IMHO, any of us could get bit by our dog. Is Soloange at greater risk? Sure. Is she likely to get attacked with intent to harm or kill? I seriously doubt it.

We all balance risk and reward every day. You take a chance of being injured every time you travel in your car.


Solange is dedicated to working on this problem with an experienced trainer. She is also very willing to see faults in HER behavior and correct them. I wish all people were so willing and open to learning about their pet. I believe she will be resoundingly successful, and will lead a happy life with her dog. She seems to have a realistic expectation for what management of this dog is going to entail, and accepts it.


She can change her mind at any time if she sees the dog sliding to a place temperamentally were she feels she is in real danger.


Good for you Solange!!!



If we all wanted 100% safe pets, this would be a goldfish forum.


JMHO!!

Thanks to all of you.....it has been interesting to read every comments. Everyday is a learning experience for Ziva and I....but we seem to be walking in the same direction her and I. She is making sooooo much effort to control her excitment at play....the jumping that used to have her front paws on my shoulders in now limited to little hops front paws off the ground....the bitting is less and less ONLY on specific situations. and I don't think bitting is the proper words....mouthing I thinks is the term?....and yes, she is young and doesn't have any idea that her adult teeth are in fact causing me discomfort but she is getting it......Willie had suggested that when Ziva takes my hand or arm in her mouth to press her lips around her teeth and press and in the same time to have her laying down....after 2 days of doing that I quick saw that it actually made her more excited and comming back full force, so what I did, and it seems to work so far, is that I leave my hand there (before I would take it away instinctively, which made the dog coming for it more) and I say "LEAVE IT" a word I use for many things and she obeys it 95% of the time. As I say that I bring my hand to the grown and with her mouth to it she laydown and take her mouth off....then I praise her with a soothing voice and pet her.....she has this fussy look on her face, ears down, on her back and enjoy a rubb......I pet her, and pet her for a long time it can go for 5 minutes even......then she is calm and doesn't start over......and since I have been doing that, instead of biting, she grooms me with her front teeth....(I'm not sure if I describe this correctly)....That to me is showing a strong attempt of self control.

Now with people we come across our walks....she doesn't go for them with this happy look in her face and bouncing that says....."Yeah people, lets greet them and get attention" she stays on 4 and looks at them but no more. 2 days ago we came to a pedestrians crossing and there was this man on his bike stopped to talk to another person....we got there, I stopped and was anticipating her to pull towards them and forgetting that when I stopped she should to and either stand or sit......and I am happy to repport that after looking at them for a few seconds she sat and we went on our way......

I also noticed since Ziva is home that she is quick on some things....like words...but slow on other things like self control or any things that demands a modification in her instintive behavior......things have to be brought to her constantly and for a while before she does it on her own or shows signs of trying her best to comply to what is expected of her.

Yes there are days where I am tired and tell her to speed up the process so I can have a breack....it is very demanding and ask a constant watch on my part.....but there are days where I could forget that she is even there......she is calm and respect my space and doesn't get into mischief.....so I think that so far she is showing signs of wanting to cooperate and willigness. She is young in a body that is over 70 lbs......but her intentions are not agressive in the sense that she wants to hurt me. She is very talkative...by that I mean she has these different sounds for different things....more then any dog I owed before.....the growling is not always a mean growl it is more like talking.....Willie and I talked about that and she also experience the same with her Great Pyr. Eddie.

Ok well once again thanks and keep on sharing your thougts, I am sooooo interested to read and learn from what you write....it is valuable knowledge even thoug some time it is not directly useful for Ziva and I but is totaly good information to any other readers even myself as a learner.

Have a great fater's day to any father board user.

cheers

I just reread my post and OMG....please forgive me for the errors...I did not have time to proof it I had to attend to Ziva and go for our first 4km walk.....lol

I am so glad that you have made such progress, good for you to listen, to apply what folks said.
I'm sure that Ziva will still have her moments but you can already see the great dog she will become, and in a way so much more interesting and rewarding than an easy pup who just "comes that way" right from the start.

 Quote: Willie Tilton

Hi everyone.

Ziva has dominant tendencies, and will always be one to push the boundaries whenever she can...

She is only 6 months old and if I felt that she was D/A I would have Solange ship her back to the breeder and hope for the best for Ziva...

Having dominant tendencies is FAR different than a serious behavior issue involving labeling a dog D/A.
These dogs are know for having a difficult growing up period and challenging their owners...

SOOOOOOO in the mean time I don't think anyone here would advise dumping the dog off at the breeder because she is having a bit of difficulty. Especially since I am under the impression that the breeder is not capable of dealing with this pup or her temperment...

Is this optimal? no? Is it better than nothing or returning the dog to a breeder who in all likelihood will mismanage it????

Many of the negative comments on this thread are classic over reactions to the normal difficulties of figuring out what works with a specific dog and owner team.
It takes a while to figure out what things and techniques will work best.
If the dog is progressing well and she is, I move slowly allowing time for things to work...at least a week for each new approach. anything else is too fast and reactive to be productive.

In ONE MONTH and 5 days we have taken a dog that was unmanageable, growling at her owner regularly, not listening, shut down, and developing serious behavior problems to a dog that is responsive, trusting, relaxed, engaged, motivated, and NOT showing sings of serious Aggression/dominance.

English is not Solange's first language and while she is fluent, it is difficult for her to translate her ideas into english and then have her intent come through perfectly.

I disagree that she is in over her head at this time. Having observed this dog regularly I think that she is super drivey, and a Brat that likes to push the boundaries.
Solange has chosen to stay with this dog and her temperament and is happy with it. She has reasonable expectations for her relationship with THIS dog. Believe me I have been clear about that with her. I have also told her that since the dog is so drivey that she could end up bitten....as many of us have...not from an aggressive dog but because of an engaged drivey dog. (Jami Craigs story about tucking the frisee up under her arm and Gam going for it and getting Jami's armpit.....the corgi tagged my thumb the other day because her targeting sucks right now for tug......)

As far as the incident the other day with the rocks and hole in the garden......the dog rushed over to solange's feet.....classic prey response....and then grabbed her arm...I have seen this dog do this so many times....her body language is "please play with me" This dog's answer to every thing is to grab any part of Solange she can and try to start a play session by chewing on her. Play bows and everything. She had a challenging look in her eyes because she didn't want her hole filled in.
The dog gets out of control and in high prey drive easily, so I have had Solange put her in the crate when she is like that to diffuse the situation and let the puppy calm down.
When solange shut the door the pup was mad and vocalized it.
Solange did the right thing and left her in the crate...the worst thing she could have done was take the dog out of the crate and correct her physically.
The dog hadn't done anything to warrant a physical correction prior to being put in the crate.
I disagree that the dog "won" or "got away" with anything.

IT. HAS. ONLY. BEEN. A. MONTH.

I am willing to take Willie's word on Ziva, and try my level best NOT to "overreact" to Solange's posts anymore -- Clearly, folks such as Willie and David Winners would know how to Read & Respond to Ziva correctly In the Moment without any online TIME DELAY in implementing their judgment properly ... I do find Willie's assessment of Ziva's breeder as
incompetent to be of some real concern in this situation, but will attempt to just keep my mouth shut in future

I do not know how relevant this is but my small experience with the breed is as follows - a friend of my mother's, an Austrian woman, bred kuvasz while i was growing up. Her specific dogs were notoriously territorial and aggressive. One of these dogs was purchased by a caretaker of a local bird sanctuary/ natural refuge and let to run free in that property, which was a public access area. I can still feel where that dog snapped his teeth against the back of my right leg. Clearly the evaluation of the breed as professor google describes it depends on good breeding and rearing (as with all breeds!). Definitely finding this thread interesting!

Eta double posted.