Fear Aggression

[Olive600]

Today was Scarlett's first trip to doggie day care. I think the world of these folks, and they're the only ones I trust to care for my dogs if I need to board them. And the day care service is very good, too. Scarlett doesn't like strangers or dogs other than Olive, so I took her there today to start her socialization. They'll work with her until she's OK with humans and dogs and learns how to play. They tell me she is fear aggressive. I believe it. So for the next few weeks I'll take her twice a week with Olive. She'll meet all the staff and play with them. In a few weeks, they'll introduce one or two of the better dogs that already know Olive. A few weeks later, she'll go into the general population (sounds like prison). Finally she'll go without Olive. This is if all goes well. The way she is now, I could never take her to a GTG or any place else with dogs and people bunched together, not unless I want a barking, shaking, snarling pipsqueak of a dog on my hands. She's actually harmless, but she sure is fierce. It feels good to be proactive.

Nikki

[bfandlw]

What a great idea..
I'm certain it will pay off, good luck!!

[Redetotry]

I wish I had a place like that I could send Toby. He is the same way towards other dogs we meet when walking. He's come a long way but that type of socialization sounds just what he needs. I think his is also fear aggression. Hope it works well for you and MS Scarlett!

[VickieP]

Great plan!

[Bethers]

Good idea and planning.

[BirdbyBird]

Proactive is best. Fear aggression does not go away without interventions.....they do not outgrow it. Sounds like you are working wit.h a solid plan. Good mommy! fear aggression can cause dog fights and can cause injury to humans and to dogs. They don't mean to hurt folks but anxiety is not rational....it is FEAR and when afraid negative things can and have happened.....

[Olive600]

Thanks, everyone. I feel real good about Scarlett's progress.

We just did our first homework exercise, and it went well. I took her out when the neighbors were out. Someone would stand far enough away that they didn't threaten her, with a few pieces of kibble in their palm. Not looking at her, they put the hand down where she could get to it and waited. Of course she tip toed over and ate the kibble. If she didn't run away, they gave her a soft pet and said softly, "good Scarlett." We went through a few adults and some kids. After about 15 minutes she was standing in the middle of the group looking up at a baby, not saying a word. There were a few barks as people walked up, but no hysterics. Yay Scarlett! I am so proud of my baby girl.

[Olive600]

I wish I had a place like that I could send Toby. He is the same way towards other dogs we meet when walking. He's come a long way but that type of socialization sounds just what he needs. I think his is also fear aggression. Hope it works well for you and MS Scarlett!

R, if there's a dog boarding place near you, they might be able to help. Maybe you can try the exercise I used with Scarlett and the neighbors. It seems to work.

[grammynmaggie]

Great homework...I bet she will do really good
with your plan...happy for all 3 of you
donna

[retiredhappy]

You're doing all the right things. I wish people would socialize their little dogs when they're puppies.

[sharon]

You're doing all the right things. I wish people would socialize their little dogs when they're puppies.

And then there are those of us that do indeed socialize (knowing that chi's tend to be anti-social to begin with) when their dogs are young but because of an unknown health problem and an isolated incident all of the socialization goes out the window.

[Redetotry]

I wish I had a place like that I could send Toby. He is the same way towards other dogs we meet when walking. He's come a long way but that type of socialization sounds just what he needs. I think his is also fear aggression. Hope it works well for you and MS Scarlett!

R, if there's a dog boarding place near you, they might be able to help. Maybe you can try the exercise I used with Scarlett and the neighbors. It seems to work.

He is much better with people as over the summer we also walked around the neighborhood with treats talking with people. He settles right down and waits patiently if I chat for awhile. But, if another dog comes he gets crazy unless it is the one down the street that he knows. What I did when they met was to let him off leash,the other dog was unleashed and the same size, and had run out to meet us. I don't know whether it was because he was unleashed or if it was because the other dogs owner was back a distance.
There is a trainer who taught the obedience class we went to in the spring who also works with dogs at her home. As soon as it cools off I'm going to contact her to see if she will work with him as I thought she was a very good with the dogs in class.
He was a year old when I got him but had been sold and returned to the breeder. I think whoever he was sold to didn't know how to train a dog and was not gentle with him. I also worry it could be in his DNA and I'll just have to do what I can for him. I tend to think though with the progress he has made being around people he will get better.

[Olive600]

Thanks for all the support. I swear if all of you hadn't been here to help, poor little Scarlett would be somewhere else by now. I'm so glad that didn't happen and am looking forward to her meeting all her aunties.

Sharon, we can only do what we can do,and god bless the folks who try. It's heartbreaking when a dog is "bad" because of something that can't be fixed.

R, sounds like you have a plan. I think it takes time but that most dogs can be socialized even when they're older. I now remember seeing a documentary about a pit bull who was going to be put down for aggression and the people who recognized it was really a socialization problem and worked with the dog until it was a "good" dog. Some of the sweetest dogs I've ever met have been the so called aggressive breeds. What a load of PR that is! Hard to believe that Olive was my first dog and in December I'll have had her for three years. I wonder how I ever lived without a dog and hope I never do again.

Tomorrow both dogs go back to doggy day care for day 2. I'm actually looking forward to it.

[BirdbyBird]

Even when you do all the right things with a young pup....it only takes one bad or scary happenstance to create an issue. And it is hard to anticipate all the situations from a puppies perspective to protect them from the scary world.... but the alternative of not getting them out into the world is not good either.....

[sharon]

Nikki, just a thought but you might have Scarlett checked for low thyroid. I took Chewy to a class that my trainer sponsored with a trainer from Chicago. He said that quite a few dogs that seem to be sociable and then turn have a low thyroid problem. I was a little skeptical, my vet was a lot skeptical but she was very low thyroid. Her thyroid is being treated but she's figured out that if she snarls, growls or acts aggressive people leave her alone. Sometimes that works with other dogs and sometimes it gets her in trouble. She hasn't figured that out yet and hasn't learned to keep her mouth shut. Some dogs take exception to her attitude and try to line her out. sigh. Those that know her are impressed by how far she has come. It's been a lot of work.