Suggestions about dog that bites....not everyone...........not every time..territorial......ankle biter..........draws blood...adopted......not much history........loyal .............loves me and Mom.......
Dog biting.......
- Thread starter HAWKEYE#28
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Every time the pooch tries to bite or does bite put a muzzle on the dog. He will not like it. Over time the dog will equate biting with a negative for him experience.
If I had a dog that unprovoked bit someone and drew blood, I'd instantly take the little bass-turd and have the Vet stick a needle in him. It might be an ankle now, and a child's face next. Put it down.
contender
Ruger Guru
This subject can & will draw a lot of responses. Some helpful, some very good, some negative, some seemingly odd & such.
It's a hard thing to try & offer very good advice without a few more details.
How old is the dog?
It's easier to teach a younger dog different behavior than an older one.
You mention it's adopted,, so it may have suffered trauma in the past that triggers the biting response. Most animals, when they feel threatened, (and this doesn't have to be something we humans see or understand,) they react by either fight or flight. A smell, a look, certain actions, encroachment upon territory, perceived threat to "it's" human etc.
If it were my dog,, I'd be looking to vets & such to see if I could find someone who dealt with such re-training issues & see what they have to say.
It's a hard thing to try & offer very good advice without a few more details.
How old is the dog?
It's easier to teach a younger dog different behavior than an older one.
You mention it's adopted,, so it may have suffered trauma in the past that triggers the biting response. Most animals, when they feel threatened, (and this doesn't have to be something we humans see or understand,) they react by either fight or flight. A smell, a look, certain actions, encroachment upon territory, perceived threat to "it's" human etc.
If it were my dog,, I'd be looking to vets & such to see if I could find someone who dealt with such re-training issues & see what they have to say.
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2010
- Messages
- 78
have kind of the same deal, (btw I just got bit avoiding a fight) he weights 6 pounds
came from a 1 dog house, we have 6 small and 1 lab. He is very protective of me and he can't get along with the other males(3) or anyone getting close to me including my wife. the female dogs he gets alone fine with.
Shock collar. Light em up when they get nippy.
FURTHER INFO: He is a ten yr old emasculated pure but no pprs rat terrier...........Birth brother died end of '21........lived with owner who died 4 months later. Surrendered in June by ex wife, with funds to fix a "sub' non cancerous cyst and have teeth cleaned. No input abt biting from shelter, but noted he doesn't like other dogs or cats..........put a neighbor's beagle on his back twice in 15 seconds when the beagle came up to him in our driveway AND WE WERE PRESENT..........Doesn't know he is ten yrs and fast as a speeding train. And for the very largest, he is loyal, minds and loves car rides and guarding his (ours) house......Perhaps has some damage to his larnyx as he will bark spontaneously but when asked, has to work into it......... (damage when jerked around while on lease?)
Being a service person that goes to folks houses... I've been bit about 3 times over the last 40 years....
Dogs are one of my most favorite things in my world... probably on the same level as guns or a tad above... and one of the best parts of my life is going to a person's home and meeting and engaging with their dog....
Hire a professional to train the dog... that's the best bet.
Dogs are one of my most favorite things in my world... probably on the same level as guns or a tad above... and one of the best parts of my life is going to a person's home and meeting and engaging with their dog....
Hire a professional to train the dog... that's the best bet.
Sadly I would have to agree with Cholo. If the dog bites at random, and draws blood, what's next? If the dog is young, he will get older and stronger. Then if it hurts a child or an older person, you could be liable since you know the dog has a biting history.
I wouldn't put up with any dog that bites or even shows agression. My wife wouldn't either. Way back when she was riding her bike out in the country and got bit by an unknown youngish German Shepard dog. Had to go to the emergency room and get rabies shots because the dog ran off.
Well, you did ask. Unfortunately that's the trouble with dogs from a shelter with unknown history. If they were mistreated, they could possibly harbor aggressive tendencies that might spark for reasons only they could say.
I wouldn't put up with any dog that bites or even shows agression. My wife wouldn't either. Way back when she was riding her bike out in the country and got bit by an unknown youngish German Shepard dog. Had to go to the emergency room and get rabies shots because the dog ran off.
Well, you did ask. Unfortunately that's the trouble with dogs from a shelter with unknown history. If they were mistreated, they could possibly harbor aggressive tendencies that might spark for reasons only they could say.
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- Apr 2, 2014
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- 2,296
At ten years old I'd say it's unlikely you'll be able to retrain him. With a lot of work maybe 10 percent chance of making
him trustworthy. Guessing firm correction, the muzzle, and a training collar would give you a slight chance of success.
All dogs are different but the small terriers are stubborn pigheaded little bastards in a general sense ( based on exposure to
Jack Russells ). Good Luck, you'll need it.
him trustworthy. Guessing firm correction, the muzzle, and a training collar would give you a slight chance of success.
All dogs are different but the small terriers are stubborn pigheaded little bastards in a general sense ( based on exposure to
Jack Russells ). Good Luck, you'll need it.
I feel for you, because you love the dog and want it to behave so you can enjoy each other. Unfortunately, shelter dogs can come with a lot of baggage. In many cases it's why they're shelter dogs in the first place. You actually know a lot more about this dog than most shelter dog owners know about their dog.
I feel for the dog, because it has had it's whole world torn apart, by the death of the old man and the dog's sibling, both of whom it had known it's whole life, and then being abandoned by the old lady. Shelters are not good for the dog's psyche either, maybe especially so for small dogs. Scary places for sure.
I would venture a guess that the dog is acting out because he is insecure and fearful, perhaps of his new environment or because of a perceived lack of support from his pack. Whatever the reason, it will be hard to change the behavior if you don't know what triggers him.
I would buy him a snug fitting harness or "thunder shirt", and have him wear it anytime he's around other people or animals. Sometimes it's enough to make the dog feel safer. If you walk him, get a pinch collar and keep him leashed. I would advise going for walks every day to train him.
Watch his body language, and listen for verbal clues like growling or barking. If he shows any aggressive behavior a quick sharp "pop" on the leash, combined with a strong and firm NO will let him know what you expect from him.
Don't yell "no", just be strong and firm, and try to keep emotion (anger, panic, anxiety) out of your voice. Your dog will feed off your emotion, probably for the worse. Keeping your voice moderated projects confidence, and being absolutely consistent and fair with the dog will build his confidence as he learns his parameters. Besides, volume does not increase comprehension! Consistency does. Same expectation, same command, same correction. Every time.
I would NOT recommend a shock collar. The dog needs to know the corrections come from you, and the absence of a tether and the kinetics involved may leave your dog not knowing where the correction is coming from. It will only make the dog more afraid and neurotic.
If all else fails, you could have his fangs pulled as a last resort, short of putting him down. Good luck!
I feel for the dog, because it has had it's whole world torn apart, by the death of the old man and the dog's sibling, both of whom it had known it's whole life, and then being abandoned by the old lady. Shelters are not good for the dog's psyche either, maybe especially so for small dogs. Scary places for sure.
I would venture a guess that the dog is acting out because he is insecure and fearful, perhaps of his new environment or because of a perceived lack of support from his pack. Whatever the reason, it will be hard to change the behavior if you don't know what triggers him.
I would buy him a snug fitting harness or "thunder shirt", and have him wear it anytime he's around other people or animals. Sometimes it's enough to make the dog feel safer. If you walk him, get a pinch collar and keep him leashed. I would advise going for walks every day to train him.
Watch his body language, and listen for verbal clues like growling or barking. If he shows any aggressive behavior a quick sharp "pop" on the leash, combined with a strong and firm NO will let him know what you expect from him.
Don't yell "no", just be strong and firm, and try to keep emotion (anger, panic, anxiety) out of your voice. Your dog will feed off your emotion, probably for the worse. Keeping your voice moderated projects confidence, and being absolutely consistent and fair with the dog will build his confidence as he learns his parameters. Besides, volume does not increase comprehension! Consistency does. Same expectation, same command, same correction. Every time.
I would NOT recommend a shock collar. The dog needs to know the corrections come from you, and the absence of a tether and the kinetics involved may leave your dog not knowing where the correction is coming from. It will only make the dog more afraid and neurotic.
If all else fails, you could have his fangs pulled as a last resort, short of putting him down. Good luck!
Watchman has good advice. What I would suggest also.
Yes!! better idea than mine.
He is being spoiled if he THINKS he has any territory. He is bottom rung in the pack and barely holding on to that. He needs to understand that. NOTHING belongs to him.
When I was a kid, my mom and I had a rat terrier that became hers when I deployed for Desert Shield/Storm. A loving dog but one who eventually bit her lip and necessitated stitches. Still, my mom loved it until kidney disease and blindness led to the final vet visit a year or two later. No history of abuse--only of being spoiled since it was a puppy. Whatever you decide, of course, I would be very careful allowing it around children or anyone's face. It's hard to read what's going on in an animal's mind, and what seems logical to you may not to it.
Never had a dog that would bite me like that. First Rottweiler, as a 7 week old puppy, snarled at me as I carried him outside in the 3 feet of snow. I grabbed his mouth, yelled no, and he stopped and never did that again. Great dog.
Bigbore5
Bearcat
I have trained many dogs over the years. A biter is one of the hardest to correct.
I do use a shock collar for this hard to correct behavior, but it must be accompanied with a simultaneous verbal command. A forceful "No" at the same time the shock is delivered. You must be absolutely consistent as well. The correction has to always be delivered with the command. However, if the dog responds to the command, no correction should be delivered. Instead deliver a verbal or petting reward. Aggressive behavior is very hard to correct in an older dog. But it can be corrected in most cases.
In the rare cases it can not be corrected, then you will have to consider moving the dog along to a situation with an owner where the animal will be more isolated, or putting it down before it can cause real harm to a child or other person. A hard choice, but the duty of a responsible owner in some cases.
I do use a shock collar for this hard to correct behavior, but it must be accompanied with a simultaneous verbal command. A forceful "No" at the same time the shock is delivered. You must be absolutely consistent as well. The correction has to always be delivered with the command. However, if the dog responds to the command, no correction should be delivered. Instead deliver a verbal or petting reward. Aggressive behavior is very hard to correct in an older dog. But it can be corrected in most cases.
In the rare cases it can not be corrected, then you will have to consider moving the dog along to a situation with an owner where the animal will be more isolated, or putting it down before it can cause real harm to a child or other person. A hard choice, but the duty of a responsible owner in some cases.
mjpchief
Single-Sixer
Walked out of the house yesterday about 15 seconds behind my wife who was going for her morning walk and I heard a commotion at the front of the house. Walked around the corner to find the neighbors dogs had my wife cornered by the house. I yelled at the dogs and they took off to the front yard. Wife went into the house to get her tazer and I walked to the front yard to find the neighbor gathering up his dogs (one large and one small). I had my hand on my concealed carry. He had nothing to say. This was not the first time this happened. Wife came back out of the house to take her walk and neighbor apologized for the dogs. Wife told him she carry’s a tazer and will use. I told him I do not carry a tazer and will use it if the dogs come back into my yard and threaten my wife again. We have a leash law in this town but usually doesn’t get enforced.
Crockett12
Bearcat
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- Jan 20, 2017
- Messages
- 32
I've been a successful Professional Dog Handler most of my life showing many different breeds in AKC conformation shows all over the nation. Most of the dogs I showed for clients had to be retrained in order for me to finish their championships and I've finished the championships on 100's of dogs! I've also taught dog handling classes to people for many years. I retired from handling some time ago and now judge dogs for the AKC. When I retired, I got involved with my local shelters, helping in various ways and also got to know many of the shelter dogs and why they're in the shelter. Many times the dogs in the shelters are there because of behavioral issues -- some of which can be fixed through proper training and some of which can't. The truth is this: a dog that's hardwired wrong will never be fixed through training! Hopefully that's not what you have but you'll never know until you get some training yourself. Look for your local AKC kennel club and ask them about dog obedience classes - then take your dog to the obedience classes. They train you how to train your dog. If you simply have an alpha dog, the training classes will teach you how to be alpha without hurting the dog.
Word of warning – under no circumstances allow a child to be around the dog until you have this sorted out! Remember under no circumstances - whether you're there to supervise or not!
I wonder if your dogs problem with the throat may be from a larger dog alpha rolling him? I don’t have the vast knowledge in dog training others on here have, but I have retrained one “red zone” dog that was a rescue Kuvasz. Phoenix was young, had been in three previous homes. My ex wife and he were inseparable. OTOH he bit me 15 times, and yes he brought blood, and we used a professional trainer til she quit due to suffering a bite, with the same results. What did work for me was walking him for 45” every morning, and feeding every night. Consistent correction. He became a sweet heart. I now have a rescue Jack Russell, that is mine due to not getting along with other dogs. She snores terribly secondary to damage from a standard poodle putting her down by the throat( JR was the aggressor!). I also had a small Shelty with a damaged larynx from my sheep guardian Kuvasz “protecting” his livestock from when the Shelty got out of his pen while we were gone. Good luck!
gramps
gramps
