Re: [pyrnet] Aggressive Dog

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

Sandy, I'll answer your questions the best that I'm able.

<<Missing fact:  What is the wife/mother's opinion/desire in all
this?>>

The husband wanted a Newf, wife wanted a Pyr. They got the Pyr.
<g>

<<The man said he loves his dog.  Couldn't he get a very large
pet kennel
(like the 10 by 10 that I have) and keep the pyr in the kennel in
the house
when they can't supervise the pyr and baby?  In my opinion
confinement with
love and attention is better than putting the dog down.>>

I suggested a crate. He thinks crating is cruel. The dog is
occasionally put in the basement when the child and dog can't be
watched closely.

<<As a training point for me, how is a dog evaluated for bad
temperament?  Are
there standards or is this learned with experience and judgment
over time?>>

A well trained behaviorist would be the best bet. He's seen a
behaviorist who spent very little time with the dog, and just
medicated it. Some side effects were mild, which are the ones the
Vet told him about. As his wife is a nurse, the looked up the
meds when they got home and found out that there are other side
effects. Two of which are seizure and coma. They stopped the
meds. Whether or not the meds would have the same side effects in
canines I can't say. I'm trying to get him to take the dog to the
Behavior Clinic at Penn. There is a behaviorist there that has
come highly recommended. I'm sure there are standards for
temperament testing. My own just come from experience and many
years spent with dogs. I have not seen the dog. I'd really like
to observe the dog and watch her body language. Remember, I spent
1 1/2 hours on the phone with him, listening carefully. There are
a few possible scenarios here. The one that immediately came to
mind from the first few minutes of our conversation was, "the dog
has bad temperament, put her down". But instead of voicing this,
I listened more. The second is, "this dog is ver alpha and
dominant, she needs some dominance reduction therapy". Again, I
listened more. The third is, "this dog is thrust into the role of
alpha, and is emotionally unable to handle the role, so
therefore, acts inappropriately". It could easily be any of
these, all of these or any combination of these or even one I
haven't thought of yet. Rather than have a tragedy, I'd suggest
the dog be destroyed, but, there are some medical things going on
as well. She has been plagued by chronic ear and Urinary Tract
infections. So, we have possible hypothyroidism, food allergy or
maybe even low grade systemic infection. <S> Lot's of variables
and the dog's life is in the balance. I will be trying to
convince him to get the dog to the Behavior clinic at Penn. As
much as I'd like to see the dog I can't get out there until the
third week in October, if then. At the moment I'm trying to find
someone with some idea of how to assess temperament to go get a
look at the dog. So, you see my dilemma. And, I really need to
give this guy a call back.

Barb Bowes
Bo & Chelsea (Pyrs) & Flopsy (Pyr Shep)
The more people I meet, the more I like my dog!
bamb@monmouth.com