As you may remember, George and I acquired a puppy last May. Stewart was a two-month old, 16-pound bundle of fur. He's now nine months old and clocks in at about ninety pounds.

Just so you know, he has been through basic obedience classes and is now in a puppy agility class with George. He enjoys his classes, did well in them and is as obedient as one could reasonably expect a pup of this age to be. He seems to want to please us. He gets tons of love, is an indoor dog, is fed a premium food on a regular basis, and sees the veterinarian whenever he needs to. He's had all his shots and he does not have worms. He is half Newfoundland, a quarter St. Bernard, and a quarter Labrador.

We are having a serious behavioral issue with him. I like to take him to the dog park once and sometimes twice a day. He has started menacing other dogs over three things: sticks he finds, select dog friends, and us. By 'menace' I mean he snarls, snaps, and does that nasty attack thing where the fur flies and there's a lot of drama. It's very scary.

At first it was mild and only I noticed that he was getting agitated. It seemed to happen after we'd been there an hour so I started taking him home at 45 minutes. But it has gotten progressively worse and to make a long story short, we'd been at the park one minute yesterday when he picked up a stick, took it over to another dog, dropped it and began the scary snarling routine. It was as if he were egging this other dog on to fight with him. When I felt I could safely put a lead on him, I snapped it on and dragged him out of the park, snarling and menacing. I was intimidated by my own puppy!!

I took him to the vet and she finds nothing amiss medically and has recommended a behaviorist who has not yet returned my desperate call. I've never had an aggressive dog before and am baffled by why this is happening. We love Stew but he is going to be huge when full-grown and he MUST be a good, stable, reliable canine citizen for our safety and that of our neighbors and their dogs.

He also does not like other dogs to interact with us or with his small circle of special friends. He will do the same thing if his people or friends are encroached on.

Needless to say, I will not take him back to the park until this is resolved. It's such a shame, as I have access to his littermate, Molly, who lives just a mile from us. Her owners work and were pleased when I offered to pop her into the back of the station wagon when I take Stew and the two of them seem to adore each other and he does not have issues with her. But as soon as another dog arrives at the park, PsychoPup emerges and no one is safe.

Does anyone have experience with something like this? Could it be something he will outgrow? We are terribly concerned because this does not seem normal at all.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou,

Sorry you are having a challenge with your new
best friend, pls hang in there...here are two
websites that may help in dealing with his aggressiveness...also, suggest you have him neutered...will help him live longer (helps
prevent prostrate cancer later in life)...good
luck.

r/wes

http://canines.com/library/solutions/


http://www.doggiedoor.com/

Thanks for the websites, Wes. I will check them out.

Stewart is neutered. I should have mentioned that. We had it done when he was about five months old.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou,

I would find a chat place for St. Bernards on the web. I think that I recall that as a behavior issue for this breed. I had a very agressive little terrier as well as an Alpha Lhasa Apso and was doing research on agression several years ago. The breed discussions were very helpful to me. The little terrier turned out to have seizures and the Lhasa also had an organic issue from taking Prednisalone for Crohn's disease.

Marnlou - we went through a "strange behavior" thing with a dog of ours four years ago. We had had him since he was about 9 weeks old. He was half bassett, half bloodhound. For the first year - year and a half, everything was fine. (We also had another bassett. She was two years older than Rocky) Suddenly, he started acted really strange. My husband said it was almost as if you could see a curtain closing in his eyes - as he became a snarling, scary dog. Things would "flip him out" for no reason. We took him first to our vet, who checked him out and also recommend a behavorist. We took him down to the Universiry of Pennsylvania Vet Clinic (one of the top teaching hospitals in the country) where the evaluated him. Basically, they said they didn't know what caused it...we could try working with him... or we could medicate him. We then took him to a trainer in Lancaster (90 minutes from our home) who was known for working with "problem" dogs. We diod this for another few months. Finally, after Rocky snapped at my daughter (24, just sitting next to him, petting him on the couch) and my husband, repeatedly, in our bed at night, we had to put him down. I was really aftaid that someone would come to the door, or walk up to him outside and get hurt. It's a horrible, horrible, feeling when you are constantly holding your breath with a problem dog. I sincerely hope that Stewie is young enough to overcome whatever problems he has. Good luck....I am definitely keeping my fingers crossed for you on this one.

My scary dog story. When I was little (9 years old or so)we had a German Shepard. Got him as a puppy. Stormy was wonderful and loving. We had him successfully obedienced trained. It was really an Ozzie and Harriet kind of story. Stormy would actually wait for me outside my elementary school and walk me home.

When he was about 3 he started to get aggressive. Wanted to eat small dogs. Bottom line was that my parents were appropriately very concerned. After all the attempts at other solutions, my parents finally donated Stormy to the Canine Corps. As a child I somehow took comfort in knowing that Stormy was well taken care of by a soldier...and was doing his part for our country!!

Anyway, I do feel for you and hope you can find a happy solution for Stew! Good luck!

I've read about that being an issue for St. Bernards, too, but not for Newfs. I hope you get the help you need, I remember that adorable picture of him that you posted.

There are techniques to deal with possessiveness.

Now if only I can remember the name of that wonderful man who has great dog training advice. I will dig it up. Meanwhile...

The idea is that you give your puppy de-sensitivity training for possessiveness, making sure that he knows that he does not have ownership of *things*. Of course, this is easier when it involves humans than another dog. This might be a case for a serious dog psychologist.

Since he's young, there is every chance that this can be solved. Better now than later, when he is really set in his ways.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I still have not heard from the behaviorist and will contact some others tomorrow if I don't a call. I am learning (I did not know before) that Bernards can have these tendancies.

We are working together to get him enough exercise on a lead but it's not easy. It was so pleasant to take him to the dog park and let him run and wrestle, which he did appropriately for months. I enjoyed just seeing the dogs romp, it gave me such a lift!

If anyone else has any ideas please add them.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou - You are quite right in recognizing that this agressive behavior must be dealt with straightaway. Newfies certainly are not generally considered agressive dogs; but they are working dogs and pretty firm in mindset. And St. B's can be quite difficult. Clearly, an animal behavioralist (as opposed to a dog trainer) is what you need. One of the best people in the Pacific Northwest (of which Portland qualifies)is Martha Norwalk in Seattle. We have used her to deal with three different dog problems and two kitty issues. Her communication skills with animals are quite amazing. In addition to in house sessions, as we have always used, she also does extensive phone consulting. If she cannot help you or if she and you decide that you need in house work, she will certainly know good behavioralists in Portland. Here is her contact info: Phone; 206-525-2016 email: www.marthanorwalk.com

Martha has quite literally helped us to convert animals whom we did not think we could keep into wonderful, loving members of our furry household. Good luck. Fred

Marna Lou -- I concur with others who say that since your dog is young still, hopefully this problem can be resolved fairly quickly. I can only imagine how heart-broken, confused and discouraged you must be, but hang in there.

Unfortunately I do not have personal experience with or knowledge of the breeds involved, so all I can offer is empathy and encouragement. Also, I can tell you that we have had excellent results a couple of times with an animal behavioralist. Sometimes they can put their finger right on the problem, so don't despair yet. Wonderful that Fred had a recommendation on your coast. I hope either that behavioralist or someone she recommends in Portland can help. Please do keep us posted.

Thank you, Freddie, for the information on Martha Norwalk. Seattle is well within reach if I can't find someone closer to help us.

MarnaLou

My husband remembered the name -- Ian Dunbar. I have heard him speak. He is really terrific. We had an Alaskan Malamute, his advice really helped us.

Here's a website: http://www.puppyworks.com/speaker/dunbar.html

Good luck!

MarnaLou,
You are wise to keep him away from the dog park for awhile, until you find an answer for his aggressive behavior. My dog was recently attacked by another dog and both dogs were even on leashes, but the owner of the aggressive dog lost control of her dog. She said that her dog had never done that before and I believed her because she was really, really broken up about the whole thing. The vet referred to the bites on my dog as definite attack bites and not just warning bites. I was not angry with the owner or the dog because they are animals and unpredictable, but it has made me extremely cautious. I wish you the best of luck with your dog as a fellow owner of a "fur-child".
Julie

Julie, I am so sorry you had to go through that! That must have been extremely scary. I hope your dog will recover nicely.

It's true that dogs can be unpredictable. It's difficult sometimes to really appreciate their point of view. You never know when they are going to think that they should take action, for whatever reason.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou
Did this behavior start after you returned from MINT? When I was little, we had a Black Lab who was very attached to me and my mother. My mother had to take a trip to see her sister and I was sent to stay with relatives. After we came back, the dog would attack anyone, including my best friend and her dog whom he knew well, if he perceived a threat to me or my mother. I wonder if the separation has anything to do with your pup's behavior.

Sometimes there are also subtle dominance issues involved. Maybe another dog's scent (or even an animal other than a dog) ended up in Stewart's usual places. Dogs and cats have pretty defined hierarchies and an inadvertent upsetting of those "rules" can cause behavioral problems that are cued by certain signals, such as places, other animals, even people. The animal behaviorist who was recommended would probably be able to isolate the cause.

Vickie, I do not think the separation has anything to do with it because we saw some odd things starting at about four months (one reason we neutered him a little early). However, I will bring it up to the behaviorist just in case it's important. Thank you for that thought.

I have made contact with a behaviorist who studied under Ian Dunbar. We're on our way.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou,

I have been following this thread with interest. While we have never had a dog, I feel for your situation. You have so much love, concern and patience for your pet and a real desire to do whatever is needed to help him get through this, if at all possible. Many others would have taken an easy way out by removing the dog from the household. You are not one of those people and I admire you for that. He has become a family member and you are searching for answers and treatment to keep him as such. How fortunate for him.

I wish you, and, of course, Stewart, well. Please let us know how things are going.

The behaviorist is coming on Saturday afternoon to spend time with Stewart and evaluate him. I gave her a detailed history over the phone and her initial impression is that this is an extremely serious situation indeed. She phrased her words gently but impressed on me that some dogs are more wolf-like than others.

One thing is for sure. He will never ever go to the dog park again. She made that perfectly clear.

Thanks for your interest, everyone. This is a tough situation.

MarnaLou

Marnalou,
We're so sorry you, George and Stewart are going through this difficult time. I hope the behavorist can help you guys work through this - I know how attached you are to Stewart. Please keep us advised of how it's going. The alternative is so sad...
Marty

MarnaLou, so sorry to hear about Stewart. It's a shame that he'll never go to the dog park again, but hopefully, the behaviorist can help. Wish I had more to add but I know how much we all love our furry family members!

MarnaLou, so sorry for what you and George are going through with Stewart. I'll be anxious to hear what the behaviorist suggest....Stewart definitely needs to learn "socialization skills", a definite Alpha. I've had similar, but to a lesser degree and was able to work it out with more and more "other doggie" exposure. First from a distance, and then eventually a bit closer, than a bit closer etc.

Please keep me posted!!! Good Luck!

I will contact my friend, who is a behaviorist, in PA. and see if she can recommend anything in addition to the good advice you have received.

I have had a couple of difficult dogs and did not get a behaviorist. With my last dog, which I adopted at age 1.5-2 (Maggie), we got a behaviorist immediately. She gave us wonderful techniques, training us on how to better manage Maggie. Maggie has become a perfect dog. I greatly believe in a good behaviorist and will always get one even if the dog is well-mannered.

MarnaLou, hang in there, there is hope for change. We had a similar issue with our Great Pyrenees, Ike, a couple of years ago. Unlike Stew, though, Ike had good reason to have "snapped". We were renovating, and it was a nightmare (putting a 2nd storey on). The noise itself was awful, but the worst part was the flow of contractors. Pyrenees are very territorial and protective, and having all these strangers (workers) constantly coming in and out of "his" house put him over the edge.

Anyway, he started snarling and lunging, it nearly broke my heart. I knew I'd have to part with him - such a huge dog lunging at people, it isn't acceptable! But one day when he lunged at someone (never did bite anyone, just tried to terrorize them....but who knew what the future held?), my husband Mike found the strength to pick this dog up and smash him against the wall. He was probably 135 pounds at that point (he's 165 now), but Mike did it. The dog was so startled. The next time he lunged, Mike did the same thing....and suddenly, Ike was back to his normal self again, and realized he was NOT "Alpha", and he must behave, and he must obey.

He remained unhappy until the renovation was complete, but his behaviour was much improved, no more snarling or growling or lunging. And now - he's back to his sweet natured goofy fun self again. He only tries to terrorize the vulnerable.....truly he does. 50 people could come up to him and pet him and love him, but the one person standing back a little bit, afraid of him, he loves to bark menacingly at them. I think he likes the power, and doesn't get it very often, everyone just thinks he's adorable. So, when someone acts afraid, he's "alpha" again in his eyes, briefly. But he doesn't snap/lunge, just barks now.

I cried so much back then, thinking I'd have to give up my beloved dog......all our friends have small children, I couldn't take a chance. Thank God it ended as quickly as it started. I'll hope and pray that you find a solution with the behaviourist that works for you very, very soon.

Charlene

We had a very interesting conversation with the behaviorist yesterday afternoon. George and I both liked her and thought she was very good at what she does. She asked even more questions based on our telephone conversation, and then she spent time with Stewart.

The issues are very complicated and I still need to study my notes and the handouts she gave us, but we are going to try to restructure our relationship with him in some very subtle but possibly important ways. Basically, we are going to try to shift from dominating him physically (though benevolently) to dominating the distribution of resources (everything from food to toys to trips outdoors). She thought that doing so might make him less interested in dominating other dogs at the dog park by feeling less dominated himself AND by putting us in charge of all resources (that would include sticks). She saw a tiny chink in our armour that would never have occurred to me without her help, so I am encouraged. The changes she suggested are small and easily do-able.

When I mentioned how sad I was that he can't go running and wrestling at the dog park, she asked why we had not considered a muzzle so he can't pick up sticks. I never even thought of that. I guess I see muzzles as torture devices, but if it will allow him to play it might be worth it. We are going to give that a go so he can get the best exercise there is. We may receive criticism but I'm okay with that, especially if it helps him feel happier.

So we are not out of the woods yet but we do have a fresh new toolbox filled with tricks to try to get this boy to be a good citizen. Time will tell which way he will be able to go, and we just have to let his young life unfold a bit more.

Thanks for your concern and support. We love our pup so much.

MarnaLou

MarnaLou --

Not out of the woods, but how wonderful to have some new ideas to try for Stewart. Good behavioralists amaze me a bit with their insights, and I hope for you this adjusted approach works out. Seems to me you have real reason for optimism.

By the way, I wouldn't have thought of a muzzle either, but if that is what it takes to get Stewart the exercise he needs it sounds like a good idea. Obviously Stewart will be happier getting the exercise and play he needs.

All the best, and do keep us posted.

MarnaLou,

I would be worried about the muzzle because if he growls to attack another dog, the other dog could attack him and he would be defenseless. I think I would not take him until the other issues were worked out. I did use a muzzle for a while for my Cairn, Rosie (RIP) because she had a penchant for ankle biting, but, she was on leash. I then switched to a Halti, which is a collar device that goes over the dog's snout like a horse bridle.

If Stewart was playing in the park with a muzzle on, would he play with it on or relate it negatively? It might make his situation worse.

Just my 2 cents worth. Z(I edited this post)

Glad to hear the behaviorist was so helpful! Never would have thought of a muzzle, but that's why she's the specialist.

It would have been great if we had knpwn a behaviorist when we indtroduced our third cat to the family. I think Shadow and his spraying is a lost cause ( with Shadow cuddled next to me as I type...I'm feeling very loved). But we wouldn't trade him or any of our other kitty cats for the world.

I believe in outside help having seen it work miracles on our pups. Just remember, if this behavioralist doesn't give you the right answers, there are other behavioralists.

Keep us posted MarnaLou as to how Stewie does with the therapy!

Masaki

Marnalou,
I really like the muzzle idea - Stewie should still be able to go out and play, and since he's such a large dog, I don't think any other dog would attack him. I sure hope this works, and I want to encourage you guys to follow through - after all you need Stewie, not the Hound of the Baskervilles!
P.S. I'm sure the idea has alrady occured to you,
but in case it hasn't, you might want to invest in a second muzzle - George can use it....
Marty (boy oh boy, I can't wait to hear his reaction to this!)

Marty

I should have known that I could count on you, Marty, to lighten the mood! I'm laughing out loud here, but I fear that if we acquired a second muzzle, he'd put it on me!

Stewart accepted the muzzle with puzzled good grace and had a fine time at the dog park yesterday. We are blessed with a community of enlightened dog owners who took the explanation for the need of it with a lot of concern and good wishes for a positive outcome. Stewie was very well behaved and though he managed to pick up one small stick despite the muzzle, dropped it immediately when George told him to. He sighed, momentarily dejected, but then managed his own attitude adjustment and went back to appropriate chasing and wrestling. We were thrilled and he came home one very exhausted, very happy puppy. Step one went without a hitch. I am going to set out this morning with both him and his sister and will see if we can get back into a healthy routine of wearing out two enormous pups with unlimited potential.

MarnaLou

Marnalou, Wonderful pet news..and Ida and I
can relate as daily we try our best to exchaust our almost 8 month old l/h mini dachshund pups..but even with a 4-5 mile run(me) or walk(ida)they are still running late into the night.
Keep up the super work. Also, if you're interested, Ida makes a wonderful "liver treat"
our dogs die for, she cooks a full container of chicken liver, adds corn meal, etc., then makes it
into a pan where she cuts it up into tiny pieces..we have to refrigerate it so it keeps..and we keep a half a container (of cooked liver)to sprinklE in their food at night (are they spoiled--for sure!)

r/wes

Marnalou,
I am so happy that Stewie's new toy is working out - may it be forever, and he become the good boy we all know is there inside. Yes, I was just trying to put a little humor into the process about George needing the second muzzle - I daren't bring up the subject in my house - we all know who needs the muzzle over here, don't we !! The German expression: "Forsicht, der beisst!" is probably appicable in my case (Watch out! He bites!)

Our very best to you, and your whole family - Merry Christmas from all of us over here in SW Florida
Marty

MarnaLou -- Great news that Stewart accepted the muzzle (I love the description "puzzled good grace") and was able to romp and play without fretting about it. And I'm glad you have enlightened dog owners at the dog park who didn't make you feel uncomfortable. That's really good to hear.

So, you're on the way to getting the problem solved, it sounds. That's a good holiday gift, isn't it?

MarnaLou - Hooray for Stewie and for you. Sounds like a good first step.

Great to hear that yesterday was a good day for all! Hopefully, Stewie won't need the muzzle for long.

I am shocked! First, why might I need to be muzzled. Everything I say is worth its weight in gold! Second, my dear wife would never

Marsha?! What do you have? Hey! Untie me! I can't breathe if you put that thing on m

Marty,

I can't thank you enough for suggesting the muzzle to Marsha. I'm sure you'll agree it is quite stylish (see below).

george