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Behaviourist In Melbourne?


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My OH has a american bulldog x who has always been food aggressive but now his aggression is getting out of hand. He is no longer only food aggressive, he now lunges at other dogs on the street and has a go at us when things don't go his way or he is told off. We are worried he is going to bite us, someone else or another dog. And he will bite, he has done it before and we take every precaution to not have it happen again but he is getting really bad.

He is 7 years old and an ex flyball dog. He was my OH's first dog and although he is also scared shitless of him he's putting off what needs to be done. He says the dog ran his arse off for him at flyball and he doesn't want people thinking we have had him PTS just because he can't run anymore. We have to feed him inside a dog pen, all the other 7 dogs can eat together no problem and he used to be ok on the other side of the fence but now he is lunging at the fence and I'm worried what will happen if the gate to the pen doesn't hold one day. He is a big powerful dog but the other dogs aren't small either and would put up a hell of a fight. We do everything we can to avoid a bloodbath in the backyard.

He can't be offleash anymore because his recall, which used to be fine, is now utter through crap. He seems to believe that he doesn't have to listen to or obey us. OH used to walk him on a check chain but now if he sees another dog he is lunging at them snapping and snarling (he never cared about dogs before, could cross nose to nose in flyball with any dog) so we have switched him to a halti to have some extra control over his head. He hates the halti and when OH went outside to put it on him today to go for a walk he was dancing out the way and lifting his lips at him. So he missed out on a walk totally.

He HAS bitten OH and I before and if we were the type of people to give up he's be PTS already. Can anyone recommed a behaviourist in melbourne who can deal with BIG aggressive dogs? We want to see a behaviourist before we give up on him totally. We want to know that we have done everything possible for him.

Apologies for any typos and if this doesnt make entire sense, it's pretty early!!

Edited by menacebear
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I feel very sad for you.. It must be so difficult. I would be very interested if the DOL trainers would post some replies here. Ive not heard of a dog at 7 falling so backwards.

Have you had him seen by a vet to check for any illness thats may be causing him such stress?

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sounds like something a long time coming. AmBull - not suprised on his behavior.

He's not an immediate PTS case but be prepared to keep him separate permanently or at least until you can regain some control over him.

Think too did you gather the other 7 gradually or did you always have them together ... sounds like a big lack of control issue and he is doing what his genetics tell him - control everything!

I am one trainer, I dont mind travelling, have AmBull and aggressive dog experience. There are many others on here as well so the choice is yours our websites are at the bottom of our posts. I will say though that if you will only use positive training methods then choose someone like Kelpi-i as I dont take cases where personal preference severely restrict my training or the owners are not comfortable using a regime I prescribe :laugh: I use what is right for the dog.

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I will say though that if you will only use positive training methods then choose someone like Kelpi-i as I dont take cases where personal preference severely restrict my training or the owners are not comfortable using a regime I prescribe :thumbsup: I use what is right for the dog.

I don't think you meant it to sound that way, Nekhbet, but Kelpie-i doesn't "severely restrict her training" just because of "preferred methods" either. She will use what is right for the dog and for the owner, as the both together are a combo team effort.

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No sorry that sounded a little harsh ... it was more that she is a greater specialist in the positive method and if that is what the owner prefers for their dog and themselves then she would be a better choice then me :cheer:

I'm having a scatterbrain day today :thumbsup: walking zombie ahoy!

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That's ok.

But yes - Kelpie-i uses "positive" methods where positive methods work. I would describe her as a "balanced" trainer as she recognises where other methods are required and appropriate.

And do NOT poke your tongue out at me! :cheer:

:thumbsup:

Edited by Erny
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Don't like giving advice on stuff like this on a forum but I wonder if it has anything to do with him not doing flyball anymore?? I wonder if he is missing the whole thing, exercise, bonding with OH etc. You still do flyball I think with the other dogs? If he is being left behind now he might really be feeling it.

I do agree that a vet check up might be a good idea.

Hope you find the answer.

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Don't like giving advice on stuff like this on a forum but I wonder if it has anything to do with him not doing flyball anymore?? I wonder if he is missing the whole thing, exercise, bonding with OH etc.

JulesP .... it shouldn't have anything to do with him not doing flyball.

But I agree - a health check should be the first port of call.

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:thumbsup: Nekhbet, I'm as "balanced" as they come....(well when I haven't been drinking :cheer:) although I will usually use techniques leaning towards R+ first up before moving on to other methods if need be.

Thanks Erny for clarifying that on my behalf :cheer:

I agree with everyone's recommendation to seek some vet checks first up as onset of aggressive behaviour in an older dog should always be cleared of any medical related problems.

Edited by Kelpie-i
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ok so wont write I :thumbsup: your motivational training skills then :cheer:

You can write whatever you like about me Nekhbet, as long as it's loving, wonderful, uplifting and inspirational :cheer::cheer: Oh and I forgot to add moving, congratulatory, sentimental and heroic :cheer::cheer:

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Thank you so much for everyone who has replied. Unfortunatly things came to a head on sunday morning. Jamaica attacked my young pitty x Bundy and when that arguement was broken up he attacked my 12 year old Rotty x Menace. We made the heartbreaking decision to have him put to sleep. It is something that will always eat us up inside because he was still quiet young and there is so many what ifs. What if we had of penned him alone? What if we had of put him on sedatives? What if what if. But that is no life for a once champion flyball star so we made the only responsibe choice we could. And now we suffer the pain.

In answer to a few questions in this thread- we had him checked from head to toe. I had full blood work analysis done on him and he had been xrayed. We found that he had developed arthritis in his spine and he only retired from flyball when it became a problem for him. My OH always insisted he wouldnt run him into the ground and that Jammi would retire with dignity and before his joints or back suffered too much. He still spent one on one time with OH, he still slept inside with the other dogs and he was still a much loved pet. No matter what we did it didn't help and he kept getting worse. If he was human I'd say he was mentally ill.

:laugh: Run free at the bride Jamaica, free from pain and the worries that plauged you through your life. We will be forever sorry for what we had to do. We love you :o:rofl::o:)

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I'm so sorry. :o

ETA Give his dad a BIG hug from me.

Thank you so much for everyone who has replied. Unfortunatly things came to a head on sunday morning. Jamaica attacked my young pitty x Bundy and when that arguement was broken up he attacked my 12 year old Rotty x Menace. We made the heartbreaking decision to have him put to sleep. It is something that will always eat us up inside because he was still quiet young and there is so many what ifs. What if we had of penned him alone? What if we had of put him on sedatives? What if what if. But that is no life for a once champion flyball star so we made the only responsibe choice we could. And now we suffer the pain.

In answer to a few questions in this thread- we had him checked from head to toe. I had full blood work analysis done on him and he had been xrayed. We found that he had developed arthritis in his spine and he only retired from flyball when it became a problem for him. My OH always insisted he wouldnt run him into the ground and that Jammi would retire with dignity and before his joints or back suffered too much. He still spent one on one time with OH, he still slept inside with the other dogs and he was still a much loved pet. No matter what we did it didn't help and he kept getting worse. If he was human I'd say he was mentally ill.

:laugh: Run free at the bride Jamaica, free from pain and the worries that plauged you through your life. We will be forever sorry for what we had to do. We love you :rofl::o:):)

Edited by 2tollers
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