courtnek

Quote: Its wierd though, who would have thought desexing a dog could change its behavior so drastically for the better??? Neutering takes away the natural sexual urge, which "demotes" the dog to becoming a "lesser" member in the pack. They know this instinctively - In a wolf pack, only the Alpha's (and accasionally the Beta's, depending on pack size) are allowed to mate. He knows he cant mate - so he can no longer be pack lead, so now it's in his best interests to make friends with the other dogs. ALl of their instincts lead them to pack law - You are now his alpha and if you remain that way, he will obey you when he gets through training. It was a good decision - Most of us here tend to believe that if you are not going to breed the dog, it's in everyone's interests to get them neutered, especially in a hostile dog situation. This helps cut down on the possibility that he will wander off too. Good luck! :D

Obedience classes are an excellent idea - but here in the states the dog has to have all of his shots before he can start. In the meantime, let him drag a short 2 ft lead around the house, so he gets used to the feel of the collar and lead, but NOT if you are using a choke-type collar. A fitted leather collar is better at this stage.Then try to coax him into walking by having him watch someone make his dinner - then pick up the lead and walk him to his bowl. This will make him think that walking on the lead means good things will happen. Once he gets used to it, he'll be in a better way to start obedience too, since they will require him to be on a lead. And since you probably wont have to pull him to his bowl, it will come naturally to him to let you guide him on a lead. Definitely dont pull him - that will put him in a bad feeling toward the whole lead to begin with. Remember to supervise him while he has the lead on, so it doesnt get caught on something and get frightened. Good luck! :D

Dont worry Holz - my comment was not for you - you live on a farm (I wish I could!!) and dogs on a farm usually run free. Your problem is not your dog - he stays on his proprety, but the fact that cats wander in and his natural impulse is to chase and kill - may be part of his street training - but either way, wild cats will wander onto farms too, looking for mice and food. The best thing is to train your dog to like and then ignore cats on the property. Another reason for this, even if no one owns the cats, is that wild cats carry diseases you dont want your dog to get. Also, if a friendly lost cat wandered, again, you could end up losing your dog. The law is not always fair about these things. Even though the cat wandered onto your property, if the dog kills it and the owners find out, they have a suit they can file. Not right, but it can happen. They will look at it like "poor kitty - the big evil dog killed him"....SO again, train your dog to like cats and accept them when they wander in. Be aware that most people not only do not understand the way the hunting instinct works, but couldnt care less. They will want vengeance for their cat. I cant blame them in a way, but I live in the city where the laws are very strict about these things and people still ignore them. Dogs are not allowed off leash, but I see them wandering about all the time. And I have made it possible for my cat to escape, just so he can sit on the porch and the lawn and bask in the sun.... Good luck. With work and training you should be ok. And I'm glad I could help! :D

If pulling is so bad, why do people all think it's allright to hook dogs up to a sled and run them across the frozen arctic??? People have been using horses for pulling for centuries. I dont think it's bad, just make sure it's not so much weight it injures the dog. If the chest and neck muscles are strong enough, he should be ok. Some people get so caught up in complaining that they forget that the majority of them were bred to WORK....and are happier doing so. Geez, even the little dogs, the toys, were mostly (not always) originally bred to perform some task.... Have fun! :D

I cant see them as rules..... That's the way a dog lives. If they were rules, some dogs would choose to not obey them...just like some people. But thank you. It was very endearing to read. :D

She's givin' him a "honeydo" list! LOL :-?

I actually would like to find one that can be put in the wall next to the door, the reason being that in the winter here I need to have the storm door closed or it gets really cold in here. The problem is I cant find one for a 75 and 90 lb. dogs It would go into my back yard and I could lock the gate and the door when not here. My only fear is that a door that big would let a house invader in easily. So unfortunately I couldnt let them come and go at will. I'd have to be here..... It would be nice if they could let themselves out and back in when they wanted to....during the day while I'm at work. But then again, since they're both escapists, maybe not....LOL :D

My yellow lab/Golden digs like he's a contractor trying to create a swimming pool.....I have holes with bricks in them all over the place. It doesnt do any good to put the dirt back in, that's just a challenge to dig it all out again.....If I ever wanted to put in a pool, I know where I would go to have it dug out..... LOL :D

I agree Behle - a cat running loose is a dogs best dream - I CAN CHASE!!! Most dogs will chase a cat and then not know what to do when they catch it - this dog has been "street trained" and kills. This dog needs to be trained to not attack cats, or he will end up being put down. Not his fault, his life was hard, but I have a cat too and would be REALLY PO'd if a dog killed him. He is trained to never leave the yard (yes, they can be trained, it just takes a long time) so I can let him out and he will sit on the porch, or the yard, and watch the world go by...I get REALLY PO'd at people who let their dogs out to roam, because that puts my cat in a bad position to escape. Fortunately, he can run to the porch and then jump into the back yard to be safe. But people really need to take better control over their animals and take other animal owners into consideration...

DUHHH....thanks Daisymom. That never even occured to me.... :D :D

He may have killed small animals when he lived on the streets to eat. No recriminations here - BUT - he needs some real, consistant training. He may still be hunting, or he may just be chasing because a dog will chase anything that runs. 1. Put him on a lead, and introduce him to a cat in a carrier. This protects the cat and does not allow him to hurt it in any way. You may have to buy a carrier if you dont have one - it will be a good investment. 2. Introduce your dog to the cat, while on a lead, and if he lunges, or tries to attack the crate, Correct him harshly, with voice, and then MAKE HIM SIT! INSTANTLY! try to introduce them again. Keep it up until he stops trying to get the cat or attack the crate. Realize that the cat will be scared, and may hiss, but the crate will protect him from harm. 3. Once he has stopped trying to get the cat, then praise him everytime they are together and he is behaving, and give him a treat. This is going to take some time - you will really have to work at it. Once they have attacked and killed another animal, it's very hard to train out. It can be done, but it takes time. 4. Consider a behaviorist. There are also sound aversion disks you can buy, which makes a sound unpleasant to the dog and they associate it with the bad behavior they are engaging in. Once you have him settled on the cat in the crate, you can use the sound aversion disks for outside. He needs to be on a lead the whole time however. You will really need to put some work into this, becasue if the neighbors find out he killed one of their cats, they can legally have him taken away and put down. YOU have to be willing to invest a lot of time, and some money, insto saving this dog.

Hobbit - where are you from? I have never heard a donkey referred to as a "jack" before..... Just curious..... :)

Thanks Gooey, that's a good idea. I never considered letting them drag it to think they were loose. I think I'll try that in the yard. I have some soft nylone rope around here - I'll try it Thanks again... Alex escaped this morning. Some kid left the gate open while I was gone yesterday, and this morning they both got out. Freebe came back, but Alex was off like a shot. I called the police and they sent out a lady from animal control who found him, and got him to come back by offereing "ridies" - he always comes running for that. I was out looking for him too in the car, she found him first. That's why I need to get them (and especially him) recall trained ASAP

Good advice Rott The people across the yard have a Pitt and a Border Collie and kids - and they all get along fine. Your friends are relying on all the horror stories they see on the news, which of course cant ever print anything GOOD someone did - that doesnt sell as well.... I am going to rant. I really hate the news media most of the time. People trust it way too much, without realizing that their JOB is to SELL stories, and the more gruesome and awful the stories are, the better they sell. So they tend to air all the bad stuff that happens, and the good stuff that people and animals do gets relegated to page 27 in the newspaper... ok I'm done. Watch your pup for potential animal aggression, and I think you'll be fine.

:D :D :D LOL My dogs need to learn all of them! Except the cat one - my cat wont let them make him squeak - if they try - he exacts a horrible judgement...

Boy, am I behind the times. I didnt know anyone was actually doing that kind of cross breeding, but I can understand why the Guide Dog people might. Having had both, I can say that Goldens are usually less rambunctious than labs, a little calmer, and make excellent Guide and assistance dogs. The main problem is the grooming requirement, which is usually greater than a labs and somewhat more difficult because of the long hair involved. So I can see why the Guide Dog Society would like a mix like that. Alex would have made an excellent Guide Dog had he been trained as a puppy. I well remember grooming Taurus, with the huge long strands of hair - the brush had to be cleaned every three strokes..... Alex brushes up quite quickly and nicely - Freebee actually sheds more. Thanks for that information. I am a BIG fan of all the societies who help train and place assistance dogs.

Once again, they are going about this all the wrong way. Banning Pit Bulls wont stop dog fighting - the fighters will just pick another dog if they want to. I think it's not a bad idea to insist on licensing if you own a potentially dangerous dog but ANY dog can be dangerous. It all depends on breeding, in some cases, and on treatment by the owners in others. Shepherds, Rotts, Dobies, they all went through this in years gone by. The more in demand they are, the more puppies the less reputable breeders and puppy mills produce. That's really where the attention should be placed.... I say licensing because the true dog lover wont object, they know they are going to treat their dog well. But some others may be discouraged in owiing such an animal if they had to have it licensed because then it's on record with the authorities. That wont stop the fighters of course, they couldnt care less. But it might stop some of the "macho" sales of dogs because they're "tough dogs"... just a thought The PB on the next yard is a real sweetheart and has a BC as a companion. If it hadnt been for this room I would never have known that dog aggression was natural to them. Education is necessary here as well...

The easiest solution is YOU be the Alpha. She will probably dominant in their pecking order over him (goldens are so laid back) but YOU need to be Alpha over both. Try putting a short lead on her and let her drag it around the house. When she starts in, grab the lead, hold her by the muzzle, (an Alpha correction techique) and make her sit/lie down. I just discovered this muzzle technique by using a head collar. I can grab either of my dogs by the muzzle and they'll take it, but if you're afraid she wont try the head collar. If you think she will snap at you than definitely use the head collar. Otherwise, put you hand around her muzzle (if you feel safe doing so) and make her sit, then lie down. You'll have to watch her behavior and do this every time. Eventually she should get the idea......good luck!!

Since I wasnt able to get a Halti - I dont really know what they look like. But the GL's have adjustable nose pieces, so if you had to keep the dogs mouth closed you could. Maybe the Halti doesnt? Anyway, my dogs arent lungers, just pullers. They throw all of their weight (180 lbs combined) into getting everywhere RIGHT NOW! Like they were pulling a sled almost..... I can see how lunging would present a problem, since the head collars will jerk their heads up if they pull suddenly, so for some dogs they probably wont work. And yes, I did try the 50 ft long line for recall...works great in the yard, while they're on it - they come back evertime! Because they know I can make them come back with it. They have figured out that when "free" I cant catch them....I want to be able to take them to a free-run dog park and trust them to come back when I call them. That's my eventual goal. The closest dog run to my house is not enclosed, so they could decide to wander off anywhere....

LOL@DP!! With Alex, food will work. That's all he thinks about, that and being petted. I tried food to bring Freebee back - it works in the yard, but if she gets out she will completely ignore it and go on her merry way until she is cornered and caught... Thats the whole issue - in the yard they come back because they have no choice...when loose, they know I cant catch them. I did get Freebee back once with an offer of "ball" (her favorite game) so I have been working on that angle.... I wish I knew what other kind of dogs are in her - alot of her is lab-like, but alot of her isnt as well....

I believe you - I was attacked by one long ago at a "thanksgiving revival" where they had turkeys wandering around the yards. It was a settler reinactment. Some people actually use turkeys (and pigs!!) as guard animals. They are definitely not over-friendly.... Llama's too..... I saw a show on a sheep farmer using llama's to guard the flock because they get ballistic when they see predators around...

I am SOOO sorry Doc....I feel for you, but I need to ask a question.... Do you know the details? Lab's are master escapists, and he may have slipped out by accident. Mine have escaped from a fenced in yard a number of times. I am not defending the owners or what happened, but is is possible it wasnt really their fault. That's hard to take with your anger, I know, and I feel really bad for you.... From experience, tho, I know with mine that I have been training them continually since I got them, whenever possible, and they still make a break for it whenever they can..... My heart goes out to you Doc. Your pup is watching over you now.... :angel:

how big? could be ticks....get a magnifying glass and look close to see if there are little black things engorged with blood. If so, you can pull them off with tweezers and discard them. Crush them first so they are really dead.... If they're big - the size of like quarters, does he shake his head alot? My GR used to constantly shake his head and got big blood vessel blobs from the blood vessels bursting.... I had them sliced open and drained every few years, but he had floppy ears. It's probably time to go see the vet...

Freebee is the black lab mix - confident, in control, "my-way-or-the-highway" she was here first. She feels that she is the protector of all, and wants me to make sure I check out everything she barks about before she'll settle down. For some reason, the cat loves her best. Alex is the rescue - so laid back he's almost comatose. Only gets riled when strangers and the mailman come by. Pretty much loves everyone, surprising considering his previous life....great with kids no matter what (I wouldnt give Freebee that accolade) and becomes "extra gentle" if he senses that someone is afraid of him, who I let into the house. He's a yellow lab/GR mix.

Her scar from the surgery is healng well, but she has these little black dots with red circles around them about 1 1/2 inches from the scar, and she licks them constantly.....the black dots are minuscule....really tiny.... I called the vet and they said check for ticks, but they arent moving - they're just THERE.... and Alex and Pushy dont have them...... any ideas? thanks.