A couple of weeks ago Pumpkin started to show signs of aggression toward Chris. It wasn’t unusual for her to growl at him. I think I’d have growled, too, if he were standing over me, tapping the top of my head while singing that high-pitched “Psycho”-like music. So I didn’t worry about it.
Then one day, she bit him.
A couple of weeks ago Pumpkin started to show signs of aggression toward Chris. It wasn’t unusual for her to growl at him. I think I’d have growled, too, if he were standing over me, tapping the top of my head while singing that high-pitched “Psycho”-like music. So I didn’t worry about it.
Then one day, she bit him.
I was in the laundry room and didn’t witness the event, but Alex said that Chris was simply petting her. Pumpkin was lying on the sofa and Chris was standing in front of her, petting her head and neck. Alex said she gave no warning growl; Pumpkin went straight for Chris’s chest with her teeth.
Chris bore a scratch on his skin - there was no blood and no puncture. The incident was enough for me to call the Vet, from whom we’d adopted Pumpkin, and ask them what I should do. Pumpkin is no small dog and if she is going to exhibit aggressive behavior toward children, we just can’t keep her.
The Vet gave me the number of a Dog Behaviorist, Shannon from Best Friends Training. Shannon spoke to me at length on the phone and told me to keep Chris and Pumpkin separated until she could get there. It wasn’t hard, really, to keep Chris away from her for a couple of days – he got the message.
Shannon walked into the house and Pumpkin jumped all over her, like she always does when we get company. Have you ever watched the “Dog Whisperer”? You’ve seen how Cesar walks into the house and lets the dog jump all over him so that he can observe its temperament. Shannon let Pumpkin do her thing then, after a few moments, she gave Pumpkin some kind of magic look, or wave of her hand, and Pumpkin settled.
Then, Shannon got on the floor with Pumpkin and shifted Pumpkin onto her back – the submissive position – and started petting her and grabbing her legs and all kinds of things we’d all been afraid to do with Pumpkin.
Shannon’s opinion is that Pumpkin is a great dog. Chris had simply overstepped the bounds with her and didn’t respect her space so Pumpkin did the only thing a dog can do, and used her teeth to let him know enough is enough.
Cesar Millan says that the difference between a good dog and a bad dog is its owner. I believe it, now. After one session with Shannon and using the training tips she gave us, there has been an enormous shift in Pumpkin’s behavior.
We often want to baby our pets and give in to their every whim. Dogs, though, are quite happy with their place in the pack, as long as they know their place in the pack. If the dog senses no leadership, or a weak leader, then the dog will assume that role. Since people don’t speak the same ‘language’ as dogs, its leadership is ineffective as well and then you’re left with a neurotic dog.
So, our job is to show Pumpkin that there is a pack leader and the leader is taking care of the pack.
Chuck and I are the discipliners. We set the boundaries and let Pumpkin know when she’s crossed line. We also are responsible for protecting Pumpkin from kids who might be invading her space. We watch for shifts in her stance or facial expressions to know if she’s happy or about to blow.
Dogs need exercise, discipline and love – in that order. We exercise Pumpkin daily to let her expend her energy and also to get her out with other dogs and people…to socialize her. We ignore her if she is not behaving properly and then reward her with praise when she complies. It hasn’t taken long at all for Pumpkin to catch-on.
The greatest change I’ve seen, though, has been in the relationship between Pumpkin and Chris. Shannon told us that Chris –and only Chris – should be the one to give Pumpkin extra special treats. Also, Chris has been really good at respecting Pumpkin’s space. She lets him pet her again, and even lets him wrap his arms around her. A little chunk of ham from Chris’s hand goes a long way with this dog.
Chuck and I get on the floor with Pumpkin daily, lifting her up, cradling her, giving her little doggy massages to get her used to being touched all over so she doesn’t freak out when someone gets too close. She’s responded beautifully.
In a couple of weeks we are going to attend obedience school with Pumpkin. After which time Shannon promised Pumpkin will learn to sit and stay as well as how to behave around other people and animals. We’ll have a ‘place’ for Pumpkin to retreat to when she’s tense and she’ll obey on command.
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned is that, it’s really not ‘dog obedience training’ as much as it is ‘leadership training’ for pet owners.
And I’m glad we get to keep Pumpkin.