Redirecting Behavior - Dog Aggressive

ZeldasMom · 10-29-2009, 01:08 PM

Has anyone had issues with their dog redirecting on you or your other pets? My MIL had to move in with us and it has changed our lives. We are trying to keep things as normal as possible for the dogs, but our one year old AB (rescue) is changing. If my MIL yells out for help, Dexter will attack the closest thing to him. It's as if he is scared or spooked. He never used to bark at other dogs on TV but now he does. Viciously. He never use to bark at the door bell but now again, he redirects toward anyone. But mostly it's Zelda. He redirects on her all the time and it has led to a fight or two between them too. Has anyone dealt with this before?

He has never been friendly with other dogs (outside his home) since we rescued him at six months. When we walk him there are certain dogs he literally goes off about (pulling, drooling, and redirecting on anyone and anything that is within his reach). Then there are other dogs that he walks right by without a second glance. I assume he is showing aggression toward the dogs that are loud and obnoxious running down the fence line. Has anyone faced this issue?

The only thing that calms him down is if we put his leash on him and keep it on him. Then he behaves. But it's getting the leash on him that can be dangerous. We have to wait until he is calm. I have told my DH not to yell at Dexter, or in general. To keep things as calm as possible, but I could be wrong. Am I? I also told my DH no hands, no touching Dexter when he's like that.

At a loss right now.

tt557 · 10-29-2009, 01:31 PM

I dont want to sound mean but ... is your mother in law a bit "off" - meaning Alzhiemers or something?
Either way, the stress you may be feeling - he is reacting on. I would definately crate him - until you figure things out.
Perhaps even extra exercise to drain him, start over with his basic ob - to redirect him before he escalates.

I'm sure you will get great advice from others here - I have no experience with it - I'm just guessing.

ZeldasMom · 10-29-2009, 01:48 PM

Yes, my MIL does have some mental issues. As well as physical. It's odd because Dexter is so gentle with her. He never gets out of hand when he's near her. I am almost positive that he can feel my nervousness and anxiousness because I want my MIL out of our house. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but I just think now she's milking it. And I think she is going to be here for a while. There is a lot more yelling in my house then there was before because DH and his mom get into it daily it seems like.

I do basic ob training with Dex and we go on two walks a day. I wonder if I should start taking him for a longer walk. I'm just scared because if I'm by myself, he'll try to take down to get to another dog. He's done it before.

**maryellen** · 10-29-2009, 02:24 PM

walk both dogs separately from now on while your MIL is there.. some dogs redirect out of frustration when they cant get to what they want.. keep them separated while MIL is there so that they dont redirect on each other. if they are redirecting on humans that is a whole other issue, and you are going to have to make a decision fast , MIL goes or you and the dogs go somewhere until she is gone then come back..

any yelling will add more tension to the house and the dogs will be affected by it and show it

is your MIL going to be living with you permanently?

you can also try behavior management, with drugs like prozac, paxil, chlomacalm, but you need to see a certified person to do so so that you get the right dosage and the right management program.

or you can get the MIL to move out... if the dogs didnt redirect when she was there before you might have to convince your husband that the MIL needs to go...which will strain your marriage more then its going to do so now..

tt557 · 10-29-2009, 02:40 PM

I'm sorry for your situation. My mother in law lives in an apt above us - and while there's nothing wrong with her physically, mentally she is not wrapped too tight -long story involving The Blessed Virgin Mother & a whole lotta other nonsense!

I would definately get some professional advice for your dog. Try all avenues possible because this can lead to him doing harm to somebody or something.

While things at home may seem hectic - you need to try and create some balance. It can be affecting your dog or he could just be coming into his own since his rescue.

I would def. do the NILIF with him so he knows that YOU call the shots. For his walks I would muzzle him. This will keep you from being anxious of him biting you. You will be able to relax & have more confidence while walking him. Try a collar that will prevent him from pulling. You want the collar to sit just behind his ears on the top part of his neck. You have the most control over him there. And if possilbe, you can put him on a treadmill prior to the walk outside.
The longer or more frequent walks may do you both good. But while inside the house - crate him.

ZeldasMom · 10-29-2009, 02:41 PM

Well the odd thing is that Dexter had started to display some signs of redirecting before MIL came to live with us, but we quickly got the trainer back and we were making great and I mean great progress with him. He was down to not redirecting at all anymore, but then it all went to hell when she came to live with us. I am not sure how long she will be with us. She's sick, so until she can take care of herself again, she isn't going anywhere. DH knows that this is tearing us and our household apart, and he wants her to go home as well, but he's scared. He knows that Dexter's behavior is getting out of control. Last night when I got home from work he literally jumped on me and wrapped his paws around my waste and was biting my arm. He was playing and I know it, but he was doing it in a dominant manner. That I didn't like. I had scratch marks and k-9 marks on my wrists. He has NEVER done this before. I am 4'11" and 100lbs. He's not a big AB but at 70lbs and a year old, he already can do some damage.

DH has thought about medicine for him, at least while she's there, but I don't know. I am so sketchy about giving them anything. I'm so afraid of it having a bad effect on him.

DH usually walks Dexter and I walk Zelda. Not side-by-side. Should we switch or does it not matter?

ZeldasMom · 10-29-2009, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tt557

I'm sorry for your situation. My mother in law lives in an apt above us - and while there's nothing wrong with her physically, mentally she is not wrapped too tight -long story involving The Blessed Virgin Mother & a whole lotta other nonsense!

I would definately get some professional advice for your dog. Try all avenues possible because this can lead to him doing harm to somebody or something.

While things at home may seem hectic - you need to try and create some balance. It can be affecting your dog or he could just be coming into his own since his rescue.

I would def. do the NILIF with him so he knows that YOU call the shots. For his walks I would muzzle him. This will keep you from being anxious of him biting you. You will be able to relax & have more confidence while walking him. Try a collar that will prevent him from pulling. You want the collar to sit just behind his ears on the top part of his neck. You have the most control over him there. And if possilbe, you can put him on a treadmill prior to the walk outside.
The longer or more frequent walks may do you both good. But while inside the house - crate him.

I have a "gentle leader" that I could start using again. I usually just use a prong. He only pulls when he sees people, dogs, squirrels, etc. Otherwise he's fine. I think I will start using the gentle leader again and increase the length of our walks.

I definitely don't want to crate him while in the house. I think I should just leave the leash on him at all times and NOT allow him on the bed at night anymore. That is the hard part because he cries all night.

And I know, I have to stop humanizing him when it comes to that.

tt557 · 10-29-2009, 02:48 PM

maryellen is right though - you need to do something quickly if he is redirecting towards you.

**maryellen** · 10-29-2009, 03:40 PM

boot camp nilif now.. no furniture privileges at all i dont care if he whines till he is blue in the face.. if he knows a crate, crate him tough shit if he doesnt like it, he doesnt pay the mortgage so he has no say.. until that happens, its your rules or nothing... if he gets a job and pays the mortgage then yes, he can have a say whether he wants to be crated or not.. dont feel sorry for him, just do it...

i have my youngest dog on prozac right now, been on it since september and has made a noticible difference .. drugs are not the cure all, you have to do management training with them,but it CAN help... my gsd was on prozac for 6 months when she was younger and it helped her too.

you need to get this under control now... before the dog does more damage...whether to human or zelda.. its not fair to either human or zelda to be redirected on.

Dodo & Bull · 10-29-2009, 03:40 PM

OML i wouldn t want to be ib your shoes...

My mother always took care of my grandmother..and my mother always said i ll never live with one of my kids once i m old..don t want to do that to you guys..

the only time my mom came and stayed with me is for 3 months while she was dying...neither did my fahter want to come and live with us..and i told my kids i don t want to live with you guys cause it does put alot of strain on the marriage..

you it s your MIL but your hubby it his mother..not easy decision..

may i ask why she doesn t want to live in a home...if it s money wise i know it s not easy .....

10-29-2009, 01:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
ZeldasMom Senior Member Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 418	Redirecting Behavior - Dog Aggressive Has anyone had issues with their dog redirecting on you or your other pets? My MIL had to move in with us and it has changed our lives. We are trying to keep things as normal as possible for the dogs, but our one year old AB (rescue) is changing. If my MIL yells out for help, Dexter will attack the closest thing to him. It's as if he is scared or spooked. He never used to bark at other dogs on TV but now he does. Viciously. He never use to bark at the door bell but now again, he redirects toward anyone. But mostly it's Zelda. He redirects on her all the time and it has led to a fight or two between them too. Has anyone dealt with this before? He has never been friendly with other dogs (outside his home) since we rescued him at six months. When we walk him there are certain dogs he literally goes off about (pulling, drooling, and redirecting on anyone and anything that is within his reach). Then there are other dogs that he walks right by without a second glance. I assume he is showing aggression toward the dogs that are loud and obnoxious running down the fence line. Has anyone faced this issue? The only thing that calms him down is if we put his leash on him and keep it on him. Then he behaves. But it's getting the leash on him that can be dangerous. We have to wait until he is calm. I have told my DH not to yell at Dexter, or in general. To keep things as calm as possible, but I could be wrong. Am I? I also told my DH no hands, no touching Dexter when he's like that. At a loss right now.

10-29-2009, 01:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
tt557 Senior Member Distinguished Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Harrison, NY Posts: 2,050	I dont want to sound mean but ... is your mother in law a bit "off" - meaning Alzhiemers or something? Either way, the stress you may be feeling - he is reacting on. I would definately crate him - until you figure things out. Perhaps even extra exercise to drain him, start over with his basic ob - to redirect him before he escalates. I'm sure you will get great advice from others here - I have no experience with it - I'm just guessing. __________________ Save the Earth....It's the only planet with chocolate.

10-29-2009, 02:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
maryellen Agent Squint Distinguished Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,713	walk both dogs separately from now on while your MIL is there.. some dogs redirect out of frustration when they cant get to what they want.. keep them separated while MIL is there so that they dont redirect on each other. if they are redirecting on humans that is a whole other issue, and you are going to have to make a decision fast , MIL goes or you and the dogs go somewhere until she is gone then come back.. any yelling will add more tension to the house and the dogs will be affected by it and show it is your MIL going to be living with you permanently? you can also try behavior management, with drugs like prozac, paxil, chlomacalm, but you need to see a certified person to do so so that you get the right dosage and the right management program. or you can get the MIL to move out... if the dogs didnt redirect when she was there before you might have to convince your husband that the MIL needs to go...which will strain your marriage more then its going to do so now.. __________________ Rufus

10-29-2009, 02:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
tt557 Senior Member Distinguished Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Harrison, NY Posts: 2,050	I'm sorry for your situation. My mother in law lives in an apt above us - and while there's nothing wrong with her physically, mentally she is not wrapped too tight -long story involving The Blessed Virgin Mother & a whole lotta other nonsense! I would definately get some professional advice for your dog. Try all avenues possible because this can lead to him doing harm to somebody or something. While things at home may seem hectic - you need to try and create some balance. It can be affecting your dog or he could just be coming into his own since his rescue. I would def. do the NILIF with him so he knows that YOU call the shots. For his walks I would muzzle him. This will keep you from being anxious of him biting you. You will be able to relax & have more confidence while walking him. Try a collar that will prevent him from pulling. You want the collar to sit just behind his ears on the top part of his neck. You have the most control over him there. And if possilbe, you can put him on a treadmill prior to the walk outside. The longer or more frequent walks may do you both good. But while inside the house - crate him. __________________ Save the Earth....It's the only planet with chocolate.

10-29-2009, 02:48 PM	#8 (permalink)
tt557 Senior Member Distinguished Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Harrison, NY Posts: 2,050	maryellen is right though - you need to do something quickly if he is redirecting towards you. __________________ Save the Earth....It's the only planet with chocolate.

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10-29-2009, 01:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
ZeldasMom Senior Member Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 418	Yes, my MIL does have some mental issues. As well as physical. It's odd because Dexter is so gentle with her. He never gets out of hand when he's near her. I am almost positive that he can feel my nervousness and anxiousness because I want my MIL out of our house. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but I just think now she's milking it. And I think she is going to be here for a while. There is a lot more yelling in my house then there was before because DH and his mom get into it daily it seems like. I do basic ob training with Dex and we go on two walks a day. I wonder if I should start taking him for a longer walk. I'm just scared because if I'm by myself, he'll try to take down to get to another dog. He's done it before.

10-29-2009, 02:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
ZeldasMom Senior Member Advanced Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 418	Well the odd thing is that Dexter had started to display some signs of redirecting before MIL came to live with us, but we quickly got the trainer back and we were making great and I mean great progress with him. He was down to not redirecting at all anymore, but then it all went to hell when she came to live with us. I am not sure how long she will be with us. She's sick, so until she can take care of herself again, she isn't going anywhere. DH knows that this is tearing us and our household apart, and he wants her to go home as well, but he's scared. He knows that Dexter's behavior is getting out of control. Last night when I got home from work he literally jumped on me and wrapped his paws around my waste and was biting my arm. He was playing and I know it, but he was doing it in a dominant manner. That I didn't like. I had scratch marks and k-9 marks on my wrists. He has NEVER done this before. I am 4'11" and 100lbs. He's not a big AB but at 70lbs and a year old, he already can do some damage. DH has thought about medicine for him, at least while she's there, but I don't know. I am so sketchy about giving them anything. I'm so afraid of it having a bad effect on him. DH usually walks Dexter and I walk Zelda. Not side-by-side. Should we switch or does it not matter?

10-29-2009, 03:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
maryellen Agent Squint Distinguished Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,713	boot camp nilif now.. no furniture privileges at all i dont care if he whines till he is blue in the face.. if he knows a crate, crate him tough shit if he doesnt like it, he doesnt pay the mortgage so he has no say.. until that happens, its your rules or nothing... if he gets a job and pays the mortgage then yes, he can have a say whether he wants to be crated or not.. dont feel sorry for him, just do it... i have my youngest dog on prozac right now, been on it since september and has made a noticible difference .. drugs are not the cure all, you have to do management training with them,but it CAN help... my gsd was on prozac for 6 months when she was younger and it helped her too. you need to get this under control now... before the dog does more damage...whether to human or zelda.. its not fair to either human or zelda to be redirected on. __________________ Rufus

10-29-2009, 03:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
Dodo & Bull Senior Member Distinguished Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: North of Montreal, Quebec Posts: 4,572	OML i wouldn t want to be ib your shoes... My mother always took care of my grandmother..and my mother always said i ll never live with one of my kids once i m old..don t want to do that to you guys.. the only time my mom came and stayed with me is for 3 months while she was dying...neither did my fahter want to come and live with us..and i told my kids i don t want to live with you guys cause it does put alot of strain on the marriage.. you it s your MIL but your hubby it his mother..not easy decision.. may i ask why she doesn t want to live in a home...if it s money wise i know it s not easy .....