Yesterday I worked with a 3 year old Border Collie named Jack. Jack's owners called me as a last resort. Jack had a bad habit of biting people. Everyone from strangers walking by to his own owners! When it came to Jack's aggression no one seemed to get a free pass.His owners loved him very much but were living in constant fear of a law suit or being forced to put Jack down because of his aggression. I was the third professional they had called in to help with their biting Border Collie.
Unlike the other two professionals who had tried to work with Jack I did not come into his home to challenge him and "put him in his place". (The last person they had in actually instructed them to hit their dog on the nose over and over until he cowered down. That of course only made his aggression worse because dogs do not submit to pain. They submit to secure, calm leadership)
I simply came in to see how I could help this dog. It was not long before I realized Jack had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He lived in constant fear of the world around him. His owners loved him, gave him a nice home, lots of toys, and tried to follow advice they had been given in the past. But what Jack really needed had been overlooked. Jack needed to feel safe!
At one point in my life I had two little babies and my husband had lost his job. He was only out of work for a short time, but that feeling was unforgettable. We did not know what would happen to us and to our family from day to day. It seemed the whole world was resting on our backs and all my husband and I wanted was some security for our family. If you have ever been in a similar situation than you know exactly how Jack was feeling. Jack did not know that guest in the home were there to have fun and visit, he didn't know strangers on the street were not going to harm his family, and everything was a threat!
I spent a good 20 minutes ignoring Jack so he would understand I was no threat to him. Then I placed a treat in my hand and continued to ignore him. He wanted the treat. He licked my hand, pawed at it, begged for it, I still would not even look at him. I did not do this to tease him; I did it to show him that I was a strong confident person who was calling the shots and that he could relax around me. He did. Once he realized my energy was confident and that I was not trying to challenge him he began to respect me. It wasn't long before this "mean" dog was eating out of my hand, literally!
It was wonderful to be able to show his owners what a sweet dog Jack could be when he was relaxed and calm, and it was the first piece to helping this boy. Jack HAS to believe that his owners are strong leaders and can protect the home, pack, and him. Only then will he be able to relax. We came up with an exercise schedule that will give Jack the ability to physically release his fears through running and I helped them find ways to send Jack calm confident messages. We also discussed having him neutered so that sexual frustration does not add to the weight he already is dealing with.
Jack won't change over night, but I believe his owners really want what is best for him and will continue to work on giving him the leadership he needs to feel safe. Jack is a lucky dog! Many people are quick to put down or get rid of a dog that shows aggression. Jack's owners were willing to take a hard look at themselves and make a change to benefit their furry friend. Many of us can't or won't do that and a good dog is often the victim.
*Remember: Love is not enough for a dog to feel secure. They need a leader and they need a leader they trust, not fear. If your dog feels safe he will be able to relax and live in harmony with you and the rest of the world. And don't forget to have your pets fixed! Unless they are breeding on a regular basis it is just not fair to make them suffer sexual frustration.
And please remember that anyone who wants you to "break" your dog with physical harm does not have your dogs best interest at heart and will likely cause more harm than good. NEVER do anything to your dog that goes against your gut... even if a "professional" tells you to.
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