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[Pennyfarthing]

only had him a week from rescue centre and had to call vet out who put him to sleep in our kitchen (he had bitten me on the leg then launched himself at OH, who ended up on the worktop), vet said guaranteed he had bitten before. Story we were told was given up to rescue centre as owner got knew job and couldn't walk him as much. Just thankfully he waited for us to get him home before going crazy, we had just been to the beach and throwing frisby etc for him with young child playing beside us. It was very traumatic, I had longed for a dog since childhood and was so sad, couldn't face it again.

Weimeranners (sp?) can be very nasty.  Where we used to live the pub landlord had one from a puppy and it grew rapidly and was quite nasty.  He called it Hans.  It bit his wife on the leg and then the teenage daughter and then he disappeared.  We asked him what had happened to him and he just said “he's gone on holiday” but I always worried that he would be rehomed and carry on biting.

[Pennyfarthing]

We have always had lovely mongrels and they have all been sweet natured and totally trustworthy. We did rescue a Yorkie once and he was the only pedigree we ever had.  He had been passed around various homes, never been walked on a lead and full of fleas.  He came in to our house and took one of my husbands slippers and snarled every time somebody tried to take it off him. 

Next day I sent the kids to school and spent the whole day in a room with him teaching him who was the boss.  I put on thick, padded DIY gloves and many  hours later he understood that he could have it in his basket but if I wanted it back then he had to give it up.  It was really hard work and he went to bite my hand many times but he never went for any of us again.

[jillydoll]

That's the thing, they need to be told whose boss. And most will give in, in the end with perseverance. However, there are some that won't, and it all depends what's been going on in their lives, and will never trust humans again!
It's such a shame. People do some horrendous things to them. No wonder they'll never trust us again. 😭

[pants46]

Pennyfarthing, well done you. To get that done in one day, absolutely awesome.

[CLKD]

Yep - being boss works as that's how wolves work in the pack.  The dog is always boss and mates with the alpha female.  Occasionally a lower female will try to muscle in if she fancies him but the alpha female will 'have her'.

I work on the 'pick up the scruff of the neck' school.  It's what the dam does with pups, either to carry them between dens to safety when the pups go floppy or to discipline them.  Also the silent snarl - lips curled, ears back, pup steps away.  So do humans which is why the bigger dogs 'get away with it' particularly if they are somewhere they shouldn't be, i.e. furniture, work surface eating the Sunday roast 

The thing is to be on top.  Always go through doors B4 the dog. Send them downstairs first so that they are never higher than the owner.  Never allow them onto furtnirue until they have learnt 'off' = get off now.  Not 'down', that's a different command for a different movement - lay down.  I was hard on my spaniel when she first arrived, probably too hard  but she learned.  Once she had been scruffed a couple of times she was OK and I let her on the furniture when I knew she would get off when asked.


A snappy dog might be a frightened dog which bites first.  As for eating dogs: that's what chow chows were bred for, as food ....... but the way animals across the World are seen as commodities hurts me badly.  In Korea .......... why do we trade with these cruel countries 

Do U want a laugh  it includes the mention of a bed .

[pants46]

CLKD, you make some very good points. Especially sending them downstairs first, if you let them upstairs in the first place. And always going through doors, fences etc. first. Simple things that can be put in place the minute you get a dog home, puppy or rescue.
More difficult with a cat though 

[CLKD]

It's the thought of cruelty to any animal intended for the table  .  Adrenaline is supposed to taint the meat and make it tough so I don't see the point in stressing more than necessary.

My Siamese cat was easier to train than the rest and don't get me started on the bunny 

[Foxylady]

The rescue centre were not interested (it was a small, independent place for the specific breed, maybe we were naive), told us to go to A&E if we were injured (thankfully we both still had our walking boots on as just in from long walk). The vet said guaranteed the dog had bitten before, myself and OH really angry about it that someone (previous owner) had put us in that position. Also we were visited and vetted, paperwork etc before getting 'Calvin' ?what checks were done the other way round. Anyway, 5 years ago still doggy sit occasionally but wouldn't get another, if I ever did would be a pup and not from a rescue centre (although I have friends who have had multiple great experiences with rescue dogs!)

[CLKD]

Trouble is, the centres have to rely on what they have been told.  Blue Cross evaluate all their hand-ins for temperament.  They aren't re-homed immediately.  If a young dog is handed in they are assessed and 'taught' how to be kind.  Potential owners are invited to visit the dog several times in the Centre B4 they take it home, to see if they bond.

There's a centre in I think, Northants that is running out of money.  To keep dogs that cannot be re-homed    if they don't get funds those dogs will have to be PTS as the place has to close.  Well, so be it.  A snappy dog in general ain't a happy dog! 

It's a mugs game.  Rescue centres.  A friend was handed over a dog - they had been to see the place on 2 occasions and explained that they were never B4 dog owners with 3 teenage girls.  They were handed an Akita ........ they handed him back.  This was a national 'centre' with lots of yellow advertising.  They were never invited to have a look-see at what was in the kennels it seemed like they were handed the 'dog of the week'. 

They went to the local Vet who knew of a small centre which took in terriers.  They are quite happy with their dog as the Vet knows the people who run the place. 

[jaypo]

That's a shame foxy,sometimes rescue centres do know why they have the animal but,yes,sometimes they just don't know,we took a huge risk taking shadow,our shepherd,she came over from Ireland at 2 years old,she's callouses on her elbows which makes me think she was an outside dog but,we were lucky,she's never so much as bared her teeth,great guard dog but won't let me out of her sight,which becomes trying to say the least🤯
That guy on the tv is amazing,Caesar somebody,little Hispanic guy,I love him,he's firm but my goodness,he's the dog trained sometimes in 5 minutes.its true what they say,it's never the dogs fault

[Foxylady]

CLKD, its really scary what happens, the risks of it going wrong are immense especially for first time dog owners & an Akita!! Glad they have a happy ending with a terrier.

[Foxylady]

Jaypo - caesar milan, we watched him continously for months before we got Calvin as we were first time dog owners & everything he said seemed to make sense.

[jaypo]

That's the fella,he's brilliant but yes,he makes it look simple and it just isn't sometimes

[CLKD]

It ain't simple at all.  It is about being firm, kind and 'boss' though.  I cared for a cocker which looked exactly like 1 I had owner years prior, so I treated him the same  - OK until he guarded a tennis ball  .  So we stopped that game.  He snatched at it which was something mine never did 

It is obvious that the breed that wins Crufts gets into rescue centres within 3 years of 'best in show'  and I know several people who bred what was popular at that time; one even met a breeder of fox terriers in a layby - so the Pedigree Papers could have been anyone's  but the KC registered each litter 

I love my little cocker poo neighbour  and she loves me 

[jaypo]

None of my dogs are snappy,you can give them a bone and then take it away from all of them,they just look at me and are like,whatcha doin mum?
I think also if there's peace and harmony in the home,it filters through to the dog,when I was with my ex,the dog we had wasn't well behaved,I was strict & he let her away with everything,poor dog was confused.