WestieN can I return the "favour" and please ask you a question? I think it's related to this thread and I'm interested in your answer (or anyone's come to that).

It's not something I dealt with, but here's the scenario:

One dog, GSd, rescue, neutered, 5 years old. Showing some strong character, a bit aggressive with dogs but not too much and will get on once introduced. He will growl at humans (not his owner but humans at dog club) and has attempted to snap once.

I do know the end so i can tell you how it was dealt with and what happened

Wys
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I do agree that some dog owners need a good shake when it comes to their dogs!

Ah! Raise the flagpole - something we all agree on

Wys
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I would tell him off for snapping for a start, he has to know that is not acceptable, especially towards humans, whether they are strangers to him or not, imo.

Then perhaps I think I would try having the dog within a few feet of strangers on a lead. Without the strangers making eye contact, they could try and give the dog small bits of food, to try and build up the trust of the dog. That would only work if he is food orientated though. If not, strangers being near to the dog without acknowledging him or making eye contact. If he snaps, he must be told off, imo.

This discussion's been going so fast i nearly forgot to ask - which vid is that please Dougiepit, is there a link?

I understand what you are saying about some breeds and the general public and all that. I experienced some prejudice during the late 80's (DDA frenzy) with my first 2 BSDs who were more GSD like in those days - I think it's a case of the owner hopefully keeping wide awake and on the ball so the rott doesn't have to react.

Wys
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Could I just clarify how you'd tell him off, would that be a verbal telling off, jerk on collar, or smack for example?

Wys
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My Gremlin would disagree
Before I got her, she had `learned` never to give a warning of any kind due to being `told off` [ thats putting it mildly ].

By the time I got her she was a stealth attacker. [ I know the full history of treatment by her previous family :smt071 ].

I learned [ quickly ! ] to read her one single involuntary sign - a tiny twitch - which preceeded a defensive lunge by a couple of seconds. Through time and patience she has learned that not only is she allowed to express any discomfort, I *want* her to express it, and now she does so.
Ok, she shows me the signals, not the other dog, but thats good enough as she learned that she can turn to me for support / protection etc instead of feeling the need to strike out.
She has changed from being severely dog aggressive having been attacked herself when young, to a very relaxed girl who actually made me cry, [ and I`m not ashamed to admit it ], the first time she was able to not just go with my other crew to a companion show but felt confident and relaxed enough in herself to go in the ring surrounded closely by other dogs simply because communication ability was restored in her mind.
Now, if one of my others gets in her face, albeit in play or by accident, she will communicate the visual snap to them, because she is confident enough to now, though only with them, [ any other dogs its me she communicates to on the now rare occasions that she feels uncomfortable enough to need to ], but I can tell you it was a heck of a break through for her that she was able to overcome human-caused ingrained stealth behaviour to do easily readable communication instead and to get incredible bite inhibition because the `need` to defend herself disolved with the renewed ` hey I am allowed to actually communicate first` confidence :smt001

Can I make it clear that I DO NOT hit my dogs, never have done and never would. I do not believe in hitting dogs.

A verbal 'no' with a firm, low voice, a quick jerk of the lead if neccessary. If the snapping towards strangers happens regularly at the class, pennies or stones in a bottle may be effective. Or perhaps water.

Now we`re cookin`

No probs, thanks for that. I'm going to disappear now for dinner and so on, will be back later or tomorrow

Wys
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