May 23, 2012
Our dog used to snap at us when he was younger. We thought we had rectified the situation, but he has started doing it again. What advice can you give before we relocate him?
Full Question:
We have a 16-month-old male neutered Boxer and have had him since 8 weeks of age. I have trained him on your methods and have had great results except, when he was very young about 3 or 4 months, he would turn and snap at me when I gave him a correction if he was nosing around or chewing on something. I would correct by LEAVE IT command and move him away from whatever it was. I thought that had been rectified until recently. He wears a drag leash all the time and the other morning, while we were getting dressed for work, he was being a bother and my husband went to get the leash to take him in the other room and he turned growled and snapped at him, biting him on the hand.
Needless to say my husband grabbed the leash and took him VERY FIRMLY to the other room. But we have had several incidents of this happening lately. He is otherwise a good obedient dog. He sits going out and coming in. He has to lay down and wait for a command to eat. What advice can you give before we relocate him?
Cindy's Answer:
I would go back to basics and remind him of the rules. Start with our groundwork program.
If this dog lived here, he’d be in a crate when I couldn’t give him 100% of my attention. He’d be on the leash (like you have been doing) and on a down stay in a place I designate.
You may also want to get him a dominant dog collar and the online course for Dealing with Dominant & Aggressive Dogs.
Your dog is becoming a young adult and he’s pushing the envelope much like a teenager does. You need to become more strict with him and take away his privileges.
Sending this dog to another home is probably not going to end well for him. He needs rock solid structure and leadership. If you worry about being bitten, get a muzzle for him and make him wear it. We have directions on how to measure the dog for a muzzle.
This is a common issue with adolescent dogs that have a dominant personality.
Cindy Rhodes
If this dog lived here, he’d be in a crate when I couldn’t give him 100% of my attention. He’d be on the leash (like you have been doing) and on a down stay in a place I designate.
You may also want to get him a dominant dog collar and the online course for Dealing with Dominant & Aggressive Dogs.
Your dog is becoming a young adult and he’s pushing the envelope much like a teenager does. You need to become more strict with him and take away his privileges.
Sending this dog to another home is probably not going to end well for him. He needs rock solid structure and leadership. If you worry about being bitten, get a muzzle for him and make him wear it. We have directions on how to measure the dog for a muzzle.
This is a common issue with adolescent dogs that have a dominant personality.
Cindy Rhodes
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