Quote: john j. miller

Have a dominant dog collar on him attached to a long line which is thrown over a tree, and held by a second trainer hiding behind the tree. Also have a soft sleeve hidden under your shirt (feels like flesh to the dog, you will only get a bruise but no actual bite on skin). Then walk up to the dog calmly and go to take the food/toy/whatever away. When he warns, don't listen and offer your arm for the bite. The second he bites, the other person with the long line hoists him up so his back legs barely some off the ground and calmly say NO. This is not a fight, I just simply am alpha. Period. Once the dog stops struggling and starts to pass out lower him down. Repeat this until he understands.

I specifically posted a response to this statement that went as follows....

 Quote: james h. larkey

"hanging" sounds a little extreme...Do you really feel that this dog belongs in the category of handler agrressiveness that requires such methods?

Has this dog actually bitten anyone? I am sorry if I missed that info..your post was long.

The proper use of a Dominant Dog Collar should be effective here.

I recieved a few PM's questioning me on the use of "hanging" to correct aggression/dominance. I feel I must clarify my position on this...

I agree with this training technique. However, when I mentioned 'hanging' in the original post, I was specifically referring to the use of two handlers, a tree, allowing a bite, and hanging to the point of losing consciousness. Only in extremely severe cases is it necessary to hang the dog to loss of consciousness.

This handler has not used prior training resources and knowledge properly. Discussing hanging a dog from a tree is not the place to start.

Why I wasn't the first person to suggest finding a local professional trainer to assist is beyond me. It is obvious this handler lacks the experience and skills required...and I was warning her away from techniques that should be left to professionals or performed only under professional guidance.


EDITED TO ADD:
Will and Eric...You beat me to it....you posted while I typed. lol.

Stick the dog in a basic nylon muzzle. It won't save you from a bite entirely but it'll change the risk from a bite to a nip. It will make you feel more comfortable around the dog when controlling him and therefore help you to assert your dominance without showing the dog your fear of getting bitten. Some of the most skilled trainers I have met both in Europe and the US use this method with a dog they feel might bite. At the very least, it will minimalize injuries till you have sought out help from someone that can evaluate the dog in person. The dog can still drink with it on so you can just leave it on all day. Depending on the dog and the handler I would even say hand feed the dog with the muzzle on, thru the bars of a crate if need be, if there is any aggression the dog does not eat till the day he stops being aggressive. The dog must learn that everything comes from you and if he doesn't respect it then he gets nothing.

 Quote:

I believe my husband looks at this as too much work and perhaps he resents my advise. I obviously can't change my husband but I need help with Koda.

Sandra, are you sure you want to go through this? If your husband isnt willing are you sure you'll be able to live with this dog? I'm not one to give up on a dog but do you think your level of ability is up to this? I'm not trying to be insulting, but a dog that could truly be a threat to you may be too much.

My best advice: Divorce the man and/or shoot the dog -- just kidding (!!!) but by the time I finished reading this whole thread, it WAS the first suggestion that came to mind...

Second best advice: Put the dog in-muzzle whenever you interact with him; feed him only in his crate/kennel (use an extension device, rather than your hand, to place & remove the bowl) and do not give him any more treats, bones, or toys...

Oh, and have a clause added to your Living Will that requires the ER staff to take photos of all your bite wounds & send them to Ed at leerburg.com in the eventuality of a mauling by this dog <:-(

Good Morning,
I would like to thank each and every one of you for your very helpful advise. I read each one with an open mind and last night, started the process of becoming a more assertive and consistent pack leader. Koda is now staying in a crate (no freedom), eating in his crate and I put a leash on him when I take him out. No toys, no chewies. No interaction with the other dogs.
I had a long talk with my husband last night about this situation and although he took it as a personal attack, he agreed to work with me. He basically will ignore Koda except to provide for him.
What is interesting about Koda's behavior since being in the crate so far is that he is totally submissive to me. Ears back, head low and waits until I give him directions. I don't trust him because I have seen this behavior in him before. It seems that the second he gets any freedom like to roam around the house and yard, his demeanor changes. I suppose he is so dominant that it doesn't take much at all to put him right back into that mode. I'm not sure that I will ever trust him but it's going to be a wait and see thing.
I explained to my husband that we can't feel sorry for Koda even though my husband's face was telling me that he WAS. Feeling sorry for a dog just makes the dog more unstable.

As for the hanging technique, I have used this on Koda in the past and am comfortable with it. After aquiring him, I found out just how dog aggressive he was while out on a walk. We walked by a dog behind a chain link fence and Koda lunged so hard at him that he nearly pulled my arm out of it's socket. The other dog was aggressive as well and they began to fight between the fence. That's when I did some research and found Leerburg. I purchased the dominant collar, read about how to use it and Koda and I took another walk by that same dog. Koda tried to lunge and I pulled Koda up off of his feet and held him there until he settled down. I have to say that he never forgot that day. When we walk by that house now, Koda will try to glance that way but I correct him with tug on the prong collar and he continues to move forward. Koda has a pretty good memory.
I knew if I posted my issue here on this forum I would get some really good advise by experienced dog owners. You guys area great and I will keep you posted on the progress. I am prepared for the long haul with Koda but he's worth it. I'm just sad that I didn't know these things BEFORE I aquired him. I also know that this isn't a quick fix by any stretch. Maybe Cesar Millan can perform miracles in a few minutes but I can't. I have to undo three years of damage but I believe it's easier to turn a dog around than it is to turn my husband around!!!

Thank you so much for your support and everyone else's for that matter. Having a dog is a life time committment and just like having children, we have to deal with the good and the bad. We can't throw them away.
Since my first posting, I have made several discisions about what I'm going to do about Koda. I have already made the first step as you know and now I'm working on changing his diet and adding an exercise pool. This will not only benefit Koda, it will benefit ALL of my dogs.
I'm still a little confused about what to start feeding Koda. His kibble is all natural and I buy it from a place called Orlando Pet Pantry. No fillers, artificial ingredients.
I give my dogs raw bones from time to time and they really love them and I know this is not to replace their kibble. I also don't free feed. I put the bowls down and if the dogs don't eat it within ten or fifteen minutes, I pick the bowls up. At dinner time I do this again. Some will eat, some won't.

What brand is the kibble you feed?

The kibble is: Adult Maintenance and contains: anti-biotic free chicken & free-range lamb. Wheat-free, oatmeal, yucca.

I am looking at the selections in the brochure and see a Premium Chicken & Rice, low fat. This company also offers the RAW diet as well as Holistic Select that has anchovy, sardine & salmon meal, chicken meal & rice, duck meat & oatmeal along with several other types of kibble.