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Megan2345 · May 20, 2009, 01:23 PM

I have a four year old male daschund. He is very protective. He barks at everyone who comes in, or walks by. He is also aggressive towards other dogs. He's a mommas boy. Follows me around, will bite other dogs if I show them affection. He seems to have a lot of nervous energy. I think he behaves badly because he's scared not because he's mean.

Any tips for how to help him be more independent and comfortable?
Any thoughts about our situation?

Sariss · May 20, 2009, 04:33 PM

Have you considered taking him to obedience classes?

Megan2345 · May 20, 2009, 04:47 PM

I'm afraid he would attack the other dogs

Sariss · May 20, 2009, 04:50 PM

Call around and mention your fears. A lot of trainers will attempt to work around that.

Megan2345 · May 20, 2009, 06:33 PM

I also cannot afford classes. Any ideas for things I an do at home?

Catsmine · May 20, 2009, 06:58 PM

There are several books on dog training you can get from your library until you can afford obedience class. The books will not be enough, but they will help you work with him temporarily. You will need to work with him daily, regardless. Daschunds are bred to be aggressive, he will require a LOT of work to control it.

shazamataz · May 21, 2009, 02:04 AM

Fear biting is one of the hardest things to train out of a dog.
Without actually having him around other dogs to try and train it out of him it's going to be hard.

Start by teaching himm all the basic commands, sit, stay, drop etc and get him to learn these inside out.

Then start taking him for walks around other dogs... while you are out walking, get him to do his obedience.
So say another dog walks past on the oppoite side of the street, once your dog knows it is there tell him to sit. Then keep sitting until the other dog has passed and give him a treat.

Try this often, getting closer and closer to the other dogs.

greatdanelover3 · May 21, 2009, 10:58 AM

Dachshunds are a needy breed! Lol I have one! Make sure you are not overindulging your pet! Super spoiled dogs can make a nightmare dog. Then they are now fun to have. I am not saying don't love your dogs, cause I love mine, but do it in a necessary way. When you take him for walks talk a squeaker toy and small training treats to get his attention. Every time he starts to show attention in another dog turn him around and walk the other way while squeaking the toy to get his attention. Once he gives you and the toy complete attention give him a treat and tell him good boy the walk back the other way again. Keep doing this. It is time consuming but it works! Pretty soon he won't even notice a dog while it walks by! Teaching him to sit, stay, lay down is a great start to get him to listen. Hope this helps!

peterslis · May 21, 2009, 04:46 PM

first, talk to your vet about using some anxiety meds for him, this can be temporary, it sounds like a bit of separation anxiety as well, are you home more than you are gone? Or vice versa. Also, manage that aggressive behavior, leash him to death for a while gaining control, the minute he charges, give him a bit of room to do it then snap the leash, giving him a jolt and say NO and come, make him come back to you, do this until he gets the picture, towards people and dogs, make sure that you follow a command with another controlling job command, snap pull, say NO, say come, then make him sit, pet him and tell him good boy and give him a small tiny treat for a while then start randomly treating once he listens, they cannot expect a treat always, he would rather want to please momma, but you need to walk him and make sure you are also making him follow all the simple controlling and behavioral commands, like sit, stay, and heal, sit, stay and then the minute you start stepping, say heal... he'll be fine, they catch on quick with the leash thing, even in your yard, go out with him and use the leash, eventually he will put NO, and come together without the leash and just you talking to him, this will also get him the needed attention that he needs, but it will be controlled by you and not demanded by him, this is where the failure is coming, he's trying to be the man, and you cannot let him assume that role, or he will bite someone.

Catsmine · May 21, 2009, 05:44 PM

How long have you owned this 4 year old, Megan? This sort of behavior should have been addressed at six months. The dominance training Peterslis is suggesting will be very problematic with a mature dog. The distractions others have mentioned should do better in this case. Try checking out a book on "The Kohler Method" of obedience training. It works better on older dogs, in that it's a repetition method.

greatdanelover3 · May 21, 2009, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by peterslis

..Also, manage that aggressive behavior, leash him to death for a while gaining control, the minute he charges, give him a bit of room to do it then snap the leash, giving him a jolt and say NO and come, make him come back to you, do this until he gets the picture, towards people and dogs, make sure that you follow a command with another controlling job command, snap pull, say NO, say come, then make him sit, pet him and tell him good boy...

NEVER EVER SNAP PULL YOUR DOG!! EXSPECIALLY A DACHSHUND!! YOU CAN DO A lot OF DAMAGE TO THEIR THROAT AND BACK!! PLEASE Don't DO THIS!!
You want walking him to be joyful for you and him. The best way is Every time he starts to show attention in another dog turn him around and walk the other way while squeaking the toy to get his attention. Once he gives you and the toy complete attention give him a treat and tell him good boy the walk back the other way again. Keep doing this.

shazamataz · May 22, 2009, 04:52 AM

I agree... I don't use this method on any dogs when I am lead training them...

Not only can it hurt their necks/backs but it can make them lead shy as they then become scared of the lead hurting them!

Praise and encouragement are the best ways to train a dog, not punishment.

peterslis · May 22, 2009, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Catsmine

How long have you owned this 4 year old, Megan? This sort of behavior should have been addressed at six months. The dominance training Peterslis is suggesting will be very problematic with a mature dog. The distractions others have mentioned should do better in this case. Try checking out a book on "The Kohler Method" of obedience training. It works better on older dogs, in that it's a repetition method.

She has had the dog along time, and she needs to become the dominant one, he will not attack or bite her, he is trying to be her only one... she does need to use the dominance training to regain her status and put him at a different rank or he will hurt someone, but at the same time have a good daily regimen with him, so he can count on the attention and get it, not on his demand, but on hers... he does have to count on it though... it sounds to me like there isn't allot of walking, simple commands, and just the general beginnings, the bred is a territorial breed that will take over if not handled properly.

peterslis · May 22, 2009, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by greatdanelover3

NEVER EVER SNAP PULL YOUR DOG!!!! EXSPECIALLY A DACHSHUND!!! YOU CAN DO ALOT OF DAMAGE TO THEIR THROAT AND BACK!!! PLEASE DONT DO THIS!!!
you want walking him to be joyful for you and him. The best way is Every time he starts to show attention in another dog turn him around and walk the other way while squeaking the toy to get his attention. once he gives you and the toy complete attention give him a treat and tell him good boy the walk back the other way again. Keep doing this.

Snap, not hang, this is a very common measure of reinforcement.

peterslis · May 22, 2009, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by greatdanelover3

NEVER EVER SNAP PULL YOUR DOG!!!! EXSPECIALLY A DACHSHUND!!! YOU CAN DO ALOT OF DAMAGE TO THEIR THROAT AND BACK!!! PLEASE DONT DO THIS!!!
you want walking him to be joyful for you and him. The best way is Every time he starts to show attention in another dog turn him around and walk the other way while squeaking the toy to get his attention. once he gives you and the toy complete attention give him a treat and tell him good boy the walk back the other way again. Keep doing this.

Great Dane Lover; I think the way that I am quoting and the words I am using, you could be taking out of context, any training measurement uses the leash control, and "quick tug" as a universal measure of training, it's common and if you do it right you won't be hanging your dog or snapping necks. Every trainer uses this method... The beginning and the whole root of training starts with establishing a pack order, you have to be the boss, unfortuneatly, the distraction method only works if you are with the dog, and have a toy, what happens when you are not with the dog or have a toy, it's about setting up control, making your dog want to please you with good behavior enforcing boundries the way they understand, which instinctively is always in a reactive way, and ensuring that they understand what it is they are not suppose to be doing, promote good behavior with gratitude and bad behavior with a firm, quick correction... then follow up with the simple command regimen... if you are taking on an adult dog, you have to first let them establish a relationship with you, by working with them in your area, before you take them out into another open territory, once they trust you (usually within 2 to 3 days) and you are not a threat, then you start walking them in your area, given simple commands, making them follow through with each command, and rewarding with affection and small bite treats... after they are confident that they have the message on what you want does on the least and what behaviors you expect from them, then it is time to walk the block, once you have gained control over their movements, and can command them, then you can work with those commands on other animals and other humans, when there is a distraction that big for them, tugging quickly on a leash, is a firm, simple, recognizable correction that they understand and it snaps them into attention, they know right away that you don't want those behaviors, and reinforcing that with the work NO as you do it, and then making them follow through with the simple command scale, sit, stay, and heal, is 100 percent effective, you usually only have to try and communicate your disapproval to negative behavior towards other animals and people no more than twice, as you walk them for a while, when a distraction comes your way, you will even recognize that they will look at the distraction, and then look up at you, that means that you have done your job, and that they understand... this satisfies them as well, they want to please, then need daily work, and commands, and they want to succeed, it all forms POSITIVE behaviors, not defensive and abusive, or it will never put the owner/master in a low ranking position, turning them away and giving them a toy, only lets them know that is what they can expect, what happens with you don't have that... it's not connect the instinctively aggressive nature to the issue and resolving and ending the behavior, it is a distractive training method, that could work, but does not change the initial reasoning and aggression. This is my opinion, I am only speaking on what I learn, and do, and place into action, and only what has worked for me...

Catsmine · May 22, 2009, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by peterslis

leash him to death for a while gaining control, the minute he charges, give him a bit of room to do it then snap the leash

You backpedal quite well, peterslis, yet your first post on this thread detracts from your credibility.

You said that Megan has had this dog a long time, yet Megan has not mentioned how long she has had the animal, in this thread or any of her other posts. Do you know her personally?

greatdanelover3 · May 22, 2009, 09:55 AM

Every trainer deosnt snap pull their dog. I have been a dog trainer for 15 years and have never used that.I also now of many highly reputable trainers who don't do this. I don't care what breed it is.I find, Dogs also work best with positive reinforcement, then the whole pack and bully idea. You can still be the boss but physical punishment is never needed. The dog wants to walk right? So by turning him around when he shows aggressive behavior towards any other dog tells him he can't go any further with that behavior. It has always worked with me. With aggressive training you are going to get aggressive results.
Op, please try what you think will work best. But I would suggest talking to a vet about peterlis statement. You have a very sensitive breed who, In my opinion wouldn't do that great with his advise.

Megan2345 · Jun 8, 2009, 08:07 AM

Wow, that's a lot of input. Thanks. I've had him since he was a pup. He's gotten more anxious and aggressive over the years. He doesn't bite people, barks at them. I've been taking him around other dogs and he rarely bites them, and when he does it is a gentle bite meant to scare them. He just doesn't like other dogs. I'll keep working with him. He is visibly afraid of other dogs and children.