Hello,
I wanted to toss this out and get some advice on it. My male GSD, 4 years old, whom has always been easy going and very mildly aggressive, has recently became much more aggressive towards strangers. Recently, I had Max riding in the back of the Ford Explorer which he loves to do. I pick up a couple of friends and the one riding in the back seat tried to pet him and was bitten - but very easy as if a warning shot to not touch me!
This started me thinking about when I first noticed this behavior - and it is when I took him in for his last vet check. The vet has a table about waist tall off the ground and puts Max on it to do the blood works and examine him. He growled and snapped at the vet tech.
When I was think back on this, I was thinking that this might be very fearful to him from the needles and checking his teeth and all the stuff the vet does - similar to table training?
Does this make sense? I think it had a negative effect on Max.
Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
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Loc: North-Central coast of California
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MHO: Vets and vet techs are often not the dog's favorite people, for lots of reasons, and being trapped on a table while they poke, prod, sometimes cause pain, and often cause uneasiness is probably part of that.
But the big picture here is that your dog's aggression is increasing, and no, I don't really think that the vet's table is a cause. I think it's one of the things that brings it out, but not something that is triggering it in his life in general.
I'd be reading up on this and taking training steps, while I was waiting for this http://www.leerburg.com/301.htm
to arrive.
JMO. It's good that you are asking for help and advice about this -- you have been warned by the dog that you have a developing problem to deal with, and now it's time to deal with it.
Reg: 08-29-2006
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And just to add to the smaller issue of having your dog put into the uncomfortable position of being up on a table: vets and techs can easily perform basic exams, pull blood, trim nails etc. on the floor. Large dogs often are less stressed when they aren't being hoisted up into the air and onto a narrow table. They also require less in the way of physical restraint, which can aggravate an already nervous/scared/aggressive dog.
Mike J Schoonbrood Webboard User Reg: 04-30-2005
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Loc: Toronto, ON
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That's not table training.
But as Sarah said, vets can do it on the floor. Your dog is simply maturing that's all. Difficult to say what he's doing without seeing it but usually the quick nips are fear bites.
Carol Boche Webboard User Reg: 10-30-2005
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Loc: South Dakota, USA
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Two of my dogs jump on the examining table since they love the vet, he is a treat machine (and he also has no slip pads on his tables), and the others are treated on the floor with the Bloodhound having to wear a muzzle.
While you are figuring out and fixing this issue of biting, I would recommend a crate in your vehicle when you are going to have people ride in the back with the dog. Sitting in the back of a vehicle with a dog that may bite is not a good situation. It goes back with Mikes statement of "being eye to eye" with a dog.
Until The Tale of the Lioness is told, the Story will Always Glorfy the Hunter
vet table is nothing like table traing, I would be more apt he is uneasy in a confined space and the car is his teratory, they could also call it fear biting, most confident dags will not have vet problems or confined space problems, being civil at the wrong time is hiding an insecurity........
Lance, you may be right. It may be a insecurity problem that is showing up now. I just wonder why now? I have worked with this dog a lot and have never seen any of the precursors that would make me think this would come up now. I was under the impression that dogs become more secure as they mature. That is why I was trying to think of some trigger?
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Table training by a Vet?
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