Pet Growl And Lunge Problem

[Ravenlocs]

Hello All
I have a 3 year old Rottie named Zeus . He is a real lover thinks he is a Yorkie most of the time . He has in the last month started to bark growl and lunge when petted .( Only new people ) We moved to our new house a year ago new area also . We fenced in the back yard for him we also have a huge lanai with a pool ( he likes to cool off on the steps ) . The mail girl loved him she petted him and then stopped he barked growled and lunged at her and I had to grab him Man I was shaking all over . My husband had him on the leash last week and a construction worker asked if he could pet him . Zeus leaned , smiled and his nubbins was going ninety miles an hour . He loved the attention . BUT !!!! as soon as the guy quit petting him and stepped back Zeus growled and barked at him like he wanted to eat him . My neighbor who he adores came over yesterday and brought her mother who was visiting to meet him . I had her go sit on the lanai and let him out the doors . He promply went over to her and loved her up . Then he got closer and closer he likes to hug He wanted to get in her lap . I do not allow this as he is around 125 lbs . I told him down and he then got a weird look on his face ( eyes ) and started to growl at her I pulled him away and told him down he obeyed . I then decided to put him in the house I got his collar and he growled at me . I made him mind me as I will not put up with him growling at me and brought him in the house away from my company . He barked and ran form door to door the whole time they were here . I just did not trust him around her . What could be causing this ? Last weekend my husband had a couple from work come over and he was the perfect gentleman with them . i cannot figure this out no one is making any sudden movement. He has been trained at a trainers and does his commands ( sometimes we have to get tough with him with our voices to make him pay attention ) We do not hit him maybe light nudge with our elbow to get his attention ( like trainer showed us ) Please help
Thanks Raven

[brunie's mom]

Sounds like Zeus has taken over. Not good for a Rottweiler.
Please make sure he does not get the chance to snap, lunge or bite anyone till you get this under control.

The first mistake you made was to send Zeus away for training. It sounds like you have not formed a relationship of respect with him. You said that he takes his time when given commands???

Rottweilers need to form a bond and learn to respect and that is done with training...by sending him away...he did not learn that.

Is he still intact?? If he is get him neutered ASAP...he does not need the extra testosterone of throwing his weight around.

Can you find a trainer? Not the one you left your dog with. Someone that knows strong breeds and is not afraid to work with them. Where are you located? There may be someone on the forums that can advise you on a good trainer.

You must get help...this is not going to go away...only get worse. Next time he may not warn, and just bite.
Till you get help start with NILIF (nothing in life is free) ...do a search. It's mentioned here all of the time.
He needs to know that he is at the bottom of the pack and that you are in charge.

Gina

[Judi W]

And please please do not continue to give him opportunities to be aggressive. He could just as easily run out to lanai and attacked that lady. You already knew he was acting up so to just let him run free towards someone like that could have been a disaster. Poor lady was probably scared to death and she should be. She was seated and totally vulnerable. It looked like she was invited in to act as bait.

I'm sure he would be quite respectful towards the person who trained him but as Gina says, that does you little good. Now you need to become the person who trains him. At this point, he is not a lover, nor loveable but a liability. It does not sound as if he was suitably corrected, but simply restrained and removed. No lessons learned for him.

[Ravenlocs]

Thank you Gina and Judi for your replys . I was not trying to use the poor lady as bait . I was trying to have a calm area for their first meeting this is how I always introduce new people to Zeus . I have had him since he was 8 weeks old . He is not fixed as we had planned to show him at one point . As for the trainer we sent him there for 5 weeks . Then trainer came to our house several times and worked with my husband and myself with dog showing us how to do his training . Zeus goes for his walk every afternoon with my husband this last for around 30 mins . We live in CW Fla so it is very hot here and Zeus wants to come back soon so he can go in the pool to cool off . I feel we have a very close bond with Zeus as he is with me 24 /7 he is always by my side or my husbands when he is home from work . HE has to be in same room we are in . I did not mention that my husband had been out of town on bussiness that day . HE thinks that Zeus is extra protective of me when he is away . Zeus had seen the suitcase go into the car earlier that day and that upsets him . Judi you said he was not corrected right . What would you have done to correct this situation ? I thought I had handled it right . but would love to know more . Gina I will look into that NILIF and thank you for your replys
Raven

[Judi W]

Your manner in introducing him to people in the past should have changed immediately when you saw him starting to aggress against people. You simply cannot continue to do what you've been doing as that is how you have ended up where you are now. Whether new people or not (and this poor lady at the lanai was a new person so you had every reason to suspect he would treat her badly) you must assume control of this dog before he takes the next step which will be a bite.

Since he did this when he was with your husband and also since I am sure he is not so stupid as to think an older lady is dangerous, don't excuse him by thinking he is being extra protective. He is not. He is behaving like a nasty unpredictable dog. Basically, from what you describe, I see a bully and a demanding spoiled dog. He is demanding of attention and when it is removed he is threatening. You truly do need to get him in hand. In daily living, he should not be allowed to solicit attention from you or your husband or anyone else. He should get attention only when you decide it is time and then it should be proceeded by some obedience drills first, then you can play a game of fetch and then it is over. I would also start at least two 30 minute down stays a day to enforce that it is your home and you are in charge. If he breaks, take him back to where he was put without a word. These are done without praise or cooing or good dogs, they are very matter of fact. You really need a trainer to come and help you learn to manage him.

When I said he should have been corrected that means a whole lot more than simply restraining him or pulling him away. He should have had a religious experience wherein he had visions of meeting his maker the very first time this occured. Saying that however, I believe the relationship has now become unbalanced enough that he might very well go after you so now you have to rebuild from the very foundation and forgo that type of correction. He has been successfully threatening people who don't obey him, now he has threatened you for not obeying him (by removing him) and the next step will be teeth.

So, start by restricting his access to people. All interactions should be on leash with him being under command. That means he must heel up, say hello from a sit only, get nothing more than perhaps a pat on the head and a "hello" and then be removed to a distance and put in a down. Do not drop the lead or let him decide to approach or be in control of how, when or where he will interact with people. Do your 30 minute down stays twice a day. Do about three 15 minute obedience drills daily and don't allow him to dwadle about responding to commands. Stop giving him strokes and attention when he demands it.

Please go read my fable:
http://www.rottweiler.net/forums/sho...ighlight=Fable

[Ravenlocs]

Judi Thank you soo much for the advice . Yes we have been like the princess and prince with Zeus . He went through super training and we know he knows how to behave. We just do not enforce unless he starts to get rowdy or out of control . I will start his training again today with the down stays and the 15 min walks on leash with commands . I feel bad that we had stopped now that I see it was hurting him and us . Yes we are guilty of the praise " Good Boy "" when ever he does anything right and of course a pet or a treat . I am so thankful we were able to find you here . I really love Zeus and do not want him to Bite anyone or do something else ( like bite me or my husband ) and have to get rid of him . You are right he has been ruling the castle and we did not even notice . Thank you again
Raven

[bolt94]

Raven,

I'm currently battling alot of the same issues w/ our 2-year old rescue. It has finally sunk in with me (thanks Judi W and all the other people on this board) that this dog thinks he's "holier than thou" and unfortunately, he's already bitten (my DB) and he's snapped and lunged at another close friend. I have noticed, however, if people just ignore him, he does fine. But, I would imagine this isn't a good thing to abide by for the rest of the dogs life.

For the last week, he has received NOTHING but food, training, exercise and grooming from me! NILF is in full force. Unfortunately, training my DB is proving to be the hardest part!

[Ravenlocs]

Hi Bolt94
At least you will not get sued by your DB and he is ok ? You are smart by doing something about his training . I have to start that right away . I wish I had found this site a long time ago it sure would have helped me a ton . I could have seen what I was doing to my dog. Now to get my Hubby to make him walk on heel . When he walks him he lets him run ahead to end of retractable leash . I will not walk him outside because I cannot handle him pulling me all over the place. But I do have a fenced in back yard with lots of space for use. That is a start and safe also . I hope everything is working out for you and your dog .keep me posted I could use the hints .
Raven

[Judi W]

These dogs should not be on flexi leads. Period. No exceptions. Get out your 6 foot or less training leash and go to work. But that flexi in a place where it will not be found again.

[bolt94]

Didn't get sued and thankfully, DB doesn't have any disfiguring scars.

We didn't start out on the right foot either. I'd read quite a few books on Rottweilers before I actually adopted. But, all the stuff I'd read hardly had me prepared for what laid ahead.

I sometimes wonder had I gotten a puppy, if things wouldn't be different? Here I am, dealing with a rescue who we have NO background on. I called myself trying to save the day. I saved his life and boy has he taught me some things. I'm just hoping that with constant training and NILF tactics, he'll be an even more wonderful companion.

I couldn't imagine my life without him but I've had a few days where I would have traded him in without a second thought! :)

It's a constant struggle but thankfully... I'm up to the challenge. And, I know the CGC isn't "cream of the crop" in the OB ring but I truly look forward to the day that we can participate AND pass!

[Judi W]

No dog is the second coming. When reviewing your relationships, keep in mind that it is the dog that should be trying to please you, not the other way around. When the relationship becomes upsidedown, the consequences can be serious and the dog's very life is at stake. Overly permissive owners can with many dogs, set the scene where the dog ends up taking a one way trip to the vet's. That is not what the overly tender-hearted have in mind when they fail to provide proper structure. Truly loving your dog means ensuring that it learns to be a good family member and a good citizen and what its place in the world must be.

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by Judi W

No dog is the second coming. When reviewing your relationships, keep in mind that it is the dog that should be trying to please you, not the other way around. When the relationship becomes upsidedown, the consequences can be serious and the dog's very life is at stake. Overly permissive owners can with many dogs, set the scene where the dog ends up taking a one way trip to the vet's. That is not what the overly tender-hearted have in mind when they fail to provide proper structure. Truly loving your dog means ensuring that it learns to be a good family member and a good citizen and what its place in the world must be.

I think everyone should read this 10 times. Most people posting with their dog growling or biting or snapping should take notice of this.
When the relationship is upside down...this is when all of the problems start.

We all love our dogs...we want to enjoy them and spend time with them...but we must never forget they are DOGS. Not "furkids" or "babies"....but dogs.

Very wise words Judi....I wish people would start listening.

Gina

[HerculesMomma]

I applaud Raven and bolt both for getting on board so quickly. I have found other newcomers here with similiar problems seem to often argue over the issues. It's refreshing to see such open minded, receptive people. I wish you luck with your training and leadership issues.

[bolt94]

With this being my first ever Rott, I don't have the time to be close-minded! :)

What better people to come to than those who've owned/raised the breed and don't sugar coat their advice.

And I always say, if you can't stand the heat, get outta of the kitchen!

[Ravenlocs]

I agree with Bolt You cannot be closed mined with a problem . We came here for help and it was given freely THANK YOU Also thank you Hurcles Mom for the kind words .I read a ton of post before I wrote my problem . I was so hoping that Judi would write me back and she did . I am also glad that Gina took the time out of her busy day to reply also . I have put to use what you have told me and he is doing better . Even after one day . I needed to re enforce what he already knows. I make him heel sit come down stay like I was told to do . I can walk him on his leash without being pulled all over the place . He even heels beside me walking without a leash . ( in the house ) It has been a while since he had done that . I still need to work on the down stays ( he is bein very stubborn on that one ) . I am also not petting him on his demand like I was doing . I make him go through his paces for his food and toys . I am really trying here so if you need me do more please tell me I will try anything . Thank you thank you thank you I will have a better dog for it
Raven