Dog Community

Aggression and Education

Posted : 1/26/2007 12:44:10 PM

We have a lot of discussions about aggression, and a lot of suggestions are made, by trainers and pet owners alike. But, in the interest of our lurkers, where did you get your information about canine aggression? I think it might be nice for us all to share maybe 5-10 resources that can help someone deal with an aggressive dog, since most of our posts are based only on a small piece of knowledge about an individual dog's situation, or on a hypothetical situation. What are your favorite books/DVD's on aggression that you would want to share with someone who wants to build a knowledge base on this subject? Note: We are not restricted to any particular form of aggression, so if you want to include resources you have found helpful for reactivity as well as classic aggression, feel free. [

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Some of my favorites are:
"Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals" by Karen Overall
(Dr. Overall is a veterinarian behaviorist)
"Aggression in Dogs" by Brenda Aloff
The "Dogs Behaving Badly" series by Jean Donaldson
Aggression - set of 3 DVD's by Patricia McConnell
Cujo Meets Pavlov - DVD by Kathy Sdao
"Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons
"Feisty Fido" by Patricia McConnell
"Scaredy Dog" by Ali Brown

Deb

Posted : 1/26/2007 12:57:19 PM

I would add Fight! by Jean Donaldson.

TinaK

Posted : 1/26/2007 1:08:43 PM

Does anyone know any foreign writers/trainers whose books/DVDs you'd recommend? I want to see a non-western view on that.

I am buying "Agression" DVDs by P. McConnel! I am taking a break from books. [

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spiritdogs

Posted : 1/26/2007 4:35:06 PM

I know that IVIS (International Veterinary Information Society) publishes scholarly articles, but I'm not a member, so can't access full text on those.

Not specifically on aggression as a behavior problem, but Gottfried Dildei is a protection trainer with some interesting views.

J M

Posted : 1/26/2007 5:42:33 PM

"Scaredy Dog" by Ali Brown gets my vote!

Michael H

Posted : 1/27/2007 3:58:41 PM

SPIRITDOGS,

Trish King has a new DVD Seminar on aggression available at [linkhttp://www.tawzerdogvideos.com/]TawzerDogVideos.com[/link] called "[linkhttp://www.tawzerdogvideos.com/Newsletters-PDF/Online_Newsletter.pdf]The Different Faces of Aggression[/link]". I almost ordered it today in fact, but I had a gift coupon and I couldn't combine offers. So I probably will order in the coming days on or before the 30th when the discount expires. It's 15% off plus free shipping. In the second link I provided it gives the coupon code if you are interested.

What do you think of Trish King anyway? Alta had actually recommended me to her when I asked about Sue Sternberg and shelters volunteers. She said Sternberg and King are great if you are a volunteer at a shelter.

- nocturnal

Scout in Canada

Posted : 1/27/2007 4:06:26 PM

One thing I'd like to convey to a lot of inexperienced dog owners is that their dogs "aggression" may not be aggression at all. I mean how many posts do we see on here where the person says "my 5 month old puppy is running around us like a crazy thing, growling, barking, and being nippy". And in fact, it's just an excited puppy trying to play. I imagine some people get really upset/worried when there's nothing abnormal going on at all.

With that said, I really liked "Scaredy Dog" for dealing with Scout's leash reactivity.

spiritdogs

Posted : 1/27/2007 5:01:34 PM

ORIGINAL: nocturnal76

SPIRITDOGS,

Trish King has a new DVD Seminar on aggression available at [linkhttp://www.tawzerdogvideos.com/]TawzerDogVideos.com[/link] called "[linkhttp://www.tawzerdogvideos.com/Newsletters-PDF/Online_Newsletter.pdf]The Different Faces of Aggression[/link]". I almost ordered it today in fact, but I had a gift coupon and I couldn't combine offers. So I probably will order in the coming days on or before the 30th when the discount expires. It's 15% off plus free shipping. In the second link I provided it gives the coupon code if you are interested.

What do you think of Trish King anyway? Alta had actually recommended me to her when I asked about Sue Sternberg and shelters volunteers. She said Sternberg and King are great if you are a volunteer at a shelter.

- nocturnal

I totally agree. I love Sternberg. She's savvy, and controversial at the same time. But, she understands the sheer numbers of dogs we are trying to help, and wants to see families get their dogs from shelters, which is not happening in some parts of the country because people don't feel they can trust their local shelters. Too many aggressive, or damaged dogs being adopted out to the wrong peeps. Her book, "Successful Dog Adoptions" is excellent, and I wouldn't test for food aggression without her "Assess-a-Hand" LOL.
Trish King is excellent, too. I have her video on "Multiple Dogs" and "Training Difficult Dogs". If I hadn't just ordered another $150 worth of books and tapes this week, I'd probably get the one you mentioned, too. Maybe I will anyway. [

] Let me know how you like it.

J M

Posted : 1/27/2007 5:05:20 PM

I can relate to your stance on aggression.

I had never really seen my dog aggressive until I saw him 'react' to a big husky who wouldn't get out of his space. The husky was all big and confrontational and dead in his face..

So I ran around the forum boo hooing like a baby for a month or so thinking I had a problem dog on my hands. Reading everything I could on aggression.

I became a nervous wreck and he became a nervous wreck because of me. A neighborhood dog barking could send us both into a state of panic (me first of course)

But the moral of the story is: my dog was once attacked on leash. He reacted to a confrontational dog in his space. He barked at a couple of large dogs afterward that he wasn't for sure if they were going to get in his face or not.

This is not aggression.

After I figured that all out, I had to dye the gray out of my hair.

[sm=smack.gif]

spiritdogs

Posted : 1/27/2007 5:40:24 PM

I think it's really important to realize that this is aggression, but that aggression is the appropriate response, from the dog's perspective, when he is threatened with bodily harm. And, one aggressive response does not mean that you have an "aggressive dog". [

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Glad you got the gray back out, though. [

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J M

Posted : 1/27/2007 5:57:07 PM

yeah. What you said ;-)

I finally found out that a lot of dogs would have responded as such. That it is pretty normal behavior.

ORIGINAL: spiritdogs

I think it's really important to realize that this is aggression, but that aggression is the appropriate response, from the dog's perspective, when he is threatened with bodily harm. And, one aggressive response does not mean that you have an "aggressive dog". []
Glad you got the gray back out, though. []

Kim_MacMillan

Posted : 1/29/2007 8:16:17 AM

I love Click to Calm, and Scaredy Dog as well. And I do so badly want to go to the Brenda Aloff seminar that's upcoming in October but I'm not sure I'll be able to make it (I'm working on getting to the Rally seminar in April as it is!). "Mine" by Jean Donaldson is also a great book, I don't think that's been mentioned yet. I love pretty much everything and anything by Jean Donaldson though. [

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Kim MacMillan