This dog is an aggressive mess, but I want to save him.

[Cgregoli]

Hi everyone, I badly need help - I may have taken on a bigger project than I can handle.

My boyriend adopted two chihuahua mixes about 6 years ago. I'm pretty sure my problem boy, Petey, is chihuahua/terrier and about 8 years old. He was apparently returned to the rescue group twice, we don't know why. Petey considered himself dominant while with my boyfriend and the other dog, who is about as submissive as it gets.

I unwittingly established myself as alpha with Petey the first time he was at my house without my boyfriend around, he wouldn't come when he was called and I went and got him, walked him back to where I wanted him, flipped him on his back and growled at him louder than he was growling at me until he turned his head away and looked away from me. After that, he obeyed me better than my boyfriend.

About two years ago, my boyfriend moved to Vancouver, Canada, taking the dogs with him (I kept the cats here in the US), we drove them up for the move. A trainer there diagnosed Petey as dominant aggressive, and told my boyfriend how to handle him by holding him down and not letting him up until he made a "submission noise", which often took up to 1/2 hour! I wasn't around for this, except on a few trips up to see my boyfriend. When my boyfriend returned to the US, he flew back and had the dogs in carriers on the plane, but not with him in the cabin. When I first walked up to Petey in his carrier in the airport, he growled and lunged at me (still in he carrier), but I put it down to being stressed from the flight - he was given no meds and as far as we know had never been on a plane before.

Once my boyfriend moved into his place in Los Angeles, Petey got much worse - attacking my boyfriend without provocation as far as we could tell. One night I was there and my boyfriend got up off the couch while Petey was on the ottoman at his feet, and Petey attacked him as he walked by, drawing blood and creating quite an uproar. My boyfriend went through the "hold him down" routine, even while bleeding all over the floor and the dog. Sometimes Petey was great, and sometimes he was a nightmare, we could never tell when he was about to explode. About 6 months later my boyfriend moved again, this time to an apartment that had no outside access, so the dogs had to be taken on walks several times a day. With the aggression getting worse with the new move, my boyfriend contacted another trainer. At the first meeting, that trainer aggravated Petey by putting down a treat, then not letting him take it and spraying him in the eyes with citronella spray when he tried to get the treat. The trainer did this repeatedly (5-6 times), saying he had to see how bad Petey would get. Then, with Petey all riled up, the trainer wanted us to try to put a gentle leader on Petey. That did not go well, my boyfriend was bitten and I almost was. This trainer said he was food aggressive and that he could not help until we could get the gentle leader on him. We have never been able to do so, I think because he associates the gentle leader with that horrible day.

We consulted another trainer, she took Petey with her for 2 weeks, getting bitten several times while he was with her. Her method of training Petey was harnessing him to a pit bull "to teach him how to be a dog". I noticed in the photos that she posted on her facebook page that Petey always seemed to have a leash attached to him when he wasn't harnessed to the pit bull. When we got Petey back, he was fearful of anything that moved, and attacked my boyfriend every time he would try to leash Petey for a walk, resulting in lots of bites and commotion several times a day. Petey would snap and growl at any time with no warning.

About two weeks ago, I took Petey, since my boyfriend could no longer handle him at all and I have a back yard so if I couldn't leash him for a walk I could at least get him outside. I started the alpha dog training with him, and he responds to treats well, will sit perfectly but sometimes will not recall. When my boyfriend comes over, Petey runs to him, tail wagging, ears up and then stops, growls and attacks. We've both been bitten when I've tried to abort an attack, but this weekend was the first time Petey came after me, rather than my just getting in the way of him going after my boyfriend. I was trying to keep him away from attacking my boyfriend and Petey turned on me, biting me in the hand, foot and thigh.

Petey generally seems happy to see me, but will occasionally growl, especially if I am trying to leash him. Sometimes he will growl when he's come over to my hand and I scratch him once or twice, then he starts in. When he's growled, barked and/or seemed about to lunge, I tell him "Petey no!" in a firm voice, look away while backing off, then I send him to his box and take him outside with a towel over the openings. He's calmer and eager to see me when I let him out. He brings me a tennis ball to throw for him and will let me take it from his mouth, takes training treats from my hand without biting and will eagerly sit on my lap if I let him.

I need to get him to stop attacking, accept leashing (he seems really afraid of the leash sometimes, but not always), and get him to stop attacking my boyfriend. I think he's really fear aggressive, since he lets me take food from his bowl, and has seen me as alpha from the start and usually obeys when he's not already in attack mode. Your books and system are a great help, but I need more advice about how to get him to accept my boyfriend again, and after having a terrible time with the three trainers my boyfriend used, I'm not really willing to go that route again, Petey is messed up enough as it is!

What are your suggestions about this four-footed disaster? I'm willing to work with him, but since I've not had a dog before (I've always had cats), I don't want to mess him up any more than he already is.

Thank you so much for any help you can give me.

[MaxHollyNoah]

Hi Cgregoli,

I read the whole story and I feel sorry for Petey. I am glad you are not giving up on him.

His last 6 years were full of changes; physical moves from a location to another with plane rides and car rides, living in different houses with different people, tried out on many different training methods by different trainers (which I am not sure if they are in fact certified trainers or not). Nothing stable and consistent for him. No wonder he got all confused and messed up

I am afraid that you need to start from the very beginning, which is "trust building". Right now he doesn't trust you and you can't trust him either.

Dogs don't listen to you or behave as you want them to if they don't trust you. I even think your boyfriend should stay out of his life until YOU can get Petey's trust on you. He should start with one person at a time.

I am not a dog trainer so it is up to you if you would try my method or not.

If I were you, I will make a very quiet and relaxing environment for Petey until he feels this is his home. I will start hand feed him every single meal, at least the first half of his meal. Just one kibble at a time. If you are afraid he might bite you, you can just throw one kibble at a time. Make this feeding time as a ritual and fun experience for him. You can use this opportunity for training how to sit and stay. Lay his leash on the floor and scatter kibbles around the leash. Pick up leash and show it him as you keep hand feeding him with the other hand.

If you can get a harness on him, you might want to leave it on him so that it will be easier to hook the leash on him. If he doesn't like to be leashed so much, maybe you can just let him out in the yard and put off walking him for a week or so until he becomes more relaxed and comfortable around you.

If you want to try the above method, let us know how it goes. It will take a while and a lot of patience but I don't see anything to lose by trying. Good luck

[Cgregoli]

Hi MaxHollyNoah:

Thank you for the response and the encouragement - I appreciate both!

Petey was affectionate and went through the sit-stay-come commands well this morning. I read your response after he'd been up for about 1/2 hour - and since your plan seemed very common-sense to me, I started by hand feeding Petey the first half of his breakfast. He was sitting in his box, where he usually gets stressed if someone reaches in, so I just kept my open hand with the food in it on top of the blanket barely under his nose. He looked a little confused at first (he's generally pretty "take it or leave it" towards food), then he munched his way through the first few pieces without any problems, so I praised him, took up more food, and repeated until he pulled back a bit with the ears going down, but no growling or any other signs of aggression. At that point, he'd eaten about 1/2 the food, so I just put the rest on the floor outside the box, he came out in a few minutes and finished it up.

I'll keep at it and see how it works. I have been keeping his environment as tranquil as possible, throwng his tennis ball when he asks for it but not getting him too excited and trying to let him get used to being in the house with just me and the cats rather than with me, the cats, the other dog and my boyfriend. He's calmer than he was when I took him a couple of weeks ago, so your advice on that seems right on.

A question on the leashing, though - rather than a harness, I was thinking of just attaching an extra ring to the back of his collar, he stresses when I reach around his neck to attach the leash to the ring underneath but if I can get it on him quickly enough he's usually ok. He's fine with the leash just being left around (he'll gnaw on it if I leave it on his big pillow), but when he sees it in a person's hand he growls about 1/2 the time and sometimes freaks out completely. I'm not sure I can harness him, he doesn't like me to reach under his front legs sometimes. Do you think having the ring on the back of the collar would cause problems if he pulls on the walk because the other ring with the tags would be under his chin?

Thanks again for the help!

[MaxHollyNoah]

Hi Cgregoli,

I am glad that you liked my method and it looks like working even by baby steps. Don't rush and just give him time that he needs to get comfortable with you.

Maybe in a week or two, start touching all over his body as you keep offering him treats. The key is to get him used to be touched. Maybe he didn't have much interaction with people when he was young.

As for the harness, it is just an idea and if it is hard to put it on him, don't use it. I like your idea of attaching an extra ring or even a shor leash to leave him on all the time. I just remembered that I did the same thing for my very very timid foster dog who bit my hands 3 times every time I grabbed his collar to attach a leash

I am attaching a photo that shows a red short leash. I left it on him until I got his trust.

Good idea

[KOPcaroline]

Hey there,

What a nightmare! Poor Petey! I have to say, and I don't mean to be offensive, I think those trainers probably did more damage than good - some of the techniques you described them using sound very counterproductive! Between these training exercises, constant moves and upheavals, and the removal of people who once were steady figures in Petey's life, I think he's entitled to feel a little unhappy.

Good on you for keeping him, I'm so happy you're so dedicated to the little guy. I hope we can help. MHN has given brilliant advice, I can't add too much to it, I agree with everything she advised, and think it sounds like you've already gone to big efforts to provide Petey a stabalizing, comfortable home.

You said he has a box he sleeps in, would you consider crate training him at your home? It will provide a secure area that is his safe zone - not for the cats, not for you, but just for him. Crates are great for helping severely stresed dogs settle down. Put a shirt that smells strongly like you in it. Put his box in it to begin with (or you can leave it in there, or take the box out and just leave the bedding). Put his favorite toy in it. You can even feed him in the crate (I'd still encourage the hand feeding, sounds like its going well!). Don't even put him in his crate as a punishment, but use it for overnights and when you're gone from the house. Its his safe place, you want him to be happy there Again, its not necessary, but you might have good results with giving it a go.

Definitely keep working on trust like MHN described. Happy environment, slow work up to being able to touch him all over. Remember no sudden grabs for him - do everything slowly and deliberately. Maybe instead of putting him in his box and then outside when he acts out, just put him into a room in the house on his own - a dark, quiet room. Just use it as a time out. This way, his sleeping box isnt also his punishment/cool down box (kind of going back to what I was saying with crate training).

When you come home, ignore Petey for a while. Even if he's super happy to see you. Making a big deal out of him can encourage acting out. Even if he's initially happy - as you said, he can change attitude within the time of a couple pats. Just wait for him to settle down until trying to pet him. Once he's settled down and still acting appropriately (not growling, etc), give him verbal encouragement. If he approaches you in a more calm way, give him a pat or two, then stop. Try to stop patting him BEFORE he becomes upset. That way, you are not linked to a trigger with him at all. This will also tie into the trust training.

Its going to be a slow road, but you sound like you're in it for the long haul. I do agree that your boyfriend should have limited interaction with him until you and Petey are 100%. Once Petey has a strong bond with you, you could also consider puppy socialization classes, or a doggie day care/group time sort of training (you can go to obedience too, if its something you're interested in. It will definitely help you relate to Petey with commands and listening!). Letting Petey interact with other happy dogs and their owners, and you all at the same time may help boost his confidence and become easier to get on with other people! I understand if you're not interested in obedience courses after what Petey's been through, but general socialization is great for all dogs!

Please let us know how Petey is doing, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you two! Poop pup, he deserves you and the love you're giving him! Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask more - we'll help all we can!

[Cgregoli]

Thank you both for the postings and advice!

Petey allows me to scratch under his chin, along his back and at the base of the tail much of the time, so over time I'm sure he'll let me work with his whole body, I'll just take it slowly as you advise.

MaxHollyNoah, I did take off his collar this morning, added the D ring (handy to have those in the sewing box), I got a little growl as I put the collar back on, then he ran to his box. Since he was nervous about the collar, I didn't try to leash him up afterwards, especially since the trees outside were being cut by then - too much noise! I have a short strap with a clip on one end, I will probably try to clip that to the D ring on the back of the collar to see how he takes it - thank you for the suggestion! This morning he went over by the front door (we only use the front door for walks), but wouldn't let me get near with the leash, he trotted for his box when I walked up. I just let him, I was pleased that there was no growling!

KOPcaroline, sorry, I wasn't clear - his "box" is a crate, and he is already crate trained. One of the "trainers" told my boyfriend that Petey shouldn't "own" anything, that he should make it clear to Petey that the box was my boyfriend's and that Petey was only "allowed" to use it. I disagree completely, I agree with you that Petey needs a place where he can always feel safe and secure. There's a comforter that he's had for a year or so in it (it gets washed when it gets too furry or starts to smell too strongly of dog) , and I make sure one of his tennis balls is always in there for him to gnaw (he has several - they're his favorite chew toy), and I give him a kong with some peanut butter when I leave for the day. He's been aggressive about guarding it in the past, but the last couple of days when I've been hand feeding him breakfast he's been quite calm about my hand lying on the comforter in front of him (I don't reach for him, I let him lean forward to me), which is a nice surprise - I expected at least some trouble with invading his space, since when I brought him home a couple of weeks ago I had to toss things in to him or he'd growl.

During the day, he is in the large kitchen/dining area, blocked in with plywood so the cats have the rest of the house but his area is all his. His box is in that area with him, along with his big pillow bed. Would it be better to shut him up in his crate for the day? He is shut in at night, so I thought it would be better to allow the larger area, especially since he loves to sprawl on that squishy pillow. I tried having him out in the back yard at first, but he howled on and off all day - I don't want to subject my neighbors to that!

I agree with you 100% that the "trainers" made things much worse - I don't know about the credentials of the one in Vancouver, but the one with the citronella spray was recommended by my boyfriend's vet, and the one that harnessed him to a pit bull supposedly graduated from the Animal Behavior College (but I don't see her name when I search their website for a certified dog trainer). They're the reason I don't really want to bring in another trainer at this point, I think they really didn't get to know Petey, just jumped in with pre-conceived notions and made everything awful. I remember when this dog would lay on my boyfriend's stomach while he did his crunches, gnawing on his tennis ball happily - the difference between then and now is heartrending.

I'm willing to try to put him somewhere other than his box for his timeouts, but he runs there immediately after any sort of altercation, and getting him out is very difficult - I have to practically upend the box and he growls if I try to pull out the comforter to make him uncomfortable enough to come out. If I put it outside, and leave it open, he comes out almost immediately, wanting to come back in, so if I close the sliding door and the blinds, it effectively blocks him out. I do have one room downstairs (he's not allowed upstairs) that I could put him in, a very small bathroom, but how should I try to get him there? The box won't fit if I tried to pick it up and put Petey and box in the bathroom.

KOPcaroline, you nailed it regarding when I come home (at least as of yesterday - before that he would just stare at me from across the kitchen). Petey was jumping around, whining and frantically trying to get some attention. He tried to jump on me and I told him "Petey, off". Once he got all four feet on the floor, I told him "Petey, sit". When he sat (after a couple of tries), I told him he was a good boy and gave him a scratch - he started licking my hand like there was no tomorrow. No scratching until he obeyed a command, but then lots of praise along with the scratching. (I should probably shorten the scratching time, so as not to set him off - I did not consider that, thank you for that suggestion.) Then I just went about what I needed to do (give him more water, move the door block, give the cats a scratch), trying not to trip on him. After that, he was much calmer.

Again, thank you both, I'll keep at it and I'm sure I'll have more questions - I appreciate your time and help!!

Cynthia

[KOPcaroline]

Hey Cynthia,


Sounds like you're already making good progress with Petey! I'm glad our suggestions are helping, hopefully they keep helping.

As far as his crate goes, part of his growling problem might be because thats where he goes when he's stressed or in trouble. If he thinks he might be reprimanded, and he goes there when he thinks that, it might lead him to be more protective of that space anytime - does that make sense? You might try shutting it during the day when you are home - it seems a bit counterintuitive, because you want him to have a safe place, but part of that safe place idea is that he knows you will not reprimand/tell him off in that space, so if you can divert his time out area to the bathroom, that might be better. (In all this, it is very good that you are not reaching into his crate to get him - this comes off as cornering him, so keep on with not doing that! Try enticing him with treats and a sweet voice, it may take time, but it should start encouraging him to come out and realize you're not going to do anything to him!)

So, if you want to try it, when you're home and moving around, close his crate door. You can take the comforter out of it and leave it in front of the crate so he can still have that, but dont let him run into the crate to hide. If he does snap, you're going to have to get hold of him somehow - hopefully your D ring and short lead with help here. Tell him "no" immediately for growling/snapping, and take him to the bathroom quickly. Leave him in there to be quiet for 5-10 minutes, then let him out - only if he's calm! Give him praise for being a good boy when you let him out, try not to let him cower - if he does, sit down so you're not standing over him, and call him to you for a scratch. Dont chase after him, get him to approach you calmly. This is only if he comes out of time out cowering - you dont want him to come out thinking he's still in trouble so just be really happy that he was calm (not barking/growling, etc in time out) and now he's out! Hopefully that all makes sense too - I kind of rambled through it, haha.

I hope that helps, it sounds like time outs will work for Petey so this change should help his behaviour and his protectiveness of the crate. You're doing a great job with him, its impressive that he's already made so much progress! Thanks for providing a stable, loving home for the little guy - and don't hesistate to ask more questions!

[Cgregoli]

Hi Caroline:

Thanks for the encouragement and the suggestion about Petey's crate, about not making it a place where he gets his time outs as well as his safe place. I'm not sure I can manage it, but I'm willing to try. The problem is that the bathroom that I could use as a time out room is diagonally across the downstairs from where his crate is - it couldn't be farther away and still be in the house

This morning when I opened his crate (after the usual talking to him and messing around in the kitchen for a bit where he can see me) he came out and attacked with no warning. In the past, he's growled when he wasn't comfortable when I came up to the crate, but not this morning. I backed up, telling him "Petey, no" firmly (I'm getting better at not yelling). He barely got his teeth on my shin (no blood drawn), and he settled down after two "no's", which is much faster than usual. Once he stopped the noise and advancing, I told him to sit, which he ignored, he just turned and dove right back into his crate - once he's there, I don't think I can get him out to put him in the bathroom, we've both agreed that I shouldn't reach for him. So I shut him in, dropped a towel over the openings, and took the whole thing outside, as I've done in the past. This time I left him for 20 minutes, until I could hear him starting to whine a bit. Then I took off the towel, but didn't open the door for a few minutes more, I let him watch me in the yard pulling weeds so he could see me being calm. When I let him out he was calm, tail wagging, and he sat immediately when I told him to. I fed him by hand with no problem. Later he asked for a walk (stood by the front door), and only growled the slightest when I clipped on the leash. I've been home all day, so I left the crate outside - after that altercation this morning he's been a model dog, asking for scratches, getting underfoot in the kitchen a bit and being calm when I walked around/past him, obeying commands and napping.

The only thing I can think of that could have set him off is that I gave him a chew with chicken breast wrapped around it last night - he's never had one of those before, and he really seemed to enjoy it, he stayed on his big pillow with it all evening. He took it (what was left of it) with him into his crate, perhaps that made him possessive? Should I have tried somehow to get him out of the crate, and into the bathroom? I thought that would take too long, especially with him riled up from attacking, what's your thought on that?

I really appreciate your time and advice!!

Cynthia

[KOPcaroline]

Hey Cynthia,

I'm glad he's responding better to your commands/tone - but hopefully the random, no-warning attacks dont happen again! It definitely could have been the chew toy making him possessive. Its hard, but since he responded ok to you speaking to him to calm down, dont be discouraged from giving him special treats every now and then.

As far as the crate and time-out situation, it is tricky first thing in the morning when you're getting him up. I think if you handle things as you did in this instance that thats fine - but maybe once he's up and out, put his crate outside for the day as you did today. Then he cant run and hide in it later on, and you can work with him through bad behaviour if he shows it first thing in the morning.

Its tricky - and I know its a lot of work. Realistically, if the crate/time-out thing doesnt work, your initial focus is bonding with Petey and getting him to listen to and trust you. So if it just isnt happening with lessening the crate usage, and Petey trusts you and your bond is better anyway, its not such a big deal. Its just an idea to help things along, but dogs are individuals, so it just may not work for your situation. Dont stress too much about it - like I said, focus on working Petey through his aggression and anxiety

Keep up the great work! I'm cheering for you two! :P

[MaxHollyNoah]

Hi Cynthia,

I also think that Petey attacked you to to protect the lawhide wrapped with chicken strip. However, I like the way he realized that he did something wrong when you told him "NO" 3 times. He is definitely paying more attention to what you say and how you feel about him.

I would not give the lawhide chews to him altogether, until he becomes more controllable. Especially when he has an access to his crate.

Instead, I would teach him to "give up a resource" to you, such as "leave it" and "drop it".

My lunch time is over so I have to go now. Let me know if you want to know how to teach those commands. Good luck