Hi all, well, my rottie was obtained from a schutzhund breeder and trainer at 1.5 years old, he's now 4. He had had some bite work before I got him and knew a down. My problem is he comes unglued when I bring out my riding whip that is used to reach out and reposition breeching on my driving dogs. I also use it to touch them to signal a move on. If he sees it in my hand, his whole demeanor changes and he growls, becomes aggressive, and wants to bite at it. If I unhook him and swing the whip, or even just hold it out, he circles me, trying to grab it. If I correct him with my voice, he whines and barks, agitated, and won't settle until I down him, the he's on pins and needles. He is not afraid of this, he wants to bite it. The more I raise my voice in correction, the more noise he makes. I can pet him him with the whip, but he's always wanting to grab it and doesn't want to take his eyes off of it. Obviously, a correction for this type of behavior is not the way to go. I thought about carrying the whip everywhere with me, ignoring him, until, hopefully he tires, leaves it, then I can reward. I will try this. Any other suggestions? I will be training horses again, he's going to have to accept this. Susan

I would (my own corrections)would take the whip and swing it at him/her and with a strong command Nine (no) or Phoowee (Bad Dog) it works with a 10 month old (hummmm) Should work with a Expert Bitter. Try it un less anyothers had an in put here <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I wouldn't purposely work the dog up and then correct them. The dog has been taught that this is a good thing. I think that leaving it around somewhere or calm carrying might be a good idea. Make it another part of the scenery.

Could you put a few nails in the wall and just have it there? Then maybe touch it, move it, pick it up, etc. Obviously if he would jump onto the wall to get it this wouldn't work. My dog goes nuts over lunge whips (luckily just a prey thing) but I don't ride so I haven't ever had to try to correct it.

Lauren,
Good advice.Susan, you might, instead of carrying it around all the time in your hand (the dog is keying on this) you could put it in your back pocket or drape it around your neck if the dog wont lunge into your face. If the dog is kenneled you could lay it nearby and place it in the area of the food bowl as well. The dog needs to be desensitized to the whip as a prey or fighting tool and accept it as just another harmless item around the house. Obviously the dog doesnt need to be anywhere near where the handler is using the whip when conducting other training. If you do this you might as well be peeing in the wind as the dog will more than likely revert to its prior training. Good luck.

Howard wrote:
Obviously the dog doesnt need to be anywhere near where the handler is using the whip when conducting other training

I am hoping he will accept my holding it, pointing it, or touching him or another dog. I do use it when driving. I also have a driving whip with me that I use to keep other loose dogs from approaching when driving in the wagon. I spent the evening walking around with it (hope my neighbors weren't watching, they may think I'm taking up another line of business :rolleyes: ). He did finally settle if I didn't move it. This morning I carried it around again. His little tail stump was wagging, he was panting, on his toes, and some whining and circling. I will carry this around for the next week (he's a house dog) and it will be either laying down near me or in my rear pocket or in my hand. Hopefully no one will be watching!!! I am thinking he may never forget the excitement connected with his prior training,,,, evidently he liked it a lot!!! In this type of desensitizing, is it better to do no verbal correction at all, such as a firm "NO"? He's not lunging at the whip, just trying to get a little bite in. He has, in the past, mouthed me in his excitment, but did not bite down. We had a great drive in the wagon yesterday, went about 4 miles. He was well exercised, still up and agitated if the whip was in sight. I'm thinking this will take some time, a long time. Susan

We used to have a couple of JRs that were obsessed with the lunge whip. When they would escape from the house and run down the road, we'd grab the whip and run out after them. When we'd catch up to them we'd crack the whip and the dogs would tear back and attack the whip. We'd then drag the snarling dogs back home. If we left the whip out where they could see it, they would sit and stare at it for hours. For some dogs, the notion that the whip must die never leaves them.

(we have since discovered OB training)

14lb JRT = 70lb Mal in disguise. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Funny you mention that JRT trait. I had one dumped on me a couple years ago and he was INSANE for whips. Still is, with his new owner.

For him, control, with an e-collar, was necessary.

He also liked to attack a moving horse on the fetlocks. It is amazing the dog made it to adulthood without becoming a UFO.

Then there was the incident with his first owner and the neighbors chickens.

I am going to go out on a limb here, but at the age of 18 months, I seriously doubt your dog had been through much in the serious side of protection work. I also doubt that the fascination with the whip comes from protection at all.

Deanna wrote:

I am going to go out on a limb here, but at the age of 18 months, I seriously doubt your dog had been through much in the serious side of protection work. I also doubt that the fascination with the whip comes from protection at all.

That's interesting. So if it's not related to bite work, is this prey drive? He is not prey drive crazy, didn't neet any special training to accept the cat, in fact, never showed an interest in chasing cats(at home, some interest off the home property). Would an e-collar be a consideration? I planned on purchasing an e-collar to snake-proof my dogs. I will be moving where there are rattlesnakes. What's the easiest way for me and the dog to squash this whip fascination? Susan

Susan,
It didnt dawn on me that you were going to make a sevice animal out of this dog. I thought he was just going to be a house pet. After visiting your site I now know. Im not familiar with the standard training or driving tools used when doing this type of work so Im gonna take a stab and ask if there is anything other than a whip that can be used for this particular animal. Sometime you gotta adapt to each dogs' personality.