Dominant Dogs....Do They Ever Change?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

As you all know, Murphy is a real challenge.  He is very pushy and his overall "personality" is dominant.  He is always testing, and spends every waking minute trying to figure out how to take over the house.  We have him on a pretty "tight leash" because of this....he has to earn everything and I correct every time I see him display dominance.  It's a full time job, but as a result he is now usually real good around the house, and the bullying of Guinness is under control.  The thing is I have to watch him like crazy, because that underlying mindset is always there....he's just looking for me to slip up.  Outside the house is a whole different story, and we are still dealing with his on leash reactiveness to some dogs.  I can take him on 10 walks and he'll do fine, and then on the eleventh walk something will set him off and the results are a disaster.  That's a whole different discussion though.  My real question is do dogs like this ever really change?  Will he be like this forever, and will we constantly have to manage his environment to the degree we do now?  We had a real bad dominance incident yesterday, and so now he's on "lock down" again.  He knows that I'm in no mood for him to push it so he's "tiptoeing" around me.  But I know him, and he'll be right back testing again....probably by this afternoon.  I've asked my trainer this, and he just keeps saying that all dogs are different and "lets not get too ahead of ourselves".  So, I'm just wondering if anyone has had experience with a dog like Murphy, and did it change as the dog got older?  Please say yes.

[BG and Gavin]

I was thinking the same thing for Murph - treadmill first - make him too tired to make his own decisions while on the walk.  Lol I was mulling this strategy over last night in bed after you mentioned the incident in yappy hour and you were talking about backpack/treadmill to Ben.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

At our training facility they think nothing of the reactive dog, the not so social dog, the protective dog.....   They see them as dogs.  Many people would see this behavior NOT ACCEPTABLE, as we do.  But they don't.  I think, they think, it is the handler.  The cues, the signs, the communication.... etc and all dogs can be worked with.

There are protective dogs, reactive dogs, dogs who hate dogs, dogs who hate people.  No problem--it's a dog.

I can't always wrap my mind about this, but it sure makes me feel welcome when we go there.  Like it is a common thing. That I am certainly NOT the only one. That it is all a dog thing. Of course we can work with you to handle this.  No big deal.  The handler is always the boss and the dog is not. Bottom line.  Honestly, I've never seen so many crazy dogs in my life!!!!   I see so many get better.  I also see the handlers fail, the dogs fail, it is a combo. A fine tuning that not every situation can be perfected. We are not alone.  If I feel it is no big deal, most days it isn't.

Are we making a big deal out of this?  Are the expectations too high? Do we place them in situations we should not? Are we handling them wrong? 

Most of my days with Starlit are cuddly and wonderful.  She is well trained, listens, and is just fine.  But boy, switch it up on her and she is NOT happy. 

On Thanksgiving I said, too bad Starlit.  It actually worked out better than I thought it ever could.  But it is never going to be ideal. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm glad you have that training facility, Joanne.  It helps to be with other dogs who also have behavioral issues...you don't feel quite as alone.  So many times when we're walking Murph, and he loses it with another dog, the other owners look at us and I know they're thinking.....why do they have that crazy dog out here.  Sometimes they even comment....those are the really crabby ones who don't "get it".

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Jane, YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  YOU ARE MY DOG TRAINING HERO.  Get it? Murphy may not know it, but he is sooooo lucky to have you and dh as his number one fans.   He will most likely always have 'problems' in some areas, but he has come so far with your love, training and attention.  I am in awe of your dedication and the skills you have learned.  Whatever happens in the future with you and Murph will never change my opinion.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thank you, Nancy.  I WILL NOT LOSE HOPE...well I will, of course, but it so helps me to come here on those really bad days. 

[Heather & Jake]

Sorry Jane but unfortunately I'd have to say no as well, sometimes it is just part of who they are.  It was for these exact reasons I was so picky getting Jake.  Buster had the exact personality of White Fang, and Ebony is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you never know which side you are going to get. 

Buster's issues were deep and caused from his early puppyhood (my brother found him in a construction site around 5 months of age) and he was severely abused and used as a bait dog....  Full grown he was 150 lbs and very hard to handle. Unfortunately we were never able to control his dominance and other issues from the abuse.  It culminated in his getting lose and killing another dog; he was euthanized at 5 years old.

Ebony is my mother's dog. We got her at 8 weeks as a playmate for Kaya who had just turned two. Ebs' mother was my sisters rescue who had the puppies so we know she has no under lying abuse issues as was the case with Buster and for her the dominance is just something inside of her.  Her mother was a pitbull, border collie mix and the father was a wolf hybrid... either way this is not a good combination by any means. She cannot ever be trusted and she has only gotten worse with age.  As a puppy and adolescent she was happy with Kaya until she was about 3 years of age when her alpha/dominance issues got really bad and have stayed that way.   She is currently 4.5 years old.  She is on a leash or tethered in the house at all times, and most of the time in a muzzle as well for she attacks Kaya without warning.  Her relentless punishment and domination of Kaya is extremely tough, and poor Kaya doesn't even fight for dominance she does not want to be alpha.  Ebony cannot leave the house without a muzzle and when she sees other dogs on walks, she bucks like a bronco trying to get lose and if she cannot get to them will sometimes turn on Kaya instead. Unfortunately for her it is not just Kaya and strange dogs that set her off.  No stranger can come through the front door and she will also attack family members she does not see often enough if they come too close to us.

My mom is constantly training and has had animal psychologists and behaviorist who've said there is not much hope for her (as Cesar would say she is an extreme red-zone case), and that if we ever could not keep her the only option would be euthanasia.  On bad days my mom calls me sobbing saying she can't deal with it anymore. It's really tough on her and it kills her inside she's doing her best and it's still not enough for Ebony.  She knows it is unfair for Kaya to live like that and the rest of the family wants Ebony to go when an attack happens. But she is the perfect Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde as she is extremely sweet and fantastic with the grandkids, but then with the flip of a switch will just attack Kaya, even if she is in the other room sleeping on her pillow.  Both of the dogs are on Prozac, Kaya to deal with the fear of being attacked, and for Ebony to calm her down.  It has helped to an extent and the attacks aren't as frequent, but when they do happen they are still as random and unsettling as possible.

I hope you have better luck with Murphy and that the treadmill works, as I know how much it sucks to feel this way but the fact that you do so much for him says a lot and just keep it up.  If your good days outweigh the bad, it's always wroth working to help him and it's great you have such a fantastic trainer to help you and from the sounds of it a supportive family.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thank you Heather!  Your family has certainly been through a lot.  Murph's situation is not as drastic...this helps me to keep this all in perspective.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Murphy will always be Murphy and really would you be willing to give up the wonderful with the awful?  He will mellow as he ages, though.  In addition for every one of the ten walks, your confidence grows and grows.  In addition Murphy's confidence in you grows which is just as important.  The eleventh one is not a set back just a reminder that he is Murphy.  I know that it will become 99 out of 100 walks in the not too distant future.  Look how far you have come, just keep at it. 

One of my horses was like Murphy, he would throw me on my backside if I got sloppy or failed remember who he was.  Even after years of training at high levels he would occasionally give it a try and sometimes would be successful. I could see him wink at me as he stood right there for me to get on again. As a compensation he was my best show horse, but never 100% reliable like some.

Roo was a pistol and sometimes still is, Tigger is so easy in comparison.  They just are who they are.

 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thanks Maryann, and you're right....I would never want to give up the "wonderful".

[Jean, Rylee and Cooper]

Well Jane hang in there.  I don't know the answer to your question but I do know after reading through training once in a while you are really something.  You are doing a wonderful job and nothing is perfect.  I know my Rylee is dominant and she will give Cooper the business on occasion and my girlfriends doodle Casey just today.  I enjoy reading what you have to say and then I try to help my guys.  You are a training inspiration!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thank you so much, Jean.  Things this past week have been so much better with Murph.  We're trying a new strategy and it seems to be working (I just hope it lasts).

[Jean, Rylee and Cooper]

Oh good.  Glad to hear it.  If it works you can share with the rest of us!