Does your dog know that you are "THE BOSS"?!

What I learned with my super willful pup (now 2, still willful, but well behaved) - dogs will do things that lead to good results for them, and avoid things that don't. Pulling on the leash means the walk stops. Boo! Walking next to me gets treats. Yay! Jumping on or barking at visitors leads to time out in bed. Boo! Being friendly means you get to hang out with everyone in the center of activity. Yay!

While there is an element of recognizing who runs the house, I think a whole crop of people who've watched The Dog Whisperer too much have taken this to extremes.

My dogs know I run the house because I feed them and give them treats. And because I provide them with water and cuddles. Sleeping in the bed or sitting on the sofa does not make them misbehave. I like that they have their own toys because it gives me tools other than treats to use for training. My little Yorkie has a purse/bed. It's HER place to go when she wants to have peace. It's her place to feel safe. When we go anywhere, she's in her purse feeling safe and confident. It's also her place to go when told. It's HER PLACE.

It took me 3 months to teach her to play dead. I did it with treat luring. She did not want to be in that position. She is now comfortable with and good at "play dead" because it is a positive experience for her. It isn't about domination it's about building trust and confidence.

I'm so glad you posted this.

This is my 1st time posting here - I just had to register to comment on your article here. Thank you for writing this, and reaffirming what I've come to believe.

I have 3 dogs - one very well balanced, happy, & socially adept 5 yr old Lhasa Apso that I trained based on my own instincts; a one 1 yr old Lab puppy, happy & still in training, with whose training I've returned to my own instincts. And then I have my 4 yr old "problem child", the one I believe I made a fatal mistake with when I tried a "dominance" move on him shortly after getting him from rescue.

Willie is a Shih Tzu mix, picked up off the streets by animal control at approx 1 yr old, labeled a biter, and (literally) rescued off the euthanasia table. Completely raw & unsocialized with humans or animals, he went thru 4 foster homes in a month before I got him, then formally adopted him from the rescue group.

A few biteless weeks after I got him, I was playing with him one day & unintentionally scared him. When he snarled at me, I did "like I saw on TV" and tried to lay him down with a dominance move. MAJOR disaster - he & I both ended up traumatized & I ended up badly bitten.

It's been 3 yrs now & I've since come to realize that Willie has quite a few phobias, in addition to extreme stubborness; and he appears to have been physically abused prior to my getting him. I've had a prof. trainer in with him, had vets work with him... but in the end, the only thing that works with him is extreme patience & my learning to "manage" him. He'll never be 100% trustable but, fortunately for him, he has so many comical & endearing qualities when he's not being nasty, that he's here for life. (What saved his life in the first place is that he kissed the tech's hand when she was getting ready to inject him with the euthanasia drugs.)

I often wonder if I hadn't tried that dominance move on him, if things would have worked out differenly for us. Maybe if I hadn't destroyed his burgeoning trust in me that day.... I'll never know, but I do know this - I resolved to not treat my Lab puppy that way when I got her a year ago, and your article today reaffirmed that. She's a lab puppy, so what can I say? She's not 100% well behaved, but she's loving, happy & getting there. :)

Let's rethink what was written.

You’re the boss… This is true. I’ve witness & heard of dogs out of control at home. They are allowed to do what every they want and they took over. Not pleasant for owners or guest. Of course you are the boss of your own dog. Thinking other wise is silly.

Dog “beneath” children…Yes again. Do you want your dog jumping on your kids? Grabbing their clothes and dragging them down? This is just simple manners, but in truth it is saying the kids are above you Lassie.

“Leader” & “In Charge”…This is your opinion and it’s a great one, but how I interpret your intention is such as “Iron Fist Leader” & “Do as I say, cause I’m in charge”. Being a “leader” & “in charge” doesn’t not mean break his spirit. Ever have a great boss? Was he/she a good “leader”. Every single owner should be a good “leader”, everyone. Leader & Owner, when used in connection with dogs can be interchangeable.

Never do any of the above… (in all caps). Again, ummm, no.

Never let your dog lie on you? Unless you say its ok.
Eat before your dog & pretent to out of his bowl…seriously? Who really needs to do this? What trainer said this? What was his reasoning? I agree this is odd.
Walk through doorways before your dog… Amen!!! Safety, people. Safety. Ever heard of a bolting dog? Heard of anyone getting knocked down by a dog running through a doorway cause they want to be first?
Dog pulling on walk... No pulling, rude and not safe. Whose idea of a hunt is a walk. Never heard of that one.
All items are yours.. Yes, I bought them, they are mine, dog is too. I switch out toys all the time, relieves boredom. Changes things up a bit.
Hand in the food bowl…You betcha. I might want to put more in or take some out. All dogs should allow this.
Stand in my dogs bed…why? Dog must be willing to share his bed with me & get off when I say to, got to clean it every now & then.
Scruff your dog…Yes, by all means teach your dog to accept being gently scuffed, cats too. This ‘hold” is sometimes used at the vet to restrain. Teach your pet its ok to be held tightly.
Stared down your dog… Why not? Ever see them play at the dog park? Ever see a dog stare while play bowing towards another dog? Then they jump for joy or start a game of tag. Its not a look of death, but it is locked eye contact.
Hold you dog down…Please teach them this is ok, vets do it all the time. But don’t release when they submit, release when your ready and give lots of praise when finished.
Dog on couch…If you don’t want them on the couch or bed, then let them know that its not ok, give alternative place to relax.

“Calm Assertive”…Hmmmm, you are probably “calm & assertive” with your dog. Does your dog listen to you? More than likely, right? Are you freaky crazy when working with your dog? I would think not. You are probably a great “calm, assertive leader” to your dog. Maybe those are not the adjectives you chose to use. Or maybe the person who makes bank with that saying raises your hackles? Not sure why he would.

All dogs especially puppies, needs to know to rules as soon as they enter the home. Puppy thou shall not, eat the plants. Dog, thou shall not destroy the couch. This is a “block” I am happy to put up, not hanging up on anything. Every one needs rules.

I for one, would love for people to dust off their dictionary and open their minds. Dominance theories, every person or living thing revolves around dominance. Dog, you get into car cause I said so. If you don’t, I will pick you up and help you in. That is dominance. Dog, you will wear a pink flowery collar cause I want you to, yup to guessed it, dominance. Dog you will only live in my house, cause I own you. Dog you nip me out of joy, I will get into your space. Boss makes you work overtime because he is dominate over you. Dominance is not suppose to be painful. Aggression is.

If you honestly think about, your dogs submits to you every single day. You are dominated over them, you are the Boss. But you maybe a nice boss. ;o)

Wow,what a topic! I totally agree with you, jenniferc. I have been a dog trainer for over 8 years. Not every method works for every dog and owner. I don't tell every dog owner to get their dog off the bed. But some I tell them it's a must. Depends on the dog, his temperment, his training and his owner. And you should never try anything from Cesar Milan's show without help, he even says that on every show.

In my puppies class we teach gentle restraint. I've seen too many dogs who freak out at the vets or groomers who did not learn this. I also will stare down a dog or growl at a dog. Not every dog and not every situation warrants this. But I have done it when needed and gotten results when nothing else worked. I guess that's about watching, listening and working with every dog and dog owner like they're the only ones even though you have 6 in a class.

I have many tools in my tool box and use them when needed. You don't use a hammer when the job calls for a screwdriver. I assess every situation and pull out the tool needed. I keep adding tools all the time so I can better serve dogs and their owners.

Lydia McCarthy Playful Pooches and Parents Dog Training 513-939-dogs

One thing I hear is that you shouldn't let your dog sleep on your bed because that's the "best spot in the house" and only the pack leader sleeps in the best spot. I have to ask, though: "best spot" according to whom? Certainly not my dog, who can choose to sleep anywhere she'd like, and pretty much always sleeps under the bed. I guess I'll need to squeeze my butt under there so as to assert my pack leadership.

Crystal and Maisy RL1 AOE-L1 CGC
St. Paul, MN

I've been a trainer for over 10 years, and a clicker trainer for nearly 8 and a half of those years. I'm a behaviorist, with 7 years of behavior problem solving in both wolves and dogs under my belt. Dominance theories have come and gone; been adapted and changed and rewritten. We, as trainers and behaviorists, had come quite a way in terms of understanding the difference between wolf and dog behavior, until Mr. Millan came along and set us all back a decade or two.

The reality is that "dominance", when referring to animal behavior, is defined as a "pecking order" achieved through violence and ritualized aggression. Those of us that have been paying attention to the science behind canid behavior and training know that wolves and dogs are different species, behaviorally, and cannot be treated the same. You may be able to get away with growling at a dog, but if you walk into a pen full of wolves and growl at one of them, you are very likely to be attacked.

JenniferC, you use the analogy of "being the leader" as being the same as "being a good boss." While this is a reasonable - and valid - analogy, the ultimate reason that we deal with "bad" bosses is because we're being paid to, and sometimes, even money isn't enough of a reason to deal with it. Having a good boss is just a bonus! The flaw with your analogy is that in order for a boss to be "good", he or she must be willing to bend and cooperate to some degree with those "beneath" him; to give his employees a reason to work hard and cooperate with him!

Also, let's not forget that it's physically impossible for the vast majority of people - Cesar Millan included - to physically dominate a 160 pound mastiff type dog. Many people have difficulty physically dominating a 60 pound GSD or 50 pound Lab!

While I agree that it's important to teach puppies to accept handling and restraint in all sorts of different positions, there is a difference between restraint and scruffing, scruff shaking, or alpha rolling. A BIG difference! I expect human children to be well behaved and polite, but I wouldn't achieve it by grabbing them by the shirt collar or smacking them, which creates behavioral issues (like violence). The same applies for dogs - be physical with them, and they will be physical with you. Show them what to do, give them a reason to do it, and they'll do it!

Domestication has separated dog from wolves. Wolves are reclusive and avoid humans at all costs, even wolves raised by a human have difficulty accepting people. Dogs, on the other hand, have been selectively bred to bond with and work closely with humans. Multiple studies have shown that dogs are capable of categorizing pictures and objects, imitating humans, and interpreting human facial expressions and body language, among other things. Dogs are not stupid, nor are they "wild animals"; they need to be trained and treated as domestic dogs, not wolves.

I want my dogs to be my partners, be it in agility, rally-o, obedience, fly ball, or just a jog on the beach. Personally, I have a house full of dogs - all bully breeds - because I love dogs and enjoy their companionship. They're well behaved with humans and dogs of all shapes, sizes, and ages. They have phenominal house manners; they don't jump on people, they don't fight amongst themselves over toys, space, or food, and they're not pushy or demanding. They're competitive in obedience, rally-o, fly ball, agility, and schutzhund. They also eat before me, go out the door before me, snuggle with me on the floor, the couch, AND the bed; they're even allowed to go ahead of me on walks. And they've never been "stared down", scruffed, alpha rolled, forced to submit, or otherwise physically dominated. They've never even worn head halters, let alone choke, prong, or shock collars. Imagine that!

I have one dog that can go through doors, sleep on the bed, et et. He has not shown any behaviors that need improving et.

I have another dog that I have sit before we go through doors et, as it helps him realize he does not need to rule other dogs I do. I guess if it was all about me, or I didn't seek to own dogs that were only perfect, I would fail the other dog just to make me feel better.

However, sitting before a door is not hurtful to the dog, and improves everyone's relationship with him. And again, it's about taking the best care of my dog that I can, not about feeling superior to others or treating my dog in a way that is more about me than him.

To each their own though.

Maurice Peaches
All Good Doggies

I fashion myself as a "Benevolent dictator". I teach my lab/shepard mix to want to walk nicely on a loose leash, sit patiently while I prep his food, come back to me when we leave the dog park, etc., etc. - all without using any of the stress/physical pain inducing techniques of Cesar Milan. It's all good & and we are both happy :)

Of course you can have a great dog without scuffing or teaching them to be safely restrained. Of course your dog can be a perfect angel, you raise him that way. We as professionals would love for nothing more than for people to take interest in educating & socializing their dogs, more so educating themselves.

There are dogs who aren’t so lucky. Those who have not been socialized. Seriously, go to a vet hospital, watch pros in action with those dogs. It’s a beautiful dance dodging teeth & claws. Be it blood work, exam, toe nail trim…dogs are scuffed and restrained all the time. First it’s a gentle hold and then a forceful restrain. Its fast, effective, over quickly and its fair & just. It sure as hell not pretty, but the dogs are safe, more importantly the staff is too. The WWE should be writing offers for their next wrestling stars, they are that good.

Reality is most owners will never have a major problem with their dogs. Those featured with behavioral problems on TV shows are not found in every home. These are extreme cases, which suggest different techniques than used on happy go lucky Fido down the block who wont leave mom’s new Prada shoes alone.

Reality is majority of people don’t work with or own wolves. Trust me, I won't be growling at any wolves in the near future. But dogs, sure why not? I want puppy to come, high pitched happy voice. Dog pinning my dog down, deep growly voice, OFF...LEAVE IT, while getting into their space!!! Poor people with deep growly voices, some extreme dog lovers will not like you one bit.

A good boss or good leader never compromises, at the time in which they do, they are then an equal or a follower. A good leader/boss has goals, clear rules & expectations and is fair. This is what owners should strive to become.

I would love to hear what some of the readers hear would do with an aggressive dog. Would you grab him by the collar if he went after your niece? God I would hope you would. Or would you stand by and let it maul her? Would you restrain him if he went after you? Would you leave him locked up for the rest of his life and a nice pretty kennel? Would you euthanize him? Since you don’t like what other people do, what is you recommendation? You're the trainer now, help this dog.

Let it be know, that I think the professional to whom many people object to, if fair. Someone has to go in there and clean up someone else’s mess. Have I seen him beat a dog on the show? No. Restrain with the leash, it is justified, yes. Does he give the dog an out, yes. He is fair, yes. These are not mentally or physically happy dogs he get calls on. These are dogs whose options are bleak or their life is going to be very short if not helped.

Well, my Willie is an aggressive dog. He bites for 2 reasons - 1) Fear/Phobic reaction - and he has many of these; 2) Resource guarding. He's bitten nearly everyone in my family, and nipped angrily at a few friends & extended family. Fortunately, he's a single biter & doesn't normally go into extended attack mode, *unless* they continue doing what they were doing that triggered it. He is never, ever, ever allowed around young children without being on a leash controlled by me, even tho he likes them. That's way too scary for me.

The biggest problem is they (even I) can be petting him, which he wants, then suddenly he'll get freaked out by it & if they don't stop immediately, he'll snap.

How do I handle it? Many different ways, but the one way NOT to handle it with him is to directly confront him, if at all possible. When anyone confronts him, he goes into the "red zone"; his eyes literally turn red, he doesn't see anything, he doesn't feel anything, he doesn't hear anything - he just goes into a RAGE. I've found the very best way to handle it is to redirect him using objects between him & his target, like stools, cupboard doors, water bottle squirt, etc., (but not magazines or newspapers I found out the hard way). When I redirect him, it completely changes his dynamic & he recovers very quickly these days - he'll be bouncing off wagging his tail within a minute.

I thought briefly about getting him put down last Fall after he bit my 72 yr old mother very badly (for the second time) when she was just trying to hook his tieout to his collar so he could go out to the bathroom. I'm the only one allowed to do that, and he still will fuss with me once in a while.

Before all of you think I'm a terrible doggy momma (lol), there are also a TON of things Willie & I have conquered, but I think I've come to accept that there are some things we'll never conquer. I've tried so, so many ways to figure out how to train him out of these phobias & negative behavoirs - trainers, vets, drugs, confrontation, redirection, numerous message boards desperately seeking something new I haven't heard of yet. Nothing works with some of his triggers.

But, Willie's nasty behavoir is only about 2% of the time; 98% of the time he's a funny, high energy, smart, & endearing little guy who is singularly devoted to me & his BFF, Pinkie, my Lhasa. He has severe trust issues from his previous life, and we'll live with that day by day, as we always have. It's exhausting, let me tell you, to not ever be able to fully relax around a dog, or to not be able to pick him up & give him a hug or kiss like I do my other dogs. His unpredictability is the worst of it, but he's not going anywhere. He's spending the rest of his life with me.

I have had dogs like the above from a couple of clients. Both are living in their homes, and no longer "correcting humans" for looking them in the eye, or walking near them.

I can tell you that they got that way intitially, due to the owners avoiding and being told to avoid anything that would make him "lash". It would have been simpler, if they had gotten the right advice, to use the tools out there (like muzzles) not as management, but as a way to train him to rethink and learn his options in these situations. So that now, he can be out with his family and those he knows, and not be growling at everything (off leash and equipment by the way).

Otherwise it just gets worse. I hope you have come up with solutions so that your 72 year old mother never gets bitten again in the meantime. I would urge you to find a trainer that is experienced with these types of dogs. This behavior is never acceptable, and IMHO you do need to find a solution. It can take up to six months to change a dogs reactions (not manage by redirecting) with appropriate repetitions and exercises each day that help the dog identify the proper responses. In the end, this absolutely makes for a happier dog, they do not want to be in conflict with their family (even though they don't know that we might be considering the big E).

Maurice Peaches
All Good Doggies

1. Dominance, Leadership, being the boss, whatever you want to call it, should never involve physical punishment. I am the boss, of my home, work and of my pets, family and sometimes even my friends. I did not become the boss because I hit them, beat them up, of physically punished them. I am the boss because I know what I want, how to get it and how to make it happen. I lead; they follow and are happy to do so. Dominance, leadership, & being boss is physiological, not physical. The bottom line is be smarter; not bigger and meaner, if that is the way you handle confrontation, you will some day run in to someone bigger, meaner, and smarter than you.
2. Train, train, train, for every situation, in every environment. Train for the expected, and the unexpected. Train for safety, train for freedom, TRAIN.

Sandra L Wire
sandra@k9funtime.com

I don't "grow" critters like this. ;) The critters I grow from babies (cats & dogs) are all well-behaved, loving pets that all get along with each other & all humans (I have 6 in the house, at the moment). I would be truly embarassed at the vets with Willie if they didn't know all my other critters were good.

No, Willie came to me like this, and it may be why he was abandoned on the streets. He didn't even know how to climb stairs, jump up on furniture, or how to interact with other critters when I got him, much less humans, so I've always wondered how he spent his first year of life. The one thing I do know is that when he acts up, he goes on immediate guard, watching for "the hands" out of the sides of his eyes, so someone, somewhere, was hitting this dog.

I wish some of you that think you could retrain him lived near me. lol All comers are welcome (except I can't afford a trainer at this time). I've tried muzzling (almost lost my hand), tried confronting, tried a trainer (20 yrs experience & told me Willie was the most stubborn dog he'd ever met), etc., and so forth, but I'm open to any suggestions. :)

What breed is Willie and how old?
In your position I would try to gently and slowly get him over his phobias with a muzzle on him - they make a little plastic cage looking model that doesn't impede panting, it encloses the whole nose in a protective plastic cage instead of forcing the mouth closed. I haven't tried one yet but they look pretty good. To get it on him without getting bitten try a Halti first - and make it a fun game. If he can get used to having a loose halti strap on his nose without being bothered he'll already be halfway to accepting a loose muzzle.

I agree with 'YES - posted by rothwoman'
In response to the 'boss' topic, (This is purely a personal response) in my house we don't need a 'boss' or an 'alpha' I am the pack leader because I am the provider - the dog god of all things wonderful. Walks in the park? They come from me. A day of running free in the woods? Also comes from me. Clean water? Food? Treats? Toys? All provided by me where the dogs can see it happen.
If they want to come up on the bed (where they sleep every night) or up on the couch to watch a movie (their favorite place) they ask politely. No problem! If they are sitting where I want to be sitting I just walk calmly up to the dog and say "You're in my spot" That's all, they hop down and wait for me to get comfortable, then I invite them back up and tell them where on the couch or bed they have permission to sit – I did, after all, provide us with the couch.
My older dog (4 yrs - 120 pounds) was badly abused and malnourished when I adopted her 2 years ago and it's been a long haul. Resource guarding, food aggression, biting when brushed or bathed, severe dog aggression, fear of abandonment, personal space issues!! (At 3ft the growling would start, at 1ft the snapping would start)Now I can hand feed her or take her food away while she is eating it. I can take toys, bones and treats out of that huge mouth with my bare hands with no fear of being bitten because I have painstakingly built a reputation with them as a provider - she knows there will always be another toy, another bone, etc.
I DO use 'dominance' techniques when I PLAY with my dogs. In my personal opinion submission & domination, a pecking order, mock biting, pulling, jumping and rolling (yes, even alpha rolls) growling, barking and stare downs… those are all natural components of a dogs learning process and socialization but they are done in play, and only in play. I think with a good non-confrontational understanding of how dogs interact and a solid trusting relationship already built with your dog these mock dominance/submission games can help you communicate with your dog, provided they are not taken too seriously... have you ever spoken on the phone with someone who is speaking your language as a second language and for some reason thinks they need to scream their words to be understood? That's how I imagine a dog interpreting OUR interpretation of their posturing and body language, we're getting the right idea... but our grammar and tone need a little work :)

Thank you for this article. It is soooo needed.

I've been working with dogs for about 3 years on my own... reading, working with shelter dogs, doing more reading or reaching out to trainers to help with specific problems. I've dealt with some bad abuse cases and dominance theory would break them to pieces... and I'd still be putting them back together.

I do have to say that I always go through the door first but that is a safety issue. My Ridgeback is half my size and could rip my arm out of the socket if he were allowed to rocket out the door. We operate our house on a 'nothing for free' mentality. They have to sit calmly (wigglebutt is ok as long as the behind is on the floor) until their leash is on. They have to sit to ask for petting. My dogs are not allowed on 'our couch', mainly because I don't want it ruined. They have my old college futon that is theirs, but I sleep on it still from time to time in part because it is comfy/quiter and in part to show it is everybody's futon. They are allowed on our bed when one of us is napping or reading, but it's people only at bedtime. They have nice cozy dog beds of their own, darn it! And I like my space! =)

I have a tendency thought to agree with Desiree. My 82-lb Ridgeback's best friend is a 3.5-lb teacup Pom. They tug (ok, my dog lays down with the rope in his mouth and lets the little one tug) and play and wrassle around (my dog flops over on his back and lets the little one climb on him from time to time.) Looking at their interactions, I think play and snuggle sessions are the best time to teach different types of touch and pressure.

I do think a lot of owners let their dogs rule and chalk it up to a 'personality' issue. (Not talking about Willie here!) Dominance theory is easy to understand (or so they think) and that made Millan's show a hit. It seemed so accessible and so simple. But anybody can cut two weeks or more of work into a 22-minute segment and make it look simple.

I guess I can say that one good thing that came from that show is that I see a lot more people out there walking their dogs and owning up to the idea that pooch's problem behavior is largely because they've spoiled the dog. Too bad that had to come with so much misinformation.

Willie is just a 22 lb Shih Tzu mix, thank God! I can't even imagine dealing with this kind of aggression in a large dog - I'm truly impressed you've done it with your large dog, Desiree. I had never dealt with an aggressive dog before I started fostering, which is when I got Willie, so I know I didn't handle things properly in the first few months. If nothing else, he's been a serious educational experience for me; and continues to be a challenge when it comes to finding solutions for issues that shouldn't even exist.

Melissa_Anne, I've found that Willie learns well thru playing - in fact, he seems to learn best that way. It took him a while to figure out what "play" was when it was coming from me, but after he figures out I'm playing, he's game. In spite of the fact that he bites, I taught him to mouth play and he's learned some bite inhibition because of it. When we mouth play, his mouth is actually softer than my Lhasa's, who would never bite anyone! lol One thing that amazes everyone that knows him is that I can put a "Vulcan Death Grip" (deep, announcer voice there) on his whole face & he thinks it's funny, but don't let me try to do anything serious around his face (wipe his eyes, check his ears, muzzle) or I'll get bitten.

Thanks to everyone's comments here, I'm going to start working on his resource guarding again; if I could get that handled, I'd be a little more comfortable with other people in the house.

I found with my dog that any sort of game that involves you taking their things and giving them back helps with resource guarding. Fetch, Hide & Seek, etc. worked well for me because she learned that if I take something from her she usually gets it back. I also take all their toys away at bed time (after they are in bed but they can see me do it) and put them away, in the morning I give them all back, it didn't take her long to realize I was 'guarding' them for her and she didn't need to worry so much about it. You can also try teaching him to guard things on command, things he doesn't care about to begin with, like a wheelbarrow or something rediculous like that, if you make that a kind of game, (like keep-away) then once he has learned it you can apply the same 'stop guarding' command to him when he gets possesive over his things. :)

I try not to get too hung up on which exact word we all use. I consider myself to be the leader/boss because I am the mum of the house and create boundaries/rules. One rule is that malamute mustn't jump up against the window when he wants to come in from the garden. When he wants to come in he must come to the window and look through with all feet on the ground. But, with that constraint, he is allowed to tell me he wants to come in and I often allow myself to be "dominated" by his wish to come in. I have no problem with that and similar examples. GSDX will dominate me into feeding her when she thinks it's time by sitting and staring at me. So what? I allow that. I think I am the leader, but perhaps they think they are. Who cares, as long as we are all happy? We're all manipulating each other.

As for the dogs being beneath the children, I personally think it's ridiculous. My children are aged 2 and 4. When I got my pup my son was under 2. Neither child leads the pack. They're children - far too young. I provide guidance for children and dogs. The children aren't to provoke the dogs, and the dogs are to behave well around the children. They do this because I cause it to be so. The children don't have the strength to assert themselves in that way yet. This works absolutely fine for us.

To Cindy C,
I think you will make a lot of progress with Willie once you can use a muzzle, because then no one will be nervous about getting bitten and he won't be able to cause anyone pain. Biting (or trying to) will no longer get him any results, and you'll be much more relaxed, too.
First you have to get him to wear it. Create positive associations with the muzzle every day. Use some of his favorite treats and a basket muzzle so you can continue to treat him while he wears it. Take the muzzle out, treat. Show it to him, treat. Put treats inside it so he has to put his face in to eat them. Go slowly; he should be very happy at every step before you move on. Eventually, show him the contrast between wearing the muzzle (walkies or treats! YAY!) and not wearing it (no walkies/treats--BORING!!). You can find very detailed instructions for this process on the internet. There's a chance you won't be able to trick him into loving it, but you will all feel a lot better when it's on.

I agree with positive associations with the muzzle. Treating a resource guarding dog can be a dangerous thing to do. If you can non chalantly slip the muzzle on while his back is towards you, is usually the easiest way. You could step on the leash so he can't come up at you to be safer. Or put a chair or low stool in between you so he can't whip around. Normally if you just put it on without hesitating, this works.

When the muzzle is on, it's not enough that everyone is safe when the muzzle is on, that's when training must begin in earnest. You want to see a certain body language before the muzzle is off again around people he knows.

Having a trainer around to help you (and is qualified to work with aggressive dogs as per past experience) will probably be a help.

Maurice Peaches
All Good Doggies

Sorry, I also meant to mention that fetch is a great goal with a resource guarder, BUT you really want to work on the actual resouce guarding first (if toys are something they want to guard). To just start a game of fetch without commands, protocol, and boundaries in place could be inviting disaster!!

Especially with Willie, he sounds like a very difficult dog that I trained once. Dog came out great, but we took lots of little steps to get there. Unfortunately, it's not something that can be fully communicated without hands on involvement with the dog. All dogs are different and work differently.

Maurice Peaches
All Good Doggies

Hi all.
To start. I am the captain of the team. I call the plays but we all work towards a win. I don't need to act like a dog, my dog knows I am NOT a fourlegged canid. What she knows is that all good things come from me. Walks, water and food, treats, toys etc. Dogs are not trying to take over the world, they only want what they want and we show them how to earn it. It's called training.

I have dealt with handler aggressive dogs. Resource guarders, fear biters etc. All have responded to properly applied behaviour modification..NILIF, teaching of alternate (preferred by the human) behaviours and rewarding heavily for each and every good thing the dog offers. Management is key to keeping the dog from practicing the unwanted behaviours but behaviour mod still has to happen if you want any progress to be made.

JenniferC...darn right I'd grab a dog if it was attacking someone, but this is not training, it's managing what is occurring at that moment and holding the dog down until it submits isn't training either. Challenging a dog in guarding mode or in full reactive/fear aggressive mode only gets you bitten. No one wins. Just because someone uses R+ training techniques does not mean we don't do what has to be done in the moment if something goes wrong. What it means is that we figure out what happened and why and then work in training sessions to modify the behaviour..without punishment.

Resource guarding is almost always based in anxiety, not dominance. Challenging the dog, taking the item by force or even trading (unless you have a REALLY good trade to offer)only teaches the dog to respond more forcefully the next time because you proved him right, that he DOES need to guard his items. Resouce guarding is a natural survival tactic with canids and no, the "dominant" one cannot just take it from the "lower rankers". You should always ADD to the guarded item, not take it away. The dog needs to learn not to fear the removal of his resources..that there is always something good/better around the corner and he has no NEED to guard it.

To the lady with the Lhasa...um. I think muzzling a lhasa could be a bit difficult. Short faced breeds do not muzzle easily and it can come off and undone very easily. I highly recommend the book "MINE" by Jean Donaldson for some great tips. You say you've had tests and meds etc. but have you seen a veterinary behaviourist? Dr. Dodman (a blogger on DSD) is quite accomplished.

Don't give up. Manage while you work on it. Good luck.

Maggi Burtt
Tailspin Petworx

Gin, this is a great idea:

"Put treats inside it so he has to put his face in to eat them."

my dog has an open ended muzzle so it never would have occurred to me but it's a great idea for a basket muzzle. :D

my dog really hates wearing a muzzle. If it weren't for the treats she would completely shut down; I have not found any other way to make it the slightest bit fun for her. I tend to agree with what's been said on this site: treats are effective and easy to use and if you don't use them perfectly it's not the end of the world, you aren't going to screw up your dog or your relationship (unlike aversives). Most importantly, they have an undeniable calming effect on dogs.

Why do you have a muzzle on your dog in the first place? Is she aggressive? Perhaps some training would suit the situation better than a muzzle and you wouldn't have to worry about treats or the muzzle itself.
Just trying to understand the muzzle thing.

"Well, my Willie is an aggressive dog. He bites for 2 reasons - 1) Fear/Phobic reaction - and he has many of these; 2) Resource guarding. He's bitten nearly everyone in my family, and nipped angrily at a few friends & extended family."

and mine is dog aggressive.

the whole point is to GET to the point where training is enough, but to do that first we need to assure that the training is safe for the humans involved... I have never met anyone who likes the muzzle as a permanent solution, it's a stepping stone on the road to better things. :)

I don't actually put the muzzle on my dog anymore except to work on desensitizing her, especially now that I have a better understanding of training. But off the top of my head, here's where a muzzle is useful:

-the great squirrel hunt: my dog is fast now, she catches them. She can even do it on-leash (fat, complacent squirrels). A muzzle spares their lives.

-when around other dogs who are unrestrained and usually untrained. I can train my dog 'till the cows come home, but I can't control everyone else's dog. There are dogs in my neighborhood who are really persistent and annoying, even if we are both doing our best to express our disinterest in playing or having them stick their nose up her butt. When all the other types of management and doggie language fail, they can get bitten.

Basically, if there's a chance that the dog may bite you want to prevent it from happening, not just because of injury but because it sets a nasty behavioural precedent for the dog. It's not a bad idea to get a dog accustomed to a muzzle even if they don't have any issues. You never know when you might have to use one (in unusual circumstances, if the dog is injured or in some places where muzzling is required on public transit, that kind of thing.) But yeah, it's one of many management tools, not a permanent solution.

Gingingbonbon-- Your comment about "fat, complacent squirrels" made me laugh so hard I nearly spit my coffee onto my computer! We mostly have little red tree squirrels where I live now, but growing up in the city we had huge fox squirrels that would sunbathe on my garage roof.

'management tool-- not a solution' is how I look at a muzzle as well. Nicely put.

how much did all you dog people love the movie UP? SQUIRREL!!

My dog now avoids are varmints on the basis that they may be related to the porcupine that kicked her *ss last year. lol. Talk about some negative training methods... that porcupine sure made his point. Beware squirrels with spikes!

Only 2% vicious? That is not acceptable! This dog has bitten many people and the problem still persists? If you ask me this dog is a furry little lawsuit/ tragedy waiting to happen.I am an RN and used to work in the OR of a children's hospital and I have seen countless tragedys from a single bite. Lifelong disfigurments and endless reconstructive surgeries due to one properly placed bite. Besides, a dog that bites is an unhappy dog. He is obviously battling fears and phobias as well as simply establishing bad habits. Willie should be worked with every day, with a professional dog behviorist, until these behaviors are extinguished. It is simply never, ever acceptable for a dog to be allowed around people if he bites. Period! Don't mean to beat up on you but , trust me, if you can't solve the problem you should never, ever allow him to be around people.

Statistically, a problem like this can be greatly improved upon. Notice I didn't say solved, as we are not likley going to allow little children to follow him around holding his tail. It sounds like the long term professional help of a trainer is needed.

If finances are a real issue, then he is going to need to be muzzled when around other people. That is not the total picture though, the owner could then try experimenting with different things to change up the attitude. The reason for a professional trainer is that they already have these ideas AND know how to measure the improvement in the dog.

Maurice Peaches
All Good Doggies

I really don't like to see the term vicious applied to dogs, I've never met any living creature aside from a human being that was truly vicious. I'm big on correct definitions (strange as that may be) I would call Willie aggressive and frightened, even dangerous... but not vicious.

VICIOUS
1. given to or characterized by vice; evil, corrupt, or depraved
b. tending to deprave or corrupt; pernicious
c. harmful, unwholesome, or noxious
2. ruined by defects, flaws, or errors; full of faults
3. having bad or harmful habits; unruly
4. malicious; spiteful; mean
5. very intense, forceful, sharp, etc.

AGGRESSIVE
1. aggressing or inclined to aggress; starting fights or quarrels
2. ready or willing to take issue or engage in direct action; militant
3. full of enterprise and initiative; bold and active; pushing

I don't think 2% is too bad at all... I'd have to say, of everyone I interact with at LEAST 2% are rude, abrasive, aggressive, threatening, unpredictible, offensive, violent and potentially dangerous. :)

I adore dogs and respect them as individuals with rights. And I certainly don't mean to be rude or hateful to you or Willie. I'm saying, from personal experience, that everyone is so, so sorry after the dog injures or kills someone. I've never seen anyone who was happy that an innocent person was mamed or killed. They are always so remorseful. But after is too late. And one bite can absolutely kill someone, either through bleeding or days to weeks later through blood borne infection. Even through complications from reconstructive surgery. I guess if you've seen these things first hand you take it very seriously. Good luck to you and Willie.

It sounds like you have tried everything.... have you done a consult with a Veterinarian Behaviorist? I don't know that much - but perhaps there is some medicine that may help control these symptoms..... My dog is very fearful - but he is not agressive...... I have taken all sorts of classes and done tons of private lessons with him only to watch him freak out if there are louds sounds around or strange things going on.... and I mean he freaks out. He is always nervous even without anything around. So, I tried everything the trainers said - I still could not get him refocused on me..... so I went to my Veterinarian - who I had not kept in the link about his behavior..... EVERYONE SHOULD ALWAYS KEEP THEIR VET IN THE TRAINING LOOP. (But she had seen him at all the office visits he has - he is sick alot too). And she agreed to do a consult with Dr. Dodman at Tufts University. You can go to their website and check it out. So, he and my Vet prescribed Buspar for my dog. He has been on it 2 weeks... Yesterday, we met another dog at a park to walk - he was nervous - but I was able to keep him focused on me and even the other dogs owner who is a psychologist (so I had asked her to tell me if she saw me encouraging any nervous behavior from him) rated his walk.... I am keeping daily journals of everything so I can share it with my Vet and then give it to Dr. Dodman.
I know when I told some people about my decision - I had some people tell me - just let him stay home and then the same trainers who I had taken classes and lessons with told me he just needed more training... they even told me I was not allowed to go see him? I had some friends who are into holistic medicine give me some herbal things - but my family who are medical doctors say that sometimes those remedies are worst then just getting medicine prescribed. I have full faith in Tufts and Dr. Dodman.
Good Luck with Willie.