Re: [pyrnet]Reply/Hi,I'm new here

[rene1@sprint.ca]

Hi, Cindy:
Thanks for replying. You said:
 the need to understand the nip also plays in.  I'm
>not advocating that children be allowed to be bitten, but I do believe in
>trying to understand why a dog nips/bites.

-Understanding the reason for the nip is exactly why I didn't immediately
have him put to sleep.
First, he showed great bite inhibition, as she walked away with only a few
scratches on her face, he could have done a lot more damage if that was his
intent.
Second I knew that he thought of my kids as litter mates and was treating
her as such.
He also has never shown any aggression towards any member of the family
before this, other than guarding his food( Standing over it) with the kids.
Not even when the kids "loved" him to much, or accidentally hurt him. His
reaction was to lick them till they went away.
This is what had happened, as I said he was becoming food aggressive towards
my other dog, and would stand over his bowl and stare at the kids if they
came near.
So to avoid a potential problem, I removed his bowl to a seperate room, and
he ate in there in peace. Keep in mind he came from a welp of 13 pups, which
I was told was likely the cause, because he was the timid one, probably had
to fight for food from day one.
The night he nipped my daughter, I had made a cake, it was in the fridge.
She went into the fridge to steal some icing, and he also thought that was a
good idea. When he tried to get into the fridge, she went around him, put
her arm's through his back legs and pulled. I was out of the room, and came
running, when I heared a growl, then a second growl, then a scream. My other
daughter told me that he was showing his teeth, and growled twice before he
turned and nipped.
So not that I think for ANY REASON, he had a right to nip her but, I think
that it could have hurt him to be pulled that way, and he seemed to warn her
to back off.
Also at this time he was still a baby too,11 months old.
You know, when she hurts the cat and the cat scratches her because of it, we
say good for the cat !, you should respect her and not hurt her, you
deserved it. But it's incredibly hard to say that about a dog that could rip
her to pieces. Even if she was wrong.
 
Cindy Wrote:
>Make sure you really understand what has been done with the dog, and what
>their expectations for you will be in dealing with him.  Continue to get
>help.  Don't be fearful of bringing him back home least you set up a
>pattern for failure. 

-I totally researched the man who is training him, or shall I say more like
teaching him self control, and de sensitizing him. I was soooooo confused
about all the different training methods out there, I found one that I could
be comfortable with. Totally humane, no violent punishment,etc.  He believes
that he can work with Zeus .( I'm also on a STRICT training program for when
he returns) Zeus will come home for "trial periods" With total support from
him, and if I see or he feels, that he needs more training, back he goes for
as long as it takes. Also he guarantees that if We can't make it work, or if
I feel that I can't deal with it anymore, He'll take the dog in. He has over
12 dogs there,(on a farm) he rescued from certain death. I think that any
man willing to open his home to so many unwanted dogs, has to be nothing but
good.

I want to thank you for your support, I hope this answers some questions.
 I know some think I should put him to sleep for the saftey of my children.
I want to assure them that though I love my dog, I love my children more,
and I will NEVER allow harm to come to them, I will NEVER allow them to be
alone with Zeus again, no matter how much improvement I see. I will always
be aware that I own and will always own a "potentially" aggressive dog, and
I will be cautious of such forever.
Sariena Foley
Ontario, Canada