My problem child

[Doglover1988]

I have actually embarassed about this problem and have never mentioned it because I was...Maggie my 12 pound Boston Terrier is somewhat agressive (dominant). Ok lets start from the beginning. This dog was raised the first 4 months of her life by an old man, he then had to move to and apartment and couldn't keep her anymore so he gave her to my Grandmother. She had her for about a year and a half. She decided she didn't want her anymore and was going to take her to the pound so I offered to foster and find her a home. I realized that she had so many problems that in any other home she would probably get put to sleep or given away so I decided to keep her. The first day that I got her I was rubbing her with my foot and she turned around and bit my foot pretty hard. I thought ok maybe she just didn't like that. Not only that but she got in several fights with Gracie that day I had to keep her in a crate for the entire day. She eventually started dominating the furniture. She would plop her butt down on the couch and snarl and growl at anyone who tried to remove her. Then I got bit for the second time (about a week after I got her) I was holding her and made a kissy sound and she bit me in the face. It hurt but she has a smushed in face so it didn't do any damage. Maggie is 100 xs better now (about 9 months later). She likes cuddles and is even learning flyball. Her problem is she still growls every single time I pick her up, or push her off the couch (she is not alowed up there) the strange thing is she will lick me in the face 2 seconds after she growls or even do both at the same time. I believe this is the result of the way my uncle played with her (her first owner) he would encourage her to growl and bite and play with his hands from the time she was a young puppy. Currently I use nilif and keep her off the furniture, but nothing seems to work she still growls. Dont get me wrong she is a sweet little girl and when you first meet her you don't notice anything I love her to death. Oh another strange thing...Anything that opens and closes she will attack viciously (a hair clip, a glasses case, purse ect...) why does she do this? We think maybe she thinks that it's a mouth or something...What are your suggestions for Maggie?

[Doglover1988]

I forgot to say she is also now very socialized with dogs. She will play with any dog of any size now. She also is good friends with gracie and insists on cleaning the inside of her ears every day.

[Sugardog]

You should be very pround of the progress you've made with Maggie so far! Don't ever be embarassed to ask for help, if you need help, we're more than happy to help you and we're not going to think your a bad owner or bad dog trainer because obviously that is far from the truth.

I think that with the issue about growling on the couch, you can turn to a positive reinforcement method and redirect it. Instead of forcing her to get off the couch, teach the command "off". Coax her off the couch with a yummy, high value treat like a piece of chicken. Show it to her, then lure her down from the couch or toss it on the floor so she goes to get it and say "off" as she's jumping off. Then praise her and give her lots of love. You want the reward for jumping off the couch when asked to be higher than the reward of being able to stay on it. If she isn't food motivated, you can use a toy as well.

As for growling when you pick her up....Has she ever bitten you for picking her up or faught it? Does she continue to growl while your holding her?

[Doglover1988]

As for growling when you pick her up....Has she ever bitten you for picking her up or faught it? Does she continue to growl while your holding her?

It started out as growling the entire time I held her but now she only growls as I pick her up then licks my face when she gets all the way up. She also growls as I lower her back down. Oh and she is very food motivated and toy motivated. (thats why she is so good at flyball). She knows the word off but sometimes when she doesn't obey I will push her off. There was one time when she got very vicious about it but the rest of the time she just growls very loudly.

[rottielover]

not all dogs like to be held or hugged. I think giving her, her own personal space would be best for that one

[mrsgrubby]

I think maybe it is scary for her to be picked up and put down. It is certainly an unstable position, and maybe she got dropped once before.

I agree with Sugardog about a reward every time she gets off something as well, then "off" actually has positive associations, not negative like "hey I just gave up my warm comfy place".

Also, since she isn't even allowed on the furniture in the first place you need to find a way to deter her from getting up there in the first place.

I put "TV tray tables" on mine, or a babygate spread out on it when I am not watching the room so my dogs don't get up there. I've also put newspaper up there all spread out and they won't jump on the crinkly paper. I read somewhere that rug runners place upside down with the knobby side up works great, and petsmart sells special mousetrap things with paddles on them that make a ton of noise if they are moved.

Does she have a really comfy doggy bed, nice and thick and warm to lay on in that same room so she can choose her bed instead?

[Doglover1988]

not all dogs like to be held or hugged. I think giving her, her own personal space would be best for that one

Actually she loves to be held and cuddled. She kisses me the whole time and wags her tail. It's just me picking her up that makes her growl. Gracie absolutly hates to be picked up more than anything but when I do it she does not growl at me.

I think maybe it is scary for her to be picked up and put down. It is certainly an unstable position, and maybe she got dropped once before.

This may be true. But I still don't want her to growl at me.

Does she have a really comfy doggy bed, nice and thick and warm to lay on in that same room so she can choose her bed instead?

She does have a bed it's a giant basket with a big fluffy pillow inside but she would rather sleep on the couch and sneaks up there every time we leave the room.

[Carrie]

The behavior you describe doesn't line up with a dominant dog. It's more like an insecure and defensive dog. Dominant dogs are not defensive or insecure.

I agree with the postitive methods already described for getting her off the couch rather than force.

What do you do when she growls at you? Why don't you want her to growl? She is communicating to you and giving you a warning. If the growl is punished, she'll give up on that. Then somewhere along the line she is likely to bite out of nowhere. (seemingly)

It does sound like you've made some headway, but nevertheless
I recommend you get in a certified behaviorist to assess her and observe how you interact with her. Anytime a dog bites, it is time to get professional help so you can get to the root of the problem. I do not recommend anyone who promotes aversives when treating aggression problems.

I hope you have success.

[Doglover1988]

The behavior you describe doesn't line up with a dominant dog. It's more like an insecure and defensive dog. Dominant dogs are not defensive or insecure.

Maggie is a dominant dog. She will stand over you and growl. She growls if you pet her the wrong way. She also growls when you move her collar to attach the leash to it. She also growls when she just sees you coming towards the couch or if she is in your way and you lightly push her with your hand. She is not insecure she is very sure of herself and never scared of anything.

What do you do when she growls at you? Why don't you want her to growl? She is communicating to you and giving you a warning. If the growl is punished, she'll give up on that. Then somewhere along the line she is likely to bite out of nowhere. (seemingly)

Like I said she growls alot she growls about 50 or more times a day. This is not acceptable. It also scares guests sometimes. When she growls at me I usually just ignore her. My obediance trainer suggested dominance rolls but I do not believe that is the answer that makes her 10 times angrier and I actually have a scar on my hand from doing it. She is also toy possesive. If I touch her back while she has a toy she will growl at me or if I try to take it away (when she does this I will take her toys away and hide them). I did teach her drop it though which really helps (especially for flyball) Also while teaching her how to sit and lay down I couldn't push her butt down like you can with most dogs she would growl at me as i did it. I have read several websites about dominant dogs and she has all the characteristics of one...

Not sure if I could afford a behaviorist or even of where to find one. I was just looking for some suggestions as to why she is this way and what I can do.

[Sugardog]

I agree with Carrie that the behavior descriptions you are providing doesn't fit that of a truely dominant dog.

Growling doesn't always indicate dominance. As carrie said, a dominant dog isn't defensive. All that growling that you are describing sounds like insecurity. Also bear in mind that insecurity doesn't necessarily mean fear, but rather uncertainty. If she is unsure about you picking her up, she will growl....Thats insecurity. She may be dominant, but the growling isn't the result of the dominance.

Dominance is very much over rated in the dog world. Every bad and undesirable behavior a dog exhibits somehow always ends up being labeled as dominance when really it isn't.

Alpha rolls are not the way to go with any form of aggression, wether they spring from fear, dominance or insecurity. Your asking to get bit. Attempting force methods or dominant methods with aggressive dogs is just adding fuel to the fire.

[rmci]

Originally Posted by Carrie

The behavior you describe doesn't line up with a dominant dog. It's more like an insecure and defensive dog. Dominant dogs are not defensive or insecure.

Sorry to get off the subject but I thought insecure dogs sometimes act dominant as a protective measure. I'll get you before you get me kind of thing.

Hope things work out with your pup. The growling seems odd. It's almost as if it doesn't mean anything when she does it, just a noise she makes.

[Doglover1988]

I only did the dominance roll a few times on the recommendation of my obediance trainer. After reading several websites saying that it should not be done I stopped. I really don't think she is insecure. she is definatly not afraid of me either. She is also dominant towards other smaller dogs she will pin them down and stand over them while growling. She is food agressive as well with dogs and sometimes people (depending on how yummy her food is)


I don't understand why she would be scared or insecure around anyone she was never abused or anything.

[Sugardog]

Sorry to get off the subject but I thought insecure dogs sometimes act dominant as a protective measure. I'll get you before you get me kind of thing.

It is mistaken for dominance often, yes. But a dog that growls when you touch it in a certain place or when you do a certain action to it isn't dominance at all contrary to popular belief. So I wouldn't even call it "acting" dominant. He's trying to prevent you from doing it because he is unsure about what you are doing; he gets defensive, not dominant. So it is an "i'll get you before you get me" kind of thing. Like cornered dogs that are insecure and/or fearful will lash out.

The growling seems odd. It's almost as if it doesn't mean anything when she does it, just a noise she makes.

I thought about that too. Perhaps it is a meaningless behavior that is just performed out of habit. It's always a possibility. I have seen dogs bear their teeth by lifting their lip when they are happy or excited. This is often a behavior exhibited by aggressive dogs, but those dogs aren't aggressive at all. It's just something they do.

The only way to tell for sure though is for doglover to have a behaviorist observe the behavior.

[fancychicken]

If she enjoys the hugging , cuddling thing, but growls as you pick her up..maybe (not sure if this sounds stupid or not) you should change the way you pick her up. Maybe teach her to get into your arms, like a trick. make it fun for her. Teach her jump up or something and see what happens. Just a thought.

[Doglover1988]

Well just an update. Spaying Maggie seemed to be a cure to her growling problem. She does not growl anymore. She has grumbled maybe 2 times since she was spayed. I even picked her up off the couch on her favorite spot and she just licked my face and wagged her little nub. yay