11 month old Buddy showing fear aggression / dominance.......

[Hevnewsome]

Buddy is near on 11 months and on Friday he had the chop. The vets assured me that at 11 months will be fine. Well…..it was either this or Buddy lunging for me.
His behaviour over recent months has been really concerning. His stick obsession when him to the field, growling, fighting other dogs – (first time he’s gone for a dog and I actually thought he had killed it). Fighting with my sister Golden Retriever (who’s extremely submissive) – this was dominance on Buddy’s part and submission on Alfie’s. We had to result in booting buddy off Alfie to get him away – this happened on the Sunday.

On the Monday – I was home alone with both Buddy and my other dog Indie (9yr old Boxer).
We came back from a walk in the field he had his stick he had bought home (this started to become an obsession we are training out of him). Well…he wouldn’t let the stick go and has I had hold of the stick, trying to bribe with treats, he was most certainly wanting the stick more than anything – then he moved his body further down to the ground and growled at me – his eyes looked big and he didn’t stop staring at me. So I calmly let the stick go, shut the door, went to the back of the house and called them through the back gate (in a positive tone)….he ran to his kennel and continued to chew the stick.

I left him too it and didn’t give him any eye contact at all! He made me feel really scared and if I’d pushed it I know he would have gone for me (

I’m really hoping the chop will calm him down in his dominance behaviour.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Hev

 

[tmricciuto]

OMG...that must have been scary. I couldn't imagine that happening with one of my girls. I hope you figure out what is going on. You might want to consult some of the YouTube videos mentioned in other posts of contact a behaviorist.

 

[DDSK]

Neutering doesn't always work with agression.
Consult a behaviorist.

 

[scorning]

I would have the vet do a thorough checkup, including bloodwork. Sudden aggression can be due to medical issues, such as a thyroid imbalance.

 

[DennasMom]

It sounds like this has been progressing for a while... stick/toy obsessions, resource guarding, "winning" the battle of wills with you (i.e. you let go and quietly walk away). He's obviously in charge of your home, and you just live there... neutering won't fix that.

I'd recommend you find a good trainer and/or behaviorist and get to work.
He needs to go on NILF asap.
YOU need to retake your home and stop the bribes for bad behavior.

Bribing works for young puppies and training new behaviors. You wean them off the treats as they learn commands and gain vocabulary. Bribes are good for trading UP... but still have to be used in the correct context... you need a trainer to help you put this in context.

If I want something Denna has, I let her know it is MINE... not hers. I will stare her down, and she WILL let go. There is no other option.

...geez... I sound like season!!!

 

[Liz_M]

This isn't sudden aggression, since the OP said his behaviour over the last several months has been "concerning." I am guessing Buddy hasn't had a lot of structure and rules thus far? Neutering probably won't make much of a difference, certainly not in his dominant and bratty behaviour with his owner. Someone posted this really good article yesterday: Leerburg | The Groundwork to Establishing Pack Structure with Adult Dogs Also google "NILIF" (Nothing In Life Is Free) and the K9Deb page should come up on top. This is how my dogs are raised and treated on a day-to-day basis, it makes SO much sense. Buddy needs a serious attitude adjustment, and yes it is scary when a large dog of yours challenges you like this! It happened to me with an adult foster Rottweiler, scared the crap out of me to be honest but I figured if I backed down, he'd be lost. So I clipped a leash to his collar and marched him outside and we did heel and sit drills up and down the driveway late at night in the middle of winter for a long time, then he got crated and ignored for the rest of the night. NILIF, I am telling you. It is a calm and non-confrontational way to re-set a dog's thinking about how things work. I wouldn't be letting him play with other dogs, or interact with people, or have "his" sticks (they are not his; he owns nothing), until he has been humbled. This also works with fearful or anxious dogs too. (LOL I souns like season too, I just read your post!)

 

[Max's mom]

I have had some major issues with resource guarding and have recently posted about RG? Anxiety? bad dog?
Lots of helps there. Including the argument about neuter/don't neuter.
My Mastiff went after and got the lab. Minor flesh wound, but wounded me to the core because my sweet puppy did this. I had not managed the resource guarding well and do have a behaviorist/trainer coming in. We took everything of value...worth guarding up and protect the other dog. I've been working on focus and touch (target training) which are two steps we missed in our training. It's completely back to square one and I am hand feeding almost every morsel (6 cups a day!) to the Mastiff. We work with the lab too in the yard or larger open area of the house. I make them both work for their food. It takes me almost an hour to feed them! But I've been having great response and progress.
I decided not to ever breed Max. He's over 18 months. Fully grown. Neutering is partly to help with the hormones that can contribute but also contribute to his acne...To each his own when it comes to that decision.
Call a trainer. have them come to you. take up all toys, beds, treats and yes...sticks! Nothing unless he works for it.
Good luck and there are a bunch of people here who understand. You have to get over your fear or he will sense it. Trainer will help with that!

 

[EverythingEnglishMastiff]

I hate to say it but def sounds like he's the one running the show. Every victory on his part is reinforcing his bad behavior. You need to reestablish yourself as alpha. Hank and I have been working on something very similar. The neighbors have a certain ball that Hank thinks is his. To the point that he will aggressively defend it and lunge at other dogs that get close to him when he has "his" ball. He hasn't shown any aggression towards me but "Leave it" had no effect which normally is immediate contrition. I literally had to grab a hand full of snout and press his upper lip to his upper teeth to get him to release the ball, at the same time another of the dogs approached and he snapped. It was an immediate removal from the yard and like Liz_M did, we walked back in forth in our own yard sitting, laying down, walking, repeat. It can be a pain to deal with, but if you are not the Alpha, it would be almost impossible. He has to know that the stick is your stick. Nothing is "his" unless you give it to him. That ball is now MY ball.

 

[Hevnewsome]

Thanks for the support – it’s amazing. Started to lose all hope.
We’ve had Buddy since he was 3 months – a sort of rescue. He was living in a 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] floor flat in the centre of London. He now lives in the Norfolk countryside surrounded by fields
Anyway – we took him to puppy classes straight away (well after 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] jabs. Prevoius owners didn’t even bother with them!!).
In my opinion – the training was awful and because of buddy’s behavoiur in the class (growling at other puppies) we felt left out and just watched from the side lines. So after 9 weeks of training we stopped. I felt his behavoiur was being encouraged by the classes. My boxer had 20 weeks of training with a good trainer – so I’ve go an ides of what is expected. I wanted the classes for more socialisation. Haha that didn’t work!
He used to growl when eating his dinner – this has been fixed J we trained that out of him.
We are strict with him at home – not allowed on the furniture. Lay down in his bed when we are eating. No begging allowed. Not allowed in the kitchen. All of these –he is great at.
He knows leave it, sit, lay down, role over, away (from when I need him away from a situation).

The sticks have been taken away from him – NOT ALLOWED at all now. Even if he attempts to find out while we are out – a stern LEAVE IT is given and he does has he is told.

It’s the aggression towards other dogs, food when other dogs are about. By the way – he’s absolutly fine with Indie….around food, toys everything! She’s disabled and I feel he needs to protect her.

The vets have offered a behavoiurist – but only after buddy had been neutered. So we’ll see how he goes.
The training on the leash is going well. Changes when he sees another dogs.

Thank you Liz_M for the link….I’m going to start that straight away. The advice has be brilliant from everyone. I love Buddy soooo much and want to help him so much ray:

 

[Liz_M]

You can do this, Hevnewsome! Remember you don't need Buddy to love you but respect you (dogs don't love owners they don't trust and respect) and it sounds like you have the will and the tools. By controlling his resources and space you're setting him up for success.

You may have to just manage his dog-aggression, probably towards same sex dogs, for life. He doesn't have to like or interact with other dogs, just learn to ignore them. Lots of threads here about how to deal with that.

 

[EverythingEnglishMastiff]

Crap I watched a video on one the other threads recently on exactly how to get a dog to ignore the other. I can't remember the name but when I find it I'll link it. That or someone will remember and point you there.

 

[Hevnewsome]

Thank you Liz_M....for the support. Buddy is a quicker learner. Normal for the breed.....so I walked him where I wanted to go in the house and when I didn't want him to walk with me, I made him stay in his bed (not to say he has done anything wrong - just as guidance). We later took him for a walk, then home.

Lets just say.....we are eating dinner and Buddy is in his bed snoring his head off!!!

Clearly no one has informed Buddy not to mess with a redhead lol

Now.....EverythingEnglishMastiff.....please find the link!!! ray: hahaha

 

[DennasMom]

Clearly no one has informed Buddy not to mess with a redhead lol

I married a redhead, so I know what Buddy's in for! HA!!

Sounds like you're doing great and hopefully Buddy will relax into his new role as your respectful companion, following your lead very soon!

 

[Liz_M]

LOL, I've been a redhead my entire life until a few years ago when I succumbed to nature and went "naturally" grey. I still have the 'tude to match the drapes though LOL.


Anyway, yeah, you'll get there. It will take persistence and time (googleextinction burst for more insight)but you and Buddy will get this.It's helpful to remember that we learn little from our easy dogs, but we learn a LOT from our problem dogs! My difficult and asshole dogs, and I've had a few, have taught me so much.