. She doesn't like for us to try to pet her, she isn't social, she hates for us to make the bed, and half the time she won't go outside. She has given me several cuts and bruises and I am very concerned. A few days ago I thought she was feeling sick so I sat down on the floor with her. She came over and sat on my lap and I started petting her, then she turned and attacked leaving my arms scratched and bruised. The new doctor says she doesn't realize she is being mean, but how can she not know? My main concern is that she is unhappy, as she isn't leading the life of a normal dog. The doctor says that there is a possibility that she may never recover from her sickness, so does she know she is sick? Will she ever have a normal life? If anyone can give some insight or suggestions I would really appreciate it.

Lionel – How much research did you do on Siberian Huskies before you got your dogs? These dogs have tons of energy and can be extremely destructive when they are young. Everything you describe is typical for a young Siberian. I volunteer for Siberian Husky Rescues and have two huskies myself. I’ve learned that anything I own can be destroyed at any time. If you yard is secure, a minimum of a 6 ft fence is recommended as Siberians are well known escape artists, I’d allow the dogs to run outside and play as much as you can. My dogs play quite often and this helps to release their energy along with daily brisk, long walks. Good luck and be patient!

My Rat Terrier Tiger is 1 1/2 yrs and a wonderful dog. I am with her 24/7 and have had her since birth. Ti is great with my MinPin an older male I've had for 8yrs. But when other dogs come around ME. Ti is possesive and will attack her playmates when they get to close to me. I have held her collar and petted other dogs... Ti goes nuts, growling and lunging twards the other dogs, she is beside her self. Anyone have any idea's??? It is impossible to take her to the dog parks anymore. Thanks

please I need help. I have a 10 month old yorkie. Shes a little lager than most weighting in a 11 lbs. She is sweet and loveable in our home. We did our best to socialize her, bringing her around people and children. Even to my sons classroom several times. There was never a problem until about 6 months of age. She started to become aggresive. Again, in home she is fine with family. If a stranger shows up she turns into a demon. Actually it doesnt even have to be a stranger. It could be someone she has beed exposed to before. If I hold her she is fine until the person makes a move. Then she goes nuts. I have read every book and have talk to several people on what to do. I was told to bring her out around people. I tried to bring her into a petco but again she went nuts. I even had a man make a comment that I need to put my dog on ridlin and one lady ran away. The store employee held her and she was fine until she put her down. then she went crazy again. Please, please help me. I dont know what to do.

FINALY THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS TALKING ABOUT YORKIES. WE BOUGHT OUR PUPPY FROM A PET STORE WHEN HE WAS 8 WKS OLD. HE WAS VERY SWEET. AT 4 MONTH OLD WE TOOK HIM TO OBEDIENCE CLASSES AND THERE FOR THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM BEING AGRESSIVE TOWARDS OTHER PUPPIES AND BARKING A LOT.HIS FIRST TRAINER SWUNG AND FLIPPED HIM OVER TRYING TO STOP HIM FROM BARKING. WE TOOK HIM TO ANOTHER SCHOOL . THIS TRAINER WAS GREAT WITH HIM AND OTHER DOGS BUT NEVER THE LESS HE BECAME EVEN WORSE. HE WOULD BE GREAT WITH ALL OF COMMANDS BUT STILL AGRESSIVE WHEN IT CAME TO OTHER DOGS AND PEOPLE. J.C.(FOR "JUST CUTE")ACKNOWLEDGES ONLY HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND JUST A FEW OF OUR FRIENDS. WHEN THE DOORBELL RINGS HE GOES CRAZY.I TRIED EVERY COMMAND BUT HE IGNORES ME.WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN THE HOUSE HE BARKS, TRIES TO GRAB THEIR PANTS AND SOMETIMES ACTUALLY NIPS. HE IS VERY FAST SO IT IS HARD FOR ME TO CATCH HIM SO I COULD PUT HIM ON THE LEASH AND TAKE HIM TO ANOTHER ROOM (HE CAN EVEN BITE ME). WHEN HE STAYS LOCKED UP HE BECOMES EVEN MORE AGRESSIVE SO I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. FOR SOME REASONS HE DOES NOT LIKE TO BE PICKED UP. AND WHEN HE IS LAYIND DOWN NEXT TO ME AND I PET HIM A LITTLE HE WILL BE FINE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE WOULD SNAP AT ME.WE TAKE HIM FOR A WALK TWICE A DAY! WE PLAY WITH HIM! I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH HIM. CEASER, PLEASE HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!

To MB,
We have a red-zone pit/chow mix, Goose. We rescued a chow/shepard mix, Rosie. She really was able to take the edge off Goose. I know it wolf packs they have, a wolf who is the mascot and channels aggression away through playfulness. I think it is a good idea to get a female mix who is young and calm.

I have a two year old cockapoo. He was originally given up by his family when they said they were allergic. We have always been suspicious of this because he is hypoallergenic. We have come to beleive that the children in the house were being abused and he tried to protect them. This than lead to his being abused as well. He was aggressive at the pound and was to be put down until a rescue agency decided to take him anyway. We adopted him from them and by that point he had been through a long and stressful journey. When he first arrived he immediately attached to me. I was sick at the time and we beleive that he wanted to protect me. It has been almost a year now that we have had him and he was meant to be a family dog however I seem to have become his world. This is hard because I am a student and am not always home now that I am recovered from my illness. He still seems to want to protect me. Even from my family. My grandmother lives with us and if she comes near me he will lunge at her. He has not bitten her however. He has bitten my uncle when he went against what we told him and tried to assert dominance over him by grabbing his collar and trying to grab his muzzle. He was not bit badly. He also got some chicken bones off the table and in my father's attept to get them off him he was cornered and bit my father. It was again not bad and he ran away. It seems that he in more fearful of men. It is also that he will allow no one to come near me or sometimes to even enter a small room where I am. He always puts himself between me and anyone else weither it be human or animal. His aggression seems to move to the next person down his line of I am guessing supperiority in his mind. When I am not here he protects my mother and than my father. It is always less when I am not home though. We have completed basic obedience and he did very well. We than completed a second level of more advanced obedience and agility. Again he excelled but if anyone at all dog or human, male or female, came towards me in any way he would lash out. I am getting to my wits end as to how to deal with this. It is not an option to put him down or give him away. I have worked with animals with behaviour problems all my life but normally with horses. This problem is stumping me. Please what can I do? Oh and he also seems now to have developed mild epilepsy. I don't know if that would affect anything.

Hey Peter,
This is really good to know about Hercules. How much Prozac can I ask, as mine is on 20mg. Relieved to know things are going well...woof, woof....:D

My husband and I adopted an 8-week old Great Dane puppy at the beginning of the year. We decided to take him to puppy kindergarten for socialization and basic training. At the first class, he was very agressive toward the other puppies in the class, growling, biting, and pinning them down. When he was pinned, he would bite to get free. The trainer told us to cradle him in our arms and put our hand on his chest when he gets too agressive or bites. So, for the next week, we did just that.

The second week of class, he acted much better in that only once near the end of class he got very agressive toward one dog (Doberman puppy). We thought we were on the right track and improving. The day before the next class, we walked him around the neighborhood. We met a couple walking their two dogs, one male and one female (who was in heat, but we didn't know that at the time). The male was very protective; he bit our dane in the mouth and dragged him a few feet. We separated them quickly and moved on after examining our dog. At class the next day, he was even more aggressive than the first class. The trainer suggested more socialization. The breeder suggested socialization with on older dog, bigger than our dane, to "put him in his place" by dominating him (not maming or hurting him).

Does anyone have suggestions as to how to reduce/eliminate the agression in him toward other dogs? He does not act this way toward people. Are the trainer's or breeder's suggestions the route to take? We have another class on Sunday. I want to nip these actions now before he gets to be more than my husband or I can control. Please help.

Hi Pamela,

We're giving Hercules 20mg of Prozac twice a day, morning/evening. I would be curious to know what differences in the improvements he's made in the past week, if any, he would be exhibiting, had he not been put on the Prozac.

I never mentioned this in my previous postings, but I used to routinely exercise him daily, even during the winter months, until about 3 years ago when I was involved in a pretty bad car accident. It was because of my accident that the routine I used to have with Hercules changed. But now that I think about it, even when I used to exercise him daily, I had no concept of boundaries and limitations, no concept regarding the order of exercise, discipline, and affection. We were definitely treating him as a human, and he has been leading us for the longest time, literally years.

I think my family and I are dealing with an extreme case, in that he may require quite a while before he reaches a balance. Also, in the past when I used to exercise him, he has always shown aggression towards other dogs. The only time I’ve ever seen him not show aggression towards other dogs, was the day we picked him up from the breeder, when he was 8 weeks old. I remember he was the most playful in the bunch, jumping on his brothers and sisters, biting their tails, knocking them over. I still recall the breeder telling us that we're going to have our hands full with that one, after we selected him. I also recall bringing him home that evening, it was raining pretty hard, with lots of thunder and lighting.

Hercules is very afraid of rain, high wind, and thunder, to the point where he whines, whimpers and runs around the house with his tail between his legs. I don't know if on the night that we were bringing him home from the breeder had anything to do with it, but I sure would like to eventually find out if there's a potential therapy for helping him cope with his fear of bad weather. Thanks again Pam.

I just adopted and 1 1/2 year old giant spitz mix. He's really great at home, so sweet and a real mama's boy. But when we bring him out for a walk and he sees a person or other dog, he pulls and barks and growls aggresively. We don't really know how to get him to be nicer to others,and we really do want to be able to take him into town and play with other dogs! Please help!!

I have some concerns about the alpha roll that was done to Jondi. My understanding was that studies now show that the alpha roll actually increases bite agression in dogs. The other thing I wonder about with all the dominance theory stuff is: is this based on science?
Apparently, a lot of the dominance stuff comes from studies of wolves many years ago that had many flaws. See the link below for a discussion of this. I think there are good and bad ways to establish leadership. Waiting for food - yes. Alpha rolls and leash corrections - no. The latter are now thought to actually not mimic what dogs actually do. I personally show leadership but always use positives. I have never had to use a correction to my dog who competes in both agility and obedience.

Alpha Roll No

Thanks Peter,
Your response was informative and makes sense. I have Gustav on 30 mg. He is about 50 lbs. I also exercise. He fights with our Dalmatian/Boxer mix. There both insecure dogs. They stopped for two years and then began again. I'm trying to start more training with working before treats and feeding. The article that JOHN recommended is very good with combination training.
I hope all is better from the car crash..I've been in a couple myself. They are horrible. Peace, Pam

I have a Siberian Huskey, he is about 3 years now. We got him from a rescue. Ever since we got his he has just been crazy, stubborn, and doesnt listen. He knows when you are talking to him and want him to do something you can tell he is just ignoring what you say. He also will not stop going to the bathroom in the house, talk about a mess, he is huge and what comes out of him is alot. He has ruiened many carpets. He will also just randomly sprinkle different places in the house, and he is fixed. Also our biggest problem is him running away, when a door is open and he knows it its anything he can do to get out. He has run across 2 different 4 lane highways, and im worried if he gets out again he may get hit. He wont come to anyone if he knows we are chasing him, he use to go to strangers untill they kept giving him back. His running was so bad to the point that the only reason he stopped is because he rubbed all the padding off his paws and it hurt too much to get up. It has gotten very bad, I dont know what to do anymore. PLEASE HELP!! IM IN DESPERATE NEED, I CANT HAVE ANYTHING BAD TO HAPPEN TO HIM

I'm reading the postings from those who tried treating their "aggressive" dogs with prozac. I too have a high maintanence german shephard (3 yr old female) that shows fierce aggression toward humans more so than canines. I've been in training off & on since she was 6 months. Our vet also recommended prozac 20mg 2x day. She's also a very poor eater since she was a puppy. She's dominent yet fearful & very stressed. How's that for a mix? The kitchen garbage bag falling to its side could give my dog a heart attack yet she's ready to take on any human no matter what size. Anyway, the prozac totally disrupts her appetite & she hardly eats at all. First time I tried it was in the summer & I thought it had to do with the heat & humidity. But, I tried again in December & the same results. The vet told me it takes about 3 weeks for results & she would be the same dog minus the aggression. We never got past the 1st week because she stopped eating. It took me months to get her to a healthy weight & I'm not willing to jeopardize that. It also seemed logical she didn't feel good from the drug & couldn't stand the thought of her feeling crappy. I wish it would've worked. I find exercise to be one of the best ways to balance my dog. Good tip - on rainy days - if you have stairs in your house, run up and down them. (We play a game of hide & seek & it's one of her favorites.) The other best tool I found is a prong collar. She understood its correction as fast as the dogs on Cesar's shows. I've never seen anything like it. It gives me confidence to walk her without any problem so I'm able to have the positive energy Cesar talks about. And you know what? My "aggessive" dog is the best behaved dog (like perfect) being walked on my block (& I have the dog walking block). She doesn't pull, bark, growl or complain the whole time she's being barked at. I've learned avoiding stressful situations is to our benefit. I stay away from walking her in strip malls or where lots of children are playing (boy does movement set her off - I guess she's got extreme prey drive too). I also noticed eye contact from humans is bad too, so I watch & break it as soon as I see it. The people I'm able to take her near are the ones that don't look at her or pay any attention to her. The "oh, how pretty" people have no idea the danger they put themselves in. Even people driving in the car next to me set her off with eye contact. For those of you familiar with NY, the way you interact with stressful dogs is just like how you would conduct yourself on the subway. Eye contact with a "punk" is a shouting challenge. Getting into someone else's "personal space" is likely to spark a confrontation. And, you better not physically touch another. Can you imagine patting someone on the back in the subway? I'm sure me & my dog will be in training for years to come to keep me on my game. Is anyone else working with a trainer? I'd be interested in the types of training your using. The best trainer I worked with kinda made it like boot camp. The idea was to build confidence & trust by working the dog with a lot of stressful activites going on (like garbage cans falling over, men yelling, the noise of a tire air gun & beeping which might seem extreme to some, but we live in NY & loud sudden noises are realistic). The dog learns she'll be ok if she follows her handler's commands. My dog looked so proud of herself at the end of sessions - her chest held out & head up like she was saying, yes I did it and did it well. Our trainer's not available anymore so I'm currently looking for a new trainer in the NY area if anyone knows of one. I checked out the one in lower Manhattan who sounds like they might be good but really expensive ($250 a session 2x a month). I hope I didn't go on too long.

Heather, I asked this same question to Lionel above. How much research did you do on the Siberian Husky before you adopted your dog? These dogs are notorious escape artists and will bolt through any open door or gate if given the chance. If you own a Siberian, you can NEVER trust them around an open door or gate or off-leash. These dogs are meant to run for miles at a time, hence your dog’s need to run. This trait also means the Siberian Husky has absolutely no homing instinct. That is, they don’t have the ability to find their way home. How often are you walking your dog? These dogs need a lot of exercise. You can also take up activities like scootering, carting and other pulling activities that your dog was meant to do. For more information on the breed, please see the articles written by the Siberian Husky Club of America. There are also discussion boards such as Sibernet-L where you may be able to speak with other Siberian owners who can give you advice.

Hi,

My five year cocker spaniel mix will grab a piece of paper or anything laying around hold onto it. If we get anywhere near her she becomes like a demon, growling and biting. I tried to get her to submit by using choke collar and it will work, but would like to get her to stop this behavior. She has bit me in past and would like to have a command to get her calm down. Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks Cathy

How many dogs get abused a week to a month?

Hey Carol,
I would watch how Ceasar walks dogs...also have her thyroid tested, also use a muzzle if in doubt. Medication is also an option if all else fails. Prozac, and Erica mentioned aconite. She is also picking up your stess and nervous, which might be a big contributor to her behavior. I know it is hard to remain calm when you are training a red-zone dog. Watch Ceasar, order his CD...:D

Hi Kerry- We didn't think the Prozac would work either-in fact my dog Ginger was on it a week when she want for my other shpeherd and thats when my husband broke his leg trying to grab her-we were told to give it about a month to a month in a half for it to take effect, and luckily for us it did, and her appetitie has been the same. Ginger was never a good eater because she is on special food since she was a search dog at the World Trade Center, she has severe allergies and never liked the food she was on.

She still would growl at my other dog CJ even withthe prozac and occassionally snap at her but nothing like before. One behaviorist friend had told us that since my first shepherd passed way Ginger was unsure of herself in our "pack" and thats part of why she is aggressive and anxious. SInce I have been watching the Dog Whisperer I have to say that Cesar knows what he is talking about. Ive been applying his techniques and in a week's time the entire dynamic in my house has changed for the better. See seems to be more sure of herself and alot more content.

My husband used to work for Robert Defranco who is a good trainer and behaviorist, but unfortunately he relocated to Florida-if you want to contact him he may be able to reccommend a trainer for you-his website is: http://canines.com-drop him an email and tell him Dan & Shari Forst told you to get in touch.

Answering #4 above re the dog that has separation anxiety. Take your dog with you when you can! To leave him when necessary, TRUST has to be built by his FAITH that you WILL return and that takes training (make sure that you have allowed him to releave himself outside prior to the separation). FAITH can be build by looking in your dogs eyes and using the same words at the door before parting, such as, "WAIT, I'll BE BACK" (repeating them at least twice before leaving), THEN, come back within 5 minutes and praise your dog. Next time increase it to 7, 8 or 10 minutes and so on. This will accustome you dog to knowing you will return and end the anxiety.

I am the owner of a 4 year old mixed breed dog. When I originally got her the shelter worker told me her last owner turned her in because she was aggressive. I however did not see any signs of aggressive behavior. She has been with me for a year and now she is unpredictable with new people. She barks and growls and snaps at children and strangers, once she is around a new person for a period of time she eventually becomes trusting and loving of and toward the person. She is a wonderful dog, but the aggression she has shown really scares me and now I have gotten a promotion at work which would require me to travel and I am totally horrified at the thought of her being boarded because of her unpredictable behavior? I am desperate for help!!!!

Hi, I'm in need of serious help and any advise, I have an 11mos old doberman pincher. Last nov. he attacked me and i had to get my ear sewn back together in the ER, that same week he tried to attack my husband, luckly i grabbed his collar before he reached his throat. I have had him examined by three vets to rule out any problems, all tests given blood, urine, and thyroid. We were then referred to a behaviorist, positive treat training was suggested, and 40mg of prozac. and a possible diagnosis of "rage syndrome". We did well up until the past two weeks. We have had 4 horrible incidents with him attacking both of us. 2 while he was sleeping, 1 while he was rolled over and petting his belly, and 1 while playing fetch. Both of us had our hands bit really bad. We are now really afraid to do anything. He is not allowed upstairs, no furniture, and he has to do something, mainly sit to eat,drink, go outside or get treats. He has to work for whatever he wants. He was not abused as a pup, I got him a 8wks old. I feel like I've hit a brick wall with what to do. Oh, I also take him on daily walks up to at least an hour each day. Weekends I devote every minute to him, we hike for almost 3hrs if nice out. The last thing i want to do is put him down. Please if anyone has any advise I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Jen

Hi Jen- I'm sorry to hear about this with your doby-I'm wondering if your dog has any obiedience training? I find Cesar's techniques are great but I think most dogs-especially the bigger breeds need to go through obedience training as well.

I had similar problems with my German Shepherd Ginger-expcept she was not attacking my husband and me- she was attacking my younger shepherd CJ.
However we were the ones gettting injured-more so than CJ was.
In fact a year ago tomorrow was when the very first vicious attack had started-on CJs 2nd birthday.

Ginger and CJ are obedience trained-however we were alot more lenient with CJ than we were with my first shpeherd, and with Ginger. We put Ginger on the 40 mg of prozac-which helped a little but there were still attacks here and there.

I only started watching Cesar's show the last 2 or 3 weeks, and I learned that Ginger needs to see that I have control over CJ as well as her and they both need to know that I am the boss. Once I got CJ to listen to me-things have been calm and serene around my house. I'm no longer acting stressed , so in turn neither of them are acting stressed.
What would happen would be I was nervous being home alone with them-so CJ would feel insecure, and GInger would feel off of my uneasiness, and her fear and it was a horrendous vicious cycle. I think your dog is feeding off of your fear-and even if you aren't showing the dog fear-you are definitely giving off an anxious energy.

However, I think if they weren't obedience trained I would still be having trouble-and I don't mean that lame "Treat" training where you only get them to do things with food.
I mean good old fashioned pinch-collar type training. Alot of people don't like when you "correct" the dog on these types of collars, but truth be told their necks are so thick that it really doesn't hurt them-think about it when they bite eachother be it attacking or playing they grab eachothers scruffs-and their own mothers grab them and shake them by the scruffs to correct them as very young puppies-this concept ties in with what Cesar does and I believe if you combine the two and keep your doby on the prozac you won't have to put the dog down.

Find a reputable trainer in your area an follow what Cesar says on the show-believe me it will help.

Jen,
I understand your problem very well.I rescued 3yrs ago a 4 week old pure buff cocker spaniel that was taken from his mother and abused and thrown to the winter elements and then handed to me just in time. He was the most beautiful puppy( and i had rescued abused dogs before)and 2 weeks 2 vet appointments and 35 stitches later we had a problume.People in the vets waiting room would hold there dogs back when we would walk out of the room and laugh because the commotion in the room didnt fit this perfect little dog.The vet told me that he had rage syndrome and we might have to think the unimagineable.I went home got on the computer and started looking up anything that might help.I found a real website in the U.K.that i still send up dates to. The 2 ladies that ran this site are two Dr.s that resurch rage syndrome and they could not help me because the end result is all the same.I personally could not live with myself because its not his fault but it takes a strong person to deal with this one.Its like a secure that they go through its a rush of serotonin.I still have him 3 yrs later and he still runs the house and bites and what i found is that you realy have to be firm and you have to be the leader.If you apply a firm submission move on them untill they brake the secure and make them submit you can start to brake the agression BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOUR TYPE OF BREED CONSULT A PERFESSIONAL IN THIS>>>>PLEASE...You have to stay constent.Unfortunetly you will not brake him of everything but he can get easier to handle.But please keep in your mind that it is a serious matter and as much as you love them its a 50/50.I still have to muzzle him in somethings still and i have to be on him all day everyday.I also have a 17yr old mutt that I rescued with his sister at 4m old and they were so abused they didnt trust any human.The sister was a one person dog and like i said my 17yr old is sitting right here and he still needs reminders and he looks scarey and hes just a mush its the little cute one you have to worrie about.I hope I was in some help ....GOOD LUCK
Debbie

I was entry #30... sadly I seem to have been lost in the pile of problems. Ti my Rat Terrier is not giving up on her possisive personality. In years past I have spent a lot of time visiting with others animals. Due to my health concerns I have not been able to keep up with this practice, let alone have monthly visits to the off leash parks. Though in view of her new personality problem I doubt that resuming that schedule will be a good idea.
Just the other night I went to a friends, her dog, my Min Pin and Ti were getting along fine. Until I sat down, Ti then became territorial of myself and the sofa I was sitting on. Sadly we had to send Ti to spend the rest of the evening out in my truck.
Really need some help here, Thanks!

Hi Lee Woods (Post #67),

If you are interested in getting your dog involved as a Therapy Dog, you can go to the TDI site: http://www.tdi-dog.org/. There are testing requirments posted as well as upcoming tests in various states.

Remember though, your dog must first pass the AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test before moving into TD training/testing.

Good luck!

I have two shih-tzu's who both have wonderful personalities. One is a female and one is a male. I had the male first and was able to house train him without much of a problem. One year later we purchased the female and every bit of his house training went out the window. She is house trained and will have the occasional accident but he pee's on everything. He does not poop in the house though. When I leave during the day I cage them and have no problems with him holding it, but if I leave the house for an hour he will pee on things, and will do this when I am home. What can I do to get him to stop this terrible habit he has formed? Other than this I have no problems with him and he is the most timid dog ever! Pleasseeeee Help!

HI Jen- You are very welcome, your story really hit home with me, and I really thought I would have to get rid of my Ginger. She's my best friend and my heart was breaking.
Here is the web site of a guy we originally got us into training with: http://canines.com
My friend's name is Bob DeFranco-not only did he train my very first shepherd and taught my husband Dan & myself how to train, but he has done alot of study in canine behaviorism in the last 10 years and is very well respected. He gave us alot of reccomendations for Ginger, and helped us get her on prozac. Email him, tell him Dan & Shari Forst told you to get in touch and he can help you find a reputable trainer in your area.

You are on the right track with Bo-please keep us posted, and if you have any questions or went to vent feel free to email me personally: shazoo418@yahoo.com

HI Monica-A doggie door won't help-he's marking his territory and he wants that territory to be inside. I had thought about putting a doggie door when I bought my house, but I didn't like the idea of them being out when my husband and I were at work because even when they are weel trained you just never know-they could see something and jump the fence etc. It's more trouble than it's worth.

Back to your dilema-since he is small dog I would suggest grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and firmly shake him-I don't mean throttle him-just stern and quick from side to side and tell him firmly NO as you do it. IN nature the dog's mother would grab the scruff of the neck with her mouth and shake him to correct his behavior and this is mimicking that practice-the only catch is you must CATCH him in the act to correct the behavior. Showing it to him after he's done it won't work-to him that was eons ago why is she upset with me now?

I have a 5 yr old doberman/australian or border collie mix, possibly other in there as well. We rescued her from a
when her mother and siblings had been abandon at a house next to a relitive. She has always been rather strong willed, we figured she was just to smart for her own good. She has never been overly aggresive, she did display a little when would try to corect her, or she had food she did not want to give up. But those where minor, now it seems that she is getting worse, today she growled at my wife just for telling her to shut up. I know that exersize and diet have a lot to do with a dogs behavior, so I know that we are partly responsible for this new beahvior. We just had our first child and so both of our dogs have kinda been put on the back berner so to speak. But because of the new baby, my wife is telling me that I need to find a new home for her, or take her to the Humane society. But to me she is like a part of the family, so I realy don't want to do that. If anyone has any ideas that could save her plaes let me know, if you would like more info on ouyr case just e-mail me and i will fill in the blanks, thanks.

HI Pamela-Yeah it was a huge dilema for us when Ginger got so out of hand.
It was harder for family and friends to understand why we didn't give her away. Part of that decision was because since she took our other shepherd Chris' death so hard, she got that much more attached to us. I knew it would break her heart if we did that, the only way we would have considered it was if certain family or friends that she has spent TONS of time with and knew and loved would take her-and to be honest after all of this started those options dried up quickly because those people didn't want her-they didn't trust her anymore and were afraid. Plus her biting me was purely and accident- I know she would never do that on purpose, I just got myself in the way.

So far since I've been applying Cesar's techiniques along with being very strict with her as far as obeying commands, the only incidents we've head were very tiny barely audible growls that she thinks she is getting away with, but I let her know I heard it and she gets corrected right then and there. The other thing she started to do which I expected, was she would make the noise at me after I correct her because she is trying to challenge my newfound authority. When she did that I put her muzzle on her which she really hates- I leave it on for a few minutes and then I ask her if she is going to be a good girl-she usually gives me her paw and I know that means she will behave and I take it off. But now at least my other dog CJ doesn't walk around in fear and she doesn't hide upstairs or in other rooms like she used to.

It is completely possible to live with them after being bitten after you isolate the problem and get it handled. I'm glad you are proof of that too.

Do any of you know how to work with Fila Brasileiros? I own one and they are very different from regular dogs.

They DO NOT like strangers under any circumstances and other animals not raised with them.
This, from all the breeders I have spoken to, cannot be trained out or modified out of the dog. This is the way they are.

But they are very, very, very faithful to the owners and the pets they grow up around protecting them with their life. Any comments?

Instead of Prozac, try a homeopathic remedy which is better because its all natural. Rescue remedy will help in calming you pet down. It sure works for my pets :)

Gerry,

I don't know if your dog will get nasty with your family or not. There is a big chance he will not. My husky mix - 4 years old - is very fearful too, sometimes to the point of agression towards strangers and other dogs, but she is nothing but the sweetest girl for us, never ever showed any agression towards her family. Since I started watching Cesar, I started working with her. She already was getting plenty of excercise, so we worked on discipline. I would go to places where I knew dogs and people will be there, and make her sit and watch other dogs playing (I don't believe she is ready to join the dog park yet). We would walk and pass people and dogs. I would tell her to sit. In the beginning she would charge at all the passing dogs, but with time it became less and less. She would sit and let the people or dogs pass. Yesterday we took her for her rabies shots. There were about 10 other dogs, all in the small place, waiting in line. All barking, moving around, some friendly and some not. I was very proud of my Ruffy, as she sat politely in line, didn't show her teeth even once, even when other dogs tried to approach her. I have got comments like: "oh look how nice this dog behaves" or "she is so calm". I could tell that she was nervous, but I think she trusted me completely, hence the calm behavior in such a stressfull situation.

We are happy to say that we now have a beautiful male Bichon Frise. We researched for two years until we decided what breed would best fit our household. Because of it's size and good nature of course. We got him when he was just 8 weeks old and is now 17 weeks old. Max is a very lovable puppy and is of course teething. We have given him toy's and rawhides. He sleeps ina crate next to my side of the bed. During the weekday my family of two boy's and my husband go off to school and work while I stay at home with Max. I give him a ten minute walk about two times a day and I have sucessfully trained him to sit, stay, come,and walk without stoping or snooping around. Here's my problem. When it comes around 7:00 pm. or later he becomes mouthy. He will raise his nose in the air and bark at me or eaven jump at me with barking and wildness about him. I don't know how to handle this. I have used the leash to keep some control of him. I usually will put him in the k itchen by himself with a gate to close the room off. Can you help me get better controle over him? I love him and he shows me great affection for most of the day. Any help will be greatly appreciated. By the way, I love your show and watch it faithfully. You are a great inspiration. Thank you.
Susan

To the person who mentioned they give their dog all kinds of attention, I have read that you need to give these kinds of dog LESS attention, as they already feel they are the pack leader.

Also, my pit mix, Missy, started soiling the house all over when I went back to work. I read in a dog behaviorist's book that you should take them out and immediately give them a treat when they go outdoors. This worked with Missy and I have had very little problem with her since.

To the person who worried about boarding her dog(s), I found a good pet sitter (who the dogs love) and she will come over 2 or 3 times a day to feed & let them out. It's about the same price to board 2 dogs and they don't have the stress of boarding.

Does the person who recommended the aconite know if that or Rescue Remedy will help my very anxious, fearful hound mix, Rex, who goes berserk when any car or delivery person comes up the driveway and when I have to take him in my car to the vet, etc. he will chew through anything (including the seatbelt in my new car).

Thanks for everyone's input.

Hello. I have a 4yr old male Portugese Water Dog. He is extremely loving towards to myself, my husband and our 3 kids. My 20 month old can feed him cheerios one at a time and he has never snatched, growled or snapped. He is also fine if we have house guests and is great with my cleaning lady who lets herself in the house once a week. The problem is with other people. He is so aggressive. He has been turned away from several kennels and the only kennel who will take him has to use an animal control lead to take him outside. We travel 4-5 times a year and they dread taking him. The owner suggested I put him in their doggie daycare to socialize him more, but after 3 classes, he was asked not to return. The staff is terrified of him and cannot go anywhere near him. ALso, he was not so nice with the other dogs. I used a pet nanny for about a year, and he did great. Unfortunately she quit and they sent out several new girls to meet my dog. He was fine when I was there, but when they let themselves in the house, he freaked and hid in the corner and they couldn't get him to go outside or to leave the laundry room.

I hired a trainer who came to the house and the dog was fine because I was there. He was an angel, but as soon as we went out for a walk, he growled and snarled at everyone we saw. I took him to a dog boot camp where you leave him for training and they called and said to come and get him because they couldn't get anywhere near him. They didn't want to give him back to me because they feared for the safety of my children

When he was 8 weeks old, the vet I went to told me he was aggressive and to give him back to the breeder. I didn't listen and found a new vet. My new vet is sympathetic because he had a similar personality dog for 14 years. I cannot imagine 10 more years of this. I have to sedate him to bring him to the vet, I cannot take him to the park or the pet store. He is sheltered in our home. He is so adorable that people want to pet him but I am scared to take him out. He has already bitten 3 people who have tried to pet him

My husband wants to give him away, the kids cry everytime we bring it up. I am expecting another baby in 2 months and I am torn as to what to do

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

Sharon

Hi there everyone,

I'm a Air Force cop whose first and true love is working with dogs, I consider myself half behaviorist/half trainer. I normally work exclusively with military families and their pets.(known as the dog lady, lol) I have been working with dogs since I was 13(so about 12 years now). If anyone is in the Atlanta, GA area and has a aggressive dog towards other dogs or people, food or toy aggression, a overly excited dog, a training issue(doesn't walk nicely, pulls, refuses to listen,etc), fearful, shy, etc please email me at faithatwar220203@aol.com and we can discuss what needs to be done to rehabilate your dog and get him in a calm, submissive state of mind. After the dog is rehabilitated, I will start the initial ground work in obedience. I charge $200 and that includes 2- 45 minute sessions with your pet and I exclusively, 1- 1 hour session with your pet, every family member and I going over your pets rehabiliation, work with you and your pet on how to improve your pack leadership skills and teach you how to train your pet to heel, sit, down and come and we will set up a time for me to come back in two weeks for a follow-up to answer any questions that may have arised and to see how your pet has come along. If you have a rottweiler, doberman, german sheppard, pitt bull with issues, take $25 off!! If you have any questions please email at faithatwar220203@aol.com(put in subject line, The Dog Lady: Pet Questions, cause it will probably go to my spam filter and want to make sure I catch your email) with your name, pets name, breed, age, pet issue/problem, questions and I will get back with.

Thank you!!
Linnea Shirley

Hi please help,my daughter took a 10mnth old boxer he is a rescue dog. He was fine with other dogs at first but we dare not let him off the lead,now we can let him off the lead he goes crazy when he sees another dog,we always put him back on the lead when we see one but he is getting aggresive and usually goes for them.As you can emagine he is getting very strong now and takes some holding so we try to take him the other way,not always easy.what can we do. Many thanks.

I have two westties 1-one years old and 1 is 6 month old I was woundring if any one might know how i can stop my 6 month from marking in the house .are older one is very well behaved

Its been a while since I last posted, and a very long time from the first post I made in this blog( first one in this blog). I would like to make this my final blog entry, with an update on my situation, in hopes that it may help some others who have posted here, or are active readers of this blog. Please read my previous blog entries, if you want a history of my situation. Basically, I have come out of this ordeal with my German Shepherd, with a complete VICTORY!. I could not have asked for better results. Wow, I can't believe what a complete 180 degree turn my dog has taken, with Ceaser's approach. My neighbors still can't believe this is the same dog that attacked their dogs viciously several months back. This worked for me and my dog, and here is what I did. First off, he is taking daily doses of Prozac, twice a day, 20mg for each dose. I make sure he never leads, when he's leashed. I make him wait until I tell him its OK for him to drink or eat. I exercise him daily, for about 30 minutes of rigorous sprinting, until he's completely exhausted ( he never seems to be and always wants to run more). Before, when I wasn't doing all of these things, Hercules was a very aggressive dog, especially towards other dogs. Now, he won't even look at them, when they pass us by. He's become so disciplined in ways that I could only have dreamed of before. Now, he "listens". When I want him to stay in one spot and not move until I want him to move, he obeys. When I tell him to go somewhere and do something that I want him to do, he obeys. His nervousness is completely gone, his erratic behavior when it was time for him to go outside is completely gone. He is what I consider, completely recovered, and I couldn't be more happier. Thank you Mr. Millan, this has been a great experience, and the results more rewarding then I could ever have imagined.

i desperatly need help no matter how hard i try my puppy keeps going to the bathroom in my house its makin me a reck ill take him out every 20 minutes and he still manages to go in the house and he also continuosly eats my other dogs food i cant get it thru his head that is not his bowl is he stupid?? hes going on 3 months he hasnt even tried training even a little bit im going to get red of him if he doesnt eas up!!!

how long to Pit's stay in thrie first labor? It's already been 14hrs with only 2 pups. How many pups do they usually have?

I just found this blog and thanks to all that have posted here. I have a 7 month old German Shepherd from champion German Lines. I purchased him from a reputable breeder, and he was flown over by the breeder's partner in Germany. He was a sweet puppy at 8 weeks when we got him, just very mouthy (which i was told was in the normal range for puppies), where my kids couldn't even touch him. At 13 weeks, he changed and started growling and becoming possessive over his food bowl, bones, and would growl if I tried to wipe his feet when he came in. I had a private training session with a behaviorist to evaluate him, and she felt that he just needed a lot more exercise--the 2-3 daily walks for 30 minutes a piece were not enough. I taught him to fetch (which took a while, he doesn't like to let go of the thing he is fetching!), which gave him lots of exercise, and enrolled him in puppy kindergarten classes. We went right into basic training, and he has now become a sweet, affectionate dog with our family (the kids can even hug him!). In the basic training class, he began to growl and lunge at the other dogs in the class, and finally, at the last session, he broke an off leash recall and picked a fight with another dog which was calmly lying down next to his owner. The trainer has banned us from off leash classes because of this behavior (understandably), but I was left traumatized. He had never done anthing like this before, and we try to get a least one play session a week with my neighbors dogs. He does reasonably well with the "right" adult dog that can handle him. He seems to have problems recognizing other dogs' signals and plays innappropirately with many dogs (going over the topline of the dog, not stopping when the other dog signals that they should). It's such a catch-22--I want to socialize him more to teach him how to play with dogs, but when he does, he's a brat! And now with this latest incident, I am very worried. Luckily it did not last long, and no one was hurt, but it was frightening none the less. I really want to work this out of him, but I have been told that this is "hard wired"into him. Is there any way to manage this so that he can become a good "dog citizen"? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

HEYHEYHEY ERRRRRRRRRR U SMELL OF FART BIBI XXXXXXXX

My doberman pincher is a 1 year and six months old. He was adopted from what I believe to be an abusive household. As much as I'd like to keep him, he is very aggresive to humans (including myself) when being disciplined, or challenged for that matter. I'm scared one day I might be bit! Someone please help!!!!

My 8 month old dog has PLENTY of chew and plush toys to amuse him but he ALWAYS rips up his wee wee pads instead - even if he has been potty on them! How do I stop him from doing this? They make such an awful mess and if he chews it up before he has gone on it then I have a whole other mess to clean up as well. I walk him twice a day - In the morning for an hour with lots of running and in the evening for about 15 minutes. I work from home so he see me all the time and we interact during that time too. (But he knows not to pester me and is quite good with that). He rips up the pads when I leave the house without him (Most of the time he comes with me though), sometimes as soon as 1 hour after I've left. I'm usually not gone for more than 4 hours maximum. Also, my room mate sometimes doesn't take her house trained pitbull to the toilet for 15 hours or more. Is this ok? Also, is it ok to pick up a small dog by the scruff of the neck for repremanding? Thanks.

Our dachsund, loves basketballs!She barks when ever she hears or see`s one.She comes over to the basketball and barks at it, she jumps up and down as the basketball bounces. Which is very bad for dachsunds backs!So therefor we cant play with the basketball. This goes the same for my step-sisters dachsund. (Also we have a black lab, she loves to go on walks and we love to take her on walks too! But whenever we take her on walks she gets soooo excited that you cant even enjoy the walk, she tugs and pulls you so much that she thinks she in control.)how can you help us??

I have a 6 month miniture pincher who like to eat all the time we give him three meals a day small size. But when he finish eating is like is not enough for him. Some time he eat grass,some time his drop it's like he is missing something. The kind of food that eats is Veterinarian Scince Diet food. Always hypert.

I have an 11 year old irish wolfhound/shep/bouvier X who is amazing and wonderful in so many ways...He is also a royal pain in the rump.

He was adopted from the SPCA @4.5 months...fearful, needy, mal-nourished, etc. He has been well socialized with people and pets alike and still maintains great relationships with all people and cats...regardless of their familiarity...

He will always welcome a new human or feline friend.

He has been attacked a number of times, however, by other dogs in a "he's on leash...they are not" situation.

He is a highly confident dog and will not display concrete signs of his intimidation...but he now 'seems' somewhat afraid of new dogs.

I know he's not going to injure anyone with any severity. He lived with an 8 lb Pekingese as well as 25 lb Beagle and never once took either on. He is also fine with familiar dogs and some of his best friends include 2 Pugs, a Rotti, a Dalmation, and a Foxhound, males and females with varying ages.

These introductions were made (against all text book advice) by having the new dog come into our home without hesitation. He is obviously not territorial, as he seems to prefer this manner of meet and greet above the off leash choas at the local park.

He is pretty well behaved and I can control him in most scenarios...My problem is that he is huge (110lbs) and catches me and my own 110 lb frame off guard from time to time. I have been alternating Aconite and Arsenicum Album weekly in a 200c potency and in a divided dose, until we (his homeopath and I) figure out his constitutional remedy.

I have stopped vaccinating him for nearly 4 years now and treat only with nosodes when necessary.

He has NEVER in 11 years been on antibiotics or steriods or any other suppressing drugs.

He eats a well balanced raw diet...And there seems to be no physical health problems.

I muzzle him when we meet new dogs, but generally his dramatic vocalizations communicate poorly and he ends up getting bit...Last week a terrier half his size nearly took his eye out. Luckily, it healed well, in less than 10 days with merely calendula gel and sympathy.

Does anyone have any further suggestions how to settle what seems to be a dramatically vocal, oversized and excitable "wookie"?

Thanks,
Kim

3 months ago my husband and I adopted a 7 month old dog from a rescue. He quickly learned sit, down, heal, stay, and to play fetch. Durring the first month we took him regularly to the dog park where he was friendly to all people and all dogs. He loved to play with the other dogs and never growled, bared his teeth or showed any signs of aggestion-even when others dogs would. However, durring the middle of the second month an aggressive dog attacked him a bit through his ear, the inccident was quick the owner quick gave a command and the dog let go. We were concerned that might make him be more defensive but the next time we went to the dog park he showed no altered signs of his behavior. About two weeks later a very large black dog attacked him, the owner did nothing and the incident was quite drawn out. Our dog very shaken and walked out with his tail between his legs whimpering. The following day we left town to visit friends who have two playful large dogs and our dog spent the weekend having a great time playing with them. Upon coming home we tried taking him to the dog park again, but this time as we got close his hackels came up, he bared his teeth and tried attacking a small dog on a leash. We haven't taken him back since. However, on our daily walks he is increasingly getting more aggresive to some dogs-other dogs he still loves. Also, recently he has begun growling and barking at some strangers. His aggressions is unpredictible and we are not sure what to do. Any suggestion would be great!

I think that you need to highly experienced to work with a read zoned dog.

hi. im writing about my 3 year old husky/rottie mix, hoping someone may have some advice.
my dog, roo, is the perfect animal. she’s extremely sweet tempered, and gets along very well with my 10 month old daughter. the problem is, since before i had my daughter(actually, when i was about 5 months pregnant with her), roo developed SERIOUS seperation anxiety. she follows me from room to room, and if i even go into the shower, and shut her out of the bathroom, she cries uncontrollably, tears things up, and messes in the house. I can't even go grocery shopping unless someone is around to stay with her!
we tried prozac rx, which didn't work at all, and im at the end of my rope! the neighbors are complaining, due to her constant crying, and there are things i have to do without the dog. i've concidered doggy day care, but i just cant afford it. and i cannot place her in a new home. she has been a blessing with my daughter, and i can't break the bond they've developed. i wouldn't be able to forgive myself.
i hope someone can help me find a solution, or give me some tips. thanks

For Aaron (comment 15)

In response to your post, I beg of you to PLEASE DO NOT get another pit bull (or any other dog, for that matter). It is very apparent that you cannot handle the aggressive behavior of your dog, as you have been unsuccessful in changing it. Why would you get another dog when you're still dealing with the first one? And I'm especially appalled that you'd want a dog of the opposite sex--I'm assuming to breed the two? If that's a possibility, it would be a very, very bad idea considering the disposition of your original dog--why would you want to pass that on genetically?

I am one of the victims of someone with a vicious dog. My neighbor has a bull mastiff that plowed through two stockade fences and almost killed my dog. He since put up an expensive chain link fence, but the dog actually jumps over it to go after the other neighbors' cat. I had to move out of the house immediately and have not been back since. I'm afraid of it killing my dog, or biting me while I try to separate them. (I picked up the dog by its collar--which is the only reason she is not dead today. However, I did not get bit as it WOULD NOT drop my dog out of its mouth until the owner ran over.)

Before that time, my neighbor had two pit bulls, which--according to the local dog officers--he was suspected of fighting. One scratched through a wall to get to the other one, and they fought so badly, one had to be put down. This owner actually went out and got another dog, which he can't handle, and is also very dog aggressive. He is now selling his house (at a huge financial loss, as the RE market has fallen here), primarily because the entire neighborhood hates him and his dog. I can't wait for them to move so I may finally be able to go back home. I'm lucky I got out okay and my dog is alive, but her behavior has changed drastically, and she's much more nervous around other dogs, especially large ones.

This experience was awful for me, and I'm sure most would say it wasn't worth it for the owner who keeps getting aggressive dogs. Please, please don't get another dog until you get your first one under control. Don't breed an aggressive dog, and if you do get another one, please don't feed the puppy mill industry--get one from a shelter that needs a good home.

Thank you.

"Hi , Cesar
I have a American Pit bull Terrier and she is very dog aggresive to dogs on her territory and sometimes off. She wants to kill them. I took her into a puppy store once and she had never been there and didnt show any aggresion to any of the pups, I want to get a new pit bull pup, my dog is a female so i would get a male. But what are the main things i should know and do you think it is likely that my dog will get along with a puppy, because she wouldnt get along with another adult female thats for sure. So cesar what should i know and what should i do? Any one who can answer this please do, Is it more likely she will get along with a puppy and get along with it as an adult if she has grown up with it?
please answer anyone asap"

hi i have a 9 month old red heeler, she is very aggressive when it comes to her bones she wont let my daughters into our bed room she growls. and if they do come in the room she runs around the room guarding her bones. Also when we are outside she jumps on me to try to get me to play and barks, frankly its somewhat annoying when i am working. what can i do to work with her to get this behavior to stop. thanks

We have a 10 year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi spayed female who has never been comfortable with other dogs in her house. When she was 3 years old we got a male puppy (not to breed, he is neutered). Katie bullied him, and my husbands response was to baby Bert. Much of the problem with both dogs results from my husband's "let the dog do whatever it wants" attitude. After watching several episodes of Dog Whisperer he now admits he was wrong and we are working with both dogs as Cesar suggests, exercise, discipline, affection. The big problem though is that about 2 years ago, Katie and Bert finally got really aggressive with each other. We have had several serious fights without injuries and one fight where Katie managed to shear off half of Bert's lower left large molar. We have dealt with the problem by keeping the dogs completely separated. Fortunately our house can easily be closed so that Bert is the living room/back yard dog, and Katie is the kitchen/front yard dog. But constant vigilance is the watchword, and I really wish we could have things back the way they were before when we could enjoy both dogs in the same space. We have a great cemetery nearby to walk them and are able to walk them together. We can each take both dogs without incident. They seem to have gotten to the point that neither of them wants to fight, but we are afraid to go too fast and aren't sure of the appropriate steps. After our long walks at the cemetery we have been walking them on leash around the house and making them sit and down within a few feet of each other. We were working with a trainer who recommended shock collars and heavy duty muzzles. We just never could make ourselves follow through with her program, and now I think maybe it wasn't the right approach anyway. I must add that Katie has always been fearful. Her mother wound up in Corgi Rescue due to aggression problems. Beyond what we are already doing which I plan to do slowly, I'm not sure what the next steps should be. Both dogs responded immediately to Cesar's method of walking. Bert has been a terrible puller, and in 30 seconds I had him trotting along beside me. So I know this stuff works. I just need to know more. Thanks for any help.

my dog pees everywhere, she pees when she is really excited. i take her for walks and she still pees in the house, she pees where she isnt suppose to pee and i take her out all the time. she will hold her pee until she gets inside and let loose. what should i do i dont want to beat her, but i do tell her no, and bad dog but this is really getting out of control. please help shes an alaskan malamute

Ewa, ARE YOU THERE? ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH WHAT EVERYBODY WRITES HERE? Let me know. I want to write you something, but want to make sure you get it. I am too in the South, to be more specific in northeast Louisiana. Let me know if you still there.

I have a five year old saintbanard Who is a fraid of thunder. This problem just started a few mounths ago.

I have a 90lb 1yr old american Bulldog. He sleeps inside during the night time and outside all day 9am till 10pm. He takes his walk everyday at 10am. When we let him inside to mingle, he is very submissive. As We try to go out into the backyard we almost always have to fight him off we tell him wrong, but still manages to control the backyard as his domain,
don't know if we are socializing him enough we do give him play time more than 1hr. How can I get him under control so we can enjoy being outside in the backyard?