Need help with dangerous situation - Page 10

That's true!  I'm not familiar with them.  The trainer had it on her while I watched and she didn't really challenge it--if that makes sense.  I get the concept but when I was watching there was no real wrenching. 

Any piece of equipment can be good or bad.  It's the hands that wield it that matter.

I agree that putting the Mal down should not be an option.  How does the Mal behave when by herself and a stranger approaches in the yard? 

How are you addressing the fear response in the border collie with a stranger entering the yard?

Suggestion for house when they alert.  I teach my dogs a quiet command which serves double duty as a command that I understand someone's there and that I am in charge now, they can relax.  This is something I teach very early and I don't have a problem with it.  Yours would take more work to establish this because they do have a problem already established.  I do worry about you removing the dogs when someone approaches the door.  By removing them, you are reinforcing that they have to leave when someone enters.  This can heighten their perception that the person at the door is a bad guy that they have to get away from. This can increase antisocial behaviorwith strangers.   You have to decide if that is important to you.  If it is you will need to come up with an alternate strategy.  Nothing wrong with the food through the door with doorbell chime (classic operant conditioning) but the positive reps have to far outweigh the no reward reps.  (90+ %).  If they aren't then effort has a low chance of success.

For me, I have to have social dogs with the kid's friends coming in and out of the house.  They are allowed to bark until the quiet command (which is spoken- NEVER yelled).  Then they allow everyone in and are friendly and social with them.  Very important when I have strange children 6 to 18 yrs old coming and going in the house. 

If the complete separation works for you and your family, there is nothing wrong with that.  Just want you to understand that when we teach/train something we often times teach things we really weren't aware of.

I'm very curious how the Mal behaves by herself with out the input from your BC.

 

Welcome back OP,

If you want to devote that much time then perhaps you'll luck out and no one else will be bitten, perhaps not.

Your $400 bucks went to a good cause..lol, a drop in the bucket compared to lawyers and going to court, or going to someones funeral.

Let me clarify one thing, I consider it more humane to put an animal down than to pass it off to someone else, regardless of your screening.

More often than not it doesn't work out and the dog suffers, it has nothing to do with (deserve).

Know it or not you took my advice and your trying to learn how to handle it yourself, congratulations.

Your just beginning, you have a lot more to go, it's a full time job so get used to it.

Trust me, I know what that's like, a full time job, I've been doing it for more years than I care to mention with no time off.

None.

 

bzcz:  the mal typically behaves (behaved) fine when people and their pets came in the yard.  but after the incident i cannot put that to test.  the trainer did park in the street and walked in and she circled a little but was fine.  however, he was dog savvy and showed no fear. 

the border collie is now only in the front off leash with me and the frisbee.  and when i have the frisee NOTHING will distract him.  i think both are pretty much okay when alone in the yard.  but again we are at a stop gap---no one comes near and they are not unspervised.  i had him on leash when the ups driver came and he was fine. but then again they are both fine when on leash.  oh, and thanks for the tips.

two moons: all good points.  still though, i'm starting to find out that lots of dogs bite people when someone enters their yard.  is everyone putting down their dogs that bite??  and yeah i'm not sure i am up to the full time job!  that's why i am considering re-homing the mal.  i would probably keep her over the bc but the bc is a mix and has a loud bark---he would be harder to find a good home for over a beautiful mal. as far as passing the problem off to someone else---also a good point.  but i feel that would be more the case with the bc and not the mal.  the mal will most likely be fine without her brother!

Circling a little is ok, not preferred but not unexpected.  Discuss with your trainer the concept of hand feeding food rewards to the Mal to build more trust in strangers.

Part of dog ownership is nobody approaches your dogs that your not there to supervise it.  Not that hard a job once you get used to it. 

So the Border will not freak out at all when you are there playing with frisbee.  That's great, usable drive.  Will he freak out on leash with no frisbee and then switch to frisbee playing?

If we (the internet) get a vote, I vote you keep both dogs!  You are putting in the time, the money and the dedication to make this work.  There is a light at the the end of the tunnel and I think you are on your way there.

 

Pray,

any number of things may happen when a dog bites someone, you might look into it a little deeper.

If one of my dogs were to bite the wrong person for the wrong reason it would surely be put down, that may be my choice, or a court ruling, then there is the law suit that would surely follow.

There is a proper time and place, and reason if you will for a dog to bite someone, this I do believe, but even then it comes with a price and that's a reality.

State by state, laws are changing everyday and courts always favor the victim.

Owning any animal is a great responsibility and at times can also be a great liability, I take it very seriously.

Also I am one who does not believe in the practice of rehoming a dog, never have never will.

Only in very specific situations would I ever consider it an option.

You do what you can for your dogs, take it seriously, don't take anything for granted, and best of luck with it.

Moons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The topic of rehoming a dog is one that could fill it's own thread.  Everyone has a take on it and none of them are right or wrong, It's what the person believes is best for their dog at the time.  I'm glad Pray is keeping his dogs and I hope he continues to.
 

bzcz,

ever been sent to one bad foster home after another?

You know what that is like ?

It's the same for dogs as it is for people, only worst.

Has nothing to do with what the owner thinks is best.

Too many take the easy way out as it is, and the odds are not favorable for the dog no matter what you read here or on some rescue website.

Especially when there was this kind of problem in the first place.

Yes there is a right and wrong.

We've had such threads already.

 

Moons.

 

 

 

Seems to me the OP is taking this situation pretty seriously and I for one appreciate her proactivee role in addressing the problem.

    I myself would only consider PTS a dog if EVERY option was exhausted. To me, THAT is the easy way out.

I wish you all the luck in the world getting this problem resolved in the Best Interest of All.

Moons,

Done Rescues for years, cat and dog, worked with Humane Societies.

Your way isn't the only way.

Start a new thread if you want to debate this.