We have a black lab that we rescued as a puppy, who almost died from parvo, and my wife and son nursed it back to health. It recently bit my son when he and I were wrestling. He won't bite me hard no matter what. Yesterday he tried to jump on me, and I grabbed his paw and wouldn't let go - he would not bite me, no matter how long I held on.
He also won't try to enter the house when I'm at the door, but with others, he will run in given the chance.
Am I crazy with my 'alpha male' theory ?
2007-10-22 03:46:53 · 12 answers · asked by ironwood9 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Your dog may see you as the "alpha male", but that isn't necessarily a good thing. It sounds like you may be acting too rough with your dog: rough wrestling play and grabbing and holding his paw for an extended period. The dog may have realized that you're bigger and stronger than him, so he won't take on you. But because he's learned from you that physical force is a good way to show who's in charge, he bites people who he sees as lower than him in the pack, like your son.
You need to show your dog that everyone in your family is aobve him in the pack, but do so without being physical. Obedience training can do a lot to bring this about. Putting your dog in a down-stay for an extended period of time or having him sit and wait for things like dinner or entering a door help him to learn his place without anyone having to dominate him physically.
2007-10-22 05:07:28 · answer #1 · answered by Demon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're alpha male and he respects you as the alpha male. My dog has never been abused in any way but she is afraid of my sisters b/f because he is definately the alpha male, she won't even look at him and if she sees him come up the stairs she jumps off the sofa and goes back on her bed. I work on being pack leader and she listens to me and respects me to a point, but I tend to baby her a lot and he does not.
You need to teach your son how to be a pack leader also, your dog should not be biting him.
2007-10-22 04:05:03 · answer #2 · answered by Weimaraner Mom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh expensive. nicely you have gotten your self right into a troublesome troublesome concern now. exceptionally with a male GSD. 1st concern's 1st. do not do the "abdomen roll" anymore. that would desire to easily BE EVER performed with small-medium canine, by way of extensive risk that a larger canine would desire to chew your face and reason severe injuries to you.. i be attentive to individuals will thumbs this down, yet I surely have had journey with overly-aggressive Rottweilers, German Shepherds and different great breeds...... yet you're gonna would desire to take concerns out of your palms and into your legs/ft. If the canine jumps onto the table lower back, push him off at the same time with your legs, not kicking him, yet in a company way. 2. devour first. 3. Push the canine aside and flow downstairs and by doors previously him. 4. do not permit him on the settee, or on your mattress room. 5. BE consistent. 6. Be company. 7. Use a choke/pinch collar whilst jogging him. place it merely the place the top and neck meet, below the jawline... somewhat dominant great confusing to handle male canine could be dealt with like this honestly. 8. while he does something stable, compliment him, yet do not compliment him while he "asks" for it. merely once you want to. 9. do not flow to HIM once you want him. Make him come to you. merely stick to those, and that i promise he would be a replaced canine interior of a month. verify to be consistent and company.
2016-11-09 04:44:30 · answer #3 · answered by Erika 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a well trained dog will NOT bite a human, especially one from the family, even when provoked. (shouldn't bite strangers either unless you give a command). your dog might think you are the alpha, it might be scared of you, but it sounds like he needs some more training. HE should NEVER be allowed to bite your son. You need to enroll in obedience classes and fix this problem before it escalates.
2007-10-22 03:59:51 · answer #4 · answered by dobiz_rule 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeh, what is this 'trying to make a dog bite" the hand that feeds it thing????
Gave judy(2nd reply) thumbs up.
You're just teasing the poor dog into confusion and being cruel by enticing a gentle Lab breed dog to get angry and bite!
Why don't you play frisbee or ball and take the loyal dog to a dog park to socialize with others of his canine kind?
2007-10-22 04:02:54 · answer #5 · answered by deltadawn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You had me til you got to the ' won't try to enter the house while i'm at the door ' I think he is afraid of you.. there is a fine line between respect and doing what is expected, and doing what is expected out of fear.
2007-10-22 14:44:01 · answer #6 · answered by DP 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep, you are the alfa, and you want it to stay that way, when you are wrestling with your son, or wife, he knows who took care of him and he will protect them from you, the alfa, dogs look at the human family they live with as "the pack" and we all have an order, he may consider himself as the beta, which is the care taker, i have 5 now, and there is an order. lol, also labs are very protective
2007-10-22 04:12:14 · answer #7 · answered by spacye 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you mistreated him and being a dog who had been neglected, he is now scared of you. Dogs who have been abused or neglected take special care. I know I have one. I have had him for 4 weeks and he still is scared of literally everything, even the wind!!! And I have never even raised my voice to him. I give him lots of love.
2007-10-22 03:52:26 · answer #8 · answered by judyarb1945 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yeah that or he's scared of you..
I bet you can get him to bite you if you try harder.. remember power through intimidation.. control is the key word and you need to have total control over the calm dag.. it will make you feel more like a man and women dig that..
2007-10-22 03:53:45 · answer #9 · answered by slim 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are his alpha dog and with dogs that is what you want.
2007-10-22 03:54:49 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋