Dog Community

Schnauzer aggression

Posted : 3/29/2006 2:06:28 PM

I was wondering if anyone could help me out. We got a Schnauzer at 6 months old(neutered male)..now 1 year. He didn't even bark when someone came to the door when we first got him, he is a very active but very calm dog and will not bite anything (I am no longer sure abut other dogs)

but acts as though he will eat you alive.

THE PROBLEM: I take him for walks on a bike path and he barks at people as soon as he sees them. If there is a dog he becomes very aggressive wanting to attack the dog. Of course with this kind of barking the other dogs get aggressive back. I have tried the "leave" command watching for any intent to bark, but he is too out of control for me to get him to even listen to me or look at me, even when I hold his muzzle towards me. I have tried spraying water and vinegar in his face, but he is out of control.
I have now taken a newspaper with me and slap it on my leg and try to make him sit quitely until the dogs pass (or people pass) with mild success. Do you have any suggestions?

Background: We have 2 mean ugly unsocial dogs who live next door to us, everyone in the neighboorhood is afraid of them, even the owner. The first time they were home and Cooper went outside, they went into a rage at the fence and almost knocked it down. Cooper jumped about 3 ft in the air and 6 ft back. I keep introducing him to nice dogs after this, but it has seemed to bring out aggression in him.

We put up a fence about 2 ft from the regular fence so he could not go by the fence which I think the unsocial dogs claim as their territory and encouraged him to go to the other end of the yard.

This has helped but whenever the unsocial dogs bark, Cooper goes into a rage bouncing on all 4 legs and barking as meanly as he can. We hired a dog trainer who came out to our home and showed me how to use the leave command and with treats and consequences. Cooper will now sit in front of the home of the barking dogs while they rage and not bark as he was trained, but this did not carry over to the back yard although I have worked and worked with him, even using a hose full blast along with the rewards. This has settled down and for the most part there is peaceful co-existence, most of the time. Sometimes he will still run outside with a chip on his shoulder and stir them up. (They are very easily stired up). If I play with Cooper in the back yard, they go into an attack rage. But I think he can learn to ignore this.

Mic

Posted : 3/29/2006 3:35:42 PM

Please email me at [email=micfoster@lastresortk9academy.com]micfoster@lastresortk9academy.com[/email] so I can send you a behavioral questionnaire to get more details on the situation.

Natali

Posted : 4/1/2006 9:53:08 AM

Whenever Bruno starts barking, I say a firm NO. Maybe you can try that out? It seems that Cooper is an un-social dog, maybe you should try a trainer?

spiritdogs

Posted : 4/1/2006 5:45:17 PM

Please stop holding your dog's muzzle, and take Mic's advice. Approximately 80% of leash "aggression" is merely "reactivity" and based in fear. Mic is a behaviorist and his questions will help you figure out what type of situation you have, and how to deal with it.