I have a 4 yo australian cattle dog, who is quite possibly half dingo (I found her dumped in my yard as a young pup) She has what I have discovered upon reading Leerburg's Ebook's a faulty tempermant.. almost like she isn't completely "tamed".

She is brilliantly smart, she can unlock and open sliding doors, housetrained herself (never went inside, ever).. learns commands very quickly etc.

Chloe (the dog) is a generally nice natured dog, she knows the basic commands (sit, drop, come, wait etc) but doesn't always choose to listen, I know that is my fault as obviously somewhere I have gone wrong and she does not see me as the pack leader.

She has not shown aggression to people, other than the 'watch dog' duties, but once they are greeted by myself or my partner she is fine. However she has attacked our two other dogs on a few occasions, generally because of food and once when I was shooing my horse away. The last attack was quite serious.

She is currently muzzled and is always tied up away from the other dogs when being fed and for some time after. She has always been made to sit and wait until I say for her food, humans go through doors first, and always sit before getting any attention etc.

My question is mainly about the crate, she is an outside dog (she doesnt like being inside) so How would a crate work? I do have a crate but its not very big.. she would fit in but would not have alot of room to move.

Any tips etc would be greatley appreciated as I really want her to be a confident well trained dog who I can enjoy and I know she has it in her

I have to back up here ....

The dog is an outdoor dog who is muzzled?

yes, unless unattended then she is put in a small fenced yard with a kennel etc, sorry forgot to mention that. I do not want to have to put her in there though, my goal is to have her in the main yard with the other dogs. She is put in the yard at night and when I am not home.

also, wanted to clarify, the muzzle is one that allows her to pant and drink, and when unattended (in the small yard) it is taken off.

 Quote: jessica dixon

yes, unless unattended then she is put in a small fenced yard with a kennel etc, sorry forgot to mention that. I do not want to have to put her in there though, my goal is to have her in the main yard with the other dogs. She is put in the yard at night and when I am not home.

She is muzzled around other dogs? Are they off leash and have access to her?


You know that the goal of loose unattended dogs is not always completely unattainable, right? If it was ever attainable (and it may not have been), it's far less so after "a few attacks."

" ... she has attacked our two other dogs on a few occasions, generally because of food and once when I was shooing my horse away. The last attack was quite serious."


Is this the dog who just suffered serious attack herself (different thread)?


Nothing about sit, down, waiting at doors, etc., BTW, has a lot of bearing on the loose-pack-outside situation.

I don't mean to sound negative, but I'm not seeing a goal I'd think was reachable given the history.

JMO.

I am 26 years old. I have been around dogs my whole life. My family has always owned more than one dog and usually around three, they ALL died of old age or are still alive now. The "packs" have always been unattended and never has there been an incedent, so I know for a fact that it IS attainable. Chloe has never been attacked, and the other two dogs are not interested in attacking her, they are both ten years old, have been owned by my partner and I for their whole lives and have never started a fight or shown any aggression to another dog.
Chloe never shows aggression to the other dogs when I am not around, I watch them outside together alot, and it is only when I or my daughter is around and only triggered by something eg food, discipline of someone else etc. I realise you don't know me but I am not some fool who just picked her up and decided to play happy families. This forum, while full of wonderful information has more conflict than any other forum I have seen. There is almost a pack mentality amongst the regular members here! We are humans, not dogs. I feel it is VERY easy to get some advice or an opinion across without being belittling.

I will not be posting on this forum again.

I'm sorry to hear this.

I'm not seeing how I belittled you, so you may be right. (I do see now that the dog who was attacked seriously was not this dog, but that was just a question.) Maybe another forum member is a better person to help with the situation.

I'm completely willing to step away. Please don't let me be a reason for you not to post or get help.



eta
Last comment, I promise.

"My family has always owned more than one dog and usually around three, they ALL died of old age or are still alive now. The "packs" have always been unattended and never has there been an incedent, so I know for a fact that it IS attainable."

I meant this dog, this situation, this history of attacks ... not "unattainable" all the time, everywhere.

Sorry. Bad day. Let's let someone else respond.

Edited by Connie Sutherland (07/11/2011 08:05 PM)
Edit reason: eta

I do not feel it was you who belittled me, however I do feel you were a little ansty in the way your post was typed. I have read alot of the forums on here and feel the advice given is wonderful but also judgmental and by that I mean it seems as though if something isnt handled the way it would be by the postee they get rude.

Again, I feel while there is always so much to learn and I'm by no means an expert, I do have a reasonable understanding of dogs. Chloe's aggression is always triggered by something, as an example, I was feeding my sisters horse and the dogs were with me. My horse went to pinch my sisters horse's food, I waved my arms at him and said "get" in a loud voice. Chloe immediatley turned and attacked Bindi (the dog that WAS seriously injured by the neighbours dog) she left a few decent wounds.

The reason I want advice and to learn how to become the pack leader is because I feel if she saw me as such she would respond to my commands ALL the time, not just when she chooses, and by saying "leave it" or something similar the situation would not arise. Also, my understanding is if she didnt feel she was the pack leader, which I feel she does, she would not feel it was her job to reprimand the other dogs etc..

Am I right here or do I need to look at another possibility?

(Connie, I would appreciate your input also, just of a less harsh nature please)

wanted to add, I am also willing and eager to do all the other training I have to to help these dogs be the best possible dogs they can be