I'm in desperate need of assistance. My spouse and I have a 4 year old lab mix, Gia, found at the pound as a 7 week old puppy. She's had her 'puppy school' obedience training and knows other commands like 'leave it' and such. She follows her commands without hesitation.
When Gia was about 2 she showed some signs of food/treat aggression and it was recommended that we remove the treat when she does this. We did such and it soon ended up that Gia had few, if any treats. But the aggression was no longer present.

A year ago Gia bit me. The bite was bad and I required many stitches. Stupidly, we justified the behavior and rather than seeking 'boot camp' type training we took the advise of a behaviorist and removed her many toys, made her obey a command for any sort of attention/food/to be let out. Gia seemed to be better. Three months later Gia became aggressive again, this time going after one of the house cats. The cat was unharmed but we realized that Gia was really not her normal self. We continued doing what we were doing though Gia started to seem really unhappy. She stiffened when she was given attention and she seemed to be just as content with not being part of the family at all. Before this past week Gia was okay. She wasn't acting aggressively and we were using the 'nothing in life is free' training techniques. Well, this past week Gia bit me, snapped at my spouse, and went after another cat. We went to our vet office today and she seemed to think that there's something wrong with Gia neurologically, though this diagnosis was made due to no other option fitting Gia's symptoms. It was recommended that Gia is put to sleep or taken to UCDavis for a severe behavioral workup.

I'm asking for help from this board as it seems all of you are knowledgeable about training. Is there a rehabilitation training for a dog like Gia. We are in Southern CA.

Cindy, you have already been bitten by this dog twice. Your spouse has been bitten as well. You've undergone what sounds like some behavior mods that most folks would recommend, i.e. controlling access to reward stimuli, and eliminating opportunities for the dog to assert dominance or possessiveness over treats and food.

You can take the dog to UC Davis if you want, but get a health screen too. The dog may have a chronic condition or injury which is causing it pain. But I can't tell you that I would recommend anything other than PTS; failing to do so will put you and others in continued jeopardy. Sorry I don't have a happy ending for you.

I train aggressive dogs for a living but if there is a chance that the condition is neurological, I wouldn't even consider wasting the client's money in a case like this.

In this case with the multiple bite history and possibility of a neuro defect, I'd suggest euth. and just getting a new dog. That choice has the least down-side.
But it's up to you, it's going to be pricey to medically clear the dog from a health standpoint and then to get an aggressive dog specialist to look at the dog. If you can even find a competent one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

And a little caveat here - there are a ton of folks that advertise themselves as "Behaviorists" and "aggressive dog trainers". Most aren't. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

I agree with the other posters - sounds like A) your dog has a screw loose, possibly an injury or even brain tumor causing behavioral changes for the worse, or possibly a neurological problem that is progressing and WILL ONLY GET WORSE as time goes on. B) you have done all the right things, everything I would advise in training/conditioning/house manners etc, you have done and done it well. You are obviously "with it" and know what you are dealing with - so you also know what probably needs to be done. Now the decision is yours - spend lots of money trying to find out what I think you already know is wrong with your dog - something is wrong. Whatever it is, there is nothing you haven't already tried to do to help her. Nothing the specialists will be able to do to help her, even if it is a pain-reaction - so what could be causing the pain - cancer? HD? Lots of money there to correct it - involving MORE pain for the dog, a long recovery (if there is a recovery) involving even more behavioral problems due to pain. And if it is neurological, then there is nothing anyone can do for her either, except help her go to sleep and be at peace. There are so many wonderful dogs out there hoping for a home just like yours - why don't you give one of those wonderful dogs a chance, and let your problem dog go. It doesn't sound like she is happy in this life.

Molly