Family dog getting very aggresive

nicolo

I recently had to move back to my parents house and am having some trouble with the family dog, my family's always had German Shepard's and for the most part they've been fine with people as there was always people coming in and out of the house, however as we (the kids) all grew up and moved out its changed so its normally just my parents and the dog, while i was living in the house for the first 2 years of his life (hes about 5 now) he seems to be acting strange to me now that I'm back, like he remembers me fine but he seems to be more aggressive to the point where the other day i walked into the room wearing my jacket with the hood up and he went berserk, barking and growling and started backing me out of the room, now fair enough he couldn't see me but he should have been able to know me by scent shouldn't he?
and then the other day i was going out the door and went back in to grab something off the couch and he starts coming over and nuzzling me aggressively for pets and when i didn't give them to him he started nipping at my hand and then when i was closing the door he let out a small growl
It seems likes hes testing the waters to see where he stands in the pack now that I'm back in the house, but in a very large alsation thats a very dangerous thing.

I don't really know what to do, both my parents are kind of old and if hes getting this aggressive dominance thing I'd feel unsafe about keeping him, while I don't want to get him put down I think he may be too old to give away.

has anyone any training tricks to let him know that this behavior is not on,
it's gotten to the point where if my parents even yell at him he can start growling.

luckat

What age is the dog? If he's old, it might be an idea to have the vet look at him, see if he's in any pain that might be making him irritable, or if his sight is failing, so he's not recognising people.

Training: yes, clicker training will help a lot - go and read www.karenpryor.com, and get Karen Pryor's book Don't Shoot the Dog. Clicker training doesn't involve any shouting or anger; it's purely based on treats given for desired behaviours, and is a great way of building a good relationship with your dog. Do read the book and the website before starting, though, so you know what you're doing and why.

But generally the idea of a German shepherd that's getting aggressive in a house with two old people is quite worrying. I'd definitely consult the vet, actually, no matter what age he is.

deaddonkey

yeah see the vet, then choose a method to reassert yourself as leader, obviously without aggression/raising your voice excessively/violence.
read up on Jan Fennell, i think her ideas work pretty well. i can lend you the book if you want.

some dogs get big for their boots and test the waters, it's a dominance thing, in a small dog it gets laughed off as being cute, it ain't the same when it weighs 85lbs and growls at you.

luckat

I'd be a bit nervous of two elderly people taking on the Jan Fennell method with a large, aggressive dog. Indeed, she cautions people not to do so herself - she says to be very cautious of using her method with a big aggressive dog.

Clicker training will do the same thing - assert you and your parents as the source of all good things, wisdom, walks and leadership - without any Top Dog behaviour from you.

houndsoflove

I would say you frightened the dog when you went into the room with your hood up! You are no longer living at home so the dog is unsure of your position in the family now, he might think he is the boss now. I would say he was only protecting your parents and i wouldn't think he is a threat to your parents at all.
Ask your parents how is he behaving when your not around? If he is still aggressive check out the golden pages for a dog trainer.

Nicola.

nicolo

Well thats the thing we've had German Shepards for several generations and my dad is still very much so an autorative figure over the dog, but recently i think he (the dog not my da) took a crap in a place in the garden we've trained him not too (he has the run of a fairly large garden but know nots to go on the patio) and my dad yelled at him and he started growling at him simular thing happened with my mother and sister.
I have a feeling your right about the barking at me when i had the hood up thing he was probably just trying to protect my ma but still if hes getting near sighted its still worrying,
gonna go look up the clicker methood now, sounds great thanks forthe advice! if anyone has anything to add twud be appreciated
cheers!

luckat

Good luck with the clickering.

Jan Fennell's ideas are a good basis to start from, mind - humans always being fed first, humans not looking into the dog's eyes except during a daily grooming session when there are long sentimental stares and lots of neck and head grooming of the dog that's been called over to you, etc.

But the clicking definitely sets you up as the boss - not in a nasty, bullying way, but as the one who's the source of good things and fun and treats.

peasant

luckat wrote: »

But the clicking definitely sets you up as the boss - not in a nasty, bullying way, but as the one who's the source of good things and fun and treats.

emm ...well...it may or may not.

A really clever, self assured dog sets you up as a goody dispenser ...and if you've got nothing to dispense it'll feck off and show you and your clickety-thing the middle claw

macshadow

When people say clicker training what they mean (whether they know it or not)is marker training. The click is the marker but the marker could be a certain word or to tip your chin when your dog does whats asked.
It's not as easy as it might look, if you start to move your hand to give your dog a treat before or even at the same time as the click you give a value to that movement and not the click noise, something i've been guilty of myself. So no movement until after the click.
And remember between the click and the dog getting his treat he is free to move from the sit or whatever he was asked to do, some trainers think the dog should hold until it gets the treat.

EGAR

The best way to assert yourself is by taking over the care of this dog, ie walking, feeding, grooming. You have upset the pack by moving in and you need to establish ranks. If the dog if food driven then you are half way there, make sure the dog sits before you feed him etc. Clicker training is all well and good but it takes a while to kick in and leaves way too much room for human error if you don't know what you are doing.

Speak with your parents about taking over the care for the dog.

luckat

Yes, the clicker is the marker.

And Peasant, no, a clever dog won't set you up as a goody dispenser and then feck off - not if you're clicker training properly.

Here's a clicker trained dog in action - I think that you'll agree that this is a clever dog, but he hasn't set up his trainer:

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=HqbVbPvlDoM

Read Don't Shoot the Dog, and then try the methods in it if you want to see that this is true.

Clickers are used - or whistles, or anything that can make an instant signal - because it's easier to mark the *exact moment* of the desired behaviour.

Let's say you're training your dog to lie down then creep forward on its elbows. At first, the dog will lie down then jump up and forward, and you click and treat this behaviour.

When you have this behaviour settled as a basis for the creep, you then 'shape' the behaviour, rewarding for a jump that's lower to the ground, say. Gradually you can shape the behaviour until you have a good solid creep forward.

Then you fade the clicker - only clicking-and-treating sometimes. Incidentally, a click must *always* be accompanied by a treat, and the treats must be small and very rewarding - small so the dog doesn't get filled up, rewarding so it's worth it.

Here's someone training a cat in a series of behaviours - at first you may say "ah, sure the cat's just playing" - but watch it to the end:

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=q787R2DNDJI

The really great thing about clicker training is the bond of fun and affection it forms between animal and trainer, and trainer and animal.