AggressiveDobie416
New Member
Understood.
I need help. My Doberman mix is extremely aggressive.
- Thread starter AggressiveDobie416
- Start date
Kaiser2016
Well-Known Member
Does anyone else think this dog is way older than 4? Note the grey muzzle. I don't know if age would matter any in this case.
I am reminded of @Minionmama and her new rescue. The shelter said he was around 2-4 but then it seemed he could even be 6 or more.
@AggressiveDobie416 Although I agree with the less favourable suggestion, I have to commend your resolve to take this on. This is a lot for a person in college - high stakes all around. How is he at the vet? Did they check for oral pain? What kind of dog experience do you and your gf have? They can sense if you are afraid of even nervous, so maybe a muzzle indoors is warranted too until everyone's confidence is higher? I definitely would not be sleeping around him if he can flip so quickly. Part of NILIF is zero access to furniture or beds.
I hope you will be able to make some progress through building trust. If you do seek out professional help make sure the trainer has working dog experience. Positive only training will be a waste of money.
I am reminded of @Minionmama and her new rescue. The shelter said he was around 2-4 but then it seemed he could even be 6 or more.
@AggressiveDobie416 Although I agree with the less favourable suggestion, I have to commend your resolve to take this on. This is a lot for a person in college - high stakes all around. How is he at the vet? Did they check for oral pain? What kind of dog experience do you and your gf have? They can sense if you are afraid of even nervous, so maybe a muzzle indoors is warranted too until everyone's confidence is higher? I definitely would not be sleeping around him if he can flip so quickly. Part of NILIF is zero access to furniture or beds.
I hope you will be able to make some progress through building trust. If you do seek out professional help make sure the trainer has working dog experience. Positive only training will be a waste of money.
Regalis
Notable member
Soooo many factors. He's of unknown mix. Some dogs just grey young. (See my last picture of the lab in Random thread ... he's 4 1/2
) stress can cause greying, too. So nah, I wouldnt say he's older based on that. Possible? For sure. But that would require a vet to better determine.
AggressiveDobie416
New Member
His birthday is February 2015, he just greyed young.
Me and my gf have had experience with dogs since we were young. I have trained hunting dogs, worked with hounds, had a abused pit lab mix that I rescued who was so terrified of people that he would shiver and whimper and cry for hours after hearing a loud noise. Ive helped him to learn love and now he keeps my parents company and is a loyal dog. Before I went to college I had experience working with a 94lb belgian malinois that was fear aggressive. I was bit by that dog in a training incident and the bite seriously injured the tendon in my right thumb. It took months to regain full function. In comparison, this dog is a pipsqueak. Im not afraid to get bit, and I take control of the situation when it happens. I take him down and mount him and get in his face, make eye contact, etc. My girlfriend used to be afraid but of him but isnt anymore. His aggression issues actually started after she started coming over regularly about a month after I adopted him. I used to live alone, and my dobe had severe seperation anxiety when I left. I worked on it and he is much better now, but he is possessive of me. When my girlfriend moved in, he started vying for my time and almost seems spiteful he cant have it sometimes. I dont ignore him by any means though. I take him on long walks, play with him, pet him, etc. He gets his energy out. But he doesnt like listening to commands unless there is a reward in it for him (manipulative). This situation was easy to work with, because I was able to help him learn to love my girlfriend too, but recently is when he has seriously begun violently escalating.
He hates the vet. He has to be muzzled when he is there. He was checked for any physical issues and they didnt find any. He's just a unstable at times. Good dats and bad days. When he growls, I am stern but hands off. If he growls I kick him off the couch and isolate him in the other room. I have tried to positively reinforce him when he is behaving well, but he is manipulative and knows what I'm doing.
Make sure you are placing the prong collar on correctly. It needs to be snug and placed high up on the neck just behind the ears. Leerburg has great videos on how to fit and properly use a prong collar.
If it sits too low on the neck, it will defeat the purpose of the collar.
Kaiser2016
Well-Known Member
I don't know much about the different breeds, but I do recall it being said that the Mal is a much harder dog than a Doberman. The fact that you've dealt with that is probably a good thing. I asked because sometimes people come on here with tons of dog experience but are completely confounded by a Doberman. Good that you are aware of their manipulative side.
AggressiveDobie416
New Member
They are so intelligent. It makes it a fun challenge to train them. Mine is just a bad mix of stubborn, manipulative, and aggressive. I'm just struggling to find effective training methods. What's worked for me with other dogs isn't working with him.
Seems to me the (suspected terrier) breed in him is coming most to the forefront. They can be impulsive, manipulative and explosively reactive dogs. I have seen terriers (chihuahuas included) all of a sudden burst into an aggressive stance without warning. Combine that with a strong minded Dobie and things can go south quickly.
I would research training with the terrier breeds as well since their mind set is quite different than a dobe. Most Dobermans want to please their pack leaders, terriers...not so much.
You may have to incorporate dual breed training to see results.
I would research training with the terrier breeds as well since their mind set is quite different than a dobe. Most Dobermans want to please their pack leaders, terriers...not so much.
You may have to incorporate dual breed training to see results.
AggressiveDobie416
New Member
I'll look into that for sure. I think step 1 sounds like a DNA test to figure out what the heck he is mixed with so I understand where these traits are coming from.
Regalis
Notable member
And further medical testing. To rule out underlying causes. A general exam and blood work doesnt quite cut it here.
The part that concerns me most is that he's lashing out at *you*. This is not a desirable trait in *any* breed. Even if he's part terrier, human agression to that degree is usually culled out. Leaving medical reasons, abuse/neglect and just being ... Crazy. Unfortunately, no matter what we do, some dogs are just unstable. I've met a few. Options with them are extremely limited. You basically just have to manage their whole lives to prevent injuries to other people/animals. It *can* be done.
I'm curious - is there an influx of pit type dogs in the area he came from? Like for instance - in Detroit, some back yard breeders intentionally breed mutts for human aggression for "protection" purposes or start mixing dogs like crazy for fighting and end up with some truly unstable dogs in the process.
The part that concerns me most is that he's lashing out at *you*. This is not a desirable trait in *any* breed. Even if he's part terrier, human agression to that degree is usually culled out. Leaving medical reasons, abuse/neglect and just being ... Crazy. Unfortunately, no matter what we do, some dogs are just unstable. I've met a few. Options with them are extremely limited. You basically just have to manage their whole lives to prevent injuries to other people/animals. It *can* be done.
I'm curious - is there an influx of pit type dogs in the area he came from? Like for instance - in Detroit, some back yard breeders intentionally breed mutts for human aggression for "protection" purposes or start mixing dogs like crazy for fighting and end up with some truly unstable dogs in the process.
Well, he has great ears! Seriously. I'm not trying to be flip.
AggressiveDobie416
New Member
Yes. He was the only dog at the shelter that wasnt a pitbull. Ton of pits in my area.
Is there any update on how you made out? I know it's old but read this thread after stumbling into it and would like to know what you've tried, discovered, what works and the decisions you faced. I hope everything has improved. I admire your determination, - my adopted dobe was turned into shelter 3 times before me and I know how you feel..
Lizbeli
Hot Topics Subscriber
Doesn’t look like they have been on for a couple years. Ill reply to this post, maybe if we are lucky they will get a notification. Im curious after reading through the thread myself.
Dobermanlove
Novitiate
Sorry couldn't read all the replies. May be you've already got your solution. But I would recommend doing the nothing comes for free method for two weeks n see if it brings any changes. I believe it should. If you don't get much or free info about the program feel free to ping me I'll be more than happy to help out. There's nothing the right kind of training can bring about. Cheers
