Help! Problem with my mastiff

[Mastifcouple]

Hi all,
I need help badly with a Spanish Mastiff, we have a relatively large living area and Bailey was lying down at one end of the room two days ago.
I say down on the sofa at my usual position and turned my head left to check on her.
Almost immediately she leapt up, snarled and barked at me and aimed to run at me.
My instinct was to shout at the height of my voice and ultimately order her to bed. She sulkily pottered off out of the room (having to pass me) and went off to her bed where she remained for over an hour.
Personally I got quite a fright and since that I don't feel safe around her. I live in an apartment with my partner and she currently treat him normally but not me.
Some important points:
1. We live in a large apartment.
2. I bring her out a minimum of twice a day for toilet duties.
3. I am the only one to walk her.
4. She has never done this before.
5. If I enter the living room and she is there she will leave the room and go to the bedroom.
6. If I go to the bedroom she leaves and goes to the living room
7. If she hears me in the kitchen she comes over and sits looking for food. I can command her to sit, lye down and wait for food.
8. If I call her she ignores me completely despite my best efforts, however if my partner calls her she comes straight away.

Can anyone help me with this please? I'm very upset about this and don't feel fully safe around her. I can only bring myself to pat her on the head now whereas previously I could rub her down and brush her.
It feels as if a trust has been broken between us. She knew initially she had done wrong but why the sulky behaviour subsequently?

It feels a little as if she is trying to be 'leader of the pack' which is simply a no-no.
She is normally an amazing dog, very affectionate, and full of 'umph'.

Any assistance will be gratefully received.
Kind regards,
Robert

 

[marke]

my opinion would be that you need to take her to a trainer and that you need to train her.... literally "you" , not anyone else ...... you can't be afraid of your dog , I seriously doubt that'd work out for very long ..........jmo

 

[Hector]

The easiest way to resolve this is to not let her on any furniture. She should only be allowed on her own bed in her crate. She sounds like she's resource guarding and she might have been startled, but it's still not an acceptable reaction.

Limit her freedom. Make her work for food and attention. If she ignores you, then put her on a leash before you call her. Work her recall on a leash in the house over and over. If you feel nervous, put a muzzle on her when you work with her. Make sure you understand the body language you are seeing and adjust your training to it.

 

[Mastifcouple]

Thanks for both of your comments. Bailey has never been
allowed nor ever tried to get on furniture. She has been a
dream in that sense and house training as such has never
been a problem with her.
A trainer sounds like a good option but yes it will definitely have to be me alone to train her.

I have been forcing her to sit for treats and food quite
intensively today. Without good present she can be moody in terms of carrying out command such as 'sit' or 'down'
(unless there is food there she will only do it if she wants). I try over and over again and eventually have success.

I will up the ante a bit in terms of trying to 'dominate' her
into submission but I can't help feeling there's a little bit of a cat and mouse game being played. I have refused to rub her down (partially in fear) and only pet her on the head
currently.

 

[gilles]

1- obedience training you have to regain leadership
2- these dogs tend to ignore you when called and this problem must be addressed with proper obedience training
3- like hector said: no furniture no invasion of your space. she needs her own space , no roaming in the house. this is a spanish mastiff a livestock guardian not a poodle.
4- leash training
5- walk her more get her tired
6- do not give toys or treats or pet her unless she deserves it
7- it is essential that you regain leadership, if she senses you are afraid of her she will become more and more dominant and aggressive

 

[karennj]

I think you need to work on team work and trust. I would sign up for beginner agility or something similar out of the house on neutral turf. Try to do something without being in a class environment and explain to the trainer your goals. I also agree with going back to basics and everything good should come from you. Pets, food, outside time, walks, etc. You are the main keeper and anything good ONLY comes from YOU.

 

[Liz_M]

Check out the NILIF approach - Nothing In Life Is Free - it sounds like you have the theory, now you need to get it down cold.
Nothing in Life is Free

Your dog will pick up instantly on any fear or hesitancy on your part so you have to eliminate that in your own head, forever. You ARE the boss, you must be consistent and trustworthy (in her eyes.) If she cannot trust you to make the best decision in the moment every single time, she will make her own decisions. I think you can do this.

 

[season]

Here we go again. You can pay all the money in the world for a "trainer" but that won't allow you anything. You can do all the training yourself and u should. If you have to pay someone to train your dog you shouldn't have gotten a dog in the first place. And these things don't just happen out of nowhere.


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[Boxergirl]

Here we go again. You can pay all the money in the world for a "trainer" but that won't allow you anything. You can do all the training yourself and u should. If you have to pay someone to train your dog you shouldn't have gotten a dog in the first place. And these things don't just happen out of nowhere.


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I'm not sure what kind of trainers you've been exposed too, but every trainer I know is really training the owner to teach their dog. Unless you're talking about a board and train. Then I guess they're training the dog for you.

 

[season]

I train my dogs. I don't pay someone else to do it. I trained myself. It's not rocket science.


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[Boxergirl]

I train my dogs. I don't pay someone else to do it. I trained myself. It's not rocket science.


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Good for you. Really. That's great. I train my dogs too. Some people, however, benefit from having someone watch and correct or guide them. Particularly if they are a first time owner. A video can't do that. Not to mention that there are just as many idiots on YouTube as there are good trainers. Big Chuck McBride comes to mind.

 

[marke]

absolutely some people have a knack for such things , most don't ....... if they are afraid of their dog , they need a trainer to train them to train their dog , I think most people do .... especially if you got a dog that'll challenge you , I been there done that , it's nothing someone who is not experienced , and has a fear of the dog , needs to do on their own , it could go really badly .....I've yet to have a dog that didn't know when someone was afraid of it .... i'm of the opinion given a dog like I think they got , you need the attitude that if need be you'd fight that dog , and win , even to muzzle some of them dogs you best not be afraid ... the dominate submissive thing is best done on puppies , before they know better .... I don't think many owners are actually willing to fight their dog , especially big ones ........ one of the most pain tolerant toughest dogs I've ever seen was a Spanish mastiff .........

 

[Hector]

I misread your original post and thought she was on the couch. Hmm, everything still applies, but we have to figure out why.

 

[Hector]

Not to mention that there are just as many idiots on YouTube as there are good trainers. Big Chuck McBride comes to mind.

Oh com'on now. I enjoy his videos, especially his gear.

 

[Hector]

This video reminded me of your situation in a way. It is a long video, but an interesting one. Don't mind the owner....


[video=youtube;kqAyM-wqhZM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqAyM-wqhZM[/video]

 

[Boxergirl]

Oh com'on now. I enjoy his videos, especially his gear.

Hahaha. Yeah, he's ... unique.

 

[season]

Good for you. Really. That's great. I train my dogs too. Some people, however, benefit from having someone watch and correct or guide them. Particularly if they are a first time owner. A video can't do that. Not to mention that there are just as many idiots on YouTube as there are good trainers. Big Chuck McBride comes to mind.

I've never hired a trainer. And I don't follow advice from idiots.


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[season]

absolutely some people have a knack for such things , most don't ....... if they are afraid of their dog , they need a trainer to train them to train their dog , I think most people do .... especially if you got a dog that'll challenge you , I been there done that , it's nothing someone who is not experienced , and has a fear of the dog , needs to do on their own , it could go really badly .....I've yet to have a dog that didn't know when someone was afraid of it .... i'm of the opinion given a dog like I think they got , you need the attitude that if need be you'd fight that dog , and win , even to muzzle some of them dogs you best not be afraid ... the dominate submissive thing is best done on puppies , before they know better .... I don't think many owners are actually willing to fight their dog , especially big ones ........ one of the most pain tolerant toughest dogs I've ever seen was a Spanish mastiff .........

If you are afraid of your dog you shouldn't have one. A trainer isn't going to help with that. So many ppl want things done for them. Dogs don't need a passive, fearful, anxious, lovey dovey owner. They need leadership. Their are books on that too. So much is right there in front of people's faces. To learn, to read, to watch to implement. And it's free. Don't wait til u realize you can't do it and then hire someone to come clean up your mess. Get your act together first. So many ppl go to trainers. Think they are saved. Get home and it keeps happening. The home is unstable. The owners are unstable. The dogs suffer. It's sad.


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[angelbears]

Season your a fucking ass! You think you are so superior because you can train a god damn dog. How about putting that ego of yours to work and cure cancer instead of sitting in a forum and belittling people because they can't or won't train their dogs.

 

[dpenning]

LMAO! Don't hold back AB, tell us how you really feel. I don't disagree.

Season your a fucking ass! You think you are so superior because you can train a god damn dog. How about putting that ego of yours to work and cure cancer instead of sitting in a forum and belittling people because they can't or won't train their dogs.