Author Topic: Jake Dilema- suggestions  (Read 13952 times)

Offline zchic

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Re: Jake Dilema- suggestions
« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2007, 12:13:21 pm »
I had Tisha for 11 years and she was very protective, and Thorn is now 8 and he is more protective as he ages. Tisha would follow me everywhere and couldn't stand for me to be out of her site. She was "wierd" around certain people, people that I would describe as odd. The type of people that give you a wierd vibe..she picked up on that and would get between me and them. She never tried to bite though. Thorn is the same way...even a bit worse. He will put himself between me and the "odd person" and growl with his hair up. I don't trust him when he acts like this, he doesn't attack...but I know if I turn my back he is gonns sneak in a nip. With his age, it is just something we have learned to work around. He is fine around friends/family...it is just certain people, and those people I usually get the "bad vibe" from.
-Jodi
Mom to:
Thorn- 8 year old fawn male dane
Morgayne- Wolfhound pup
Gracie- Merelequin (deaf) dane pup


1996-2007
Tisha...my best friend, I miss you girl.

Offline maxsmom

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Re: Jake Dilema- suggestions
« Reply #16 on: November 18, 2007, 12:04:23 pm »
Our Tibetan Mastiff Cody, is very protective of me and our home.  He barks, growls at every person who comes into this house, other than myself and my husband.  I have a large metal gate that keeps the dogs in the kitchen, master bedroom area of the house.  I go out the gate to let people in and then let them meet the dogs at the gate.  If it someone the dogs don't know, it takes a minute for them to calm down.  Once they have sniffed them, Max and Jake are fine and shut up.  Cody will bark/growl until I tell him that is enough.  He will then back up enough to let them come in and watch me until I sit down.  He lays at my feet, quietly, and watches every move a stranger makes.  Cody had a very rough life before he was rescued and we adopted him.  I love the fact that he knows what he is and what he is supposed to do and that he feels that he is home now and is supposed to be protecting us and our home.  In public, he has never growled or barked at anyone.  He is super at the vets office, petsmart, dog park (on the leash), craft fairs, pet fairs, etc.  I trust him completely, because I know he takes his cues from me and looks at me every time he growls or barks.  I got him to protect me and that is exactly what he does.  I agree with everything that has been said.  Your dog is maturing and just needs to understand that you are the alpha person.  You also need to remember that dogs will react differently if you are alone than when your husband is around.  Our Springers, both deceased, would not bark or growl at anyone or anything when Joe was home or in the car, would not let anyone come near the car or get close to me when I was alone.  Friends could come over when Joe was here and pet and play with them just fine.  If Joe was gone, they could come in and pet the dogs as long as they did not come too close to me.  The dogs would get between us and not let them touch me.  Dogs just have their own ideas of what they think is acceptable and when.  Either YOU set their boundaries or they will.
Kathy
Max  2 Irish Wolfhound
Jake  2 Great Pyrenees
Cody   3 Tibetan Mastiff
ChiChi 1.5 Caucasian Ovcharka
John and Nicki Maine Coon cats

Offline Zoja

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Re: Jake Dilema- suggestions
« Reply #17 on: March 09, 2008, 04:10:22 pm »
I am going to look into some more training- Not sure what the next step will be though since where I live the only training within reasonable driving distance is probably not going to be able to address this situation.
My friend has known Jake since he was a baby, so I am not sure how he is going to react. We are just going to have to watch this and address it when she gets here.
Weirdo neighbor had me really irritated, so I totally undersand that vibe. Incident 3 weeks ago totally took me by surprise, but he was not at home and so maybe he was nervous or anxious.
I also think that I under estimated his size and power until recently and I now know to watch him closer when anyone comes to the gate.
Jake is the 1st Dane and he is a learning experience. I do know that he will bite with out thinking twice and that scares me. I also know that he has a tendancy to put himself between me and other people, so I am working on that as well when someone comes over.
I am sure that he thinks that he is doing the right thing. I just want to be able to work with him on when the right time for the protectiveness is necessary.

I know exactly how you feel. My dane George is being like that too. Except he is being more aggressive towards kids and certain adults that come over to the house. He lunges and growls, very disturbing.I have 2 kids and he is fine with them, but since this has happened I don't leave them alone in the same room. We  had test done, havn't found anything so I am going to get the vet to do a thyroid test cause she didn't with the initial test. So here I am hoping this can be helped. He also has to be put away when kids and certain people come over.we were looking to add another dog to the family, but will keep looking till we can figure this out.
Shannon

lins_saving_grace

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Re: Jake Dilema- suggestions
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2008, 07:39:29 pm »
i haven't had it happen with a dane, but you know the Grace aggression story.  We have curbed that with a pocket full of treats and positive reinforcment.  when someone walks by i force her to pay attention to me and i distract her from looking at people near us.  we're doing really well.   of course she is so food motivated.
« Last Edit: March 09, 2008, 07:40:08 pm by Lin »

bigdogs@5501

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Re: Jake Dilema- suggestions
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2008, 10:52:01 pm »
I posted this thread months ago- I did consult with a behavioralist. Jake is Jake. We can do some intensive training with him and get past this- but I have decided that we are going to basically leave things as they are now. He is content at home being Jake- At home he is the most loving Dane ever. He is not comfortable going "out" any more and so we are not going to make him- there is not a need to do so other than to take him to the vet.
I have my reasons for needing a good protective watch dog out where I live and he is that and more. I dont know about other Danes or if some are more prone to this behavior than others so I cant comment on wether this is normal. I am sure that the lack of socialization had a lot to do with the way that he acts. He was socialized a lot as a puppy but as he got older we tended to stay home more and since we didnt get out - he didnt get out either.