Getting scared now....aggressive puppy

[Idunnowhyibother]

10 month old Bull Terrier growling at me when at home alone with him and has snapped at me several times. He is usually a happy sociable dog - good with other dogs and people. But just doesn't seem to like me....is fine with DP etc. I work from home so am with him all day but I'm starting to not feel safe around him. He's medically fine but goes into s sulk when DP is out. Today I am trying to relax at home and watch a film while DP is out with friends and his behaviour is just strange - he's slinking around avoiding me and has growled at me while I walked past him with his fur standing on end and lunged at me. Not a happy situation and I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

Complete vet check then behaviourist. Our JRT started like this at 6 months. We had him PTS when he was 3 because he had bitten us, his aggression was so bad and I was terrified for DS. We had tried everything. Hard decision, but the right one.

The absolute last thing this dog needs is an aggresive, punishment based "training" regime aimed at cowing the dog into submission.

OP needs a qualifed APBT registered, positive behaviourist who can identify the trigger for the behaviour and use science based behaviour modification techniques to eliminate the problem behaviour.

Bullying a dog into obedience is not dog training. It's creating fear and stocking up massive potential for future problem behaviours.

Please please be so careful. I witnessed a relative being attacked by her dog. She had shown the dog nothing but kindness and spent £££ on a behaviorist.
If we had hadn’t been in the room configuration we were in it would have been much much worse. And if she was alone it would have been must worst.
As it was she had a serious bite on her arm and needed antibiotics which made her very sick. She was also really traumatized. As was I
Make a decision that is best for you. Please

Is he neutered @Idunnowhyibother?

A dog is a pack animal. Looking for a leader. Dogs are descended from wolves and have certain innate behaviours, especially around social structures.

Sorry I don’t have any advice, but people tend to think dogs are akin to humans. They are not.

"The absolute last thing this dog needs is an aggresive, punishment based "training" regime aimed at cowing the dog into submission.

OP needs a qualifed APBT registered, positive behaviourist who can identify the trigger for the behaviour and use science based behaviour modification techniques to eliminate the problem behaviour.

Bullying a dog into obedience is not dog training. It's creating fear and stocking up massive potential for future problem behaviours."

This is nonsense..no one bully's dog into submission. Nor uses punishment based training

I'm assuming you are a bull breed experienced owner..?? As if not the wrong advice could prove very dangerous. Bull breeds needs kind but strong training methods. I have never punished my Stafford, if I did I think he would collapse in a heap as he is very sensitive . But he has very clear boundaries and is excellent in his behaviour due to this.

Dogs and wolves share the same amount of DNA as humans and chimpanzees. Last time I looked humans were not descended from chimpanzees. There is absolutely no evidence at all that did descended from wolves. They are in the same family group. That is different. And this fallacy came from Darwin... Great theory but time had shown it weak on detail.

The social structure of dogs and wolves are very different. As are the ways in which they use their intelligence. And yes, dogs are not humans, but dogs and humans have developed a symbiotic relationship over thousands of years which wolves have not. Not least because they are both pack animals, humans and dogs... and dogs have learned how to adapt to our packs.

I'm assuming you are a bull breed experienced owner..??

I'm a bull breed experienced, qualified canine behaviourist with a degree in canine behaviour and training and formerly registered with the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. I worked with many bull breeds during my time as a trainer for a well known rescue.

I wouldn't trust Southend Dog trainers to train a flea. Dogs are not wolves. They do not need an Alpha or a pack leader. Allowing them to sit on the sofa will not make think they are now in charge of the house. They are fully aware they are a dog and OP is a human.

This is not a dog which needs "training" to behave. This is a dog which needs an onground bevahiourist to identify the cause of the behaviour and use tried and tested methods based on years of scientific research to adjust how the dog feels eg if it is fear based to remove the fear by slowly building the dogs confidence using positive methods such as BAT.

Using harsh methods on a fear aggressive dog may work by causing the dog to become more fearful and essentially "shut down" it may equally increase the aggression endangering the OP further.

A bull breeds brain is the same as a toy poodles. They may have differet innate behaviours due to breeding but they will respond to science based training in the same way as any other breed.

There's no Pack Theory
They are not decended from wolves

OP take this over to The Doghouse rather than Pets , you'll get good advice from people who KNOW about dogs .

Does your DH stop him from growling ?

A growl is a dogs early warning sin , lets you know (along with other body language) that he is scared or pissed off .
If you stop him growling he'll bypass that warning and go straight for next level which is often bite .

I have a horrible feeling I will be reading about this in the news at some point.
With what's been happening with these dog breeds lately, it makes me wonder why some still think it's a good idea to get them as a pet. As soon as someone advised to get it rehomed, my first thought was fear that the new owners would have kids 😔

How is your behaviour around the dog? Sometimes we can give off signs that dogs pick up, for example stress, anxiety or fear.

it sounds like your dog has ‘bonded’ with your partner and has not with you. I would get a behaviourist in, but thankfully he is still a puppy to be able to train him up properly.

There are things you can do to make his experience around you more positive, for example ‘high value’ treats as a reward for good behaviour (like peanut butter or jerky/treats) and taking your puppy out on walks using a training lead, going through the motions throughout the walk (sit, stay) to keep them engaged and respectful of you as a ‘leader’.

Put to sleep? That’s horrible!
You clearly don’t like dogs saying something like that. Dogs pick up on people’s fears and anxiety.
You have to come down to their level (sit on floor and put your head down so they can sniff and suss you out and trust you).

Dogs aren't really pack animals. They are social but they do not co-operate with each other in the way that wolves or hyenas do when operating as a pack. A dogs behaviour towards another dog is based on learned behaviour from past experiences with that particular dog.

Studies of feral dog packs have shown that they don't have a rigid pack heirarchy as assumed in pack theory. In fact "packs" tend to only last for a short while before the dogs move on and form new social groups.

Even wolves do not have an "Alpha" or "pack leader" as such. They live in family groups with the parent dogs being "top dog". A young male wolf would never challenge the breeding male for leadership, instead, the will form their own "pack" or family once they bond with an unrelated female.

Pack theory came from a study of non related, captive wolves. The behaviour of these wolves did not reflect how wolves naturally behave.

I noticed that too. Never heard of them until about 2 weeks ago on MN.

@lazybedhead.
What a ridiculous thing to suggest to op. Of course anyone with an ounce of sense is going to do that to an aggressive dog! Why don't you offer your services to the op and do exactly what you've suggest here. I doubt you will have much of a face left to want to do it again.

Is the dog sensing something medically wrong with you? I get yourself checked too!

That dog sees you below himself in the pecking order and he's keeping you in check. In your shoes, I'd have him put down, not the slightest compunction. I wouldn't waste any time analysing what you are doing wrong, this is a case of your personal safety and I would be taking action tomorrow. If your DP takes issue with this, he's not the man for you.

A bull breeds brain is the same as a toy poodles. They may have differet innate behaviours due to breeding but they will respond to science based training in the same way as any other breed.

I love that advice. I do wish more people realised that a dog is dog, no matter what shape.

Does he still have his balls? I'd take those off for starters

My advice is to get the dog out of your house. Tell dp the dog has to go , tonight. If he wants to hire a trainer then let him off but he does it else where.

I'd be wary of neutering before having a face to face consultation with a behaviourist. If the behaviour is driven by fear early nuetering may make it worse.

Testosterone gives a dog confidence. Lowering the testosterone of a fearful dog by neutering will only serve to make it more fearful and thus worsen the aggression.

Get shot of it or get it shot !

Dog or DH ?

Defintely get him neutered if he isn't. Please please don't breed off him if he's showing aggressive traits. X

Sorry but I agree what an awful dog to get if you are going to get one. They terrify me.

just get rid of the bloody thing before it seriously does go at you one day