Aggression in background is not as big a problem as aggression shown to the dog by owners or breeders prior to collection.
i have trained dogs for many years and have owned Rotties and Dobes. I took my current biggest dog Ben - 65 kilo Rottie-x-Gt Dane and he was about to be put down for aggression and attacking a child. if i didn't take him (due to experience) he was going to be destroyed the next day. Turns out the child he bit had got the dog drunk on beer, filled him with rotten sausages (tons of them) and then while the dog was hungover hiding under a bush in their garden, they tried to lift him into the pond for fun. YES they got bitten, but ONCE and then he ran, which means it was self protection and NOT aggression. I didn't see the child being destroyed for aggression which would be more logical even if not 'civilised'!
Took the dog home to a 3 month old baby (NOT ADVISING ANYONE TO COPY THIS) did a few hours settlement training and quiet gentle reassurance and since then our little one (now 3yrs) plays with him all day long, stuck his fingers up his nose (nicely) and sits on him for riding round the garden. the shelter don't believe me!! Don't want to acceot they were wrong i imagine.
He is the most gentle family dog anyone could wish for, but only because of what i did with him, but then he only had a 'problem' due to what someone ELSE had done TO HIM.
Show a dog aggression - Aggressive dog
Show a dog calmness - calm dog.
Simple really, so why can't some idiots understand it?
plan to do a big case study with photos at new site (given up hands on training for other people face to face - drives me mad!!)
k9obedience.com - Dog Training and Obedience
I figure easier to offer high quality info, and if people want to read and learn, they can.
since being a behaviourist/trainer my attitudes have changed - i now think you should DEFINITELY have a licence to own and breed dogs, any breed.
I would never have said this before i started seeing hundreds of dogs a month in their own homes, We need a change, dogs need a change.
Us good owners must challenge unacceptable treatment everywhere.
Forget the discomfort of doing this - think of the DOG you are helping, after all the dog doesn't think of anything but YOU does he? If he does, you need to do a little training!!
Excellent forum. Sleeping bag on the desk!!
