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maybe he needs some type of mood drug like zolof or some thing.
as for biteing every one in the house if he was my dog he would only
bite one of my kids once .i have heard of difrent dogs haveing rage mostly in rotty's and pit bull's and chows. dont let one mean dog spoil you on the rest
they are not all like that.we had a yellow lab for 14yr's he was a great friend never bit any one the kids used him as a jungle gym and he never once grouled.now we have an 11month old lab and hes a good dog.
He's not mean....you'd really have to see it for yourself. He's not like an attack dog mean. He just doesn't like things being taken from him or being directed not to do something he is bound and determined he wants to do. You can be playing with him and he'll run all over the place. He loves to chase a laser pen around the yard at night. He'll chase the thing until he can't walk. But try to play ball with him and he sounds like a raging pit bull if you try to get him to drop the ball. It's weird. If you are brave enough to get the ball from him he snaps out of his fit and wants you to throw it again. He's bitten us a few times when he gets mad that you have taken the ball but he snaps right out of it. Though that's why we won't play with him anymore ,who needs that?.
The worst time I had with him was a couple of years ago when he went into the barn and grabbed a front leg of a deer we were cutting up. I had gone into the house to get a cutting board and in one minute I came out and he had the deer leg half way across the yard. I caught him and literally picked him up off the ground by the deer leg. When he let go he went right for my leg and boot. He bit all the way through my boot and I actually whacked him up the side of the head with the deer leg to get him off me. He snapped out of it and ran to the edge of the field and sat there for a couple of hours before he slunk back toward the house. My brother couldn't believe I didn't shoot him that day but he's a dog and a deer leg is pretty tempting whether you're a nutso dog or a regular one.
Maine has a leash law. It is state-wide. Unless you are running hunting dogs in hunting season your dog has to be on a leash.
Leashes aren't required by state law unless the owner can't control the dog by voice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maineah
I have one for you. Our dog....He's got Springer Rage. No matter how well you treat him he can turn on you without warning.
No dog on the face of the earth is ever worth a person's safety. I know it's hard, I've been there. Hobo is a long story that starts in a puppy mill in Puerto Rico and ends at the vet's office in Canada when he was PTS. Border collies are known for seizures but usually not until they're two or three years old. Hobo was probably 10 months old when he started having them. Knowing what had to be done and the time leading up to it was harder than Steve coming home with an empty leash and collar. Honestly, once it was done it was a huge relief. Other than ethical problems with keeping a dangerous dog, there are state laws and consequences for it. I don't have it in me to shoot a dog that isn't harassing my livestock. I made the vet appointment.
Here's something to keep in mind. If you decide to do what it takes to keep everyone, including non-immediate family members safe, and you don't want to take him, your town's animal control officer will do it for you. Every town by law has to have an ACO. By default because he's first selectman and we don't have a regular ACO, Steve is ours. Unorganized territories have someone who will deal with this.
Forest, we have a lab/shepherd cross. He picked some things up from our working dogs but he's not really very useful as a farm dog. His favorite farm activity is swimming with the ducks. Not chasing them or trying to catch them (absolutely NOT allowed here), just swimming with them. He's half German shepherd and half black lab and a little confused. Is he supposed to herd and protect or get it and bring it back? He's a good hunter. He catches more mice and other pests here than the two collies and cat put together.
I'm not at all surprised a rescue group wouldn't take the dog. They don't want the legal liability. They wouldn't be able to safely place the dog, which is their primary goal.
Ranger is also right. Don't let this experience sour you. The blame lies with irresponsible dog breeding long in the past that let springer rage get out into the mainstream of the breed.
IMHO there is no better relationship than man and dog. And my partner for 10 years couldn't agree more.
IMHO there is no better relationship than man and dog.
Agreed! A man and a faithful, well-trained and cared-for dog is a wonderful thing. Now there's an example of a true partnership, getting a lot of work done together, and little or no argument. It's a beautiful thing.
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Forest, we have a lab/shepherd cross. He picked some things up from our working dogs but he's not really very useful as a farm dog. His favorite farm activity is swimming with the ducks. Not chasing them or trying to catch them (absolutely NOT allowed here), just swimming with them. He's half German shepherd and half black lab and a little confused. Is he supposed to herd and protect or get it and bring it back? He's a good hunter. He catches more mice and other pests here than the two collies and cat put together.
I am certain that the Lab/Shep would have made a wonderful addition to our household.
However his owner brought along three dogs. A stocky Rott mix, a smaller Rott-Terrier, and the Lab/Shep. The pack of dogs made chasing chickens a game.
Now our Pyrenees/Anatolian likes to chase chickens and goats, so that in itself, is not so bad. However the owner could not call them back, and the Rott-Terrier was catching chickens and killing them. They were acting as a pack.
The Lab/Shep might have been fine by himself.
As a pack, we saw the Rott-Terrier shaking apart the chickens, and I was immediately concerned that the bigger stocky Rott might take down my goats. and I did not have a firearm on me at the time.
It all happened quickly.
As a child I was taught to shoot rifles, by shooting dogs chasing our cattle. When household pets go out for the day to run, if they meet other dogs, they will commonly form 'packs'. We would see such packs chasing our cattle. Each dog with a collar. In the case of chasing cattle, it does risk broken legs among the cattle and is thought to lower their weight, so we shot the dogs.
When pack mentality takes over, the outcome is never a good one.
I used a highly respected trainer in my area up there while training my 2 Akitas. We did individual classes vs. group. She taught me things I'll never forget and have brought forward into my training of other dogs I've owned.
Obedience classes can be found in almost every town. It doesn't take long to train a dog to be a wonderful companion and the price is well worth it.
He's not mean....you'd really have to see it for yourself. He's not like an attack dog mean. He just doesn't like things being taken from him or being directed not to do something he is bound and determined he wants to do. You can be playing with him and he'll run all over the place. He loves to chase a laser pen around the yard at night. He'll chase the thing until he can't walk. But try to play ball with him and he sounds like a raging pit bull if you try to get him to drop the ball. It's weird. If you are brave enough to get the ball from him he snaps out of his fit and wants you to throw it again. He's bitten us a few times when he gets mad that you have taken the ball but he snaps right out of it. Though that's why we won't play with him anymore ,who needs that?.
The worst time I had with him was a couple of years ago when he went into the barn and grabbed a front leg of a deer we were cutting up. I had gone into the house to get a cutting board and in one minute I came out and he had the deer leg half way across the yard. I caught him and literally picked him up off the ground by the deer leg. When he let go he went right for my leg and boot. He bit all the way through my boot and I actually whacked him up the side of the head with the deer leg to get him off me. He snapped out of it and ran to the edge of the field and sat there for a couple of hours before he slunk back toward the house. My brother couldn't believe I didn't shoot him that day but he's a dog and a deer leg is pretty tempting whether you're a nutso dog or a regular one.
Springer rage actually is a type of seizure disorder, where the dog doesn't seem to know what he is doing; they simply lash out blindly. Some of what your describing, however, sounds like an extremely dominant dog...resource guarding of food and toys, biting when you take hold of his collar. Dominant dogs can be very affectionate, but only on THEIR terms. A dominant dog may seek out and accept petting and affection, yet bite a person who attempts to initiate the attention ten minutes later. Both issues are the result of poor breeding practices. Medication may help with rage disorder...but if the dog is extremely dominant there are books and videos that can show you some training/handling techniques that may help you gain some control. A common technique used for dominant dogs is NILF, which stand for Nothing in Life is Free, and involves making the dog obey a command before he gets ANY reward, like food, a toy, etc.
Try googling NILF, dominant dogs, training, etc. Since you have decided not to euthanize, you may want to attempt some simple training methods that could improve the dogs behavior. Don't give up, you have nothing to lose.
Good luck.
We have been discussing getting a second large dog.
So I put an message on Freecycle asking for a large dog.
One response that I got was for a 12 month old black Lab/Shepherd. So we made arrangements for the guy to bring his dog out for a visit. He asked if he could bring his three children along so they could see our home and where this Lab/Shep would be living.
Today the gentleman arrived with three black dogs. Two Rottweiler mixes and the Lab/Shep. They immediately got to chasing our animals, the guy had the hardest time trying to control his dogs, just as he gained momentary control of his dogs, and they were off again chasing our livestock. These three dogs chased down and killed two of our chickens.
He was very apologetic and made repeated offers to pay us for the killed chickens.
Alas we did not gain a dog today.
Oh my word, that is terrible. Why would he bring all the "other's dogs, plus children.
Well... good luck. I got my golden retriever pup from a lady in garland maine. She was wonderful, and our dog is the best goldie I have ever known. I had her fixed for no puppies, but I hope I didn't break the mold with her. She's wonderful.. our sweetie... maple.
Springer rage actually is a type of seizure disorder, where the dog doesn't seem to know what he is doing; they simply lash out blindly. Some of what your describing, however, sounds like an extremely dominant dog...resource guarding of food and toys, biting when you take hold of his collar. Dominant dogs can be very affectionate, but only on THEIR terms. A dominant dog may seek out and accept petting and affection, yet bite a person who attempts to initiate the attention ten minutes later. Both issues are the result of poor breeding practices. Medication may help with rage disorder...but if the dog is extremely dominant there are books and videos that can show you some training/handling techniques that may help you gain some control. A common technique used for dominant dogs is NILF, which stand for Nothing in Life is Free, and involves making the dog obey a command before he gets ANY reward, like food, a toy, etc.
Try googling NILF, dominant dogs, training, etc. Since you have decided not to euthanize, you may want to attempt some simple training methods that could improve the dogs behavior. Don't give up, you have nothing to lose.
Good luck.
That definition of Springer rage describes him to the letter. He is not an dominate dog. In fact he's the biggest wimp dog you have ever seen unless he's in cujo mode. He won't even go off the deck at night to do his thing unless someone steps off first. If anything he's suffers from being the runt of the litter. He probably had to fight for his time at the feeding trough when he was little and he never got over it completely. He is what he is. He's no fun but he doesn't bother people either for the most part. We simply avoid getting him worked up. I will never own another dog again though as the last 8 years with him has put me off them for good. My wife and kids feel the same way. I doubt my kids will ever want a dog of their own.
He may not be showered with affection but he has a better life than many hunting dogs I have seen chained to a dog house year round.
That's certainly a "modest proposal." There are too many cars in LA, too many candidates running for office, too many children in India. Are similar incentives in order? Who's going to decide what is useless?
I agree...it wasn't the dogs' fault.
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He's a good hunter. He catches more mice and other pests here than the two collies and cat put together.
oh no... that is so sad.
