[PyrNet-L] Hercules and Aggression

["Gerry Kemske" <kemske@wi.mit.edu>]

I can sympathize with your worries about Hercules and the infrequent fits of
possible aggression.  Our Pyr Travis - who was an incredibly dominant pup - at
the age of about a year used to be subject to fits of what can only be
described as extreme joie de vivre (often after a long run in the winter)
where he would run madly in tight circles and then often jump up and bite at
my shoulder.  At first I was taken aback (how could my darling do this!) and
even frightened.  Our breeder had told us to throw him on his back and hold
him down by the throat whenever he was being a monster, but if I did that
during the fits (which was hard to do when he crossed over 100 pounds), he
only got worse.  We finally discovered that if we grabbed him in a bear hug as
he was going into a fit, and held him between our forearms while stroking him
gently and soothingly, the fits would quickly pass and he would be back to our
sweet boy.  At about 2 years the fits ceased entirely.   Why don't you try
this with Hercules?   Good luck!