Now what??

[momtoshortie]

Ok I wrote before about the possible "dominance" problem...Here is what happened yesterday..My daughters friend father came in the yard to get her and EVEN though Shortie was barking his fool head off at this man he didn't know, the guy reaches down to pet him, and yup you guessed it, he bit him..HARD..he has all his shots, and he WAS tied in his own yard..I know this is no excuse, but it IS natural..right???
*sigh* I tried looking for obeidience schools in my area, but haven't found ANY I can afford..I REALLY NEED to change this "aggressive/dominant" behaviour, or hubby is threatening to get rid of my fur baby...HELP....

[WOTANSMUTTI]

Some folks have no common sense! I mean- would I try and stick my head in a lion's mouth while he was in a bad mood and chewing Zebra????

I tend to take the dog's side: It was the guest's fault and yes, the aggression isn't good,but you can see how it all came about!

To quiet hubby I would look for a some obedience classes- they couldn't hurt. I would also warn people my dog doesn't like strangers to pet him while he's tied. Barking is the dogs only way of letting humans know how they feel...

[momtoshortie]

I took Shorties side too..LOL..I told my husband, "Well, how stupid was it, to try to pet a tied dog who is barking and growling at you"?...Even most children know better then to approach a dog who is barking at them..*sigh*

[Wienergal]

Grrrr... http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/angry.gif I'd like to take a bite outa that guy too! How can some people be SO dumb??? Dogs have a complex, but very clear, language: A dog who is tied and who is lunging and barking is saying quite loudly: "GET THE HECK AWAY FROM ME!"

Here's a hint, Shortie's Mom: Dogs who are tied on their property tend to be more aggressive than they might otherwise be. I don't know why--do they get overly excited because they are restrained? Same is true of dogs on leashes.

I think Shortie does need obedience training, though. If your hubby is that upset, it's important to get the little guy a bit more under control. Do you have a humane society or SPCA or something of that nature anywhere near you? They offer free obedience classes. Ask your vet too.

I really feel for you and hope this can be worked out!

--Pamela

P.S. You can also do some obedience training on your own. There are lots of good books on the subject; check your library. You could do some leash work with Shortie--simple stuff, like "heel" and "stay" and "come." Any training that establishes you as the alpha would probably be helpful right now.

<font color="#00FFFF" font size="1">[This message has been edited by Wienergal (edited July 31, 2000).]</font>

[Mark]

Hi momtoshortie,

I think Pamela is absolutely right . . . there ARE a lot of good books for obedience training. It'll take work & commitment to do it without the structure of a class, but well worth the effort! If & when you can get into a class . . . even better.

As for the "man with no brain" who wanted to pet your little powerhouse . . . send him over to enter our yard . . . Top Spin should be able to give him some
insight. http://dachsie.org/ubb/smilies/biggrin.gif

Mark

[wireweiners]

Hi momtoshortie,

Have you thought about getting Shortie a small run to stay in while people are visiting? That way he can enjoy his yard and still be protected from dumb people. Most home improvement or farm stores have 8 x 10 runs for less than $200 or maybe you could fence part of your yard. Most people don't realize how territorial dachsie are and don't take them seriously. I have had people reach over the fence to pet Pippin when he is trying his best to tell them to keep out. He's nipped a few fingers himself.

[Penny's Aunt]

The man was 95% wrong in this case, but in some communities, it's still an automatic death sentence for the dog.

It's true, chained or tied dogs DO get to be more aggressive, & seem to be more inclined to bite.

Sometimes the YMCA has reasonably-priced classes, too. I would suggest group classes if you can possibly do it, as your boy seems to need to get used to the other dogs & people. And if they offer socialization classes, I would take that first.

[momtoshortie]

Thanks for all the great responses...
I will look into the YMCA, and humane society for obedience classes..Also, I am going to fence in a section in my yard for him..shouldn't cost too much, since I don't need more then a 3 foot high fence..LOL..
You know, I used to let him run loose, he never went anywhere but right here...and I do notice he is more aggressive since I have been tying him..IThe only time he is loose now is when I am out there, because I share a 2 family house with my sister and my BIL was complaing that Shortie peed on his garbage can..soooooo..I tie him now...
But I think the run will help..
Thanks again.....

[Penny's Aunt]

Get some dog repellent. I use REPELL II, a granular material in a milk-type carton. It runs $9-12, & you use it every week or so.

Put the repellent where you don't want the dog, like around the garbage can. (Although, if some small dog peeing on my garbage can was my only problem, I would consider myself the luckiest person in the universe.) It smells like grapefruit rind, & is fairly strong, so don't use it indoors.

The new run will probably help him a lot. Be sure to get him out into public, & when you're home, make sure he gets exercise, like ball-chasing, tug-of-war, etc. Mental games are said to be 6 times as effective as physical games to use up energy. There is a site for dog games you can play. Just search on BELGIAN GAMES, & it should come up.

One excellent game is FIND IT! Start with some small treats & some paper cups on your carpet (not on linoleum). Put a treat under one paper cup & show him where it is. Let him figure out how to get it out from under the cup. When he understands that, use more paper cups, but only but the food under one. Then let him see you hide a piece somewhere else; then put him in another room or let someone hold him & cover his eyes (!), & hide it in the same place. Then move on to other places. Once he understands the game, you can take his entire meal & hide it throughout the house, & he will find every single piece. A good game for just before you leave for work, once he can be trusted alone in the house!