Duke trying to eat anything that has 4 legs
So as some of you read, I rescued an akita in March. This is my fourth akita.
He has a extreme aggression towards other animals. He is ok with them being off in the distance for the most part. When walking in the park, neighborhood, etc, he has a 6' lead and ignores all animals unless they come up to him (my pet peeve - animals not on a leash in a populated area), then the first thing he does is bite them. Doesn't matter if its a small or large dog. He will chase anything that he sees when he is not on a leash (everything from squirrels to deer).
Its a bummer cause when we go camping with family, I have to keep him on a lead at all times as well as family members. I am used to being able to let the dogs play and just be free. Normally, all my previous akitas have stayed at my side or wondered off for a few minutes while going to the bathroom, but never anything similar.
I would like to have it so he can be around other dogs and not such a aggressor. What can I do to train him, as a muzzle is not a long term solution in my book.
He has a extreme aggression towards other animals. He is ok with them being off in the distance for the most part. When walking in the park, neighborhood, etc, he has a 6' lead and ignores all animals unless they come up to him (my pet peeve - animals not on a leash in a populated area), then the first thing he does is bite them. Doesn't matter if its a small or large dog. He will chase anything that he sees when he is not on a leash (everything from squirrels to deer).
Its a bummer cause when we go camping with family, I have to keep him on a lead at all times as well as family members. I am used to being able to let the dogs play and just be free. Normally, all my previous akitas have stayed at my side or wondered off for a few minutes while going to the bathroom, but never anything similar.
I would like to have it so he can be around other dogs and not such a aggressor. What can I do to train him, as a muzzle is not a long term solution in my book.
Comments
I find myself using really challenging situations for "Leave It" to really test my dog's impulse control.
Jesse
I'm no expert, but...
I think you have 2 totally different issue here, and I'm not sure the term "aggression" or "aggressive" is 100% accurate for both cases (just my humble opinion).
When he chases deer, rabbits, squirrels, cats, and even small dogs he is acting, more than likely, on prey drive. If he was left to fend for himself for a while he probably has a VERY strong prey drive as that may have been how he survived. If that's the case, you may never be able to "correct" the issue. Impulse control type training may help reduce it, but I would never trust him off-lead.
As for the dog-to-dog thing, when he bites these other dogs, does he injure them? Is he on lead when this happens, or off-lead?
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Brad - I don't know his exact history, I am trying to get a good answer from the original rescue group, as I got him from the foster home.
As far as the chasing wild animals, I have no issue with, I know that is there prey instinct. I am hoping that it is 2 separate issues like you mentioned. As far as off-lead, in the open, I don't mind it as he has listened pretty well and knows when he isn't going to catch the prey and turn back.
The dog to dog, he attempts to hurt them and has quite the growl, bark, attack mode going. Some of the incidents have been on lead, some off. I will give a brief account of the major incidents.
1. About a week after getting him...I was cleaning up a mess he made at the park and another dog (smaller in size) walked by about 6 feet away and he took off after the dog (my gf was holding him) and got a decent bite, but I pulled him off before he did more than that.
2. I took Duke to my gf's moms house and knew about the issue ahead of time, so we kept the dogs separate for the 10 mins we were there. Well her brother thought it would be smart to let them play and let the other dog loose and as he come over to Duke (who was on a 1' lead) bit and clamped down on the neck immediately. Again, I pulled him off quickly, but he tried to continue util I got him out of the house.
3. Same dog as above, but different location. This time, we were all camping and Duke was in the tent with me. Someone came and opened the tent unexpectedly and immediately he bolted out. He went straight to the other dog (that was on a 10' lead) and again had him by the neck. He got a few good bites in and did draw blood. Once I got him off, he was ok on a lead, but never got within 20' of the other dog again.
4. He leaped over a 3' wall when he saw another dog and proceeded to chase it until he caught it. He didn't draw blood, but the other dog was hurt.
So, my suggestion is you find a REALLY GOOD local POSTIVE behaviorist and meet with them. Ask them if they have ever done C.A.T. (Construction Aggression Treatment) training. This may help him, it's a method of reducing his reaction threshold. We are doing it with our Cane Corso who is very dog reactive and it really has helped. The behaviorist we've worked with says that C.A.T. has changed her view on "aggressive" dogs and that many of the dogs she sees that she would have recommended be put down years ago are now able to function appropriately after doing C.A.T. with her.
I posted a link to a video of Blue in his C.A.T. session, you can view that here.
Meanwhile, until you can meet with a certified behaviorist or trainer that has experience dealing with "aggressive" dogs (and is NOT Cesar Millan kool-aid drinker), and I know you know this, I would keep him on a VERY close lead - if he bites the wrong owner's dog, you could end up with a lawsuit and he may end up being put-down.
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as for biting the wrong dog...i have had no luck getting an answer on my dog biting another while he is on a lead and the other dog is not, like at a park for instance. that is my biggest worry, as i will do whatever i can to keep him away from other dogs in the meantime, but when they come up to him while not on a lead, there isnt much i can do.
Oh man, I feel your pain, trust me. Nothing in dog ownership frustrates me more than what you described. My wife and I are constantly battling this... doesn't matter if we are walking our Caucasian Mountain Dogs, our Akita, or our Shiba (or any of our dogs)... It's always a problem for us.
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i almost got into it with a dog owner who let their dog come up to mine AFTER i told him not to because of what would happen. luckily i was able to shove the dog off with my foot before duke got ahold of it.
i know its wrong, but one of these times i just wont care and will let duke do whatever when their dog is off the leash.
I heard back from the rescue group and found out as much as I could regarding his history. This is what I got back.
"He was an owner surrender (lots of those in this economy). We boarded him with a group of Akitas & he grew particularly fond of one female who was there & they got real bonded."