Dogs Fighting

[skycat 6,173]

chook: I'd be interested to hear how you get your dogs to relax. I use massage to relax my dogs and it also helps to strengthen the bond between us.

[Casso 1,261]

Problem with tug is it can actually heighten a dogs energy, depending on breed.

 

Friend used to have a EBT he used to play tug with it every now and then, after that dog

had been playing tug - it actually turned aggressive.

 

If i play tug with my beddy x - it doesn't calm her down or get rid of her energy

she gets more hyper and i end up having to give her time outs to calm her down again.

 

First thing i teach any of my dogs when they come to me is how to relax - that helps reduce any tension they have,

and ensures i don't have crazy dogs - that cant get rid of there energy.

playing with the dog brings its energy to the fore and get it moving, static energy in a dog needs a trigger to bring it out, thats what i use play for,

 

tug on its own as we know it is not the ultimate goal, the aim is to get drive flowing and as we know a dog learns quicker in drive than any other state of mind,

 

so when we have a dog hooked on tugging we use that as a handle to control and train the dog while the dog is in drive and hanging on our every word , meaning most times a running dog is in drive he is running away from us, its about the dog been in a heightened state of drive but still been able to take instruction, like when your animal is out of its mind when it sees a cat or a prey item, controlling the dog then, requires the dog to be able to equate you with that mindset through experience,

 

so the aim for the dog may be to tug the item , that is not the aim of session, i look for heeling , down , barking , retrieving or whatever i believe i can i can get from the animal, its the drive energy im looking to use, not to physically tire him as such,

 

the drive in a dog is what controls him, in that i mean its a dogs drive that will force him beyond the point of his physical capabilities, its that powerful, if you can be to channel through which his drive flows ,then he will not seek aggression or any other unwanted behavior to express energy in other forms of activity

 

the tug item is just a key that helps to get you into that canine state of mind, and its that state of mind where most dogs fall out with their owner,,

best of luck with the dog,,

Edited March 5, 2012 by Casso

[chook1 184]

chook: I'd be interested to hear how you get your dogs to relax. I use massage to relax my dogs and it also helps to strengthen the bond between us.

 

 

By making everything boring and not having a routine - for the first few days they go no where (except the garden)

the house is always calm and relaxed anyway, there taught that in the house they have to relax - they can chew the toys and bones that are around

but that's it, i don't massage them as such, but do use heavy long strokes, the first command they learn is enough.

 

When they go out that's where they find the fun is - but again that's controlled

and if they get over the top - games are stopped and we go back to being boring again,

they learn that I'm in control of things

 

It does however depend on the dog, my beddy x - when she came to me at 7 months was in all honesty a little unruly,

she was given up because her owners couldn't control her (couldn't even walk her) the people fostering her would tell you

they couldn't really manage her, now shes calm, she listens and she is most of the time a very well behaved dog

she knows if shes calm and relaxed - it gets her more and what she wants.

 

The bull x im fostering however was different, she was shut down - had to be crated constantly for a couple of weeks,

so when she was allowed out of the crate, i allowed to her play in the house with the beddy x in a controlled play

that brought her out of her shell, once she was more happy again - i started dampening down the play

and got her to focus more on playing and chewing the bones/toys, she loves chewing anyway, so that wasn't hard

now if shes feeling a little hyper, the first thing she grabs is a toy or bone and starts chewing.

 

 

 

 

So what your saying Cassio is there's a lot more to the tug than just playing tug - wouldn't it be better to explain to people when you recommend tug

what you mean, as most would go out and just play normal tug with their dog and probably hype them up, instead of using the tug to teach.

[skycat 6,173]

I did a series of articles on tug training a while back. They explain in detail exactly how you have to 'programme' the dog for the game. And yes, there is a lot more involved than just going out and playing tug of war! Used correctly, playing tug helps to focus the dog on the owner/handler. It also helps to channel and release a dog's energy into positive interaction with the owner/handler, BUT it must be done in a very controlled way. Like any tool, used well it is of great benefit, used wrongly it can produce precisely the reaction you don't want.

 

I still doubt that playing tug, even correctly and in a controlled way, can remove the 'grudge' factor which has arisen from previous fights between two bitches. Yes, the dogs may be calmer, happier, and more focused, but I stand by what I said previously: once bitches really work up a hatred for each other, its most likely there for good.

[Casso 1,261]

chook: I'd be interested to hear how you get your dogs to relax. I use massage to relax my dogs and it also helps to strengthen the bond between us.

 

 

By making everything boring and not having a routine - for the first few days they go no where (except the garden)

the house is always calm and relaxed anyway, there taught that in the house they have to relax - they can chew the toys and bones that are around

but that's it, i don't massage them as such, but do use heavy long strokes, the first command they learn is enough.

 

When they go out that's where they find the fun is - but again that's controlled

and if they get over the top - games are stopped and we go back to being boring again,

they learn that I'm in control of things

 

It does however depend on the dog, my beddy x - when she came to me at 7 months was in all honesty a little unruly,

she was given up because her owners couldn't control her (couldn't even walk her) the people fostering her would tell you

they couldn't really manage her, now shes calm, she listens and she is most of the time a very well behaved dog

she knows if shes calm and relaxed - it gets her more and what she wants.

 

The bull x im fostering however was different, she was shut down - had to be crated constantly for a couple of weeks,

so when she was allowed out of the crate, i allowed to her play in the house with the beddy x in a controlled play

that brought her out of her shell, once she was more happy again - i started dampening down the play

and got her to focus more on playing and chewing the bones/toys, she loves chewing anyway, so that wasn't hard

now if shes feeling a little hyper, the first thing she grabs is a toy or bone and starts chewing.

 

 

 

 

So what your saying Cassio is there's a lot more to the tug than just playing tug - wouldn't it be better to explain to people when you recommend tug

what you mean, as most would go out and just play normal tug with their dog and probably hype them up, instead of using the tug to teach.

im so sorry if i've mislead you, but we cant always get the time to fully explain an item on here ,its been done a lot and sometimes it feels like flogging a dead horse, i sure you'd find information in the search section if people looked,,

, its interesting you program the dog to focus on a toy or bone without using it as an opportunity to interact in a way , having a dog come to you instead of looking for release itself, the mutts here know the house is a rest area, and therefore do not look for attention in the house,

, best of luck with them

[neilnbeanie 10]

Thanks for your help all but i think im going to need outside help with this one. The lurcher is walking around looking scared and wont even go near the staff even when the staff is in her crate. The staff is still using aggresive body language, but is being put in her place by me. The dogs are only out 1 at a time now, which i hate because 1 of the main reasons for having two dogs in the first place was that they would be company for each other.

I used to have a couple of staffs a few years back, and they had the odd fight over a toy, but it wasnt like this, in fact usually i could shout at them and they would stop. But i think that my staff that i have now would kill my lurcher, given half a chance. Its getting her out of that "zone" that staffs are known for. She can be one of the nicest dogs around one minute then totally ignore me the next. I must admit ive never had a dog this difficult and i blame myself as i put a lot of it down to her being a pup before and thought she would grow out of it, but it seems to have developed into this. I have noticed that she seems to be getting more aggresive with other dogs recently if they growl at her 1st,

My options seem to be if outside help doesnt work, either kenneling one of the dogs or getting rid of one of them, but i wont give up yet. I feel like one of those people on that dog whisperer show

[skycat 6,173]

Any dog which ignores you is a real problem: like you say, she's probably been allowed to think she's the boss from an early age. It might not be the dog's fault that she is like this now, but I'm afraid I know what I'd do if I had to make a decision.

[chook1 184]

chook: I'd be interested to hear how you get your dogs to relax. I use massage to relax my dogs and it also helps to strengthen the bond between us.

 

 

By making everything boring and not having a routine - for the first few days they go no where (except the garden)

the house is always calm and relaxed anyway, there taught that in the house they have to relax - they can chew the toys and bones that are around

but that's it, i don't massage them as such, but do use heavy long strokes, the first command they learn is enough.

 

When they go out that's where they find the fun is - but again that's controlled

and if they get over the top - games are stopped and we go back to being boring again,

they learn that I'm in control of things

 

It does however depend on the dog, my beddy x - when she came to me at 7 months was in all honesty a little unruly,

she was given up because her owners couldn't control her (couldn't even walk her) the people fostering her would tell you

they couldn't really manage her, now shes calm, she listens and she is most of the time a very well behaved dog

she knows if shes calm and relaxed - it gets her more and what she wants.

 

The bull x im fostering however was different, she was shut down - had to be crated constantly for a couple of weeks,

so when she was allowed out of the crate, i allowed to her play in the house with the beddy x in a controlled play

that brought her out of her shell, once she was more happy again - i started dampening down the play

and got her to focus more on playing and chewing the bones/toys, she loves chewing anyway, so that wasn't hard

now if shes feeling a little hyper, the first thing she grabs is a toy or bone and starts chewing.

 

 

 

 

So what your saying Cassio is there's a lot more to the tug than just playing tug - wouldn't it be better to explain to people when you recommend tug

what you mean, as most would go out and just play normal tug with their dog and probably hype them up, instead of using the tug to teach.

im so sorry if i've mislead you, but we cant always get the time to fully explain an item on here ,its been done a lot and sometimes it feels like flogging a dead horse, i sure you'd find information in the search section if people looked,,

, its interesting you program the dog to focus on a toy or bone without using it as an opportunity to interact in a way , having a dog come to you instead of looking for release itself, the mutts here know the house is a rest area, and therefore do not look for attention in the house,

, best of luck with them

 

Because indoors i don't need to interact with my dogs,

outdoors they get the interaction and my full attention.