Biting Dog

www.dogpro.org

This is a problem that you cant fix by yourself, you definitely need a professional to help you 

 Here are two other sources you can use to help locate a trainer/behaviorist:

http://iaabc.org/ (link to directory at top of page)

http://apdt.com/po/ts/default.aspx 

Make sure you tell the potential trainer UP FRONT, RIGHT AWAY about the severity of your dog's bites. The trainer that isn't comfortable dealing with seriously aggressive dogs is not the trainer that you want trying to help you. Ask about their experiences with aggressive dogs. Ask what kinds of approaches they might take in a situation such as yours.

Go with someone who listens to you and doesn't immediately try to "categorize" you. Go with someone who has an extensive questionnaire beforehand that is more detailed than you would have ever imagined - maybe there's something in there that you can't see but that the trainer finds important. Go with someone who seems cautious but confident when first meeting your dog.

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. Good luck, and let us know how it goes! 

Those are some pretty serious bites. There is a bite rating that an expert did some years ago (Dunbar) that explained what each type of bite meant, as far as prognosis goes. Deep punctures are pretty serious.

I'm hoping somebody will weigh in and 1) correct my Dunbar note, if it needs it and 2) help you get started.

In the meantime, you're taking action to manage him, right?

You need to manage him so he doesn't do this again if possible and you need to try to determine WHY he did it AND search for a good behaviourist.

You mention, sometimes it is over food, sometimes not.  Could you give more details?  Is it over his "normal" food, or bones or scraps?  Is it just if you enter the room or do you need to go near his bowl, try to take it away or touch him?  Is he iffy about his toys aswell, a comfy spot on the couch, that sort of thing?  I'm wondering if this is resource guarding or if he is being territorial, or something else, or a combination of things.

Who has he bitten?  Were they family members?  People he "knows" or strangers?  Were they "intruders"?  Were any of them children?  Were these bites over actual confrontations, or can you not determine what the trigger was?

What was he like to train?  Confident?  fearful?  pushy?  difficult?  How much training has he had?  Whats day to day life with him like when hes not biting?  Who else is in your family (human and animal) and what is he like with them?

I think you should implement NILIF if you havent already.  He should be crated to be fed meals or special treats.  I think you should use a very non confrontational approach with this dog.  If anyone tells you to take his meals away while he is eating, yell at, strike, roll or pin this dog, run away and find someone else!!

To be honest, I would be considering euthanasia for a dog with a bite history that serious. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and come back and keep us posted.

Kind of a different site (basic training site that I didn't read through before posting) but midway down is the Bite Rating Chart:

http://www.yespup.com/behavior_1.htm

Thanks, everyone, for your informative comments and support! 

Chuffy

You need to manage him so he doesn't do this again if possible and you need to try to determine WHY he did it AND search for a good behaviourist.

The only way I know how to manage him is to not disturb him when food is around, I put him outside when we are eating, he wears a muzzle when he goes to the vet, I minimize the people that come in contact with him, and I try to watch his body language...even though he is hard to read because he will attack without warning or provacation.

Chuffy

You mention, sometimes it is over food, sometimes not.  Could you give more details?  Is it over his "normal" food, or bones or scraps?  Is it just if you enter the room or do you need to go near his bowl, try to take it away or touch him?  Is he iffy about his toys aswell, a comfy spot on the couch, that sort of thing?  I'm wondering if this is resource guarding or if he is being territorial, or something else, or a combination of things.

  It is over scraps or things he considers important.  He used to be fed in the kitchen but since he bit my neice twice there, I had begun to feed him in my bedroom.  So when he bit me, it was when I tried to enter the room where he was eating...he stopped me at the doorway, which was about 6 feet from his bowl.  He isn't too iffy about his toys but he is about treats.  I was thinking it was resource guarding but he didn't have anything the third time he attacked my niece...she just walked into a room where there was no eating or anything, and at my parents house, not his house.

Chuffy

Who has he bitten?  Were they family members?  People he "knows" or strangers?  Were they "intruders"?  Were any of them children?  Were these bites over actual confrontations, or can you not determine what the trigger was?

  All family members.  I determine that some were food oriented, but some I can't determine.  He bit my dad on the hand when he patted the couch next to him; then, my dad was going to feed his dogs outside away from Simba and dad was trying to take the food out and get the other 2 dogs outside; my mother was trying to restrain Simba from going out with them and he turned around and bit her hand; he bit my 25 year old niece twice for walking toward his food bowl, then again for no reason; my 10 year old nephew was sitting on the floor playing with something and showing it to Simba, then taking it away, he did that about 3 times, then Simba circled him and bit his arm; he bit me when I tried to walk into the room where he was eating; and he bit my roommate (who is no stranger to him) in the car when he patted the console for Simba to lay down. 

Chuffy

What was he like to train?  Confident?  fearful?  pushy?  difficult?  How much training has he had?  Whats day to day life with him like when hes not biting?  Who else is in your family (human and animal) and what is he like with them?

When I got him, he was 3 months old, and we went to about 12 sessions of obedience training (one night a week, about 2 hours each night).  He was confident, learned fast and was the best in his class.  Day to day life...he can be a sweet baby, rolls over on his back and let's me rub his belly, or anywhere else.  I can kiss his head, he loves to be brushed.  He has a big yard to run around in, he goes walking every night.  He sleeps in the house on the love seat.  He lives with me and my roommate (who has known him as long as I have).  We usually go to my parents house every Sunday, they have 7 acres of woods he likes to explore, and he gets along with the 2 female dogs there (it's their territory), except he is pushy and dominant, and although the older female puts him in his place, he comes back for more.  He basically likes my mom and dad [when they aren't restraining him or patting the couch!], but if others are going to be there, I leave him at home.  

I do use NILIF, he has to sit before eating and sometimes do a sit/stay for treats.  I can hold his food bowl and he will eat out of it fine.  If I set it down, I walk away and don't go back in there until he comes to find me, signalling that he is finished eating.  No, I don't want confrontation, because he will win and that is a bad thing.  I'm not really afraid for myself, I don't want him to hurt anyone else.  I try to show him that I am the pack leader and use a stern voice when reprimanding him.

A good behaviorist is exactly what I need...

Thanks, Chuffy!

 

My opinion is that there is too much going on for me to give you any advice.  A professional behaviorist is probably the best choice for this particular dog.  My reasons are these:  The dog has bitten and doesn't have good bite inhibition, some of the things you do contradict your leadership (in normal dogs they'd be fine but this dog IS aggressive!) and there is no way to effectively determine what his aggressive triggers are via the internet.  This needs to be a hands on case by a behaviorist. 

Absolutely, Xerxes. I wonder, though, given the types of bites and the deep puncture wounds, what the behaviorist will say.

Not to jump to conclusions, but look for one who will be honest--just like Cita suggested.

Xerxes

some of the things you do contradict your leadership

Hi, Xerxes, could you let me know what I do to contradict the leadership, so I won't do it any more?  Thanks for your comments!

 I would advise you to seek a behaviorist through the Animal Behavior Society - these will be people with advanced degrees in the subject.

http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABSAppliedBehavior/caab-directory 

 

Your dog sounds like he is guarding more than food - but that alone warrants intervention.  You may want to read Jean Donaldson's book, "Mine! A Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs" and Brenda Aloff's "Aggression in Dogs".  Both are available at www.dogwise.com.

As to leadership, Patricia McConnell is a Ph.D. level behaviorist and she has written a booklet "How to Be the Leader of the Pack and Have Your Dog Love You For It".  You may want to get that one, too.

Any dog that is repeatedly puncturing human skin at that level is dangerous, and I'm glad you are now muzzling the dog. 

A website with some additional information on dog aggression: www.k9aggression.com.

 

Just a couple of quick examples that caught my eye...

 

Goliath123

The only way I know how to manage him is to not disturb him when food is around, I put him outside when we are eating,

 

Goliath123

I can hold his food bowl and he will eat out of it fine.  If I set it down, I walk away and don't go back in there until he comes to find me, signalling that he is finished eating.  No, I don't want confrontation, because he will win and that is a bad thing.

It seems to me that your dog is actually in control and fearful, ie: resource guarding in an extreme manner.  But because you separate yourself from him and the food, I think he's picking up on some different vibes.

Rather than giving you advice, sight unseen in this case, I'd wait for the behaviorist.