Agression Issues

[Idan Kashi]

Kosmo is a 1 year old Malinois mixed that I've adopted when he was 5 months old from a shelter. He is castrated. He was all fine (although he always had problems with eating - he may eat anything he can and anything he can't) but in the last two months he started to develop some aggression issues: it firstly started when he would bark and jump on the door of my yard when someone (from my family, not a stranger from outside) gets out to the yard. He then started to randomly bark at us inside the house when he was tied up to his place (we tie him when he doesn't behave or when we eat). The main problem is with my father, he just doesn't accept his presence at the house - every step my father makes when Kosmo is tied, he'd bark and lunge aggressively.

*A note: Kosmo had two surgeries in the last month because he ate some crap that caused his stomach to stuck, so he had some hard and risky surgeries, and after we've passed it all the veterinarian recommended a new feeding routine: He gets almost a doubled amount of food because he was in malnutrition and always angry and I also make it for 4 meals - one each 4 hours.
Kosmo seems calmer now, but the problem is that the aggression is still here.

I try and almost make training sessions everyday, and assume all Alpha training: He sits and waits before he can eat, he doesn't get out of the door before I do, he isn't allowed up on beds or sofas, he eats after we do, and he doesn't get food from the table, and doesn't get a free treats - he always had to perform a basic command to get a treat. I also make attempts to reward every good behavior like when he is being calm in the house or when he walks nice on leash. etc.

He still doesn't accept me and my family as his leaders, and he sometimes wants it on his own way.
Another thing that happens when I take him out is that he sometimes just get crazy - one moment he is calm and fine, and suddenly he runs and lunges and bites the lead, growls, and get even crazier when I try to grab him by his collar to settle him - he will attack me (try to defensively bite my hand so I won't grab him by his collar).

Just to sum it all:
I assume Alpha rules, and make training sessions almost everyday.
He still doesn't accept me, nor my family as leaders - he wants things on his own way. He is territorial on my yard, and being dominance at some people at my house. He also got some crazy times when he gets out of control while out for a trip.

I'm really sorry for writing it too complicated, it was pretty hard for me to sum it all clearly.


If something isn't clear enough, or you just have a question, just ask.

Waiting for a response,
Idan

[kjd]

Has the vet ensured that Kosmo has no lingering issues from the surgeries? Might he be in pain or have a tender spot? Is his hearing and eyesight good?

[Idan Kashi]

Originally Posted by kjd

Has the vet ensured that Kosmo has no lingering issues from the surgeries? Might he be in pain or have a tender spot? Is his hearing and eyesight good?

That's a good point. I will go tomorrow for another visit at the vet. We'll check it.

But as I now think about that the problems occur mostly after the evening - until then he is fine and only willing to rest (we're in the summer now and it's warm, so he has less energy). So I don't think that something bothers him from the surgery. Anyway, we'll check.

[KOPsarah]

Hi Idan, let me know how your vet check goes and if your still having problems that the vet cannot find a cause for let me know.