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If you had an animal aggressive dog would you take it to the pet store?
I have a 4 year old chow chow/akita mix, he is animal aggressive. I try to work with him as far as calming the aggression down. To do this I have been taking him (2-3 times a week) to my local PetSmart. Do you think that this is an appropriate way to try to work with him and his aggression to other animals? If not, what would you do in my situation?
Asked by
Roscoe
on Oct 13th 2009
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in Aggression
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- Cast your vote for which answer you think is best!
Answers
Probably not without a muzzle. He appears to be a large dog; if he gets away from you, there could be trouble.
Valentine
answered on 10/13/09.
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Not an appropriate place to socialize an aggressive dog!
Find a training club near you who offers "cranky canine" classes!
CH ChekrdFlags Vegas GoGo Girl
answered on 10/13/09.
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Definitely do not take him to the pet store. That's asking for trouble. The isles are confining and if you run into another aggressive dog, then the fur will fly.
Hire a trainer and work with them to get your dog to a place where he can go to a pet store.
You need to work with someone who knows what they're doing otherwise you could possibly make things worse.
My dog has dominance issues and I wouldn't dream of taking him to a pet store for the fear of bumping into another dominant dog.
I would also not put myself in a situation where I make the other customers uncomfortable and scare people. That's not fair.
You need to take baby steps here with Roscoe.
Such as, when you're walking him down the street and he barks or lunges at other dogs. That's where you learn to redirect him to teach him that he doesn't have to do that.
Go about it in steps that can lead you to public places, but getting there will take hiring a trainer. Who uses positive methods.
Guest 404377
answered on 10/13/09.
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I would keep him away from any small animals or situations in which he could get over stimulated by other animals until you've got him under control.
I'd say that this is a great example of when to invest in a professional trainer or behaviorist. We often try to train out behavior when we don't really see it for what it is. Our brains are clouded by love for our dogs and we often can't see what is right in front of us. Someone coming in and saying, "Hey, did you notice that he does this when xyz happens, or this when abc happens...." can be just the thing that makes the difference between success and failure with training. Having a fresh pair of eyes watching how your dog reacts is invaluable. And often just one or two sessions can make a huge difference, so it's not always a huge financial commitment.
As owners, we usually get what we're supposed to be doing, but getting to the point where we can pull it all together, that's hard. Professionals can really help us get there.
Jack
answered on 10/13/09.
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Get help from a dog trainer. It is not appropriate to take him to Pet Smart. He could injure another dog. Good luck
Sailor
answered on 10/14/09.
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If you feel you must take them to petsmart, i would do it either right when they open or late at nite when there is not many others there. But i agree i would get some kind of training for the dog.
Dunkin
answered on 10/15/09.
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I would not recomend bringing roscoe to a pet store as the animals there would be exitable which would cause your dog to go into an even more aggresive state.
I recomend exercising him till he is very tired them get a friend to hold a small animal in a crate/cage. Intro duce roscoe to the scent of the animals by alowing him to smell the bedding.
If he gets intence or fixated about this give a gentil but firm tug on his leash and a sharp no.
When he is calm and realaxed around the caged animals remove it and praise roscoe.
Max
answered on 10/19/09.
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Everyone says, "no, don't take him"...so what people, just let him live his life being dog aggressive? As long as there is a muzzle on him & you have good control, I think it is okay. PetSmart has trainers, talk to one, they've always given me helpful tips & you don't have to sign up for a class to get them, but a group class may help. I'd talk to a trainer, check out your options. You're doing the right thing by wanting to change your dog's behavior!
Asia
answered on 10/25/09.
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