You stay true to form Connie. Your very first comment on the other thread was errrm....subtly abrasive... and you have increased your aggression ever since.

Very interesting. Perhaps you should share your wisdom on other threads, I do appreciate your input but think I have wasted to much of your valuable time.

Maybe you could read just the other posts, then, Sonya.

Please don't use my "abrasiveness" as an excuse not to listen. I'll stop responding.

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

Sonya,

No. You have been given advice, but as I feared earlier, it was not going to be the type you hoped to hear, or the kind any of us wanted to offer.

What do WE have to gain by not giving you the advice which might help, if that advice was to set your e-collar at this level, zap the dog when he even began to look at the other dog, etc..???

We are still up at almost 1:00 AM trying to help someone we've never met but who obviously NEEDS help. It is just that the help you NEED is not the help you want to hear, and I understand that. That is why I warned to leave your ego at the door and try to listen.

You have one dog which from your first post on another thread is bred for protection of flocks and killing of canines,etc.. You came asking how to integrate THIS particular dog into your specific surroundings given your level of expertise (NO offense here, okay?) and our honest, heart-felt advice, is that perhaps you are in over your head and perhaps the Anatolian might not be right for you at this point in your life. NO judgement Sonya, just the advice and input you seek.

We would all be irresponsible to tell you anything else.

 Quote: Sonya Anderson

You stay true to form Connie. Your very first comment on the other thread was errrm....subtly abrasive... and you have increased your aggression ever since.

Very interesting. Perhaps you should share your wisdom on other threads, I do appreciate your input but think I have wasted to much of your valuable time.

Sonya,

You have just slammed shut the door from my perspective. Connie is one of the most helpful, compassionate, knowledgable folks on this forum.

You were told that we spoke bluntly for the dog's sake - not for yours.

I fear is is US who has wasted the time and I sincerely wish you all the best with the hell you have created.

'Night all.

 Quote: barbara schuler

You have one dog which from your first post on another thread is bred for protection of flocks and killing of canines,etc..

Yes, more judgement. Your "knowledge" of these evil canine killing protectors is not impressing me.

If I had a clue where the "advice" on this board is coming from I may listen a bit more carefully. I have hired a Schutzhund trainer to help me with this situation, and she did tell me that I may have to keep them separated, but she also thinks my Anatolian is a good and trainable dog.

I seem to hear a lot of people saying "well OBVIOUSLY you need to get rid of this dog" and where is this advice coming from?

What is your expertise? Have you dealt with similar situations before? Have you trained dozens or hundreds of dogs? Have you handled extremely dominant dogs with canine aggression issues before? Or are you just offering off the cuff advice to the "newbie" on an internet forum?

Once again I do not hear "knowledge" I hear judgement. If these opinions came with knowledge I would expect a bit more depth.

I honestly thought I might find some good advice here, good advice backed up by EXPERIENCE. I hear no stories, I hear no knowledge or examples, just bored internet users wiling away their friday night on a bulletin board.

I totaly agree with you Barbara, bad move Sonya,bad move....

Okay Sonya,
We're all ignorant. Please tell us what we don't know.

How many guardian breeds have you experience with?

ETA,
Have you even met one of the guardian group before now?

I don't mean to be rude or condescending Randy, but she did have an alpha dobie before.

Okay Sonya,
While you're thinking about it, I'm going to bed. I can't sit up all night waiting for your response.
My dogs will be getting me up in about 3 hours.

Yeah, this is far from entertaining.

Return the dog to the breeder. The dog will be happier and so will you.

 Quote: Sonya Anderson

I had two dogs (rescues, lovable dogs but not my breeds of choice).

I have 3 dogs in my home that wouldn’t have had a chance at life if we hadn’t taken them in – rescues. All males. (75 lb Husky, 98 Lb GSD and a 130 lb Malamute cross – won’t get into the X but your Anatolian would not like him) Aggression is an emotion that must be controlled at all times – from a tail twitch to a snarled lip. Any fear based or aggressive stances must immediately (and I mean 3 seconds before immediately), be met with removal/separation of the situation and the behavior not allowed to take place. There is no room for you/me (the pack leader) to make any mistakes. As well, you must be a role model – taking this position opens you up to the most scrutinizing of eyes (those of the dogs we have vowed to help/rehabilitate). And you better be pretty secure in yourself as they watch your every move and feel your every thought. You must be fair and consistent with each of them (old, young, Chihuahua to Irish wolfhound). We may have our favorites but they must never know that.

Anyone can provide love, food and shelter – providing what a dog truly needs (exercise, structure and mental stability – a feeling of worth, security and belonging) takes a lot more work. With dogs of our size and temperament it starts the moment we open eyes in the morning and ends when the last one has peacefully and contently laid his head to rest at night.

When you are a woman that has an intimidating breed it’s easy to fall into the thought process of a comfort zone where the dog is going to be your protector. Even rewarding a young, untrained dog once (feeling proud, praising, isn’t that cute) for acting aggressively/protectively towards another human or animal can result in an unwanted learned behavior. You need to watch for this possessiveness at all times. It may feel good at the time but it is definitely not a good thing -you are handing your leadership role over to him.

He must always act under your guidance and never under his own free will if you are truly going to have the peace you are looking for. I don’t know that Schutzhund is the best route to take with this dog, it sounds like he’s got it built in – with an unpredictable danger factor.

He is in a pack now. I’d start with some solid obedience and take all independent thought away from him. If that’s not possible, you may want to rethink about the pack you’ve created.

Your dog was fine with other males when he had an older Anotolian to be the boss. Everything was probably very black and white to him. He was in a situation that his instincts could work with - other dog is definitely the boss, you live with the sheep and stay alert for other canines.

He came into a home and everything changed. No strong male alpha in the picture. No work to do and he himself is maturing into serious working dog.

Even though he is much more mellow in some ways then high energy sport bred dogs, he needs a job. He is meant to be patrolling and on alert for a good portion of the day. That takes a huge amount of mental energy. If he is not able to use that he gets increasingly frustrated and those unwanted behaviors pop out more and more. By laying next to you for hours while you do whatever, he is guarding you. It would only make sense in his mind to kill your other dogs - they're intruding on his territory, coming between him and what he feels he needs to guard. Strict rules, kenneling, lots of exercise, NILIF is needed just to start to get a handle on this. He is not a low maintenance protective dog.

It is very common for Anotolians to have aggression issues with dogs of the same sex. And these issues are often more severe in this breed because killing other canines is an instinct.

Even though he has gotten used to the house, he would be much happier if he had a flock of sheep to guard and protect. It would feel right to him, his instincts would kick in and his drives would be fulfilled.