Image : http://www.flickr.com
A client of mine described his 4 year old adult male Pitbull as a sweetheart – except
- when the client’s toddler grandchildren visited, or
- when the client grabbed the dog’s collar to drag him to his crate or elsewhere.
My own experience with this dog was that he indeed was a sweetheart. He got along nicely with his female Pit housemate, and when the two of them came to my facility for a bath, they both behaved nicely and got along well with the staff as well as all the other dogs.
However, my staff never grabbed the dog by the collar, and there were no children in the dog securely any time separation is not possible. A cage muzzle works well because it allobuilding. There is not much that scares people more than a Pit who is snappy around children, and rightfully so. Any time a dog is snapping at children, a solution is required immediately.
Solutions for what my client described to me range from total prevention to modified prevention to gradual behavior modification, and several combinations of all the above. If you are encountering this situation, the option you choose is a personal decision based on your ability (how much time you have for training, your skill level at the exercises) and your willingness (your level of desire to keep the dog, your acceptance of the fact that there are no guarantees without total prevention).
Many people get multiple bites from their own dogs and choose to keep them. Many other people euthanize their dogs at the first incident. Most people do something in between. If a dog is the property of the owner (which insurance companies consider them), the owner not only has total responsibility but total decision-making authority on the dog’s fate. Legally, there really is no “right” or “wrong” decision; there is only how you deal with it. Your emotions, humanity and of course, feelings of guilt, make this decision very difficult. But you have to make this decision, and you have to make it before any kids visit again.
Incidentally, the behavior the Pit in question exhibited is absolutely normal dog behavior. Most dogs who have not undergone early puppy prevention and bite inhibition exercises do what he does. Obviously, however this normal dog behavior does not usually fit into many human family environments.
Here are your options:
Total Prevention (This guarantees that the dog will not cause any more problems or injury.): Remove the dog from the household by finding another owner who will not have toddlers around, or by bringing the dog to a shelter for re-adoption or euthanasia.
Modified Prevention: Keep the dog away from all kids at all times until they’re older and understand clearly that they should not touch him. Muzzle the ws the dog to pant, which means you can leave it on for longer periods than a nylon “speed muzzle” (these are the ones used often at veterinary hospitals for quick procedures). You can also give him tiny treats through a cage muzzle to create a positive association, so that he doesn’t resent the muzzle and try to get it off.
Many people will opt for Modified Prevention for 6-12 months during which time they utilize the following Behavior Modification techniques. Great strides can be made this way, particularly because this doesn’t completely isolate the dog from children and keeps them on more familiar terms. Dog owners must know, however, that nothing other than Total Prevention will guarantee that the dog can be considered “safe” around kids in the future.
Behavior Modification: Please note that these instructions apply to a dog who has not broken skin on any human at any time after his adult teeth were in. These instructions are for “air snappers”, not biters.
Since the dog already is “collar-shy” (snaps when you take hold of his collar), you need to create a positive association with the collar and maybe other body parts such as feet, mouth, ears. All adult members of the household should practice these handling and association exercises. The more the better.
Start by handfeeding all meals and treats while gently touching neck area, no commands necessary, just praise as he eats and allows gentle touches to all body parts above (I would incorporate them all because they can all be triggers to snaps). If he is still uncomfortable with gentle handling, use better food (dime sized slices of hot dogs work well, tuna, softer stinky dog treats like snausages, beggin’ strips, or ham, roast beef, baloney, salami, cheese, chicken, cat food, etc.) until he is comfortable. Practice in a wide variety of locations several (5+) times daily. Each session should last about 1 minute. Include previously “tough” situations such as near the kennel or other places he previously resented/snapped. Do not do these exercises with other dogs around, to avoid food guarding responses. NEVER scold the dog if he has an apprehensive response. Rather just reduce pressure and increase treat desirability. You should do your best to remain calm, relaxed, casually happy while doing this, praising occasionally as if it was just a casual petting session, not a behavior modification exercise.
Do not move to the next level until he is comfortable in a wide variety of locations inside and outside.
Now while feeding as before, start to increase the pressure/roughness with which you handle him, again 5+ times daily, 1-minute sessions each. If he shows any sign of apprehension, reduce pressure/roughness and repeat in different locations until you can increase pressure/roughness gradually. Each level of pressure/roughness should be practiced for several days to confirm his comfort level before you increase pressure/roughness to the next level.
Gradually progress, always with food, to the point where you can handle him roughly in a wide variety of locations including previously resented places. I would expect this to take several weeks.
Now do gentle handling/feeding in presence of the kids who are at least 10 feet away from you and the dog. Another adult will be needed to keep control of the kids’ location and activities. They should go about their playing/screaming/ toddling but without interfering with you. Do this at least 3x/day for at least 4-5 days, in succession or every other day. Practice in a wide variety of locations inside and outside, including any “hot” locations such as the dog’s dinner area.
Over the next week or two, gradually decrease the distance between you/dog and kids, at a rate of about 1 foot per 2-3 days. Do not decrease the distance if the dog reacts differently in any way, freezes up, refuses treats, snaps or shows any apprehension whatsoever. Stay at a comfortable distance for as long as it takes – weeks if necessary – until you feel you can try a slightly closer proximity. Don’t push it! Continue these until you have a comfortable dog being handled by you, eating treats while the kids are as close as 2-3 feet away. Remember, another adult must be present to control the kids’ location and activities.
Now hold a child’s hand while you hand feed the dog for a few days, no handling necessary. Vary children, vary locations in all of the following steps!
IMPORTANT: All of the following steps will last at least 3 days, 5+ sessions each day, 1 minute each, including lots of praising and no scolding or punishment. If you want to scold, it’s because he’s doing something you want to scold-that means you’re moving to the next step too soon. Sessions are short, casual, calm & happy.
Hold a child while you hand feed and handle gently as in Step 1.
Hold a child as you hand feed and gradually increase pressure/roughness. Remember, if the dog at any point in these steps hesitates or shows any other sign of apprehension (you can see it in his eyes long before he growls or snaps), move back a step and repeat for a few days until he’s feeling more comfortable.
Hold a child while s/he gives the dog his favorite treats and you handle him.
Hold a child while s/he gently pets the dog and YOU hand feed.
Hold a child while s/he gently touches ears, neck while you feed great treats
Hold a child while s/he gently touches feet while you feed great treats.
Now sit on floor next to child while s/he gives the dog great treats and you handle him with more pressure than Step 9.
Now sit on floor next to child while you feed the dog great treats and child handles ears, neck, feet with a little more pressure. Lots of praise please!
Now do step 14 standing next to child instead of sitting on floor.
Now do step 15 standing next to child instead of sitting on floor.
Now do step 14 standing a 2-3 feet away from child & dog. You’ll have to be close enough to reach him but move back occasionally.
Now do step 15 standing 2-3 feet away from child & dog. You’ll have to be close enough to feed him but move back in between treats. He’ll be getting a treat every few seconds while child is handling. At this point you can add a sit or stay to keep him where he is as long as he’s paying attention to you, the food giver.
If all has gone well, by now you should be feeling pretty comfortable with the child handling the dog who is feeling very comfortable with the whole scenario. What you have done is puppy prevention training at a much slower and cautious pace because he is 4 years old now.
Other important elements to this modification technique:
- Praise and treat the dog whenever a child is around. Alternately, ignore the dog when children are not present. He will get more attention when kids are there, less attention when they are not. This will generally cause him to look forward to the kids’ presence, rather than resent it.
- Teach the kids about dogs, big teeth, etc.
- Never leave the kids alone with the dog, and never let the kids mistreat or tease the dog.
- Consider cage muzzle for use during the steps above (I’d do it alternately, some sessions with muzzle, some without). He should be able to eat tiny treats with the cage muzzle on, and you may feel safer when you get to the kid stuff
- Muzzle him when you can’t do the exercises but the kids will be around. This way he’s still getting interaction and praise/attention from you in their presence and isn’t starting to resent them because he gets put in the yard or otherwise ignored, yelled at or tugged at whenever kids are around.
Thanks To : Hp B Sawzall http://phyllistyree.bub.my/ http://marjoryarnhold.geheim-geheim.de/