Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestion
1: My two male dogs have always gotten along so well. One is two years old and the
other is 2 1/2 years old, and both are neutered. Recently the younger one had to go to the
veterinary hospital for minor surgery and an overnight stay. When we brought him home, the
older dog acted very strange, growling and avoiding the other one. It's as though he hates
him since he was gone overnight.
Question
2: My dog is eight months old. Every time we try to pet or brush her, she tries to
bite us.
Question
3: My dog shows affection by putting my hand in its mouth. He’s not really
biting; it’s just enough pressure to show he loves me.
Question
4: My dog was ill for a while and needed lots of attention. Now that she’s well,
she still demands a lot of attention.
Question
5: My dog is really sweet, friendly, and loving most of the time, but it can
unexpectedly be very aggressive.
Question 6:
If I have my dog neutered, will it stop being aggressive?
Question
7: I think my dogs are going to start fighting. One dog keeps grabbing the other one
by the neck and growling.
Question
8: My two females, an old one and a young one, fight, and the old dog just falls over
with the young dog standing over it.
Question
9: I have two large dogs that fight, and I was bitten while trying to break it up.
They’re biting each other on the neck.
Question
10: My two dogs (neutered males) have lived together peacefully for years, and all of
a sudden they’ve started fighting.
Question
11: When I handle my pup's paws, it growls at me. How can I stop this?
Question
12: My dog growls at small children. Can I change this? I have two small children, and
I think the dog is afraid of them.
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13: My dog chases my cats and barks and growls at them. How can I make him like them?
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14: I have a five-year old male Shepherd that acts aggressively toward other dogs.
He’s trained, but just doesn’t like other dogs.
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15: Every time I open the back door, my dog forces its way inside.
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16: When my dog grabs something, i.e., socks, underwear, etc., it won’t let me
take the item out of its mouth.
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17: My dog lunges at moving cars.
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18: Should I let my puppies fight?
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19: My dog keeps trying to exhibit breeding behavior toward my child.
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20: My dog is aggressive when cornered.
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21: I sort of like it when my dog is aggressive with people. Is that bad?
| Question 1: My two
male dogs have always gotten along so well. One is two years old and the other is 2
1/2 years old, and both are neutered. Recently the younger one had to go to the veterinary
hospital for minor surgery and an overnight stay. When we brought him home, the older dog
acted very strange, growling and avoiding the other one. It's as though he hates him since
he was gone overnight. |
|
|
| Question
2: My dog is eight months old. Every time we try to pet or brush her, she tries to bite
us. |
|
|
| Question 3: My
dog shows affection by putting my hand in its mouth. He’s not really biting;
it’s just enough pressure to show he loves me. |
|
|
| Question 4: My
dog was ill for a while and needed lots of attention. Now that she’s well, she
still demands a lot of attention. |
| Answer: A sick dog gets a lot of attention. If it lasts
for a while, the dog becomes accustomed to the extra attention and wants to keep getting
it. Of course, as it recovers, it gets less and less, so in order to keep you at its beck
and call, it may start to get a little pushy. Just ignore the pushy behavior and turn your
back to the dog. For a couple of weeks, pet the dog only if it is sitting or in the down
position (without having been given a command). Soon the dog will learn to demand
attention by sitting or lying down. |
| Question
5: My dog is really sweet, friendly, and loving most of the time, but it can unexpectedly
be very aggressive. |
| Answer: I think most serial killers would fit the
description you’ve just given; that’s why women go with them so willingly. Your
dog must go to school and learn to control its aggressiveness. No amount of sweetness
takes the hurt out of an attack. |
| Question 6: If
I have my dog neutered, will it stop being aggressive? |
| Answer: I suggest you discuss this with your vet. I have
had many people tell me that their dog’s disposition improved after neutering.
Neutering does not, however, replace good training and the teaching of manners. It usually
takes six to eight weeks after the surgery to make a difference, if it’s going to.
The dog still needs an education. You can’t teach obedience with surgery. |
| Question
7: I think my dogs are going to start fighting. One dog keeps grabbing the other one by
the neck and growling. |
|
|
| Question
8: My two females, an old one and a young one, fight, and the old dog just falls over with
the young dog standing over it. |
|
|
| Question
9: I have two large dogs that fight, and I was bitten while trying to break it up.
They’re biting each other on the neck. |
|
|
| Question
10: My two dogs (neutered males) have lived together peacefully for years, and all of a
sudden they’ve started fighting. |
|
|
| Question
11: When I handle my pup's paws, it growls at me. How can I stop this? |
|
|
| Question 12: My dog growls at small
children. Can I change this? I have two small children, and I think the dog is afraid
of them. |
| Answer: I would never keep a dog in a family with children
if it growls at any small children. I would immediately get it out of that family!
It should live with adults only, in a home where it will never come in contact with
children. You cannot gamble that nothing will ever happen. If someone says they can train
your dog not to do this, be sure to ask whose child they will test it out on after the dog
has been trained. It’s a bad, bad gamble. |
| Question 13: My dog
chases my cats and barks and growls at them. How can I make him like them? |
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| Question
14: I have a five-year old male Shepherd that acts aggressively toward other dogs.
He’s trained, but just doesn’t like other dogs. |
| Answer: I would go and observe an advanced obedience
class. Ask the instructor if you can put a good muzzle on your dog and just walk around
the outside perimeter of the class. It makes a great distraction for the dogs in the
class, and your dog will get exposed to dogs that pose no threat. You’ll be able to
effectively correct your dog without any danger of fights. |
| Question
15: Every time I open the back door, my dog forces its way inside. |
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| Question
16: When my dog grabs something, i.e., socks, underwear, etc., it won’t let me take
the item out of its mouth. |
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| Question
17: My dog lunges at moving cars. |
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| Question 18: Should I let my puppies
fight? |
| Answer: As a rule, pups work things out without injuries.
Of course, if there are cuts then you must use a loud noise to break them up. |
| Question
19: My dog keeps trying to exhibit breeding behavior toward my child. |
| Answer: Never, I repeat, never leave a dog and a small
child unsupervised. Spray your scent on the children’s clothing, and discipline any
sexual behavior by the dog with either a startling noise or spray on its nose. Make sure
the dog is restrained when interacting with small children to ensure the children’s
safety. |
| Question
20: My dog is aggressive when cornered. |
| Answer: Get your dog to obedience class, and let the
instructor know about your dog’s problem. |
| Question
21: I sort of like it when my dog is aggressive with people. Is that bad? |
| Answer: I hope you have good insurance, because sooner or
later someone will get bitten, and people really love to sue. A dog should be trained to
control its aggression, or you will have to confine it every time you have company and you
won’t be able to take it to public places. Poor dog! |
