Fw: [PyrNet-L] thread about rescue pyr with aggression problems (seamus)

["Danita Acquafredda" <genesis@atlantic.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: SDOBSCHA@lnmta.bentley.edu <SDOBSCHA@lnmta.bentley.edu>
Subject: [PyrNet-L] thread about rescue pyr with aggression problems
(seamus)


>
>however, not two weeks after i got seamus he attacked me.  as i posted to
>this list a year ago, he took some cheese off the counter and when i caught
>him i mistakenly cornered him to punish him.  he lunged at me with his
>teeth bared and tried to bite me
>

According to your post this incident occurred over a year ago; has he or is
he still showing aggressive behavior to you or other humans or was this an
isolidated circumstance.  I may be mistaken, but you only had this rescue
dog for a few weeks,  and you state that you "cornered him to punish him"
over a piece of cheese?  Maybe my dogs are spoiled rotten, but I would never
corner anyone of my pys and place them in a "fight or flight" mental stage
situation.  Basically because I feel that to be disrespectful of my dog.
My pyrs discipline is a strong voice; these are large very intellegent
creature that do not need or appreciate physical discipline.  (my opinion)

Hopefully this rescue pyr that you have had over a year now does not
"attack" you or any other human. Although, I hope that you no longer
"corner" your dog to discipline him either.  That would scare the poop out
of my gentle bears and that type of "discipline" could possibly lead to a
"fearful" behavior in and by its self alone.  I believe in mutual respect
and understanding; discipline is a strong voice and even at that they pout
because they know that I am not happy with something that one has done and
they all want to "please" me and do the right things.

Furthermore you state that the dog will still "let loose" while you are
walking him even tho you are training him not to attack other dogs. How are
you training him not to attack other dogs; with discipline?? I am assuming
that he has not actually "bitten" and broke any skin of other dogs or you
would be facing law suits.  He appears more fightful than alpha leader and
fear is a stronger motivater towards aggression than alpha leader.  (again
only my opinion)  This type of behavior of which you describe is not
"dominance" behavior; a dog that is dominant and confident is not "fearful"
of other dogs walking by on a leash.  I believe this poor dog is suffering
more fear than anything else.

If the dog does not show agressive behavior towards humans than perhaps you
could find him a nice home, perhaps, to someone that has some acreage
wherein he would not be so confined; plus, would not be placed in the "fight
and flight" situation when encountering other dogs while he is confined to
his area of his leash.

However, if the dog is aggressive towards humans, there is only one proper
solution for the safety of others that may be the victim of such agression.
It would be unfair to place this dog with anyone should he be agressive to
humans.

Furthermore, I believe this dog should never be allowed to breed as these
behaviors are not something that are desirable and should not be breed into
the pyr breed. Hopefully, you have already taken care of that possiblity.

Hopefully you will find a solution to this problem that you are comfortable
with and so may your pyr.

With kindest regards,
Danita
genesis@atlantic.net








recommended.  i've taken seamus to trainers and behavioral experts at tufts
>vet school.  he displays dominance behaviors, is fearful of other dogs he
>doesn't know and has separation anxiety.  every time we think we've done a
>good job of training him to not attack other dogs, he lets loose on a dog
>walking by.  in the city it is impossible to stay away from dogs all of the
>time so we have had to change our lives to walk him at odd hours.  we can
>never let him off leash so he doesn't get the exercise he needs.
>
>i guess what i'm saying is that i would be willing to consider giving him
>to someone who had a total grasp on behavioral and dominance problems and
>had the expertise to work with him.  we have learned a lot since we got him
>about training, but we aren't professionals.  we feel a little abandoned by
>the pyr community because i have often reached out to this list, and
>knowing that the intervention potential is minimal in this medium, i
>haven't felt like anyone has really reached out to help me with this
>situation.  the advice has ranged from 'put him down' to 'it's you not the
>dog who needs retrained'.  there has been lots of words of support but that
>doesn't cover the complex emotions we feel toward this dog.  i've also
>reached out to the director of pyr rescue and have only received advice,
>not a solution.  maybe this is asking too much of the community to step in
>and help me solve the problems with this rescue.
>
>please don't read this as a flame, i love this list and i love all the
>positive pyr stories but i read them with a bittersweet reaction.  i'm just
>telling you all how i feel and hoping that someone can recommend a solution
>that doesn't entail euthanizing the dog but doesn't leave us as hostages
>either.
>
>susan
>
>
>
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