Quote: terry winchester

Connie, yes, he's jumping at me, but with aggression: He is NOT playing! When I unleashed him (he had two leashes on) he started growling and charging at me with the intention, in my opinion, of attacking me. Again, this is not a game he's playing.

I'm not there to see it so take this with a grain of salt but I'm not reading aggression, or dominance. Body posture sounds loose? When he jumps up he mouths without pressure soaking with saliva vs causing any damage except maybe some minor bruising? Is the growling accompanied by swatting at you...does the growl sound like the noise he makes when you play tug?

If you answer yes to these questions; my unprofessional opinion is your pup is BEGGING for more interaction...stop the corrections, they are ineffective because he does not know what it is he is supposed to do. A crate would be a much better way to control him than tieing him up. That just creates more frustration.

One day of exercise will not cure months worth of pent up energy and tieing him up afterward is just winding him up so when you return he is explosive.

A better option; after his bath a quick 5 minute marker session ending with him on his bed with a kong or something else to chew while you shower. When you return ignore him if he comes up to you and walk away to an area he can not reach you. If you return and he gets up but is calm or "miracle" remains on his bed chomping on his kong praise him. I really think the way he is being restrained is a huge issue in the "attacks".

I forgot to add: yes, his teeth go on me.

 Quote: Ana Kozlowsky

Sounds like this rough game is the only way he could get some exciting interaction out of you.

All JMO:

This is what I keep having as a gut reaction, too. I know we can be way wrong, not seeing first hand, which is why the recommendation for professional help. But I'd be really fussy about who, and what their methods are, and I'd check references and also watch him/her work.

No chance of a video clip, right?

Good points, Sheila.

I have one that will do what you describe. He growls, barks, jump up on me, mouths. He can leave bruises in his play.

When I first got him, I let him loose in a close area and he ran for a long time all by himself.

I keep a tug on a long rope in my pockets and send him on a crazy chase after the toy.

A video of your dog could help see what is going on too.

Sheila,

I, too, believe that tying him up is exacerbating the problem. Let me explain why we do this.

We sleep in our living room on the couch instead of using our bed (I don't know why, but we do). So, he is in there with us. We have an area that I try to make his "bed", but he always wants to lay down right next to us on the couches, and of course, this is irratating when we need to get up, having to step over him, or making him move. If we don't tie him up, he will eventually jump up on the couch with "mama", and sleep up there with her. She doesn't like this cause the couch is small, and he's an 80lb giant of a dog. Besides, he doesn't need to be sleeping with us anyway.

There is, I believe, separation anxiety: he will follow me around the house whereever I go. If I go to the kitchen to get on the computer, he has to be beside me. If I go outside, he whines untl I come back. If I leave him alone outside, he barks his head off until I go get him.

He loves to play, and we do play. I will throw a plastic cheesburger to him, he will catch it, eat it up good,growling, trying to tear it to shreds (he can't), and will bring it to me for anoher throw. And when he brings it to me, he doesn't do it gently. He will try and play tug with it, and I avoid the tug games because of is hyperness.

We're teahing him to retrieve things, like his leash, and he will do so, but he's very hyper in doing so, and doesn't want to release it politely. I end up with his teeth on my hands trying to get it from him. Very aggressive and hyper.

Maybe it's not dominance, but it sure seems like it. He will try and put his paw up on us in a domineering way. He lies ontop of the kds when they're over and laying on the floor. He jumps on everyone who comes over.

I think you have hit on some possibilities, and I will try some of the things you suggest. But, without a kennel, and having a very small area in the LR, or elsewhere, for that matter, I don't know what to do but tie him up.

Any thoughts?

Is buying a crate out of the question? They can sometimes be found at garage sales or on Craigslist for a reasonable price. Just my unprofessional opinion here, but I think a dog that is in a comfortable crate, with a frozen Kong or other safe type of toy, is going to be a much happier dog than one that is tied up in his own home. Being tied up gives a dog a sense that he is being restrained (which he is, of course), but a crate often gives a dog a feeling of having his own little den.

Of course, it goes without saying that if your dog has never been trained to be in a crate, that is a process you would have to go through with him. Some dogs take very well to a crate, others take a while to get used to it.

How come nobody has suggested a dominant dog collar to get him to chill out? Definitely read about the dominant dog collars. But that should not come without more exercise. I have a 5 year old very hyper 80# Dutch Shepherd who is also dominant (I have my hands full every day). Terry, your dog doesn't sound dominant or aggressive to me, just very high drive and bored. There's a a lot of activities I do with my dog that are cheap and don't take much time (most of them don't). Here are some I do to wear him out:

-biking
-pulling in harness or weight pulling
-TUG (yes TUG!!!)
-agility (teach him to jump/climb obstacles on a school ground)
-walking with a backpack full of water
-"find it" games (hide a special tug or ball somewhere and have him find it)
-chuckit fetch (good cold weather game)

Anyway, if these sound interesting and you have any questions I'll be glad to help you help your situation. Disclaimer: a hurricane is coming through here and I may not have a way to reply after tomorrow morning. I'm sure somebody else could explain it though.

 Quote: terry winchester

Any thoughts?

Sleeping on a couch is really bad for your back; and your dog is not fully trained. Which actually isn't a bad thing

How did you teach him to "sit"? Did you use marker training? Did you teach him to sit; in the class, your kitchen, your bedroom...oh wait noone goes in there , the living room, the yard, while on a walk....etc. Then add distractions, distance from you when giving a command and duration in all of the above mentioned places?

Dogs do not realize a command means the same thing in every environment it is part of their learning curve; it does move a lot quicker as time goes by but at the beginning "sit" is pretty much a new command in every single circumstance.

There are tons of links and free training material on this site which can really help you with training your dog. The reason I say it is actually a good thing he isn't well trained is how much you and he will evolve into a partnership. Communication you both understand will do wonders to repair any damage done to your relationship.

Now if someone could be so kind to post links for you....I'm somewhat technically challenged.