Sudden aggression towards family dog
Hi All. I have a bullterrier spayed female that is 3 yrs old and she is suddenly very aggressive towards my spayed foxterrier that is 6yrs. They always played very well together with no problem and the suddenly this morning the bullie started attacking her for no reason. The foxy was so scared she jumped in my car which she never does. I had to seperate them this morning to avoid a burial when I got hom this afternoon. Very early this morning they were both lying on the bed with me and then an hour later they cant stand each other. I have a male bullterrier as well that is 11yrs old but he doesnt care about anything except his food and bed. Any advice?
Comments
If she's going after her right away with viciousness there had to have been a cause. The problem is she's now focused on continuing her pursuit to attack her.
You may also want to ensure your Bull Terrier is not in any pain which could be setting her off. EBT's can get very moody when they are feeling discomfort. Something as simple as an ear infection can put them on edge.
I think it's due time you become more strict with her and the way she's punished for her behavior. She's obviously not fearing the repercussions of her actions from you.
You could also invest into an electric training collar. There are several discussions on the forum that talk about the positive results from using a shock collar.
Please keep us posted on her behavior.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
Having said that, I'd like to ask BulliesofNC what did he mean by "I would have discipled her so much". The reason why I ask that, is because I many times don't know just how to discipline Otto the right way. Sometimes I think I am being too harsh, but then I remember that is a powerful and stubborn breed.
So if it isn't asking for too much, let's suppose one of your teenage dogs lunged at you, or maybe bit you without drawing blood, how would you discipline him. It may sound like I am asking for a "Disciplining your bully for dummies (who don't yet have a shock collar)" step-by-step kind of thing, but that's because that's just what I think I need.
Thanks a lot for any help!
The chances of an adult Bull Terrier lunging at his owner to bite would be very rare. In the event it happened it would be because the Bull Terrier had a serious temperament problem either brought on by improper raising, neglect, or genetic fault. However, the chances of a puppy or adolescent Bull Terrier getting out of hand and showing aggression or dominance isn't too rare especially if that dog was never disciplined properly. So you understand, I don't consider a Bull Terrier to reach maturity as an adult until around 24 months of age. Some might mentally mature around 18 months but it would be rare to see a relaxed well mannered Bull Terrier that's listens well under 12 months of age. On average the most difficult time frame for raising a Bull Terrier is often from 6 months to 14 months of age.
In the event I had a Bull Terrier lunge at me with aggression (for any reason) I would immediately grab him or her and "PIN" him on the ground. I would ensure I had him laying flat on his side while I held him by the neck. If need be I'd be putting my weight down on him to ensure he couldn't muscle his way out or provide him with the sense that his struggle is productive. the objective isn't to hurt him but to "Submit" him. It's actually something that dogs recognize as any animal would. While I had him pinned to the ground I would be yelling "NO" and saying things like "THAT'S BAD!" I would hold him to the ground until he remained there motionless, thus the result of submission. Once I released him I would tell him to "Go Away, you're BAD!" 90% of the time you'll notice an immediate change in his posture and attitude. I'm sure you'll then notice the guilt and shame look and chances are he'll be trying to slowly come to you in hopes of gaining your love and affection. This is when you need to remain strict and stern so he quickly realizes his actions made you mad and his actions won't be tolerated. Yes, he might act out later in the day or the next day but this is when you react quickly with the same method.
Bull Terriers are a tough breed of dog and they have a high pain tolerance. Hitting them to cause pain is senseless and I don't recommend it with any any dog. Instead of trying to cause pain you'll have better luck with a slap on the butt or on the snout with a loud of "NO" which is affective because it startles them and they realize they did something wrong. It kind of works on the same principles as those who train with shock collars which aren't used to cause pain but to startle and alert them every time they misbehave.
In short, you need to be the ALPHA and your Bull Terrier needs to know it in order for him or her to take heed to the do's and don'ts that you enforce.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
his actions made you mad and his actions won't be tolerated." I've got two questions:
1. How long after pinning him do you 'make up' with him and in what way?
2. What if he doesn't 'go away' but tries to suck up to you straight after pinning him? How do you insist that he leaves or do you just ignore him and go about your business?
I guess that's more like four questions sorry..I just want to be really effective with disciplining him.
Thanks!
I guess what I've learned is that the main idea is to understand the act of pinning your dog and then after letting them go just move on in a natural manner. Though I will remain stern afterwards to reinforce the message of my displeasure about his actions.
I am not saying don't be equipped to handle a fight, but you must create an environment where they know that fighting WILL NOT be tolerated, so that ALL family members can live in peace and contentment.