Giving Advice...



Jim & I working a show

 Hey!  I'm no expert.  Yes, I've had hundreds of dogs pass thru my hands (in one form or another) in alot of years, and when you have no other distractions, you pay attention.  You find training programs in forms of books, tv programs, seminars, online info, and word of mouth are all interesting and valid for their own merits!  Can I say I'm a strict follower of any?  Nope, because my belief is each dog is different, they all have their own personality, character, behaviors and habits.  Now if you think of how a dog's gestation period is only what?  6 weeks?  How much brain development can they really have?  How complicated can they really think?  In my opinion, they AMAZE me with their comprehention, their decision making, cooperation, their dedication and yes, LOVE for their master or family.  Simply amazing if you think about it...  Dogs bleed, they feel pain. And yes, I do believe they feel emotional attachments to a certain extent, and they feel loss for their own kind and their humans.  While I'm certainly no expert, ALOT people ask me questions about dogs health or behavioral issues. This is a recent one:

Need some advice, Lisa.  A friend of mine has a 2 year old female Rotweiler. She took her to obedience training 4 different times before she calmed down.  My friend took her dog to get fixed last month and since then, she has turned VERY aggressive, to the point of drawing blood when playing.  She has kids and the dog has gotten aggressive with them too, but never drawn blood.  She doesn't know what to do. She got the dog right after she left her abusive husband so there is a very strong emotional attachment there too.  I told her that I would ask your advice. Is it natural for females to get real aggressive after being fixed? If so, is it usually permanant? A female is a female, so her hormones are messed up from the fixing...is there any kind of hormone replacement stuff for dogs?  Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!  Love you!

 

I love you too cousin...and my immediate thoughts are:  

 

That is NOT natural. The spaying would have nothing to do with that behavor!! I'm thinking is something else wrong with the dog? Does it have LYME maybe? That can turn a dog aggressive. However, bad behavior (obedience school drop-out), not enuf exercise, then too much over stimulation with kids, and her breed period... she's a set up for disaster. Not just the average everyday family should have a rotty. I have to be honest, she should find appropriate training, dedicate herself to the dog (which she certainly cannot do, because of kids and the leftovers of her own shattered life...) or contact Rottweiler rescue see if they can help the dog find a way to a normal life. I would not mention drawing blood however, or they won't touch the dog. And right now, I'm sure they are swarmed keeping up with dumped dog in shelters, this would be an "owner surrender"...and those are last on my list.

Honestly? I see so many dogs be euthanized for these very reasons. And it's all correctable. But it takes time and dedication. It's NOT THE DOGS FAULT. The dog is a product of it's upbringing, just like kids, unfortunately. She can call me if she wants...but I already know her answers to my questions. 

 

The Cesar Milan methods would most likely work for a dog like this. She should invest in a pair of roller blades, tie the dog to her waist and go! I bet expending some energy will be the start of good things. A tired dog is a well behaved dog. Sometimes kids over activity can toss a dog into overload. I suspect some of that could be happening too. Any abuse the dog may have encountered should be going AWAY if the abuser is gone...AND if your friend or the kids are not using those same tactics to intimidate the dog into submissive behavior?  I mean think about that... if I wanted to shut a dog down, the simplest way is to find it's weak point and PREY ON IT, if it helps me quiet the dog down for my own sanity, it is OUR behavioral flaw. Does she crate that dog? I would definately instill that as time out/dog safety zone for when it all gets too much, the dog can crawl in there to calm down. To create calm you must BE calm. Cesar talks of all these things. There is another behaviorist in Madison that is simply awsome. She has some interesting testing criteria videos on her website: http://www.bluedogtraining.com/ check it out. 

 

When it comes to dogs, love does NOT cure all.  They are not that complicated.  My experience tells me this dog needs more then what she is getting in that relationship. But my 'rescue hat' says this is not my problem...or even that other breed rescue's problem, because we have perfectly fine, well rounded, even dispositioned dogs that will be overlooked and die in Wisconsin's shelters before we can worry ourselves with owner surrenders who have most likely CREATED the nightmare they now need help with.  OK, pardon me if I am blunt...but I get tired of folks who are ignorant, thinking 'all the sudden' this dogs behavior changed, therefore the dog is damaged, and it's thru no fault of the owners, because...blah, blah, blah...  If I could tell you how many times I hear that one?  I'd never need to work again.