Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
From your description it sounds like your sister got Tony as an accessory rather than a companion. I would suggest a behaviorist also but I suspect that your sister may not be open to the idea of truly caring for the puppy in a proper manner. Tony is still young and really could be a great dog, but if your sister doesn't want to make the effort and commit to training him and herself he deserves to go to someone who will.
Find a good rescue for the dog. Your sister doesn't deserve him. If however, she chooses to be selfish and think of herself instead of the dog and refuses to surrender it........
My guess is she got it before it should have left it's mother. Lemme guess - she brought him home at 6 weeks of age?? Dogs don't learn how to truly be dogs until at least 8 weeks, preferably 10 weeks and should never leave their mother before then. When they do they have problems with bite inhibition. The mother never had a chance to teach them to not bite and your sister is apparently so stuck up her own butt that she could have cared less what he learned.
Second, the dog sounds terrified of life. No way for any dog to live. He needs a confident and experienced leader that he can depend on and trust. Obviously he doesn't trust your sister to keep his safe and she's apparently not done a thing to socialize him. As a result he's afraid of his own shadow. What a sad life to be forced to live because someone couldn't bother to read up on how to raise and socialize and train a living, breathing, feeling being that was completely dependent upon her for everything.
Another side effect of taking him from his litter too early is he doesn't know how to be a dog and react and play with other dogs. Also, is he neutered? If not he's got hormones raging and has no clue how to control them or act about them.
The only chance this poor dog has if your selfish sister chooses to keep him is for her to bring in a trainer or behaviorist. Preferably a behaviorist. There are a lot of problems that need to be addressed before this poor little angel will have any confidence in the world. And until that happens his life won't change for the better; he'll probably just get worse. Eventually the wrong person will come across him, be bitten, the dog will be seized and deemed aggressive and be killed. All because your sister can't take the time to do what she should have done before bringing home a pet. So, so sad!
ETA: 18 months isn't too late! I fostered one for a local rescue here - same exact mix - that had the same issues. By the end of the day he was fine with me. After two days he was fine with hubby. In less than a week he was running and playing with the rest of the pack like nothing had ever been wrong in his life.
OP, if she wants to surrender him let me know. The local HS does transports of dogs from here every month to a rescue outside of Chicago. If she wants to surrender him I'll have him added to the transport coming back here and I'll take him in.
Keep him with his mother until 10 weeks? That goes against everything I've ever read or seen from experts.
What if the dog is just messed up? You all are blaming everything on this girl. I grew up on a farm and our dogs back then were work dogs, not family dogs. We spent very little time with them, they knew their jobs and they did it. Lucky if my Dad took time to pet them when he fed them but they were great dogs, would have never harmed us ever. I have two dogs, sometimes I don't walk them for weeks--SOMEONE CALL THE PET POLICE! My dogs are fine, they love the time I spend with them and they know they'll have to deal with me if they get out of line.
Dogs are not as complicated as many of you seem to think.
Keep him with his mother until 10 weeks? That goes against everything I've ever read or seen from experts.
What kind of 'experts' are you talking to?? I've been doing training for 16 years and rescue for 15+. Worked with some of the best rottie people in Florida for years before that. Have worked with many amazing vets, trainers, behaviorists, and God only knows how many thousands of other rescues and shelter Directors and not a single one of them EVER said a puppy should leave it's mother before 8 weeks and they all support 10 weeks as well. Perhaps you should look a bit more into the 'experts' you speak to.
What if the dog is just messed up? You all are blaming everything on this girl. I grew up on a farm and our dogs back then were work dogs, not family dogs. We spent very little time with them, they knew their jobs and they did it. Lucky if my Dad took time to pet them when he fed them but they were great dogs, would have never harmed us ever. I have two dogs, sometimes I don't walk them for weeks--SOMEONE CALL THE PET POLICE! My dogs are fine, they love the time I spend with them and they know they'll have to deal with me if they get out of line.
Dogs are not as complicated as many of you seem to think.
ROFL. And that makes you an expert? Because your father brought home dogs, threw them in a yard and ignored them? Sounds like you got very lucky in childhood and as an adult with your lazy pet ownership.
Most dogs by nature are very well behaved. Some however, especially in breeds like the terriers, NEED to be trained so they know their job. Giving out irresponsible advice like tossing a dog out back and ignoring it isn't doing a thing to help a single pet in this country.
No one said dogs are complicated. To some of us that have spend their life working with them, it's common sense. Sadly, it sounds like this girl doesn't have a lick of sense, common or otherwise. Must be going around.
not to mention illegal in most states to remove a pup from its dam and siblings untill a minimum of 8 weeks of age (which also happens to be the first true fear stage so its ALWAYS best not to stress a pup between 8-10 weeks...
anthony45, your family has been REAL lucky...
personally i dont feel some breeds NEED to be walked 3 miles every day, but not enough mental and phsycial excrsize = unstable unhappy dogs...they may not show it now...but dogs arnt made to lay around as couch/lawn ornaments all day...
youf families farm dogs wre great ebcause your family probbaly brought home dogs of breeds suited for that kind of life, heelers, shep s mixes like those, dogs that are bred to work farm life...then they were relaxed because they spent the day doing a JOB...it had nothing to do with your family dogin things right, simply pure luck in finding a dog built for that life and allowed to work, a TIRED dog is a content dog...
OP...
unfortunatly your between a rock and a hard place right here...
the ONLY way things are going to work out here is if your sister (and EVERYONE involved wiht this dog is willing to putin the work...
unfortunatly from what you are saying your sister is not interested in this dog now its not some tiny fashion acessory anymore...
and unfortunatly for the dog, its obviously bonded extreemly closley to your sister and is suffering from a combination of a sever lack of socilization and trianing AND a sever lack of both physcial and mental stimulation (walks, training, playing ect)
if your sister is NOT willing to put some serious work into this dog shes got 2 options...
1: place the dog for adoption, it needs to be rehomed through a rescue organization and a foster home (mrs1885 has already offered), this dog CANNOT be placed into a home without strict screening (they would need to be prepared and ready to deal wiht the dogs issues) and it CANNOT be placed in a shelter (hed simply stress and dogs like this usually end up PTS due to a high volume of dogs needing homes that DONT have existing behavioural issues...a rescue with a foster set up is the best safe way to get this dog into the hands that can help it...
2: she needs to be willing to put ALOT of work time energy and consistency into this little guy starting with basic training and confidence building excersizes...hes agressive because hes TERRIFIED...hes obviously never learnt how to interact with stranger, other people, new dogs ect and in his mind the easiest way to make those scary thigns go away is to act all snarly and crazy...not because hes "mean" but because it works...think of it this way, poor uy is frightend and sits there and says "hey please leave me alone" in a mousy voice under his breath...noones going t pay attention...but that same guy starts screaming and acting crazy and such and whats your first reaction?! to back off and leave him be...its a coping mechanism.
now everyone in the home/family is going to need to get involved but its going to be a long process and requires alot of consistency by everyone...
her first take is going to be getting the dog to listen and respect his boundries...simple sit stays and back ups/go to your rooms are very helpfull here, claiming hr place as the one in charge would take TONNS of pressure off this poor little unconfident dog he wouldnt need to be so agressive because hed feel much safer knowng shes got it covered.
teaching him strangers are good by using treats is also going to be a huge step...
to get this dog resembling a well behaved companion rather than some snarling fashion acessory would take MANY pages of type here, and youd still need to get a profesional trainer in to help you at first...
and completly USELESS if this dogs HUMAN family, and that means every last one of them, is not willing to step up to the plate...
1 A small dog Can get enought exercise in an apt or house with out going outside!
2 I Do think he needs more people & doggie exposure tho! I would keep going over & letting them play together. You dont say how big You puupy is or what breed so you have to judge when sis dog getting to aggressive.
3 Is he Crate trained? Perhaps when you 1st come over sis could put him in his crate til he calms down...this may take awhile....even a few visits!
4 when out with your dog have him on leash. That away you can grab it & tug enough so he feels it.... not flying across the room mind you tho I guessing it is tempting LOL & tell him NO Firmly! Another thing you can do is toss a toy AT him...No hitting!
5 When hes better behaved around your dog then taking them for walks together would be nice!
How is this dog with your sister? Does she play with him when she home?
There are several methods to get him to stop biting You! From telling him No to mild tap on nose...tho this can back fire LadyBugs Litter brother was Trained to bite & when she tried at 6 months to stop him [after he bite her so hard she need to go to ER!] I told her to tap him & he went OFF.... Mind I wasnt there to see how hard she hit him or the whole thing! When I got Katie she had a Bad habbit of thinking Bed time was Bite time ... She & the Grand kids of her breeder played together on bed at bed time I guess roughly LOL She never drawed blood or anything & would stop when I said no! But I did by accident discovered she hates the smell of Ben Gay LOL I use the $1 cheepo brand & since then No bed Bitting LOL So you might try that to get him to stop!
What kind of 'experts' are you talking to?? I've been doing training for 16 years and rescue for 15+. Worked with some of the best rottie people in Florida for years before that. Have worked with many amazing vets, trainers, behaviorists, and God only knows how many thousands of other rescues and shelter Directors and not a single one of them EVER said a puppy should leave it's mother before 8 weeks and they all support 10 weeks as well. Perhaps you should look a bit more into the 'experts' you speak to.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
