Family Member Aggressive

[MichaelSobieski]

I adopted my little 14 pound chihuahua mix from a shelter about 8 months ago.. when we first got him he was extremely scared he sat in the corner of my kitchen for 3 days shaking and crying. After a lot of patience and told he finally came around. Carter is now what I can extremely emotionally attached to me. He is also extremely aggressive. I have 4 kids. Sometimes when Carter is in a bad mood and one of my kids walks by him he growls and lunges at them in attack mode. He has done this to everyone in the house including me. He is untrained in every way except he is potty trained. He has bit houseguests before just for standing up after sitting on my couch. I have tried almost EVERYTHING and nothing is working.. I LOVE him to death but he is a safety hazard to my family

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello Michael Sobieski,

Welcome to the forums,

When you state you have tried almost everything, does that include seeing a behavior professional for an in-person assessment and behavior modification protocol? With children in the home and your dog being a safety hazard around house guests and your children, you are right to be concerned about safety. In cases as such, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist (DACVB) or a behavior professional using humane behavior modification (generally, not the average dog trainer) should be consulted for safety and correct behavior modification implementation.

 

It is important to identify the antecedents (what triggers cause the aggressive displays). Dogs aren't typically in a bad mood but are rather asking for distance because they are either highly stressed, are guarding possessions (people, toys, sleeping areas, food bowls) or feel threatened by something in their environment. It is also possible sometimes that aggression is medically-induced. This is why a veterinary behaviorist is the best option, considering that they can rule out medically-induced forms of aggression and then, based on the findings, work on the problem. They also can prescribe medications when dogs are highly stressed as dogs who are highly stressed can be non-responsive to behavior modification and training due to high levels of stress hormones interfering with their cognitive functions.

 

Training and mental stimulation still has also its place in behavior modification. So your dog should learn to be responsive to sit, downs, stays and recalls because these behaviors when taught fluently enough can be part of behavior modification at some point and used as part of a differential reinforcement of alternate behavior plans. Brain training can help dogs relax and lower stress. Preventing rehearsal of the problematic behavior is fundamental (not putting the dog into the position of exhibiting aggression) and this is done through management. In other words, if he attacks guests, when guests are over he should be in another room, behind a baby gate or in a crate. If he is aggressive towards the kids, he should not be kept around them in the circumstances that evoke the aggression until a behavior modification program is in place.

 

Once the antecedents are identified, behavior modification often entails implementation of desensitization and counterconditioning. Gradual exposure, with the dog under threshold and creating positive associations with the possible triggers (presence of guests, kids walking by). I will be providing shortly some reading material about behavior modification, but again, behavior modification for aggression should be done under the strict guidance of a behavior professional for safety and correct implementation.

[Howler]

Following are some reads in regards to aggression and behavior modification. You will need to be logged into the course to access them.

 

Some common causes of aggression:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/attacking-owners/

 

Signs of impending aggression:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dogs-dont-bite-blue/

 

Threshold levels:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

 

Desensitization:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/desensitization/

 

Counterconditioning:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/counterconditioning/

 

A case study of a dog showing aggressive displays:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/dog-barking-someone-enters-room/

 

Disclaimer: behavior modification comes with risks. If your dog is showing aggression, please consult with a behavior professional for an in-person assessment and for safety and correct implementation of behavior modification.