i'm desperate and horrified, looking for help EVERYWHERE!

J

Jaspers_Mommy

Forums Regular
So, many of you know my little Jasper, ever since we got him he was friendly to dogs and people alike. but for some reason this has now changed and his is extremely fear-aggressive towards dogs. He used to have other dogs growl at him and he would just be happy go lucky and go play elsewhere. I swear i have photographic evidence that he was a lover of dogs.

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b200/gingerbabygirl/Jasperrrr/a13.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b200/gingerbabygirl/Jasperrrr/a10.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b200/gingerbabygirl/Jasperrrr/a14.jpg

As of recently I've been trying to socialize him as much as I can, and he growls at EVERY dog he comes into contact with, and if I walk away from him he freaks out and hides behind my legs, and if the dog comes to sniff him he growls and snaps and goes crazy. and tonight that got him attacked by a 60 lb. boxer. I couldn't get Jasper away, so here I am pulling this boxer off of Jasper, and only thinking about a big tip from cesar millan saying PULL UP not away to break up a fight and i LIFTED this boxer up off of my Jasper. there was no blood shed, it happened literally on top of me so i was able to stop it fast, but how can i go on trying to socialize him when i feel like hes going to get himself killed.. i'm terrified and upset for jasper. He used to have so much fun, idk whats wrong... its making me seriously upset... i actually wrote to Cesar Millan and i'm praying for a response from him too but i need all the help and support i can get! please help! :cry:
 
DONT PANIC

It sounds like Jaspar is going through a fear stage - second fear period is usually 4-6mths. Its important not to push him at this time and dont get angry as you dont want to add to his fears. Dont try to force his meeting with other dogs, work out what his critical distance or red zone is (the point before he starts panicing) and keep him at that distance from other dogs. When you walk past other dogs (even at a huge distance - my females red zone was HUGE) give him treats and keep the experience happy.

Most well socialised dogs will recognise a puppy and fear behaviour (they do understand dog language better than we do) and be cautious. That boxer sounds poorly socialised and aggressive, attacking a puppy! The problem is this occuring while he is in a fear period can have a very damaging impact (my female was attacked at the same age and it took a very long time to overcome her fears). As a rule of thumb, from my vet behaviourist, the next 10 meetings with other dogs need to be positive experiences.

If he is going to be around other dogs try keeping to quiet, small and maybe older dogs. Maybe find him one or two playmates and stick with them, go walking on lead or chasing a ball, something where the dogs arent in his face and so are less threatening.

Good luck, quite a few of us have dealt with a fear aggressive/ dog aggressive sheltie so can help you with this.
 
Jasper is over a year and a half old now! do you think it could still apply?

I have been giving jasper treats whenever hes within close distance to any dog and isn't growling.. i try to keep things as calm and upbeat as possible. I just want him so badly to be able to play again, i know he loved it, and i have no idea what brought this on... :(

thank you so much for giving me some insight tho! makes me feel a little better.
 
There is another fear period in late adolescence so it could be that. Also the same rules apply for fear aggression anway.

As the reach adult hood many dogs stop playing and interacting with other dogs. So thats pretty normal, their early interactions help them learn behaviour, but when they reach adulthood - they have their pack or family and are happy to stick with the family.

Given his age I would definately find him one or two smaller friends to interact with and avoid interactions with strange dogs for the moment. With Tully, who was extremely fearful of other dogs, I found not all dog socialisation is good. We started off with just walking with some smaller dogs or older females, then we moved on to interactions at our local oval. She found a couple of gentle friends that liked to chase the ball and thats how she interacts. She was much less threatened by dogs that were not in her face (and chasing the ball meant their focus was elsewhere). Dogs that wanted to sniff her, were over-exuberant or pinched her ball all made her worse because it was threatening.

I would also recommend teaching a fearful dog to chase a ball. It really has been the best thing for Tully, not only to give her a safe interaction, but focusing on the ball helps her forget her fears and lets her run off energy. You can also try focusing on obedience commands or just fun games with dogs in the distance to try to normalise things.

Training courses can also be helpful, esp where they are around other dogs in a safe environment (like obedience or dog sports). Flyball is fantastic for a fearful dog - Tully is on the A team at our club and it has worked miracles for her confidence.

Walking past other dogs try to keep at a distance (out of his red zone), treat as you go past and if can say hello to the other owner so he can see. If he starts reacting walk away from the other dog, and when he has calmed get him to sit and look at you (and treat) - you may need to take a squeaky toy to get his attention if he is really panicked (thats what I had to do with Tully). If he is ball crazy walk a distance and toss a ball - change it into a fun occassion. Walking away helps emphasise that you are handling the situation. I also taught Tully to go between my legs when she was scared instead of her reacting.

It is really important not to use any harsh methods on a fearful sheltie. This is a breed that tends to timidity so you could do some damage. He needs to see that you are calm and in control, and he can feel safe and enjoy his time walking with you. It does take time, but is a great feeling when you can turn your pup around.

For extra resources have a look at a book - Help for your shy dog, which has lots of examples of helping fearful shelties. And search the forum for threads for 'timid' and you will find lots of suggestions. Dont worry too much, lots of us have been through the same thing.
 
you are seriously such a lifesaver! you don't know how much better you have made me feel and thank you so much for sharing all of this information with me. you have no idea how much this means to me.. i feel like this is my fault cause i'm looking at him now just laying in my bed and he seems so upset. i dont wanna let my little boy down! i will def start doing all that you mentioned... thank you so so much again.. you donno how much this meant to me and jasper!
 
I agree with Caro. Take it slow. Be sure to watch for Jasper's comfort zone. Our little furkids have such dynamic personalities. They amaze me.
 
There is another fear period in late adolescence so it could be that. Also the same rules apply for fear aggression anway.
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That is very very true.

Be careful socialising at parks because some dogs just ain't nice and you can't tell until it is too late.

I would also agree with Caro about taking him to a good training class where he can mix with other dogs under the supervision of a trainer.
 
You're not alone, either. I've just finished Patricia McConnell's "Feisty Fido", which is very short and useful for dealing with "leash - aggressive" dogs. Her methods are entirely positive and I recommend the book highly. Her "U-Turn" skill is proving to be very useful for me in dealing with Snap's reactivity. I've turned it into a big game and he loves it.
 
Training courses can also be helpful, esp where they are around other dogs in a safe environment (like obedience or dog sports).

I definitely second this idea! Luna is fearful aggressive of new people but classes help. The dogs are on leash (controlled) in front of at least one trainer but best of all they all have a job to do. Their attention in on their owner, not on each other. The trainer can observe Jasper interacting with other dogs and give you specific instructions on how to help him.

As an added benefit you are learning skills to earn Jasper's CGC and that will benefit him for life, regardless of what you do with him in the future. Best of luck!
 
Another good book to check out would be "Click to Calm" by Emma Parsons. Even if you don't clicker train, there's a wealth of info and tips in there that you might find very useful.

Caro has given you great advice about desensitization work you can do. Shelties are so smart, if you keep up consistent work rewarding and praising for calm behaviors around other dogs, I'm sure Jasper will catch on. The key is to be consistent, and to carefully watch your dog's threshold. Once they're in full blown panic/reactivity, it's very difficult to make any connections.

I would stay away from group play situations where you don't know the dogs for a while. Jasper sounds like he needs confidence building, and a bad run-in with an unknown dog could set his progress back.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be able to help Jasper feel more comfortable around other dogs.
 
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