# Horrible aggression towards me , the owner



## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

Hi Everyone. I have a very big problem. Right now, I moved to Istanbul, Turkey. And my boy came with me of course. He is very nervous, still adopting. It has been 3 weeks. But, he shows sudden aggressions. This morning, he came to my bed and licked me and I pet him. Then 2 minutes later he tried to be on the top of me on the bed and tried to lick me and I said no. Then he got awfully aggressive and growled and bit me in the head. I bled horribly. Please help me, is this normal? What do i have to do? And also, he is 15 months and trying to be dominant. I don't know. Is this a behavior problem? Is he gonna do this again? He is a big dog and also my parents started to afraid of. I don't know how to handle. Please help me...


----------



## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i think you'd be wise to get some professional help. no, its not normal for a dog to bite its owner. if he is a very dominant dog you need to be a strong leader. if after training, and or evaluation of the dog there are still problems, its very possible the dog isn't wired right, and could be a huge liability for you and for other people who come in contact with him.

debbie


----------



## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Is he neutered? If not, get that done right away and it will help a little. Also, hit the vet and get a complete workup, check for thyroid, anything health-related and then resolve that. Next, tons of TRAINING and NILIF (Nothing In Life Is Free). As of this moment, your dog is no longer allowed even in the bedroom. That is YOUR space as leader of the household and his lack of access will send him a clear message that his rank has gone down. Same thing with furniture, he is no longer allowed on the furniture. Have him wear a corrective collar all day with a light drag leash (leash with no handle or a removed handle) so you do have a safe means of control should he get up on the furniture. If he comes to you, do not pet him; rather, ignore him. When you want to pet your dog, you call him to you. 

When it comes to feeding time, have him hold a down while you prep his food, then put the bowl down while he is STILL holding the down. Release him only after he maintains eye contact with you for a few seconds. When he is done, pick up the bowl and put it away. You control the food resources. I'd also suggest you eat first and the dog eats last. Likewise, put away all toys he could get possessive over. If he has a special chew toy, he only gets it in his crate. Otherwise, he is not allowed to "have" any toys except when you initiate playtime and bring the toys. Otherwise, the toys are put away because they are your toys.









Don't let him rush out doorways ahead of you- when you exit/enter a door, he should be sitting and waiting and you should go first or at least give him a release command to go through but he MUST go through calmly. If he rockets through, correct him and turn back around. Repeat until he is calm. Rushing through and pushing you away is NOT respectful (when was the last time you pushed YOUR boss away?) so make it clear to him you will not tolerate anything less than common courtesy. 

Sign up for obedience training classes and see a qualified behaviorist if possible. I'm not sure what Istanbul has to offer but you really need to get good outside help on this. We can give you some advice, but you really need to have assistance from an expert who may see things differently than you do. Best of luck, keep us posted.


----------



## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

Thank you Diana. I'll do everything you suggested. Any other ideas? I'm kinda freaked out. He is a petland puppy btw. I know that I should get a pup from petland. Maybe he is ill tampered. He showed aggression also before. Now I see the importance of bloodlines. How stupid I am and I got a pup from petland.I'm so stupidddd..


----------



## Qyn (Jan 28, 2005)

Oh no, I hope you are okay. I do not think this is normal at all. I am not experienced enough to advise you but I do think this dog needs both a health check and also to learn he is the bottom of the pack. I would start by crating him and restricting his access to the family bedrooms and instigating NILIF is a must. However, as this severe agression has already occured I do know how to advise you to implement these things as I do not want to suggest anything that may cause you further harm.

Please take care.

ETA, I started this reply a while ago and got interrupted before I finished. Diana has given you some great advice.


----------



## scannergirl (Feb 17, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: VALIUMThank you Diana. I'll do everything you suggested. Any other ideas? I'm kinda freaked out. He is a petland puppy btw. I know that I should get a pup from petland. Maybe he is ill tampered. He showed aggression also before. Now I see the importance of bloodlines. How stupid I am and I got a pup from petland.I'm so stupidddd..


Take it easy on yourself. You didn't know. And by sharing your experience maybe others will choose a reputable breeder instead of a petstore for a puppy. A lot of people don't know this stuff. You certainly are FAR from alone.
Good luck with your dog and I wish you success. I agree with Diana 100% and I hope you have the resources you need to help your pupster find his place in your life. Clearly things need to change, and I hope you can find a good trainer to help you.


----------



## nitetrane98 (Feb 23, 2008)

I would like to know more about the seconds preceding and following the bite. So that you don't think that I think you did anything wrong, I'm getting at the question, Was this really an aggressive "attack" or perhaps a little rough housing accident? Do you know what your dog acts like when he's really pissed off enough to bite something? And what happened right after the bite? Presuming you said at least "OUCH", what was his reaction? Do you have 2 or more holes in your scalp or just one? If just one, it seems more likely to have been an accidental clashing of head and tooth. Have you done any conscious bite inhibition work with him? 
If you're convinced that it was deliberate, you've got some serious "I'm the BOSS" work to do. You absolutely cannot be afraid of your dog.


----------



## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

There are two holes in my scalp Chris. He was licking me then he tried to be on the top of me and i said ''no kenzo''. I didn't increase my tone of voice, I just said no kenzo, and he started to growl. Also, He seems to be ready for mating. He was ejaculating last week, there was a fluid coming out of his testes. First, I'm gonna neuter him. Then we are gonna deal with his bossiness. I spoiled him. Another thing, When I said ''ouchh'' he continued to growl. I covered my head with my hands. Then I said ''lets get a you a treat'' and he calmed down. I don't know, maybe he has behavior issues, he is a petland puppy. Maybe genetically his temper is bad. He got puppy classes at the petco and he was wonderful. But his whole environment changed. I think he is under stress, but a dog shouldn't bite his owner, this is another scope of the problem. Probably, I'm not a strong leader also, this is my fault. Last thing is to blame my dog, I'm questioning myself, where did i make the mistake?. I appreciate everybody's input. Thanks a lot.


----------



## GSDOwner2008 (Jan 19, 2008)

I agree first and foremost with getting a health check first. Your dog doesn't sound normal, and there are medical causes of aggression. That said, everyone else has posted great advice!


----------



## nitetrane98 (Feb 23, 2008)

Without getting too personal, males are always ready for mating. It's the females that have mating cycles. Perhaps????? I've seen dogs that act goofy around human females at that time. I've seen males get a little rough with other female dogs when they resist their advances. I'd start the turnaround in his attitude with working on NO means NO. Neutering may help a little. 
I don't think I would immediately write him off to bad genes or the fact that he's a Petland puppy. Almost all dogs will test their boundaries. It's you who has to establish them. As far as "where did you make the mistake?" Sometimes a whole bunch of little ones add up to a problem, as in "I spoiled him." There's nothing wrong with spoiling a dog as long as he still knows who's the boss. Good luck.


----------



## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

You aren't stupid, you just don't know what you don't know. But we ALL used to be there and can learn.

Sounds like there may be a temperment issue but it's always hard to tell on a board like this without seeing your dog. 

It sounds like he may need a little less lovin' and a little more leadership from you........... I know for sure there would be no more dog in the bed/sofa/chairs until this was settled. 

A great trainer and set of dog classes would be a HUGE help, though I'm not sure how available that will be for you right now.

Exercise, exercise, exercise, exercise would also show an almost immediate improvement. And not a leashed walk around the block, but REAL exercise that your dog crashes for the rest of the day when you get home.

Some sites you should read up on about what our dogs REALLY need from us (not what we, as humans, frequently give them) are on:

All these articles are great but the aggression and leadership ones you may want to go to first.. 

http://flyingdogpress.com/artlibreg.htm

Then there's these:

http://www.k9aggression.com/Aggression/aggression_main.html

http://www.wonderpuppy.net/canwehelp/1dbaggression.php


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

You are falling into a trap of giving your dog an excuse to be the way he is, "he is a Petland puppy." Yes, while it may be true that some of the problem has to do with genetics and lack of proper neonatal care and socialization, it has been said and now we can dismiss it. 

You have had the puppy for how many months? Since it was 8 - 12 weeks old? I think it is probably safer to say that you were not properly matched with the pup. 

I do not have any studies to back me up, but I believe that in 95% or more of the cases, the dog would be fine with the right kind of owner. I am not trying to beat you up on this. Different personalities require different types of owners. If you take a very soft dog and place it with a drill seargant person, it isn't going to work. If you take a hard dog and place it with a person who wants a teddy bear it isn't going to work. A dominant dog needs a strong leader. A middle of the road pup can thrive almost anywhere. LITTERS FROM REPUTABLE BREEDERS HAVE BOTH TYPES OF DOGS. The hope is that a good breeder will do a better job of matching. 

So you got your dog from a pet store, fine. Do not blame the petstore because at this point there is no positive thing that will come out of blaming them. They will not refund your money. They will not take the dog back. If you end up euthanizing your dog, you may be able to feel a little less guilty about it, but I think we are not there yet.

So its time to move on. You got the pup, you have not provided the leadership that this dog needed, now it is time to learn to do this. 

I wish you and your dog good luck. There is good advise here. I think finding someone who is experienced and reputable in your area to work with you and your dog is essential. Do not take it for granted that they know what they are doing. Look for someone who will help you to modify your behavior WITHOUT confrontation with the dog. Not giving your dog access to your bedroom and teaching him to sit and give eye contact before meals are good ways to do this. Alpha rolls, physical discipline (other than a leash correction) are NOT GOOD for a dog this age.) Try to be open minded about training collars. Step up working with your dog. Get him to hold sits and downs for longer periods. Crate him at night. Do not let him jump up on anybody.


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Sounds like a young male full of hormones trying to be the boss.

Neutering is the first thing to do. It may NOT help at all but it can't hurt and there really isn't a reason to keep him intact now.

Then I would do a Google search on NILIF and follow it completely.

It's time Kenzo learned he is NOT the boss and that YOU are in charge.


----------



## max515 (Nov 11, 2008)

I noticed a few things just by your initial post. I noticed that HE went up to YOU and asked for attention -- and you gave it. Alpha, or dominant dogs, command affection from the other dogs. Also, did he go on your bed without you giving him permission to?The main problem is that your dog pretty much assumed alpha position and thus, seems unstable (from what I can tell from a short post). 

Look up ways to become a better leader and assume alpha position, and hopefully the problems will be solved. Research NILIF - Nothing in Life is Free! Good luck.


----------



## Lola1969 (Mar 6, 2007)

Valium, do you have access to good vet care in Istanbul?


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Valium, GOOD for you for asking for help! Plus, you're ready to neuter your dog-- AND find training for him, yes? I think I may be able to help!

Here is a few dog training centers in Instanbul:
Çamlıca Country Club

Address: Altunizade 
Altunizade 

Istanbul (216) 327 00 85 

and another one:


Gold Dog 

Address: Halkalı 
Halkalı 

Istanbul 

Phone : (212) 687 32 65 

And a third in Istanbul:


International Kennels K-9 Academy 

Address: Karaağaç köyü, Büyükçekmece 
Karaağaç köyü, Büyükçekmece 

Istanbul 

Phone : (212) 857 80 16 
Fax: (212) 857 80 16 



Professional K-9 dog training, any kind of puppy and grown-up dogs are available, modern pension and care service are provided. 

Do you speak Turkish fairly well? If not, can you find someone there who does? If not, please let me know-- I may be able to find a Turkish friend to help online.

My opinion: Scary, I agree-- but don't worry. This is a teenager who has learned to bully you for a cookie, for a warm spot on the bed, for a toy, for whatever he wants. If you don't do what he wants-- he shows you who's boss. I don't think he's a bad dog, he may just need YOU to be the boss. A super trainer can help you out with that! If you need trainers in Ankara, if that's also close to you, just let me know, okay?

Grimm growled at ME once, too! I spoiled him too much, too. Now we here at "Camp NILIF" have ME as the boss and Grimm as the follower.







Do not worry. Please let me know if I can help further!


----------



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

An American dog trainer in Istanbul is posting on another forum.. not sure if I am allowed to post this here, mods please delete if not.. but I hope this helps:

http://www.merhabaforums.com/pets-f52/adopt-spayed-female-dog-istanbul-t7560.html


----------



## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

OK, I'm reading Clothier's "Bones would rain from the sky" and her point would be that you are not showing leadership. Forget "domination" language. Her book has been real insightful for me. You don't need to whack the dog around, use force or anything like that. Pick up a copy of her book and see what you think.


----------



## VALIUM (Nov 15, 2007)

Hi everyone, I neutered kenzo yesterday, he bit my dad today. Before growling, he bites. He immediately bites without showing any aggression. Today He bit my dad. And I gave him to a veterinarian. He is gonna live with him. But I don't know how I'm gonna live without him. I'm crying for hours. I don't know what to do. He is gonna stay there for a while. I feel horrible. I'm speechless..


----------

