Inter-Household Aggression
[Actually, the title of this entry should be "Inner-Household Aggression." "Inter" would describe what happened to Rufus last month, I guess, at the teeth of the neighbor's pitbull.]
I am attempting to consult a trainer. A dog trainer, that is. Below is an e-mail I wrote to Pat Miller, noted trainer and author. (And FYI: Pat Miller's review of Cesar Millan book.) Miller was suggested to me by Sabine H, a trainer I went to w/ Rufus a few months ago for a basic obedience class. I had already heard of Pat Miller, however. I just didn't realize she is only 1.5 hours away.
At the suggestion of Sabine Hentrich, I am writing to you.
I am interested in engaging you in one or more sessions, fairly soon,
to observe all three of my dogs together so you can advise me on how
to handle them. I have had two dogs since last November, and I
recently got a third dog (June 29), and some issues seem to be coming
up now.
My dogs are:
has backed off on that and even occasionally initiates play with Zed now.
Meanwhile, Rufus was initially the most welcoming toward Zed, wanting to play all the time and even accepting when Zed didn't want to play. They would do play biting and wrestling, which I watched carefully and broke up before it could get too excited. They would also play tug some with toys and run in the yard.
However, I think I have made some errors recently in giving the dogs treats and bully sticks to them too close to each other, and Rufus has been showing some guarding behaviors. This past Thursday, Rufus started barking at Zed and they ended up in each other's faces, barking and snarling, with a period of Rufus barking and snarling over Zed, who was on his back. I pulled Rufus away and examined Zed, but found that he mainly had lots of saliva in his fur on his head and neck (no blood). Rufus also will approach a crate or futon where Zed is lying and start barking loudly. The message, I think, is: I want that space, move. Zed ignores him, and I remove Rufus from the scene.
However, Friday evening, Zed ran up to Rufus's half-eaten kong before I could pick it up, and Rufus was on him again. I pulled him off. When I pulled Rufus back, Zed was still trying to come with us and continue barking at Rufus, but I was able to put them in separate rooms. Then I examined each one. This time I saw that Rufus had drawn a little blood on one of Zed's ears.
Zed was a bit nervous and avoiding Rufus after that, although that has softened a bit and they were playing tug a little by the next day. But Zed is still being very cautious. For example, before when I would throw the toy football, Rufus would run fastest and get it, and then Zed would playfully playbite his leg or loose neck skin, making Rufus drop the ball, and then they would playfully playbite and wrestle. But now Zed gives Rufus a wide berth.
I am planning to watch them both carefully and not let them near each other when food or any treats are involved, but I feel I want help ASAP to avoid disaster.
Reply-To: fourpositivepaws@verizon.net
Subject: Re: class plus separate session
To: S
Dear S,
Thank you for inquiring about our private dog training services.
Though you are welcome to sign up your new dog (congratulations to the
new addition to your family) for our July 31st class, we do not see
Inner-Household Aggression cases and could not work with you on your
three dogs' issues one-on-one.
Since I am not sure what the trainer you will end up using will
recommend in terms of classes/protocols, you may want to wait to sign
either one of them up for anything or sign them up with a class taught
by the trainer you will see regarding the aggression issue.
Many privately owned small companies who limit their registrations to
a certain number of dogs and handlers, ours included, cannot refund if
a client decides to drop out of a class for any reason--including
rehoming a dog.
In the meantime, solid management is your best strategy in keeping the
peace. I would recommend you make an appointment with one of the
following trainers as soon as possible:
Trainers/Behaviorists specializing in aggression cases:
Debbie Winkler, CPDT, CDBC
Humane Domain, LLC
Sykesville, MD
deb@humanedomain.net
410 549 1135
http://www.humanedomain.net
Colleen Pelar, CPDT
All About Dogs, Inc.
Woodbridge, VA
colleen@livingwithkidsanddogs.com
www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com
703 980 0908
Ruth Chase, CDBC
The Coventry School, Inc.
Columbia, MD
coventryschool@verizon.net
410 381 1800
http://www.thecoventryschool.com
Pat Miller, CPDT, CDBC
Peaceable Paws, LLC
Hagerstown, MD
ppaws3@earthlink.net
301 582 9420
http://www.peaceablepaws.com
Nancy Williams
Manchester, MD
info@dogswithissues.com
410-374-1556
http://www.dogswithissues.com/
Yody Blass
703 327 7205
ab@petbehaviorist.com
http://www.petbehaviorist.com/index.html
Sincerely,
Sabine Hentrich, CPDT
Four Positive Paws, LLC
Greenbelt, MD
301 580 0988
http://www.fourpositivepaws.com
Our drop-in Puppy Kindergarten is back! Thank you for not keeping us a secret
Rufus and Zed-- having fun before the recent incidents. Here's hoping they can have fun again.
Zed is the dark blur in the last one. You can see his pink tongue/mouth though. It's really better to take pics of him outside.
I am attempting to consult a trainer. A dog trainer, that is. Below is an e-mail I wrote to Pat Miller, noted trainer and author. (And FYI: Pat Miller's review of Cesar Millan book.) Miller was suggested to me by Sabine H, a trainer I went to w/ Rufus a few months ago for a basic obedience class. I had already heard of Pat Miller, however. I just didn't realize she is only 1.5 hours away.
At the suggestion of Sabine Hentrich, I am writing to you.
I am interested in engaging you in one or more sessions, fairly soon,
to observe all three of my dogs together so you can advise me on how
to handle them. I have had two dogs since last November, and I
recently got a third dog (June 29), and some issues seem to be coming
up now.
My dogs are:
- Birdie, female spayed terrier mix (about 7 y o--I've had her 3.5 years)--she's the "boss" of Rufus, I think;
- Rufus, a 85-lb neutered Dane/Plott mix (about 2 y o; I've had him since Nov 2007); and
- Zed, 60-lb Lab mix (neutered male, about 2 but pretty mellow)--I got him June 29.
has backed off on that and even occasionally initiates play with Zed now.
Meanwhile, Rufus was initially the most welcoming toward Zed, wanting to play all the time and even accepting when Zed didn't want to play. They would do play biting and wrestling, which I watched carefully and broke up before it could get too excited. They would also play tug some with toys and run in the yard.
However, I think I have made some errors recently in giving the dogs treats and bully sticks to them too close to each other, and Rufus has been showing some guarding behaviors. This past Thursday, Rufus started barking at Zed and they ended up in each other's faces, barking and snarling, with a period of Rufus barking and snarling over Zed, who was on his back. I pulled Rufus away and examined Zed, but found that he mainly had lots of saliva in his fur on his head and neck (no blood). Rufus also will approach a crate or futon where Zed is lying and start barking loudly. The message, I think, is: I want that space, move. Zed ignores him, and I remove Rufus from the scene.
However, Friday evening, Zed ran up to Rufus's half-eaten kong before I could pick it up, and Rufus was on him again. I pulled him off. When I pulled Rufus back, Zed was still trying to come with us and continue barking at Rufus, but I was able to put them in separate rooms. Then I examined each one. This time I saw that Rufus had drawn a little blood on one of Zed's ears.
Zed was a bit nervous and avoiding Rufus after that, although that has softened a bit and they were playing tug a little by the next day. But Zed is still being very cautious. For example, before when I would throw the toy football, Rufus would run fastest and get it, and then Zed would playfully playbite his leg or loose neck skin, making Rufus drop the ball, and then they would playfully playbite and wrestle. But now Zed gives Rufus a wide berth.
I am planning to watch them both carefully and not let them near each other when food or any treats are involved, but I feel I want help ASAP to avoid disaster.
Reply-To: fourpositivepaws@verizon.net
Subject: Re: class plus separate session
To: S
Dear S,
Thank you for inquiring about our private dog training services.
Though you are welcome to sign up your new dog (congratulations to the
new addition to your family) for our July 31st class, we do not see
Inner-Household Aggression cases and could not work with you on your
three dogs' issues one-on-one.
Since I am not sure what the trainer you will end up using will
recommend in terms of classes/protocols, you may want to wait to sign
either one of them up for anything or sign them up with a class taught
by the trainer you will see regarding the aggression issue.
Many privately owned small companies who limit their registrations to
a certain number of dogs and handlers, ours included, cannot refund if
a client decides to drop out of a class for any reason--including
rehoming a dog.
In the meantime, solid management is your best strategy in keeping the
peace. I would recommend you make an appointment with one of the
following trainers as soon as possible:
Trainers/Behaviorists specializing in aggression cases:
Debbie Winkler, CPDT, CDBC
Humane Domain, LLC
Sykesville, MD
deb@humanedomain.net
410 549 1135
http://www.humanedomain.net
Colleen Pelar, CPDT
All About Dogs, Inc.
Woodbridge, VA
colleen@livingwithkidsanddogs.com
www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com
703 980 0908
Ruth Chase, CDBC
The Coventry School, Inc.
Columbia, MD
coventryschool@verizon.net
410 381 1800
http://www.thecoventryschool.com
Pat Miller, CPDT, CDBC
Peaceable Paws, LLC
Hagerstown, MD
ppaws3@earthlink.net
301 582 9420
http://www.peaceablepaws.com
Nancy Williams
Manchester, MD
info@dogswithissues.com
410-374-1556
http://www.dogswithissues.com/
Yody Blass
703 327 7205
ab@petbehaviorist.com
http://www.petbehaviorist.com/index.html
Sincerely,
Sabine Hentrich, CPDT
Four Positive Paws, LLC
Greenbelt, MD
301 580 0988
http://www.fourpositivepaws.com
Our drop-in Puppy Kindergarten is back! Thank you for not keeping us a secret
Rufus and Zed-- having fun before the recent incidents. Here's hoping they can have fun again.
Zed is the dark blur in the last one. You can see his pink tongue/mouth though. It's really better to take pics of him outside.