aggresive dog? alpha dog? Options

[knmuth]

Hi, I have an 8 month old yellow lab male. He's generally very good when either my boyfriend is home or both my boyfriend and I are home. He is crated during the day and I am generally the one to get him out because I get home first and have him alone for a few hours before my boyfriend gets home.

In those few hours he's a different dog: getting into everything he can, growling, barking, nipping at me, biting furniture, etc. In looking online I've found articles that say he might think hes the alpha dog with me but when my boyfriend gets home he s the alpha, so basically im at the bottom of the line.

So far I've tried yelling no at him (makes him bark louder, giving him time-outs in his crate, and pinning him on his back til he calms down (I read this a few places but it seems to make him more mad).

Has anyone had a similar problem or have any ideas???

Thanks!
-Kristen

[JMM]

Toss out the alpha idea. Alpha theory is outdated and proven not to be an accurate model of our relationship with dogs. If you are watching The Dog Whisperer, turn it off. Those methods, especially holding your dog down, are a good way to get bit.

Your dog knows what he can get away with and also sounds like he is in dire need of some exercise. A tired dog is a good dog. He needs a good hour's walk or play time in the park. He needs to get out and run around. A walk in the morning and a good long one when you get home will help immensely. Give him something to do in the house. Feed him his meals out of food toys. Take him to obedience class. Practice obedience EVERY day.

When he is doing an undesirable behavior, ask him for an incompatible behavior and reward him for that. For example, if he has something he shouldn't, call him and ask him to sit. Give him a cookie to trade for the object and then provide him with an appropriate toy.

Really it sounds like he is bored and you are not very stimulating.

[Tech-no-Trainer]

I agree that he sounds bored and needs more excercise. However, I completely disagree with:

"Toss out the alpha idea. Alpha theory is outdated and proven not to be an accurate model of our relationship with dogs. If you are watching The Dog Whisperer, turn it off."

And yes, rolling an agressive dog is a good way to get bitten in the face.

When it comes to communication with dogs, they do not understand our language. Just eye contact, body language and tone of voice, i.e the same way they understand other dogs.

I went along on my partner's training session of a dog aggressive dog. I brought our dobe mix and the other dog was immediately fearful and aggressive. My dog was not. My partner was walking the client's dog and I was walking our dog. She was corrected everytime she was fearful, or aggressive and praised if she walked by and paid no attention. In less than an hour they were lying down next to each other about two feet apart. Completely relaxed.

So how did it happen? The client's dog already had a relationship with my training partner and trusted her as a leader. My dog obvioulsy trusts me. There was no reason for either dog to decide how they should act, or react. We directed them.

There was no aggression from us toward the dogs, no hitting them ever, no rolling anybody, just a clear expectation of what we wanted from them. You can't give a cookie to trade for a shoe. That's a reward for having the shoe in his mouth. I simply say "leave it" and my dogs drop whatever is in their mouth. What if it happens to be something dnagerous that gets swallowed before you get a chance to trade for it? What if what you offer isn't good enough of a swap? The ideal relationship is of mutal respect.

I didn't clean my room of a reward. I did it because my mother told me to do it. It shouldn't be any different for a dog. As tiny babies their mothers give them a growl or nip if they do something wrong and nuzzle and lick them when they are good.

"Dominance" and "Alpha" have become synonimous with "aggression" these days. They are not the same at all. A pack leader to a dog is no different than the parent to a child, or boss to employee. You don't have to be aggressive to be in charge. That's all the dog needs, someone to be in charge for him or her so they don't need to be in charge of a world they could never hope to understand.

[BetterDog4U]

Yep, It sounds like Your lab is bored out of his mind.

While it is important to show dogs proper leadership, it is equally important to build a trusting relationship with them. If they dont trust you, they will never follow you.

At the very minimum, you need to take him on a 15-20 minutes walk before you leave for the day, and again for about 45 minutes to an hour when you get home. (Mine go for 15-20 in the morning, 15 minutes at lunch and about an hour at night).

Then work with him for 15 minutes or so per day on basic obediance. Doing 2-3 training sessions every day and keeping them to about 5 minutes each, the dog will look forward to them as something fun. And when you offer toys, treats, and praise as a reward, he will quickly figure out what you want from him. It will also open up a line of communication so that you can control his outburst and his actions. At the end of each training session, end it with a playtime with his favorite toy. This will show him that if he trains correctly, he will get to play sooner.

Between the walks and the training this should offer him the mental stimulation he needs each day.

Think of it this way: If you were kept in the house with no outside stimulation (No TV, Radio, Phone, Computer or human contact) and told to sit in a chair 22 hours a day 7 days per week, how long would it take you to become a basket case or a clock tower snipper!!!

Yelling, pinning, timeouts and all that crap are worthless. And this "Alpha" thing has been so misused that I'm not sure what it means anymore. I prefur to use the word "teacher".

In order to become a good teacher you need to connect with your dog. So start by becoming a trusted friend first. Next become a calm and loving teacher to him. You do this by setting rules and enforcing them with kind consistancy. EXAMPLE: If he nips, give him a firm NO and make him lay down until he is calm and quiet. Then release him and start up the play again. When he nips again, Repeat. This teachs him rules and behaivour boundries.

Remember, the key to communicating with your dog is to enforce rules the same way EVERYTIME. If you let him get away with something once, he'll remember it. The next time he'll wounder what you mean because he got away with it last time. He will then be confused and not know what the "H" you want.

I hope this helps, if you have any question, just PM me. In the mean time, I suggest you pick up a book called, "What Color is Your Dog" by Joel Silverman. (Good Dog U on Animal Planet) It will help you A LOT.

[Foxy Roxy]

Sounds like you got a lot of good advice there!!!
I rescued a bulldog. They can be very bossy, and the second day we had her she tried to hump me, and when I tried to get her to roll on her belly she nipped at me. So I started rethinking how I was going to deal with it because I have no interest in battling wills with my dog. The fact is that I am the one that provides food and shelter and so I am the boss. Theres no room for argument.
Think positive and expect good results. That made a difference for us.
Yelling at a dog doesn't help. When Roxy is misbehaving, I use a stern, low voice and make direct eye contact. The result is that she goes into the submissive stance on her own. THEN I IGNORE HER. Its the worst punishment she can receive. She follows me, I dont look at her or speak to her. But when she wakes from a nap, all is forgiven. And it works. She hasn't tried to hump me since we changed our reaction. And when she does something bad, I approach her with FULL confidence. She knows what she did wrong, and she knows I am not happy. As soon as she goes into the submissive stance (looks away, head down, low to the ground - in other words, giving me lots of space) The MOMENT she does that I just say "bad" and walk away. And I refuse to pet her, or pay her any attention until I know that SHE has forgotten about it. (usually after a nap)

And yes... exercise is a must.