Hi Don,
I play with the dog everyday. He isnt neglected.
in the kitchen awhile ago, I did some obedience with him.
He has snapped at my son, what should I have done?
I yelled at him but that as probably not enough.
(my son doesnt live here) hes grown.
I need to know what to DO when he acts aggressive and get it through to him that he cant act like this.
I also take him for walks, at night, because he is dog aggressive, he wasnt at OB class but around here, he doesnt do good around male dogs (sems OK with females)
Today, he has done better with the kids, hes getting used to their voices and is ignoring them.

What you need to do to control him when he's acting aggressive happens when he's not being aggressive. It's sort of the same answer as for people who "just want the dog to come when he's called". You have to get in there and do the basic old obedience with him.

You need it to communication with him. That's where you lay the ground rules for getting his respect and being able to tell him to do anything at all and expect compliance. Solid obedience builds the relative mutual respect that's missing in your relationship.

You should invest the money in a trainer, and be bluntly honest with them about his behavior. The trainer will be a second pair of objective eyes and will help you see how you are "coming across" to the dog. Pretty often, when you start training a dog, even one you think you know well, you'll find that what you think you're telling the dog isn't what he's hearing.

There's a really simple example of this that happens all the time with (especially) women and their male dogs. Dog bark/growls/snaps at people. Owner holds the raging dog close to her body, softly stroking him and telling him "easy Buddy, easy, behave now, it's a nice person". She's trying to comfort and calm him like she would an upset, angry child. Dog is puffing out his chest and saying "Oh, yeah man! My momma loves it when I'm tough".

Maybe she's really apprehensive he's gonna get away from her, and she grips him harder, he can feel her tension and that makes it even more important to him to be tough, because her apprehension is telling him he needs to protect them both.

And many smart, self confident, dogs have enough of a sense of humor to get a kick out of "making those suckers hop". A fearful dog, even if it acts tough, feeds on it's own fear.

And you need that trainer to help you use your voice effectively. Yeah, not fair, but men have that booming octave advantage over lots of women. I think that's kind of what Don's trying to say.

The trouble is, unless you work on control of your dog in the small things, you won't get it when it counts. You need the trainer to help you assess how complete that control is, and how to reinforce it without getting hurt when push comes to shove.

And please, for the love of God and your dog, get a crate and USE it. It maight just be the difference between life and death for Sash, and for some person you care about. You always have the upper hand when he's crated -- unless they're stupid enough to feed him fingers, he won't be biting, or even threatening anybody, from there.

Stephan, OK.
I have deepened my voice or changed the way I give commands since someone made me aware of this and it has made a difference.
I have NEVER petted Sash when he has lunged/barked bullied people. I dont believe in that.
I agree, I need a trainer here to assess him and watch us so they can evaluate what I am doing NOT RIGHT.
I read about people who have problems with seperation anxiety, dogs getting in garbage, etc and I think oh if those were only things I had to deal with!
I will get a crate, too. Hope it wont be too difficult to get him to get use to it, but Ive had instructions on how to crate train him.

Good luck to you. You are right. There are dogs that end up dead every day because they bark, or chew up the couch, or tip the garbage. Blessings on you for continuing to care about Sash, and being willing to work your way through it. It is work.

Ok now you are on the right track, but I think you are rushing the dog having him around kids, how old are these kids? Young kids needs as much training as the dog on how to act.

I think he should have a leash on while in the house around people, until you buy the crate. I don't think he should be left around kids not even adults until you get some control of him and he is proofed.

I would do Ob on leash 4 times a week at least 5-6 minutes a day, afterwards play some fetch and keep showing him affection. Get a trainer to evaluate him some will do that free.

Introduce him to the crate slowly don't try to force him in, or lock him in until he is use to it. I've seen some pretty adverse reaction from Alpha dogs that were new to being crated. Some have broken out of the plastic crates, once they find out how there is no keeping them in.

You asked, How do I handle him when he being aggressive? Right now he needs to be close to you so you can control him, I'd let him drag a leash inside the house for a while, especially when strangers or people are around. Does he come on command? Until we get our Ob training down. You need to be able to shut him down before gets started.

Dogs give tell tell signs when they are getting angry or upset, most times. They will stare, their body will become erect (almost pointing at their target), their hair may rise on their back, their tail may lower or acrh, their lips may curl. When you see anything like that "Tell him leave it" or "enough", don't pull him toward or make a big deal out of it (pending his reaction of course), when you get his attention use something to distract him (his toy, a treat, or play with him), sit him and praise him for sitting. Don't praise him for ceasing the aggression because if your timing is off it could give the reaction Stepehen mention. Timing is very important, in dog training.

Now the person he staring at needs to coroperate, they need to stand still or back away. Because right now I think Sash will re-focus on them if them move toward you or him, I bet. Once you have him so he sitting and on command "Enough" he stop acting aggressive then you can proof it with them slowly approaching with a treat (sliced wieners will do) until they can pet him on your command. "He's alright" the dogs stay sitting.

I know that it sounds like you are controlling his every move but you have to when a dog will bite. You teaching him what is acceptable, and in our case we are starting behind the 8 ball.

This is a taught responce he will respond to what he has been taught, even under stress.

Don, sorry for the mis understanding, these are visiting kids next door. I would not trust him around kids at this time, their is a 6 ft fence between them and him, he hears their voices and has gotten used to them and is now ignoring them.
I had some problems with neighborhood kids throwing rocks over the fence at him and this was awhile back, I was afraid he was really getting it in for kids. This is another issue I have with him that Ive worked on but no, at this time, I would not trust him to be in the same room with a kid
Will do OB with him everyday like you said. Cant order a crate until next week, checked my finances :rolleyes: but definately a must have on my list....is the 48" size big enough? I have a small room that it has to go in! (my computer room)
Stephan, I looked at the Weber dog pic.jpg....is the black Sable yours, he is so handsome!
If anyone comes over, I will keep Sash on the leash.
Thanks for the advice. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Whew, I thought the kids were in the same room with Sash. It good that he is getting use to them, I'd take it a step futher and hand the kids some sliced weiners and have them toss them to him while you hold him on leash and he sitting quite. You need to work this out with the kids and their parents. Instead of the dog thinking everybody is a threat, hes is thinking everybody has a treat for him. Unless you say different.

I think the large plastic crate or the metal would do fine, but let him grow into it keep the door open until hes sleep inside and throw his toys and chews inside.

The leash will help you control him inisde the house and make it a little safer for your family and friends.

No the black sable dog is not mines, I have a 5 yr. old Black and Tan. The Sable dog is handsome isn't he. Is Sash a sable?

Good luck training.

Thanks Don. No, Sash is black and tan/gold with a little reddish.
Do you think that male dogs tend to become over protective? I am trying to copy this guy I saw on a show on GSD, instead of screaming at Sash, I just say Saaash.....doesnt come so I lift my voice an octave higher....Saaash I dont give up though. (Sashi can be stubborn but on the whole, I think he likes to make me happy and be a good boy, hes very intelligent <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I ask that question, because I live alone, he IS great at making me feel safer at night. He has always slept in the living room, except for the night we discovered the rat in the kitchen I woke up the next AM and he was sleeping back on his bed in computer room LOL
(rat is now gone!!!)

Thanks for the compliment on Tig. I think she's way beautiful, but I'm very, very, nuts about her.

Being a greyhound person, I pretty much believe a good hound can't be a bad color, but I gotta confess a real weakness for sables.