pit bull, dog aggression, and obsession with ball???

You can address me personally.  I am right here.  Huullloooo

The OP's dog is DA on leash...in some cases. Which was the beginning topic about 10 pages back.

These are some of the things that I have learned and used with mine.

It hasn't anything to do with the aggression problems that you are having. The OP and I are having our own little conversation amidst the other topics and debates going on in this thread.

BTW, am I am the only one not understanding what JM is trying to communicate.  Scanner?  Calmness?  Redirecting?  Can someone explain how this directly addresses the aggression issue in a dog?

ORIGINAL: DPU.
BTW, am I am the only one not understanding what JM is trying to communicate. Scanner? Calmness? Redirecting? Can someone explain how this directly addresses the aggression issue in a dog?

I know what JM is talking about with being a scanner and I know what redirecting is. We started a conversation about fears and difficulties walking our dogs and she started giving me some suggestions.

I do not understand the calming signals though.

What is that, JM? What are calming signals? I mean, I understand that you want to calm the dog, but I don't understand bowing and yawning.
Are bowing and yawning things I do to teach her to become calm?
If not, I'm lost. You have to remember, I'm new to training and a lot of the terminology is new to me as well.

Thanks!

What are calming signals? I mean, I understand that you want to calm the dog, but I don't understand bowing and yawning.

I have "Calming Signals" on my interlibray loan list right now and can't wait until it is available. From what I've read online calming signals are different behaviors dogs exhibit to calm and redirect another dog. I know I've seen Daddy use them in different CM episodes when Cesar uses him with unbalanced dogs. Have you ever noticed how Daddy will often lay down, yawn or lick his lips when another dog confronts him? From my limited understanding, this is Daddy's way of telling that dog "Chill out, I'm not a threat!"

Maybe someone who knows more can explain it better or let me know if I'm on the right track.

Oh!
I'm not really worried about Ella coming off as a threat to other dogs. If given the opportunity, trust me, Ella could hold her own and defend herself quite well.
I NEVER want it to get to that point though.

I want Ella to be calm and know that OTHER DOGS aren't a threat to her.

ORIGINAL: chewbecca

ORIGINAL: DPU.
BTW, am I am the only one not understanding what JM is trying to communicate. Scanner? Calmness? Redirecting? Can someone explain how this directly addresses the aggression issue in a dog?

Are bowing and yawning things I do to teach her to become calm?
If not, I'm lost. You have to remember, I'm new to training and a lot of the terminology is new to me as well.

Thanks!

Of all the dogs that have come through my home, I have noticed this Pittie Mix does the bowing and yawning quite often.  Maybe you can capture this behavior with Clicker Training?  Seems to be easy to do since it is a natural behavior of the dog.

I am concerned you are doing surface work and not really addressing the real problem.

Here are some links for you to read.  It is good stuff.  I am almost certain that your breed is one of those who has been bred to minimize calming signals. 

They not only use these movements to convey calmness to other dogs, but to people and it relieves their own internal stress.

If this is not enough info just google calming signals in dogs and you will get a lot of hits.



http://neholistic.com/articles/0099.htm
http://www.calgaryhumane.ca/animal_behaviour_dog_calming_signals.asp
http://www.wagntrain.com/BodyLanguage2.htm

So, the the moral of the story is that if a dog is stressed, you can give it commands to calm itself and change it's state of mind.

ORIGINAL: chewbecca

ORIGINAL: DPU.
BTW, am I am the only one not understanding what JM is trying to communicate. Scanner? Calmness? Redirecting? Can someone explain how this directly addresses the aggression issue in a dog?

I know what JM is talking about with being a scanner and I know what redirecting is. We started a conversation about fears and difficulties walking our dogs and she started giving me some suggestions.

I do not understand the calming signals though.

What is that, JM? What are calming signals? I mean, I understand that you want to calm the dog, but I don't understand bowing and yawning.
Are bowing and yawning things I do to teach her to become calm?
If not, I'm lost. You have to remember, I'm new to training and a lot of the terminology is new to me as well.

Thanks!

I think she is addressing the problem quite well.

She is working with a trainer/behavorist and reading everything she can get her hands on.

Working with her dog everyday.

Researching the breed itself.

Maybe you have some suggestions for her?

I am concerned you are doing surface work and not really addressing the real problem.

Yeah, I am not quite understanding how I am masking the problem or not getting to the core of the issues.

As far as my trainer/behaviorist and I know, Ella lacks confidence and this causes her to react poorly towards some dogs. It ALL depends on how the other dog is postured, if the dog is looking at her or whatever. Sure, Ella is going to be uncomfortable and/or alert when another dog is around at first, but how she continues to react to the dog is going to basically depend on how the other dog is. She gets over the presence of my trainer's dog eventually because my trainer's dog is non-reactive to her and is in a down stay the whole time. She doesn't make eye contact with Ella, she doesn't bark or make noise, she isn't lunging towards Ella, or growling.

We hope that if we can build her confidence through training and setting her up for accomplishments instead of failures, that soon she'll not mind other dogs or is able to ignore them, OR, maybe, eventually she'll even LIKE most dogs.

In the meantime, I'm doing what I can.

I can only share my experience and what I have learned from those experience from the perspective of the owner.  As you can see from a dog professional, Awsomedog's makes assumption to my statements and provides advice from his understanding.  That is usually the case when dealing with dog professionals.  I keep pressing.  And in every behavioral issue I have come accross, correctly defining the issue and cause has always helped me effectively deal with it.  I asked earlier if Chewbecca was dealing with Leash Reactivity and she stated she and her behaviorist/trainer did not know but are working on the identification.  My advice would be to ask more of behaviorist/trainer. 

Oh!!!!

I'm sorry, DPU. I have been sick this weekend and wanted to go further into leash reactivity.
No, we're not sure if it is leash reactivity. A good part of it COULD BE, but like I stated, something happened with my dog to let me know that it may not necessarily be JUST leash reactivity. And to find out otherwise, for now, might put another dog at risk for getting injured. This is why we are slowly introducing the muzzle to Ella so that we can eventually do some off leash socialization work with the trainer's dog to find out more about the leash reactivity and to see if that IS the issue. We're introducing the muzzle slowly and making sure that Ella relates the muzzle with GOOD things and GOOD times, so that the muzzle doesn't become another obstacle like a leash would. Does that make sense? My head is clogged with snot, so I'm not sure if that does make sense or not.

I was reading this thing about pitties one day and it said that they were bred to have that full frontal squared off walk.

To other dogs, in dog language, this full frontal  squared off stance is a sign of confrontation.

Okay say for instance you and Miss Ella were crusing down the boulevard, 2 blocks down comes a dog with an owner attached to him.

The first thing the dog sees, is the full frontal stance, which is emphasised in pitts.

The dog stares.  Miss Ella keeps going on with her pittie walk. Trying to mind her own business. The approaching dog puts out another signal.

Now Miss Ella is noticing these signals from the approaching dog and is now high anxiety and on alert.  Maybe she lunges at him when they get side by side.

Miss Ella is now considered reactive or DA.

ORIGINAL: chewbecca

Yeah, I am not quite understanding how I am masking the problem or not getting to the core of the issues.

As far as my trainer/behaviorist and I know, Ella lacks confidence and this causes her to react poorly towards some dogs. It ALL depends on how the other dog is postured, if the dog is looking at her or whatever. Sure, Ella is going to be uncomfortable and/or alert when another dog is around at first, but how she continues to react to the dog is going to basically depend on how the other dog is. She gets over the presence of my trainer's dog eventually because my trainer's dog is non-reactive to her and is in a down stay the whole time. She doesn't make eye contact with Ella, she doesn't bark or make noise, she isn't lunging towards Ella, or growling.

We hope that if we can build her confidence through training and setting her up for accomplishments instead of failures, that soon she'll not mind other dogs or is able to ignore them, OR, maybe, eventually she'll even LIKE most dogs.

In the meantime, I'm doing what I can.

I just did a video search for CM videos and the first one I found was about a pit bull named Emily who was noted as being EXTREMLY dog aggressive on walks.
Cesar called her a red zone dog.

Well, here, here's the video link:
[linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTbOZOhncU4]Emily the DA pit bull[/link]

Honestly?

Ella acts not QUITE as bad as this dog upon seeing another dog. She doesn't try backing out of her collar like this dog, but that whiney bark...oh yes, that is VERY familiar to me. Except, that whiney bark usually is followed by some small nervous circling right in front of me before I get her in a sit stay next to me.
If we're walking and there is a dog on leash across the street, I can USUALLY get Ella to keep walking with me. She normally doesn't try to go towards the dog, except for the other day.
Ella doesn't jump up like that dog did. Oh, and Ella's whiney bark isn't quite that...much, it's high pitched and whiney, but it doesn't last as long as that dog's did.

Have you read click to calm?  I just finished reading the book and it is really good.

It has really good clicking ideals.  She goes into teaching and using the bow and all sorts of  interesting stuff.

How and when (and why) to click during social interactions w/both dogs and people was an interesting concept.

Another interesting concept she goes into,  is teaching a dog that a tight lead isn't an owners cue for aggression but amazing treats instead.

I think this should be in every owners library, not just those with aggressive dogs.

ORIGINAL: chewbecca

I just did a video search for CM videos and the first one I found was about a pit bull named Emily who was noted as being EXTREMLY dog aggressive on walks.
Cesar called her a red zone dog.

Well, here, here's the video link:
[linkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTbOZOhncU4]Emily the DA pit bull[/link]

Honestly?

Ella acts not QUITE as bad as this dog upon seeing another dog. She doesn't try backing out of her collar like this dog, but that whiney bark...oh yes, that is VERY familiar to me. Except, that whiney bark usually is followed by some small nervous circling right in front of me before I get her in a sit stay next to me.
If we're walking and there is a dog on leash across the street, I can USUALLY get Ella to keep walking with me. She normally doesn't try to go towards the dog, except for the other day.
Ella doesn't jump up like that dog did. Oh, and Ella's whiney bark isn't quite that...much, it's high pitched and whiney, but it doesn't last as long as that dog's did.

sorry I honestly don't have the patience to read everyone's replies..but to the original poster..based on your first post in this thread..the number one thing that I would do is eliminate the ball completely..
 
If a dog is behaving in an undesirable manner because of posession, then the first thing to do is eliminate the object that the dog is being posessive over..kinda like with kids...if your kid is being a brat to the other kids with one of his toys, you take his toy and tell him too bad so sad..smarten up first..
 
Dogs DO respond to this...its an aspect of positive training...the dog only gets the goods if they behave..if they don't, they don't get the positive reinforcement...
 
Do some reading on the net..there are lots of people with similar problems...good luck be good to your pooch